SKU: PR.41641373L
UPC: 680160587216. 11 x 17 inches.
SKU: PR.416413710
ISBN 9781598068214. UPC: 680160587162. 9x12 inches.
Needham's original intent with Chamber Symphony was to encapsulate the 2008 presidential election, from the Democratic primaries to the historic general election campaign and win of Barack Obama. But, says Needham, In the midst of the general election circus, I decided to broaden my inspiration and have the work's overall goal focus on the larger ideas of hope and transformation. Chamber Symphony was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra with generous support of Paul Underwood. Additional support was from the National Endowment for the Arts.I originally envisioned a work inspired by the political landscape of the 2008 presidential election, focusing primarily on the hard-fought Democratic Primary race. I was fascinated by the historic and hopeful spirit that both the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns embodied. Sometime later, in the midst of the general election circus, I decided to broaden my inspiration and have the work’s overall goal focus on the larger ideas of hope and transformation. Chamber Symphony is constructed in three movements (played without pause): I. Hammering Out, II. Open-ended Echoes, and III. Radiant Nation. The titles suggest a general atmosphere that each movement attempts to express. The outer movements, both quick in tempo, act as the antithesis of each other in terms of mood. “Hammering Out†employs an aggressive, relentless, pounding beat that frequently shifts, often emphasized with metallic sounds. “Radiant Nation†is much lighter and more optimistic in tone, and uses an up-beat groove throughout the movement. The middle movement, “Open-ended Echoes,†is the proverbial calm after the storm. Unlike the outer movements, “Open-ended Echoes†is almost void of any strong sense of pulse. The movement attempts to create a peaceful, contemplative mood that transforms the volatile nature of the first movement tothe radiant spirit of the last. Chamber Symphony was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra for its Orchestra Underground Series with the generous support of Paul Underwood. Additional support for the ACO’s Emerging Composers Program comes from the National Endowment for the Arts.— November 5, 2008.
SKU: CF.BL1315
UPC: 672405011822. Key: F major.
DawnQuiet miles of golden sky,And in my heart a sudden flower.I want to clap my hands and sighFor Beauty in her secret bower. Quiet golden miles of dawnâ??Smiling all the East along;And in my heart nigh fully grown,A little rose-bud of a song.â??From â??Last Songsâ? by Francis LedwidgeDawn, radiant dawn!When morning comes my fears are gone.Daylight breaks, my soul awakes!And songs of Love sing on. â??Italics: Additional text by Jacob NarverudAbout the PoetFrancis Ledwidge (1887â??1917) was an Irish poet from Slane, County Meath. Ledwidge started writing at an early age and was first published in a local newspaper when he was fourteen years old. Ledwidge left the local national school shortly after and worked as a farm hand, road surface mender, and copper miner at Beaupark Mine near Slane. Ledwidge became friends with a local landowner, the writer Lord Dunsany, who gave him a workspace in the library of Dunsany Castle and introduced him to literary figures, including William Butler Yeats and Katherine Tynan. Some of Ledwidgeâ??s manuscripts are held in the National Library of Ireland. The main surviving collection, including his early works and personal letters, are in the archives of Dunsany Castle.
SKU: PR.416413730
UPC: 680160587209. 8.5 x 11 inches.
SKU: PR.11540431S
UPC: 680160689750.
The first time I saw an alpenglow, I had no idea what it was. It was the late 1980s, and I was at a music camp at the base of theRocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. A few of us got up in the middle of the night so we could hike to a vantage pointat the foot of Longs Peak, to watch the sun rise without any trees obstructing our view. Even though we had a few moreminutes to go before the sun breached the horizon, when I looked up at the face of Longs Peak, it was glowing intensely with amost beautiful peach-pink color. This enchanting vision lasted only about ten minutes, after which the color faded as the sunrose. Throughout the next thirty years, whenever I returned to the Rocky Mountain National Park, I would occasionally catchthis pre-dawn light show in all its glory.An alpenglow is an optical phenomenon that is visible on high altitude mountains. It happens twice daily, right before the sunrises and right after it sets. The earth’s atmosphere scatters the sun’s light, allowing particular wavelengths of light through andblanketing the mountains in rich hues of peach, pink, red, and purple.Alpenglow opens with First Light. This movement begins in the pre-dawn hour. The music starts simply and slowly, thengrows increasingly animated as the sky lightens and the horizon shimmers with color. The movement explodes in a massiveflurry of activity when the sun crosses the horizon; this energy eventually fades as the sun rises in the sky. In Arc of the Sun,we follow the sun as it energetically leaps and surges upwards in the sky. The music moves steadily upwards as it keeps pacewith the sun’s progress, then crests as the sun reaches its zenith. As the sun bends back down towards the earth, the musicfollows suit, getting lower in range and slower as the sun nears the horizon. In Radiant Glow, the sun slips under the horizon,giving way to a most radiant alpenglow. As the alpenglow fades and twilight envelops the earth, stars shimmer in the nightsky.-S.G.
