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This scherzo in ABA form was inspired by Kabalevsky's Op.27, No.5 for piano. It is one of a series of brief bagatelles for various combinations of recorders. (No. 4 [AAA] appears in the ARS Members' Library Edition, Edition No. 55.) While not technically challenging, co-ordination of the two parts is tricky when playing at tempo and some slow practice will not go amiss. Parallel octaves require careful attention to tuning. Duration: 1:05

Scott Paterson and the composer are the performers on the recording.

Play Along Instructions for Mere Bagatelle No. 1
Download the score, performance recording, and the two Play Along mp3 files. One file is at tempo. The other, which is for practice, is under tempo. Do follow the performance recording through with the score before attempting the play along.
An A=440Hz tuning note sounds at the beginning of each file.
There is a two-bar (six-beat) count-in. Breath on the beat of silence that follows, then enter on beat two.
The practice file opens with the alto part. (Thus, you are playing the soprano.) For the soprano (where you are playing the alto), go to 2’05”.
The “at-tempo” file follows the same format. Go to 1’27” for the soprano part. (You are playing the alto.)
Even at the practice tempo, synchronization is a challenge in this piece. If you have never tried a play along, you might first wish to warm up on one that is more straight forward, such as the Three Choral Bicinia, also available through the ARS publications webpages.

Play Along Instructions
Mere Bagatelle No. 1 Play Along accompaniment at tempo
Mere Bagatelle No. 1 Play Along accompaniment under tempo for practice