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POPULAR PIECE based on ‘If I were a Rich Man’ (Bock) – FOUR CELLOS OR CELLO ORCHESTRA

Other Identification:
“If I Were a Rich Man” is primarily known as a song from the ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, and is a central part of the 1964 musical of the same name. It is sung by the main character, Tevye, who dreams of a life of leisure and grandeur if he were wealthy.

The song’s title and theme were inspired by a 1902 Yiddish monologue by Sholem Aleichem titled “If I were a Rothschild” and a tale called The Bubble Bursts, which appeared in the 1949 collection Tevye’s Daughters. The song explores the fantasy of escaping hard labor for a life of comfort, luxury, and status, though the concept is also a common theme in literature and psychology, reflecting on the desires and potential complexities of wealth.

Movements or sections:
The tempo indication is – Moderate lilt

Instrumentation:
QUARTET OF CELLOS, OR LARGER ENSEMBLE/CELLO ORCHESTRA
Arranged by David Johnstone

2 PDFs:
1] – General Score
2] – All individual parts

Approximate difficulty:
MEDIUM to DIFFICULT

Dedicatee of this presentation (if applicable):
The Cello Company (London)

Links (Audio – Visual), and known performances given by:
BOCK – If I were a Rich Man 4 Cellos or Cello Orchestra
Cellobration Cello Quartet, Illinois, U.S.A.

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Personal

David Johnstone lives near Pamplona (Navarre, Spain) with his wife Rosa and their two “Spanglish” children, close to the Atlantic Pyrenees. The nearest international airport is Bilbao.

He is interested in world affairs, politics, animal rights, and most sports (including being a lifelong suffering Reading FC fan!). Also passionate about Celtic culture and genealogy, he has traced his ‘English’ family back to 1280, although Scotland and Ireland have also shaped his background. And yes — he is half-ashamed to admit it, he loves silly jokes!

Social Work

David Johnstone supports animal rights, he is against any form of abuse towards them, and says a loud “NO” to bullfighting, foxhunting and any other animal cruelty.

TORTURE IS NOT CULTURE !