The Ups and Downs

SKU: CF.CM9777

ISBN 9781491164488. UPC: 680160923380. Key: Bb major. English. Marjorie Pickthall.

Text: excerpt from Brading by Marjorie PickthallHere, where the legions parted; Here, where the shields were laid, Wild orchid, honey-hearted, Grows in the wind-swept shade.Here, where the soldiers rested; Here, where they set their spears, The little larks, brown-breasted, Fall down like falling tears.Here, where the swords came after; Here, where the ships went by,The sea-winds send their laughter Between the downs and the sky.Program note:Between the downs and the sky is a meditation on the text and the notion of here. Reflective and commemorative in nature, the poem speaks to themes of remembrance and our shared connections to humanity translated through the natural world. Pickthall pairs anthropomorphized images of nature against the impacts of human violence and strife.I am drawn to the location-less setting of “here”. We are left with a certain placeless-ness in the poem. “Here” could mean anywhere and everywhere; it could also mean right in front of us in this exact moment. “Here” is also a call to attention, here where we witness, where we notice, where we are called to. Here, where we love, where we mourn, where we hope to become whole.Musically, “here” is metamorphosed through various ostinati gestures as if to depict memory, reflections, echoes which reverberate long after the initial source, a heart beat, relentless waves pounding shores, etc. The work also juxtaposes extreme high and low registers particularly in the piano writing to capture the title image of the “here” found in-between the downs and the sky.The work moves in and out of unison, two part, and optional three part writing; from m. 45 to the end, the middle line baritone part is completely optional. The music functions the same with or without the inner voice part. This is done to aid in the accessibility of the work, to make the music as approachable and successful to groups of all abilities.

SKU: PR.165000970

ISBN 9781491100462. UPC: 680160626717. 9x12 inches.

Commissioned by a consortium of 20 high school and university bands coordinated by Scott Hanna of the University of Texas at Austin, Downshifting is inspired by Welcher’s joy of bicycle riding. Welcher explains in the program note: When I decided to write a piece for band that was basically entertaining and uplifting, it made perfect sense to call it Downshifting... With three gears on the front sprocket and seven on the rear, it’s possible to keep one’s legs going at a constant speed (for me, q = 126) while the bike itself may be moving very slowly or very quickly. I determined to capitalize on this in writing Downshifting, which keeps the same mathematical inner pulse, ‘shifting’ (with a ratchet) as the terrain changes..
One of the joys of life for me is riding my 21-speed bicycle.  As a basically non-athletic person who nonetheless likes to stay in shape, I have found that riding my bike provides just the exercise I need.  The workout is strenuous, but pleasant—and the infinite variety of scenery I pass keeps me alert and wide awake.  When I decided to write a piece for band that was basically entertaining and uplifting, it made perfect sense to call it Downshifting.With three gears on the front sprocket and seven on the rear, it’s possible to keep ones legs going at a constant speed (for me, that’s 126 to the quarter note) while the bike itself may be moving very slowly or very quickly.  I determined to capitalize on this in writing the music, which manages to keep the same mathematical inner pulse, “shifting” (with a ratchet) as the terrain changes.  So Downshifting begins with that steady pulse, on a grid of eighth notes in 2/4 to propel the little vehicle forward.  There’s a joyous little tune in our heads as we begin our ride.  As the initial thrill of riding on the flat gives way to monotony, we stay in that pulse for the first minute or so of the ride.  Then, as the first hill becomes visible, we shift the bike down: even though the eighths are equal, the pulse feels slower (and we’re now in 6/8 time).  Ultimately the compound meter shifts again as the climb begins, and we’re now plodding doggedly up the hill.  (The music reflects all of these changes, with subtitles such as “Working harder—Seeing the climb, ahead”, “Steady and committed…the climb begins!”, “Straining against the grade”, etc.).There are two hills, and two long climbs (but in different keys, reflecting the change in scenery).  When at last the summit of the second hill is reached (“Flying, Over the Top”), we coast at last down the other side at breakneck speed.  The initial joyous melody returns, but now in a spread-out coasting pulse.  At the end of the ride, we slow to a stop—then take one last sprint (shifting five times in the process) in order to end on a biker’s high.Downshifting was commissioned by a consortium of fourteen high school and college bands, overseen by my longtime colleague at the University of Texas, Scott Hanna.  The piece is dedicated to him (and to all bicycle enthusiasts).

