Awake the Harp

SKU: MB.30963

ISBN 9781513468204. 8.75x11.75 inches.

This exceptional collection of 41 truly beautiful airs and ballads from the British Isles offers both well-known tunes by the prolific blind Irish harpist, Turlough Oâ??Carolan and rarely heard melodies by anonymous composers; all have stood the test of time. Arranged for soprano or tenor recorder, these include Oâ??Carolanâ??s classically influenced â??Lord Inchiquinâ? and â??Eleanor Plunkettâ? as well as â??O Gentle Doveâ? and â??Cuckoo Dearâ?â?? both examples of the strong tradition of song in Wales. Among other tunes, the haunting modal melodies of â??The Dark Slender Boyâ? and â??Enchanted Valleyâ? express the melancholic heart and soul of the British Isles.

A few of these songs have taken on a life of their own in modern times. â??Bonny at Mornâ?, a popular traditional tune of northern England and Scotland, was arranged for soprano voice and harp by the 20th century British composer, Benjamin Britten. â??The Skye Boat Songâ? originally recounted Bonnie Prince Charles Edward Stuartâ??s journey to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the historic Battle of Culloden. Later, the song evolved into a lilting lullaby and was more recently used as the theme song for the popular Outlander television series.

Departing slightly from recorder notation practice, author Marcia Diehl has judiciously arranged these melodies complete with spare slur markings to aid the amateur player in authentically and musically rendering these tunes.

SKU: MN.70-102

UPC: 688670701023. English.

Movement II from the Suite on the Nativity

Based on 14th and 15th century German carol tunes for SATB chorus, SA voices (children's chorus) and chamber orchestra (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet in C, Harp, Timpani, Chimes, Glockenspiel, Triangle, and Strings) in six movements. Performance time of entire suite approximately 15 minutes.

SKU: HL.48025344

UPC: 196288176428.

A setting of verses 7 and 8 of Psalm 57 ('My heart, O God, is steadfast. I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn.') this work celebrates music's importance in the worship of God. A short motet, particularly suitable as an introit, My heart, O God portraits the captivating allure of music and singing, skilfully weaving luscious harmonies and intricate divisi passages within the vocal parts. Suitable for advanced or intermediate choirs looking for a very rewarding challenge.

SKU: GI.G-003098

Scripture: Psalm 46, Psalm 108, Psalm 131.

This collection includes three pieces for violin and piano by Keith S. Kalemba. The first piece is a meditation inspired by Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God.” The music alternates between rich harmonies and silence. The scherzo based on Psalm 108, “Awake, my soul, awake, lyre and harp!” is a dance laced with lydian melodies and rich chords. The berceuse based on Psalm 131, “My whole being is at rest in you, my God” is a gentle lullaby with a large arching melody.    .

SKU: PR.164002390

UPC: 680160038091.

I became interested in the work of Plato through my friend and collaborator, the writer and philosopher Paul Woodruff. Paul's new translation, with Alexander Nehamas, of the Symposium gave me insights into ancient Greek ways of thinking about Love, Beauty, and Wisdom -- and managed to keep the earthy, and often bawdy side of it all in full view. But their new translation of Plato's later dialogue Phaedrus went even further: the beauty of the speeches is breathtaking, and the discourse itself is enough to keep one awake at night. Basically the Great Speech of Socrates in the Phaedrus dialogue has to do with the place of Eros in the world, and with the conflict in the soul between fleshly pleasure and philosophic discovery. I will not attempt to encapsulate this brilliant discourse in a program note: suffice it to say that reading it gave rise to my two-sided work for clarinet, violin, and piano, Phaedrus. The first movement represents the Philosophic life, and is thus subtitled Apollo's Lyre (Invocation and Hymn). It begins with an unaccompanied melody for the clarinet, which (after a pair of harp-like flourishes for the piano, expands into an accompanied canon. The voices in the dialogue (clarinet and violin) follow each other by a prescribed number of beats, but the music is totally devoid of any meter at all. The piano, representing the lyre, accompanies this lyric love-feast with repeated strummed chords. The canon has three large sections, and ends with violin echoing the unaccompanied clarinet invocation as the sound of the lyre fades. The second movement, called Dionysus' Dream-Orgy (Ritual Dance) presents, after a brief introduction, another kind of unmetered music. Rather than long lyric flights of philosophic song, however, this time we hear a unison dance of unbridled energy and sensual transport. The piece soon forms itself into a loose arch form, with contrasting metered dance sections divided by the unison unmetered orgy tune. Midway through the movement, Apollo's melody returns from the first movement, but it is a temporary reminiscence. The orgiastic dance returns, reaches a climax, and ends with a stomping of feet. While Plato asserts that a proper balance between lust and reason is necessary in all men, he (naturally) gives the nod to Philosophy as the better choice in which to live. Not so in my music: the two sides are meant to coexist and to complement each other. No sides are taken. Phaedrus was commissioned of the Verdehr Trio by Michigan State University. It is dedicated to the Vedehr Trio with great affection and admiration.

SKU: TM.03523SET

Scena e Cavatina. Vocal score pages 146-161. Also includes: O madre mia; Come poteva un angelo.

SKU: TM.03523SC

Scena e Cavatina. Vocal score pages 146-161. Also includes: O madre mia; Come poteva un angelo.

SKU: HL.14065214

SKU: HL.14014598

SKU: HL.14065215

SKU: TM.03130SET

Key of A. Prout Edition. Transposed: Cl I+II, HN I+II.

SKU: GI.G-003709

From Songs of Saints and Scholars, we offer this poignant and simple Christmas anthem by the late Fr. Chrysogonus Waddell. The lilting, Irish-influenced melody brings us an ancient text to life to inspire us today. You may wish to alternate soloists or choir sections on selected stanzas for variety. Plucked guitar adds a harp-like quality to this serene work that sings. Let every heart awake and sing to Christ, the everlasting King..