Scenes du Far West

SKU: BT.GOB-000808-020

As he did before in the often played and commonly appreciated ‘Lord Tullamore’, in which he poetically depicted the landscape and the cultural elements of a small Irish village, in his composition ‘The Road to the West’ Carl Wittrock has sketched pioneer existence in America in a cinematic manner.
In ‘The Road to the West’ the composer has tried to capture images of pioneer life during the period dating from 1850 to 1890, the days of the so-called Wild West.
In those days, the Wild West used to be the territory west of civilization, the domain of cowboys, trappers, and other fortune hunters.
In short, ample ingredients for a captivating story.

In the firstscene a lonely adventurer struggles against nature and the elements.
After an exciting adventure he passes through ‘the Plains’, where majestic views alternated by colossal mountain ranges display an almost unimaginable beauty.
After weeks of isolation civilization is reached again.
‘The Saloon’ is the perfect meeting place here news is exchanged and hilarious scenes regularly take place.

In navolging van het veel gespeelde en alom gewaardeerde ‘Lord Tullamore’, waarin Carl Wittrock op poëtische wijze landschap en culturele elementen van een Iers dorpje verklankt, wordt in ‘The Road to the West’ op filmische wijzehet pioniersbestaan in Amerika geschetst.
De componist betreedt in ‘The Road to the West’ het pionierspad in de periode tussen 1850 en 1890, de tijd van het Wilde Westen.
Het Wilde Westen was het gebied ten westen van de beschaving,het domein van cowboys, pelsjagers en andere gelukzoekers.
Genoeg ingrediënten voor een boeiend verhaal.

In de eerste scene gaat een avonturier, eenzaam en alleen, de strijd aan met de natuur en de elementen.
Na een spannend avontuur trekt hij door ‘the Plains’, waar de weidse vergezichten, afgewisseld door kolossale bergformaties een bijna niet onder woorden te brengen schoonheid tentoonspreiden.
Na weken van eenzaamheid komttenslotte de bewoonde wereld weer in beeld.
‘The Saloon’ is de ontmoetingsplek bij uitstek. Hier worden ervaringen uitgewisseld en spelen zich vaak hilarische taferelen af.

SKU: BT.GOB-000836-030

As he did before in the often played and commonly appreciated ‘Lord Tullamore’, in which he poetically depicted the landscape and the cultural elements of a small Irish village, in his composition ‘The Road to the West’ Carl Wittrock has sketched pioneer existence in America in a cinematic manner.
In ‘The Road to the West’ the composer has tried to capture images of pioneer life during the period dating from 1850 to 1890, the days of the so-called Wild West.
In those days, the Wild West used to be the territory west of civilization, the domain of cowboys, trappers, and other fortune hunters.
In short, ample ingredients for a captivating story.

In the firstscene a lonely adventurer struggles against nature and the elements.
After an exciting adventure he passes through ‘the Plains’, where majestic views alternated by colossal mountain ranges display an almost unimaginable beauty.
After weeks of isolation civilization is reached again.
‘The Saloon’ is the perfect meeting place here news is exchanged and hilarious scenes regularly take place.

In navolging van het veel gespeelde en alom gewaardeerde ‘Lord Tullamore’, waarin Carl Wittrock op poëtische wijze landschap en culturele elementen van een Iers dorpje verklankt, wordt in ‘The Road to the West’ op filmische wijzehet pioniersbestaan in Amerika geschetst.
De componist betreedt in ‘The Road to the West’ het pionierspad in de periode tussen 1850 en 1890, de tijd van het Wilde Westen.
Het Wilde Westen was het gebied ten westen van de beschaving,het domein van cowboys, pelsjagers en andere gelukzoekers.
Genoeg ingrediënten voor een boeiend verhaal.

