Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki's career spans more than 40 years dating from the post-Stalinist era of the mid 1950s and embracing a catalogue of more than 70 acknowledged works. It was not however until the phenomenal success of histhird symphony Symphony of Sorrowful Songs Op 36 which brought the composer world-wide renown through its numerous performances and recordings that his music reached an extended audience outside his native Poland. Since thenthe directness and emotional impact of his music have established him as one of the major figures of contemporary music.

Composer's Program Note Repertoire operas occationally have orchestral suites: Bits and pieces of overture interlude etc. tied upin a bouquet of 'schönste Tränen'. Contemporary opera usually wither after the first season so the focusis on getting people to come and have a sniff before it's too late. Consequently it seemed obvious to meto start making orchestral excerpts from my operas that are meant to be played before the premiere (andafter please); I call them 'opera trailers' when they're substantial enough to be considered independent works and 'opera demos' when they're relatively short and moreappetizer-ish. SNOW WHITE'S MIRROR is a full scale two act dramatic opera written for the Danish National Opera. The opera is a modern re-telling for grown-ups of the brothers Grimm's fairy tale: Snow White is a self-centered teenage narcissist and the villain of the opera; she ends up loosing everyone but herself either because she kills them or because they decide they can't stand being around her anymore. But apparently she's o.k. with that...The music is intended for a large audience: it's basically pop music done with all the craftmanship of aclassical composer who's equally at home with large scale symphonic form avantgarde technique opera singing - and modern pop. The Trailer is in three movements. It contains three sections of the opera; the prelude an interlude close to the beginning of the second act and the final scene but one. It's a gloomy sort of trailer starting out in grand title sequence style moving on to a decidedly odd piece where Snow White find her way to the dwarfs (who're creepy junkies doing pornography to get money to buy dope) and ending in kind of an eerie rejection mood: Everyone still alive walks out on Snow White singing 'skin as white as snow hands red with blood soul as black as ivory'.(NM 2010)

Known for her Operas and Vocal works contemporary composer Isabelle Aboulker has won numerous prizes for her compositions. 1918 L'Homme Qui Titubait Dans La Guerre has met much success and is a sublime addition to the Vocal repertoire. Aboulker was commissioned to write the work in 1998 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the ending of World War I. 1918 L'Homme Qui Titubait Dans La Guerre was later chosen to represent France when Weimar became European city of culture in 1999. Written for Voice and Piano  1918 L'Homme Qui Titubait Dans La Guerre is anOratorio. As an exciting alternative collection of songs in the Vocal repertoire Aboulker''s composition is an exquisite addition to any singer's repertoire.

Musicians Wrestle Everywhereis a concerto scored for ten instruments Flute Oboe Clarinet Bass Clarinet Horn Trombone Percussion Piano Cello and Bass. The piece is a continuous thirteen minute movement withinfluence coming from the composer's experiences whilst walking around South-East London in an urban street environment. Sounds that influenced the piece include wind turbulence rain showers birds wind chimes and trafficnoise. Work commissioned by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group first performance was given at the Adrian Boult Hall Birmingham on 5 March 1995.

Originally composed for Anne Akiko Meyers and then orchestrated for Marin Alsop's 20th season at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music this lovely lyric work was transcribed for Band under the composer's supervision.Accessible to musicians and audiences yet extremely sensitive with its dramatic sonorities the music is both soothing and subtle even as the tonality is stretched. Dur: 4:30.

Couverture Rigide. Par GLUCK CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD. For his Paris 'Cythère assiégée?, Gluck drew on his eponymous opéra comique from 1759, transforming it into an opéra-ballet. The libretto which was expanded by Charles Simon Favart was adapted: Gluck added recitative passages, reworked individual sections and also added his own compositions, modifying them in parts. By March 1775, the compositional work had progressed sufficiently for Gluck to leave behind a copy of the score as he departed from Paris. However, he was unable to supervise rehearsals or be present at the premiere (1 August 1775) or any of the subsequent 21 performances. Due to these particular circumstances, three versions of the work are to be distinguished: the original version, the performed version and the printed version. This edition of 'Cythère assiégée? contains the original version of the main part and is printed here for the first time. The reconstruction which was necessary in order to determine the original form of this opera draws on all orchestral parts, the printed score and with regard to a large gap in Act III, pages were taken from the score copy. The four-part appendix includes the changes made to this score copy, sections that deviate from the printed score as well as the final version of Act III, also from the printed score. The last part of the appendix also presents a Divertissement in six movements by Berton, which is only available as a rare contemporary set of printed parts. The Foreword offers detailed information regarding the work's genesis, subject matter, preparations for performance and print, premiere, reception, and this edition. Selected pages from significant musical sources, the libretto of the premiere performance, and images illuminating the performance context, have been added as facsimiles./ Répertoire / Conducteur

Joy to the World gets a gospel remake in this choral setting based on the recording by the contemporary group Avalon. A great feature for community performances!Available separately: SATB SAB and SSA. Instrumental ePakand ChoirTrax CD also available. Performance time approx. 3:50.

Rapsodia Sinfonica (Op.66) was written in 1931 for Piano and String Orchestra. It is perhaps a little understated as a symphonic rhapsody with the focus very much on vibrant Iberian flourishes and individual melodies than on forming a thick harmonic texture making it a light and rather enjoyable work.Joaquin Turina (1882-1949) was a Spanish classical composer. Unlike his contemporaries such as Granados and Falla he wrote several chamber pieces many of which are still performed today. He studied in Paris with Ravel and Debussy whose influences can be heard throughout his works as well as influences from traditional Andalusian music.

Frank Bridge's rhapsody Enter Spring demonstrates like his contemporaries Respighi and Szymanowski to be a master of sensuous chromaticism. It was received enthusiastically and provided welcome relief from the greater harmonic astringence of those before him. Study Score