SKU: CA.4068819
ISBN 9790007097219. Language: Latin.
With its tonal language of subjective avowal, the first of Beethoven's two masses opens up new worlds of expression for the liturgical texts of the Mass which are expressly modern and point towards the future. Not to be considered a preliminary work to the Missa solemnis, it is an entirely independent work which set standards for the further development of settings of the Mass in the 19th century. Its newness, of which the composer himself was fully aware (I do not speak gladly of my Mass, or of myself, but I do believe that I have treated the text in a manner in which only few have treated it.), paves a way to an hitherto unknown, contemporary avenue to faith which today is still current. Carus presents this important work of church music history in a new critical edition by the Beethoven expert Ernst Herttrich. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.4068800.
SKU: BO.B.3610
The concerto establishes a dialogue which alternates constantly between the guitar and the symphony orchestra, with the two sound worlds being maintained in perfect balance while also exploring the unique possibilities presented by each: the guitar develops a surprising array of resources which enhance its expressive capacity to the utmost, while the orchestra envelops it in an extensive range of textures which at times give rise to subtle tones, and at others, all the tonal vigour of the tutti.The language I employ is intended as a means of achieving an efficient symbiosis between modernity and tradition, continuing in the line of my previous works as a composer. It contains no references to popular music and at all times veers away from the expectations created by the language of folklore exploited in concertos of this kind by the majority of recognised composers. In Concerto de Rialp, modernity is reflected through a search for unique expressive forms, experimentation with new means of thematic development and a unique presentation of formal solutions, all the while, however, respecting expressiveness and lyricism as the foundations of communicating with the audience.The concerto also explores the guitar's new technical resources. Thanks to specific work on left hand extensions, mechanical formulas have been developed which allow certain scales to be played at unprecedented speeds. In the cadenza of the first movement, the guitar develops the main theme in the form of an instrumental motif that has never been used before in guitar scores, producing a polyphonic effect of new dimensions.I have worked to exploit the distinctive sound differences existing between the guitar and the orchestra -both from the dynamic and the tonal points of view- in order to really develop the dramatic effect that their being brought together affords. In the second movement -calmo assai- this dramatic quality is expressed in a way that is particularly powerful by means of a tension never before achieved in a concerto for guitar and orchestra.
SKU: CA.4068893
Language: Latin.
With its tonal language of subjective avowal, the first of Beethoven's two masses opens up new worlds of expression for the liturgical texts of the Mass which are expressly modern and point towards the future. Not to be considered a preliminary work to the Missa solemnis, it is an entirely independent work which set standards for the further development of settings of the Mass in the 19th century. Its newness, of which the composer himself was fully aware (I do not speak gladly of my Mass, or of myself, but I do believe that I have treated the text in a manner in which only few have treated it.), paves a way to an hitherto unknown, contemporary avenue to faith which today is still current. Carus presents this important work of church music history in a new critical edition by the Beethoven expert Ernst Herttrich. Score available separately - see item CA.4068800.
SKU: HL.49015258
ISBN 9783795720629. 4.75x7.25x0.59 inches. German.
Der neue Zupfgeigenhansl erscheint als Folgeband des seit der Jugendbewegung allgemein bekannten Zupfgeigenhansl und enthalt 121 Lieder, die auf die Anliegen der jungen Generation des ausgehenden 20. Jahrhunderts eingehen: Fahrt uber Lander und Meere - internationale Folklore und Spirituals - kritische alte und neue Lieder zu unseren Zeitproblemen - das Thema Liebe - Balladeskes und Heiteres. Das Buch bietet Melodien, vollstandige Texte, Akkorde fur Gitarrebegleitung, Bilder und Infos zu den Textern, Komponisten und Interpreten.
SKU: CA.4068805
ISBN 9790007131012. Language: Latin.
SKU: PR.362034230
ISBN 9781598069556. UPC: 680160624225. Letter inches. English.