SKU: PR.11540431L
UPC: 680160689767.
SKU: BT.DHP-1196080-010
English-German-French-Dutch.
This work for soprano and concert band was originally written for a special occasion: the wedding of one of the composer’s children. It therefore matches another piece written for a similar occasion “I Shall Love But Theeâ€. The lyrics are from the book Respiro Neve by the internationally renowned art photographer Luca Artioli who possesses poetic talent as well. The first movement is stately and serene as where the contrasting allegro is much more dynamic and cheerful, requiring the solid high register of the singer. The conclusion is festive and radiant, partly thanks to the contribution of a piccolo trumpet! This work is a wonderful addition to the bandrepertoire wanting to perform with an excellent vocal soloist! Deze compositie voor sopraan en kamerorkest is net als Van der Roosts eerdere werk I Shall Love But Thee oorspronkelijk geschreven voor een speciale gelegenheid: het huwelijk van een van de kinderen van de componist. De teksten komen uit het boek Respiro Neve van de internationaal gerenommeerde kunstfotograaf Luca Artioli, die ook poëtische talenten heeft. Het eerste deel is statig en sereen: het contrasterende allegro is veel dynamischer en opgewekter en vergt heel wat van de soliste, vooral in het hoge register. Het slot is feestelijk en stralend, mede dankzij de inbreng van de piccolotrompet. Dit werk is een aanwinst voor het repertoire van elk goed orkest datmet een uitstekende soliste wil/kan concerteren! Dieses Werk für Sopran und Blasorchester wurde ursprünglich für einen besonderen Anlass geschrieben: die Hochzeit eines der Kinder des Komponisten. Es passt daher zu einem anderen Stück, das für einen ähnlichen Anlass komponiert wurde: I Shall Love But Thee. Die Texte stammen aus dem Buch Respiro Neve des international renommierten Kunstfotografen Luca Artioli der auch poetisches Talent besitzt. Der erste Satz ist würdevoll und ruhig, wohingegen das gegensätzliche Allegro viel dynamischer und fröhlicher ist und von der Sängerin ein solides hohes Register erfordert. Der Schluss ist festlich und strahlend, auch durch die Verwendung der Piccolotrompete! DiesesWerk ist eine wunderbare Ergänzung zum Repertoire für Blasorchester, die mit einer hervorragenden Gesangssolistin auftreten möchten! Cette Å“uvre pour soprano et orchestre d’harmonie fut écrite, l’origine, pour une occasion bien spéciale : le mariage d’un des enfants du compositeur. Elle s’apparente ainsi une autre pièce écrite pour une occasion semblable, I Shall Love But Thee. Les paroles sont tirées du livre Respiro Neve de Luca Artioli, photographe artistique de renommée internationale qui jouit également d’un talent poétique. Le premier mouvement est majestueux et serein, tandis que l’allegro, très contrasté, est bien plus dynamique et joyeux, et exige un solide registre aigu de la part de la chanteuse. La conclusion est festive et éclatante, en partie gr ce la présence d’une trompettepiccolo. Cette pièce forme ainsi une merveilleuse option pour tout bon orchestre désireux de se produire avec une excellente soliste !
SKU: BT.DHP-1196080-140
SKU: HL.4008964
UPC: 196288282136.
“The Old Fortress of Luxembourg” is a commissioned work by the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture for the overture of the official ceremony of Luxembourg's National Day. The piece is less concerned with history, but rather draws inspiration from the architecture of the ancient fortress of Luxembourg, known as “Lucilinburhuc.” The fortress, over 1000 years old and also referred to as the “Gibraltar of the North,” primarily consists today of the Bock Rock, the crypt, the casemates (an underground defense system consisting of kilometers of tunnels), and the Holy Spirit Citadel. These elements are portrayed through radiant fanfare sounds, rhythmic orchestral movements, patriotic choral melodies, and at times, somber musical depictions. As an optional highlight, a choir, supported by a boys' choir, interprets the newly composed text of the third verse of the Luxembourgish National Anthem, adding an additional touch of patriotic grandeur to this piece.
