SKU: HL.48025367

UPC: 196288194286.

Simon Laks (1901-1983), who moved from Warsaw to Paris in 1926 at the age of 25, belonged to the large group of composers from Central and Eastern European countries who went down in 20th-century music history as the “École de Paris”. Slavic temperament amalgamated in their music with French esprit, the folklore of their native countries combined with the stylistic elements of neoclassicism and jazz typical of the time. As a member of the “Association of Young Polish Musicians”, Laks quickly made his way into French musical life. However, his career was ended with the beginning of World War 2 due to the collaboration of the Vichy government with Nazi Germany. Internment in 1941 was followed by deportation to Auschwitz in 1942. Laks survived the Shoah as a member and later leader of a camp band in Birkenau, which he testified to in his moving book Music in Auschwitz. After the traumatic experiences, Laks did not return to regular compositional activity until the 1960s, producing an opera, songs, and chamber music works, some of which were awarded important composition prizes. At the peak of this optimistic creative phase, he composed incidental music for Peretz Hirschbein's famous Yiddish comedy Dem Schmids Techter (The Blacksmith's Daughters), which premiered in New York in 1918, for a new production of the play at the Théâtre de'l’Entrepôt in Paris. Along with Prokofiev's Overture on Hebrew Themes and Shostakovich's cycle From Yiddish (Jewish) Folk Poetry, it is one of the most significant 20th-century explorations of art music with Jewish folklore – homage to a culture irreparably destroyed. From the original score, Holger Groschopp compiled two suites, for violoncello and piano and piano solo, that capture the essence of Lak's enchanting drama music. The premiere recording of the suites with Holger Groschopp and Adele Bitter was awarded the Opus Klassik 2023 in the category Editorial Achievement of the Year.

SKU: HL.48180232

UPC: 888680795016. 9.0x12.0x0.04 inches.

As a prestigious composer of the late 18th century, Luigi Boccherini's (1743-1805) Rondo, transcribed for the cello by Paul Bazelaire, contains many features which continue to make the composer's music popular and loved to this day. Known for his courtly, gallant style, Rondo, originally composed for violin and harpsichord, clearly exemplifies these qualities through the 2/4 time signature, flourishing cello lines and evocative, chordal and rhythmic Piano accompaniment. Moreover, syncopation rhythms and ornamentation heard throughout the piece create further excitement. All of these musical elements combine to create a highly enjoyable piece for the cello repertoire. In addition, the clear print of separate cello and piano parts in this edition of Rondo add to this irresistable purchase for budding cellists.

SKU: HL.48183027

UPC: 888680877927. 9.0x12.0x0.154 inches.

“Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) was a prolific Czech composer, writing many large scale works. The composer moved to Paris in 1923 where he began experimenting in a variety of composition styles. Pastorales for Cello and Piano was published in 1931 and is made up of six pieces. Martinu himself was a violinist and the beginning of his experiments in composing for solo instruments saw him write for strings. Pastorales for Cello exemplifies the composer's influence of Stravinsky, Debussy neoclassicism, surrealism and jazz. The piece is excitingly virtuosic in its use of double stops, complex rhythms, chromaticism, and ensemble between the Cello and Piano. As a varied, substantial work for the Cello repertoire, Martinu's Pastorales is essential for the advanced performer.”.

SKU: BT.PWM8613

Sonata in D minor is Szymanowski's earliest violin work and was written in 1904. In its conventional character one clearly feels the dependence on the violin sonatas of Franck ahd Brahms and the composer's desire to master the traditional, three-movement cyclic form. Sonata for violin and piano (arranged for cello by Kazimierz Wi komirski), a juvenile work, in spite of the fact that its style is still not crystallised, betrays the composer's growing interest in tone colour and foreshadows the bold and rich melodic line characteristic of Szymanowski's later works.

SKU: CF.BF141

ISBN 9781491159989. UPC: 680160918584.

The three pieces From Jewish Life were composed by Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch in 1924, the same year he took U.S. citizenship. Though clearly inspired and influenced by Jewish experience, they are purely concert pieces, and do not provide any specific liturgical significance.

The first movement, Prayer, is a deeply heartfelt plea to the almighty. As Neil W Levin writes, The initial four-note motive in the minor mode, together with its elaboration in the ensuing phrases, sounds as if it might have served as the skeletal model for Max Janowski's (1912-1991) now well-known setting of the High Holyday prayer Avinu Malkenu. This prayer has special meaning in my own spiritual life, as I have been singing it since my childhood. Both Prayer and Janowski's Avinu Malkenu are cantorial in nature, to be sung with heartfelt pathos.

The second movement, Supplication (the act of begging humbly), has more angst, almost a sense of urgency as a result of the rhythmic motor in the piano. The third movement, Jewish Song, evokes a quintessentially Eastern-European melancholy. Its falling motives with bent intonation might represent the pain of the Jewish experience.

The works were dedicated to Dutch-American cellist Hans Kindler, a highly influential musician of his time, and founder of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kindler was the soloist for the world premiere of Bloch's most celebrated work, Schelomo in 1917.