In de eerste scene gaat een avonturier, eenzaam en alleen, de strijd aan met de natuur en de elementen.
Na een spannend avontuur trekt hij door ‘the Plains’, waar de weidse vergezichten, afgewisseld door kolossale bergformaties een bijna niet onder woorden te brengen schoonheid tentoonspreiden.
Na weken van eenzaamheid komttenslotte de bewoonde wereld weer in beeld.
‘The Saloon’ is de ontmoetingsplek bij uitstek. Hier worden ervaringen uitgewisseld en spelen zich vaak hilarische taferelen af.

SKU: BT.GOB-000808-120

As he did before in the often played and commonly appreciated ‘Lord Tullamore’, in which he poetically depicted the landscape and the cultural elements of a small Irish village, in his composition ‘The Road to the West’ Carl Wittrock has sketched pioneer existence in America in a cinematic manner.
In ‘The Road to the West’ the composer has tried to capture images of pioneer life during the period dating from 1850 to 1890, the days of the so-called Wild West.
In those days, the Wild West used to be the territory west of civilization, the domain of cowboys, trappers, and other fortune hunters.
In short, ample ingredients for a captivating story.

In the firstscene a lonely adventurer struggles against nature and the elements.
After an exciting adventure he passes through ‘the Plains’, where majestic views alternated by colossal mountain ranges display an almost unimaginable beauty.
After weeks of isolation civilization is reached again.
‘The Saloon’ is the perfect meeting place here news is exchanged and hilarious scenes regularly take place.

In navolging van het veel gespeelde en alom gewaardeerde ‘Lord Tullamore’, waarin Carl Wittrock op poëtische wijze landschap en culturele elementen van een Iers dorpje verklankt, wordt in ‘The Road to the West’ op filmische wijzehet pioniersbestaan in Amerika geschetst.
De componist betreedt in ‘The Road to the West’ het pionierspad in de periode tussen 1850 en 1890, de tijd van het Wilde Westen.
Het Wilde Westen was het gebied ten westen van de beschaving,het domein van cowboys, pelsjagers en andere gelukzoekers.
Genoeg ingrediënten voor een boeiend verhaal.

In de eerste scene gaat een avonturier, eenzaam en alleen, de strijd aan met de natuur en de elementen.
Na een spannend avontuur trekt hij door ‘the Plains’, waar de weidse vergezichten, afgewisseld door kolossale bergformaties een bijna niet onder woorden te brengen schoonheid tentoonspreiden.
Na weken van eenzaamheid komttenslotte de bewoonde wereld weer in beeld.
‘The Saloon’ is de ontmoetingsplek bij uitstek. Hier worden ervaringen uitgewisseld en spelen zich vaak hilarische taferelen af.

SKU: FP.FBH02

ISBN 9790570504176.

These pieces are great fun, bringing to life scenes from the bustling capital city. Perfect for stirring the imagination of young pianists.

SKU: HL.14021087

8.25x12.0x0.059 inches.

John McCabe's Pueblo for solo Double Bass. Duration: approx. 7 minutes.

Pueblo is an off-shoot of a series of compositions inspired by desert country, and it was commissioned by Leon Bosch with the aid of funds provided by North West Arts. The piece is continous, falling into several sections, and is largeley based on the high circling motif heard at the start and referred to again in the harmonics at the close.
It is prefaced by the following quotation from Scenes in American Deserta by Reyner Banham, published by Thames and Hudson:

'Clouds, high and flat, were now building up in thesky, the wind was settling to silent calm, the weather was very cold, and the stream through the center of the pueblo was almost frozen across, the Indians chipping out ice to melt down for water.'

The aim in writing the piece was to express in musical terms a response to the vivid picture of a scene relating to life in the American desert conveyed by Reyner Banham's text. Although not numbered among other Desert works, this belongs to this family of compositions, along with another Banham setting, written for the King's Singers, Scenes In America Deserta. - John McCabe

SKU: PR.11641963S

UPC: 680160684472.