SKU: SU.29110020

At the Octoroon Balls for string quartet is based on traditional Creole music that surrounded the composer while growing up in New Orleans. The octoroon balls were held for white Creole men to choose their Octoroon (one-eighth Black ancestry, with one Black great-grandparent) mistresses. Divided into seven movements, the piece includes fiddle reels, hoe downs, jug stomps, and marching bands – even a somber tone poem. Total performance time is about 45 minutes.Score only. Also available: Set of Parts (Cat. #29110021)String Quartet Duration: 45' Composed: 1995 Published by: Wynton Marsalis (administered by Skayne's Music).

SKU: ST.C133

ISBN 9790570811335.

As I sit myself down to write this brief foreword, I ask myself can there be music more stirring than these old Cornish folk melodies? Though not Cornish myself (I confess to being born a little further up the road, in Bristol), I feel I have spent sufficient time in these 'ere parts to resonate with the sturdy brass band tradition that continues to permeate this incomparably beautiful, rugged county. One can almost detect a French 'accent' when listening to the piano music of Debussy, and likewise, speaking as a lapsed brass player, there is undoubtedly something of the Cornish twang about Trelawny when played on a cornet or euphonium. Then again, one gets a different, yet entirely convincing effect upon hearing these melodies rendered on woodwind instruments; hence, with a little gamesmanship on my part, I am pleased to see my collection of these fifteen delectable ditties come to fruition in the form of arrangements for treble clef brass instruments (in B flat and E flat), trombone and tuba (bass clef), horn in F, flute, clarinet and bassoon. While many will find themselves humming the likes of Going up Camborne Hill, Lamorna or The Helston Furry Dance even before they have turned to the first page - for these are indelibly intertwined with Cornish culture – I wonder if I might draw your attention to The Cornish Squire, The Pool of Pilate and Cold Blows the Wind Today Sweetheart, which are quite simply sublime melodies, perhaps needing that extra bit of help in bringing them to mind nowadays. In the best tradition of musical hand-me-downs, Cornish folk music works equally ideally sung and played, and only by doing so on a regular basis can such traditions hope to continue forward with vigour and authority. A legitimate way of achieving this is to revitalise the harmonic scheme of these ancient tunes and bring them up to date for a modern audience; after all, it was such an approach that fuelled the imagination of Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams in decades past, while skilfully paying homage to the underlying charm and, for want of a better word, simplicity, of the original music. But this is only a start – for without an energetic response from younger generations, Cornish folk music is destined to wither on the vine in much the same way as is happening with the Cornish dialect. So, put your instrument to your lips and proceed, not with caution, but with enthusiasm and a smile, for your great grandparents (and perhaps even their grandparents) would surely raise a glass if they could hear you doing your bit to ensure the survival of this splendid heritage.
Timeless Cornish melodies, cooked up for hungry brass players
Grades 1–4 (ABRSM Grades 1, 2 & 4 syllabuses)
Former Spartan Press Cat. No.: SP1213.

SKU: AP.51196

UPC: 038081582337. English.

Andy Grammer's signature song encourages perseverance and a positive mindset in the face of life's ups and downs. The rhythmic accompaniment provides a hip backdrop for energetic vocal lines that pass the melody around to various voice parts. A great conversation starter for social-emotional learning topics. Only rainbows after rain, the sun will always come again.

About Alfred Pop Choral Series

The Alfred Pop Series features outstanding arrangements of songs from the popular music genre. These publications provide exciting, contemporary, and educationally-sound arrangements for singers of all ages, from elementary through high school, to college and adult choirs.