SKU: HL.4008963
UPC: 196288282129.
SKU: BA.BA11071
ISBN 9790006562015. 42 x 29.7 cm inches.
“Now II†is the second part of a triptych of chamber pieces entitled “Profiles of Lightâ€. The first part is written for solo piano (Now I, BA 11073), the second for unaccompanied cello. The two instruments are then combined in the concluding third part, Uriel (BA 11013).All three pieces were inspired by the Abstract Expressionist paintings of the American artist Barnett Newman. Newman's work has had a formative impact on Matthias Pintscher's artistic philosophy: what does it mean to reduce things to essentials while seeking maximum immediacy of expression? Several of Newman's paintings have a radiant light of uncommon intensity, yet resembling a dark illumination. The same sort of thing is found in the late works of Franz Schubert, where a comparable profundity and retrospective yearning likewise shine through the surface of even the brightest tonalities.This is a piece about resonances, about the inward and outward givens of existence, about life itself: 'I find the cello a highly suitable instrument for depicting such existential conditions'.
SKU: HL.3710490
UPC: 697643115033. 18.0x18.0x0.103 inches.
Series Description: Paiste first pioneered color coated cymbals with COLORSOUND 5 in 1984 as a means for artistic expression during the time period when popular music became visual in music videos on television. In the 1990s VISIONS made an appearance, and in recent years certain Artist Inspiration models feature color coating – Stewart Copeland's Blue Bell Ride, Aquiles Priester's Giga Bell Ride and Danny Carey's Dry Heavy Ride. Throughout, the Color Sound finish was available for custom orders, including cymbals featured by international top artists Joey Jordison, Tico Torres and Paul Bostaph. With Color Sound 900 Paiste launches the latest incarnation in the color cymbal saga. Color Sound 900 cymbals are based on the range of models in the concurrently launched 900 Series. While they feature essentially corresponding sound and function, the color coating causes a slightly drier sound, shortens the sustain a bit, and results in a more focused attack. Significantly, the same flexibility and giving feel as in the 900 Series is present. Extensive research and design efforts have resulted in the most stunningly beautiful finishes: luminous translucent colors preserve the natural appearance of grooves and hammer marks and present a vibrantly radiant appearance. Notably, decades of experience have proven the Color Sound finish to be exceedingly tough and durable – the finish will not ever crack, chip or peel. Size: 18-inches Weight: Medium thin Volume: Medium to loud Stick Sound: Washy, trashy Intensity: Lively Sustain: Medium Bell character: Integrated Sound character: Fairly dark, energetic. Medium wide range, complex mix. Explosive, shattering crash. Exotic stick sound over a complex, trashy wash. Assertive china for exotic effects. While Color Sound 900 feature essentially the same sound and function as the 900 Series, the color coating causes a slightly drier sound, shortens the sustain a bit, and results in a more focused attack.
SKU: GI.G-8657
ISBN 9781622770649.
Edited and Photographed by Michael Stillwater  Waldron Island Reflections offers images and words from Shining Night, the award-winning documentary film about the life and music of Morten Lauridsen. Morten Lauridsen, among the leading American composers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, draws his inspiration from the serenity of nature. In his summer residence on remote Waldron Island in the San Juan Archipelago many of his greatest works are composed. For anyone who appreciates nature as inspiration for creativity, Waldron Island Reflections provides a glimpse into a unique Pacific Northwest haven where timeless words are given a musical voice through Lauridsen’s sublime artistry. About the music of Morten Lauridsen: In 2007 Morten Lauridsen received the National Medal of Arts, the highest artistic award in the United States, from the President in a White House ceremony “for his composition of radiant choral works combining musical beauty, power, and spiritual depth.†He is Distinguished Professor of Composition at the USC Thornton School of Music, Los Angeles. www.mortenlauridsen.net/ “For those of us who need great music to live and feel more fully, these works speak clearly to the soul and illuminate our greater hope.â€â€“ St. Louis Post-Dispatch “This is celestial and spine-tingling stuff. Contemporary choral music really doesn’t come any better than this.†– Daily Express  Michael Stillwater is a filmmaker and music educator whose award-winning documentary, Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen, was deemed “a heartening rarity†by Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal. www.shiningnightfilm.net.