The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer. Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimes lyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three note motive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minor seventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for the cadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments. The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty. Happy Rain on a Spring Night by Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty) Happy rain comes in time, When spring is in its prime. With night breeze it will fall, And quietly moisten all. Clouds darken wild roads, Light brightens a little boat. Saturated at dawn, With flowers blooming the town. (English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese) The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction on the structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden. It's like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our new society is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and the expression according to the meaning of the poem when it's being unfolded line by line. Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, never slow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, to the sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures 39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to the rustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokes produced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in Rehearsal C and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a little light in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on the flutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The cello glissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. The music in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led by the marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G, the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music without cadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), which stands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short, yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high string harmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound of wonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully. The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1: xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings. Duration is about 20 minutes.
The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer.Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimeslyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three notemotive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minorseventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for thecadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments.The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty.Happy Rain on a Spring Nightby Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty)Happy rain comes in time,When spring is in its prime.With night breeze it will fall,And quietly moisten all.Clouds darken wild roads,Light brightens a little boat.Saturated at dawn,With flowers blooming the town.(English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese)The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction onthe structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden.It’s like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our newsociety is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and theexpression according to the meaning of the poem when it’s being unfolded line by line.Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, neverslow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, tothe sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to therustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokesproduced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in RehearsalC and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a littlelight in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on theflutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The celloglissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. Themusic in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led bythe marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G,the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music withoutcadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), whichstands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short,yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high stringharmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound ofwonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully.The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1:xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings.Duration is about 20 minutes.

SKU: PR.11641963L

UPC: 680160684489.

The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer. Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimes lyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three note motive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minor seventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for the cadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments. The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty. Happy Rain on a Spring Night by Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty) Happy rain comes in time, When spring is in its prime. With night breeze it will fall, And quietly moisten all. Clouds darken wild roads, Light brightens a little boat. Saturated at dawn, With flowers blooming the town. (English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese) The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction on the structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden. It's like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our new society is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and the expression according to the meaning of the poem when it's being unfolded line by line. Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, never slow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, to the sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures 39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to the rustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokes produced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in Rehearsal C and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a little light in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on the flutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The cello glissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. The music in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led by the marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G, the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music without cadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), which stands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short, yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high string harmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound of wonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully. The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1: xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings. Duration is about 20 minutes.
The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer.Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimeslyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three notemotive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minorseventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for thecadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments.The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty.Happy Rain on a Spring Nightby Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty)Happy rain comes in time,When spring is in its prime.With night breeze it will fall,And quietly moisten all.Clouds darken wild roads,Light brightens a little boat.Saturated at dawn,With flowers blooming the town.(English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese)The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction onthe structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden.It’s like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our newsociety is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and theexpression according to the meaning of the poem when it’s being unfolded line by line.Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, neverslow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, tothe sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to therustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokesproduced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in RehearsalC and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a littlelight in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on theflutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The celloglissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. Themusic in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led bythe marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G,the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music withoutcadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), whichstands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short,yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high stringharmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound ofwonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully.The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1:xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings.Duration is about 20 minutes.

SKU: ST.Y224

ISBN 9790220221552.

Scenes from Welsh life and landscape are a frequent source of inspiration for the music of Rhian Samuel, and, in Dovey Junction, the joyful atmosphere of families en route to the Welsh seaside via the little west-coast railway line is the cue for a crackling scherzo for brass quintet.

A snappy rondo theme insists on dressing up in a different texture each time it returns. In between, pithy staccato phrases for trumpets are the setting for more cantabile figures from horn and trombone, and a brief and bluesy episode for muted solo trumpet suggests lazy days on the beach, or grown-up nostalgia for holidays long past. But the energy and sense of expectation remain unstoppable from the first bar to the last, and all five instruments sweep the music into a furious coda that ends the work in riotous high spirits.

Dovey Junction was written for performance by Borealis Brass (Alaska) at the UNESCO World Forum on Music, Los Angeles, USA in October 20005, at the invitation of the Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica, (Rome).

SKU: LP.765762002135

UPC: 765762002135.

The DVD includes: Production Video (complete with drama and music scenes, choreography helps, set and prop descriptions) * Production Notes including direction on costuming, staging, and props.