When the Texas Choral Consort asked Welcher to write a short prologue to Haydn's The Creation, his first reaction was that Haydn already presents Chaos in his introductory movement. As he thought about it, Welcher began envisioning a truer void to precede Haydn's depiction of Chaos within the scope of 18th-century classical style - quoting some of Haydn's themes and showing human voices and inhuman sounds in a kind of pre-creation melange of color, mood, and atmosphere. Welcher accepted this challenge with the proviso that his prologue would lead directly into Haydn's masterpiece without stopping, and certainly without applause in between. Scored for mixed chorus and Haydn's instrumentation, Without Form and Void is a dramatically fresh yet pragmatic enhancement to deepen any performance of Haydn's The Creation. Orchestral score and parts are available on rental.When Brent Baldwin asked me to consider writing a short prologue to THE CREATION, my first response was “Why?â€Â THE CREATION already contains a prologue; it’s called “Representation of Chaosâ€, and it’s Haydn’s way of showing the formless universe. How could a new piece do anything but get in the way? But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The Age of Enlightenment’s idea of “Chaos†was just extended chromaticism, no more than Bach used (in fact, Bach went further).Perhaps there might be a way to use the full resources of the modern orchestra (or at least, a Haydn-sized orchestra) and the modern chorus to really present a cosmic soup of unborn musical atoms, just waiting for Haydn’s sure touch to animate them. Perhaps it could even quote some of Haydn’s themes before he knew them himself, and also show human voices and inhuman sounds in a kind of pre-creation mélange of color, mood, and atmosphere. So I accepted the challenge, with the proviso that my new piece not be treated as some kind of “overtureâ€, but would instead be allowed to lead directly into Haydn’s masterpiece without stopping, and certainly without applause. I crafted this five minute piece to begin with a kind of “music of the spheres†universe-hum, created by tuned wine glasses and violin harmonics. The chorus enters very soon after, with the opening words of Genesis whispered simultaneously in as many languages as can be found in a chorus. The first two minutes of my work are all about unborn human voices and unfocused planetary sounds, gradually becoming more and more “coherent†until we finally hear actual pitches, melodies, and words. Three of Haydn’s melodies will be heard, to be specific, but not in the way he will present them an hour from now. It’s almost as if we are listening inside the womb of the universe, looking for a faint heartbeat of worlds, animals, and people to come. At the end of the piece, the chorus finally finds its voice with a single word: “God!â€, and the orchestra finally finds its own pulse as well. The unstoppable desire for birth must now be answered, and it is----by Haydn’s marvelous oratorio. I am not a religious man in any traditional sense. Neither was Haydn, nor Mozart, nor Beethoven. But all of them, as well as I, share in what is now called a humanistic view of how things came to be, how life in its many forms developed on this planet, and how Man became the recorder of history. The gospel according to John begins with a parody of Genesis: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.â€Â  I love that phrase, and it’s in that spirit that I offer my humble “opener†to the finest work of one of the greatest composers Western music has ever known. My piece is not supposed to sound like Haydn. It’s supposed to sound like a giant palette, on which a composer in 1798 might find more outrageous colors than his era would permit…but which, I hope, he would have been delighted to hear.
SKU: CA.4068894
SKU: HL.284546
For Bob is arranged for Cello and Piano. First performed by Elisabeth Smalt and Kevin Volans, London 2016. Composers Note: I have no idea where this piece came from and how it is structured. But before and after I wrote it I was nagged by the question: what does the viola have to do with the piano? Did this combination evolve by unfortunate accident? The viola was perfected in the 18th century. Its natural metier is (private) chamber music. The piano on the other hand kept growing and blossomed in the 19th century as the ultimate public instrument. If the piano is to play with the viola, it has to rein back its power and pose as an accompanist. Maybe a third instrument, perhaps from the 20th century, is needed to mediate between these two very different sound worlds. So whenwe play this 'trio' with 2 instruments I invite the listener to mentally add the silent part(ner). - Kevin Volans.
SKU: AP.1-ADV10401
ISBN 9783892212645. UPC: 805095104011. English.
This composition superimposes modern rhythms of South American provenience with European forms and compositional techniques. The combining of the two different worlds of music illuminates the diversity of today's music and its beautiful possibilities on infinite new combinations.
SKU: HL.49041686
ISBN 9783254080301. 4.75x7.5x0.727 inches. German.
Wagner's 'Lohengrin' is described as a 'great romantic opera' in which Wagner opens up two completely different worlds for the listener. On the one hand, there is the mystical world of the Knight of the Grail which could be described as embodiment of the Christian element in 'Lohengrin', and on the other hand, there is the opposing magical world of Ortrud. Wagner had studied the origins of the medieval legend of the Knight of the Swan intensively for years, with Wolfram von Eschenbach's work certainly being the best source for Wagner's libretto.Apart from the libretto, this edition contains introductory commentaries of Kurt Pahlen who also adds information on the compositional structure and context to the musical as well as external and internal dramatic action of the opera. A short synopsis and a brief outline of the genesis bring the work into relation with the composer's entire oeuvre and life, thus offering a comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction.
