Mist

SKU: HL.4003190

UPC: 884088656447. 9.0x12.0x0.049 inches.

Inspired by the mountains of West Virginia, Valley Mist portrays a beautiful scene of cloud-like mist as it flows gently around the hills encompassing the entire valley in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Quoting the Appalachian folk song “Down in the Valley”, this sensitively scored work includes an optional gentle rain effect with the use of finger snaps. Sure to be an enjoyable change of pace for any program. Dur: 3:35.

SKU: BT.MUSM570200535

English.

Curlew in the mist by David Lumsdaine. 8'; for solo Shakuhachi. Commissioned by Tall Poppies. First performance: Riley Lee, Sydney 1994.

SKU: HL.14043526

ISBN 9781783058938. 8.0x11.75 inches. English.

Amistad (the Spanish word for friendship) is a brief set of three pieces for two Flutes composed by Simon Holt in May 2013. It takes its form from the three syllables of the word a-mi-stad. The first piece begins on the note A and the second piece on E (-mi-) and the final movement has four sections of equal length which take the individual letters as their respective starting points; S (Eb/D#), T (B), the return of A and then D. Simon Holt has won numerous awards throughout his career for his compositions, such as the Ivor Novello Classical Award, and the British Composer Award. Having collaborated with the London Sinfonietta and the Nash Ensemble, Amistad is one in a long line of expertly composed and musically brilliant works. The piece as a whole is about 6 minutes long.

SKU: PR.41641613L

UPC: 680160642199. 11 x 17 inches.

On the island of Elba, off the coast of Italy, I composed this work as the sun was rising over the ocean in the mornings and gently sifting through the clouds against the lingering fog. As the piece developed, it took on a shape of its own and gradually became centered around diminished chords and the interval of a tri-tone (diminished 5th). I love these chords for their angst and for their sadness, but also for their flexibility. My piece is very textural in nature; and yes, it does have a melody of sorts, and yet, this melody comes and goes, and is never quite grasped until the end. Portions of it are repeated and spun out creating layers of sound without the heaviness of form. It is indeed a depiction of mist, where one minute you see things and the next they are gone. As you move through the piece, you find that the trumpet is also an antagonist, creeping in with a haunting cry; a reminder of things unsettled. Throughout the piece, we are quietly searching. We search for a tonal center for stability, and also for a melody that will make us feel fulfilled. Once found, we hold them for an instant, and then like the clouds and like life itself, they are gone. We are warmed by their presence and saddened by their loss. I hope that you will reflect upon your own memories of life's quiet moments as we enjoy the world premiere of this new work together. Mist is not a piece to be analyzed, but rather a piece to be experienced and absorbed. As you listen, release your mind, embrace your emotions, close your eyes, and allow the mist to creep in.

SKU: ST.Y279

ISBN 9790220223068.

Such is the character of the accordion that any work featuring its distinctive voice within an ensemble is likely to be a piece d'occasion. Written for the prizewinning young soloist Milos Milivojevic and performed with the Juritz String Quartet at the 2011 Machynlleth Festival in Wales, Rhian Samuel's Mist on the Hills is no exception. The composer has used the rare opportunity of writing for the instrument in combination with solo strings to exploit its illustrative powers and create a fourteen-minute score inspired by the changing weather over the hills around her Welsh home on the Dyfi Estuary.

In particular, its three movements are suggestive of the appearance of mist in the landscape, 'settling', 'lingering' and 'swirling'. In the first movement, which is a gentle prelude, brief accordion motifs break through the timbre of strings like glints of sunshine through mist. The second movement, more song-like, presents three verses of a lament; in the first half of each verse the accordion sings as if from afar, while in the second half (led by the viola) the music intensifies greatly. In the dance-like and virtuosic last movement a short, constantly changing refrain alternates with two types of material: 'swirling' music and lighter, more rhythmical ideas. Finally, scale passages invade the texture, ceasing only as the accordion ascends to the top of its range in the closing bars.

SKU: AP.51002

ISBN 9781470665142. UPC: 038081583372. English.

Experience a dynamic oceanic adventure with this engaging work by Rossano Galante, who has composed the piece in a sea shanty style. A Ship in the Mist includes strong rhythmic elements that complement gorgeous lyrical writing, soaring themes, and lush harmonies. A fast, rhythmic transition brings the main theme back in grandiose fashion before a thrilling conclusion. Superb! (5:30).