The original orchestration for Arietta was for five-part strings alone, which lends itself well for transcribing to other wind sections. The piece works very well for saxophone quintet, and is scored for the standard 2 alto saxes, 2 tenor saxes, and one baritone sax, with the option of replacing alto sax 1 with soprano sax. It presents an opportunity for expressive playing, featuring the classical interpretation of grace notes and mordents, with its haunting melody and dramatic crescendo. This piece will add significantly to the classical repertoire of the saxophone section.