Though the popularity of Bloch's oeuvre has been dominated by works of Jewish connection, we should not forget that Bloch had many other stylistic periods, including Franco-Belgian, modal, serial, and even American folk. In 1927, he was awarded Musical America's composition prize in a unanimous vote, despite being regarded as an outsider by American music writers at the time. His winning work America (1928) was performed by every major orchestra and conductor in the following seasons. May we be proud of his contributions to American music.
The three pieces From Jewish Life were composed by Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch in 1924, the same year he took U.S. citizenship. Though clearly inspired and influenced by Jewish experience, they are purely concert pieces, and do not provide any specific liturgical significance. The first movement, Prayer, is a deeply heartfelt plea to the almighty. As Neil W Levin writes, The initial four-note motive in the minor mode, together with its elaboration in the ensuing phrases, sounds as if it might have served as the skeletal model for Max Janowski's (1912-1991) now well-known setting of the High Holyday prayer Avinu Malkenu. This prayer has special meaning in my own spiritual life, as I have been singing it since my childhood. Both Prayer and Janowski's Avinu Malkenu are cantorial in nature, to be sung with heartfelt pathos. The second movement, Supplication (the act of begging humbly), has more angst, almost a sense of urgency as a result of the rhythmic motor in the piano. The third movement, Jewish Song, evokes a quintessentially Eastern-European melancholy. Its falling motives with bent intonation might represent the pain of the Jewish experience. The works were dedicated to Dutch-American cellist Hans Kindler, a highly influential musician of his time, and founder of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kindler was the soloist for the world premiere of Bloch's most celebrated work, Schelomo in 1917. Though the popularity of Bloch's oeuvre has been dominated by works of Jewish connection, we should not forget that Bloch had many other stylistic periods, including Franco-Belgian, modal, serial, and even American folk. In 1927, he was awarded Musical America's composition prize in a unanimous vote, despite being regarded as an outsider by American music writers at the time. His winning work America (1928) was performed by every major orchestra and conductor in the following seasons. May we be proud of his contributions to American music.
The three pieces From Jewish Life were composed by Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch in 1924, the same year he took U.S. citizenship. Though clearly inspired and influenced by Jewish experience, they are purely concert pieces, and do not provide any specific liturgical significance.The first movement, “Prayer”, is a deeply heartfelt plea to the almighty. As Neil W Levin writes, “The initial four-note motive in the minor mode, together with its elaboration in the ensuing phrases, sounds as if it might have served as the skeletal model for Max Janowski’s (1912–1991) now well-known setting of the High Holyday prayer Avinu Malkenu.” This prayer has special meaning in my own spiritual life, as I have been singing it since my childhood. Both “Prayer” and Janowski’s Avinu Malkenu are cantorial in nature, to be sung with heartfelt pathos.The second movement, “Supplication” (the act of begging humbly), has more angst, almost a sense of urgency as a result of the rhythmic motor in the piano. The third movement, “Jewish Song”, evokes a quintessentially Eastern-European melancholy. Its falling motives with bent intonation might represent the pain of the Jewish experience.The works were dedicated to Dutch-American cellist Hans Kindler, a highly influential musician of his time, and founder of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kindler was the soloist for the world premiere of Bloch’s most celebrated work, Schelomo in 1917.Though the popularity of Bloch’s oeuvre has been dominated by works of Jewish connection, we should not forget that Bloch had many other stylistic periods, including Franco-Belgian, modal, serial, and even American folk. In 1927, he was awarded Musical America’s composition prize in a unanimous vote, despite being regarded as an outsider by American music writers at the time. His winning work America (1928) was performed by every major orchestra and conductor in the following seasons. May we be proud of his contributions to American music.

SKU: HH.HH286-FSP

ISBN 9790708092254.

A true Grand Duo for cello and piano to provide a much needed connection between the first sonatas for this combination -- by Beethoven -- and the later 19th century repertoire. Eberl's heroic style provides a masterly alternative to the over familiar works, with the balance of power between the two players scrupulously maintained throughout, and ingenious formal innovations. The Rhapsodie finale in particular, with sections in varying metres and moods, resolves in an elegant Pastorale, an entirely new format for this combination. The composer thoughtfully provided an adaptation of the cello part for violin containing many differences which will be of interest to players of both instruments; both string parts are included in this publication.

SKU: HL.48024888

UPC: 840126919769.

As a lesson and lecture piece, Bertold Hummel's Sonatine op. 35, created in 1969, accompanied many young musicians on their way. Sold a thousand times all over the world, it is one of the composer's best-known works and has been included in the repertoire list for the 'Jugend musiziert' competition by the German Music Council. Warmth and sparkling rhythm characterize the three movements: inthe powerful maestoso, the sonority of the main theme is contrasted with a lyrical side theme; the recapitulation ends with an impulsive fugato. The second movement Elegie consists of a single soulful melody about spherical harmonies of the piano. As the highlight in the Finale vivace, playful lightness, marching rhythms and dramatic increases replace each other in quick succession; wild arpeggios lead to the end. Originally composed for violin, versions for viola and cello were already familiar. For the 50th birthday, Simrock / Boosey & Hawkespresents the work in a revised, revised edition. A repertoire enrichment for beginning instrumentalists are the first available versions for alto and tenor saxophone, which the composer made himself in the 1990s.

SKU: HL.50512037

ISBN 9790080147795. UPC: 884088668723. 9.0x12.0x0.079 inches. Ferenc Liszt; Boldizsar Csiky.

The arranger of this work (a well-known Hungarian composer living in Romania) writes: +This piece has always excited my imagination, from several points of view. First of all, its name. The German title, the obstinate one, may refer to its ostinato character. This is close to Liszt's programme concept, but the French word 'obstine' is closer in meaning to stubborn. There is just a shade of difference, but to me it is important, because the latter suggests the description of a type of behaviour, the emotional state of a dancer's inner frame of mind abstracted into movements, expressed in dance movements, and this is a fascinating interpretation. The demonstration of stubborn resistance and defiance to the point of exhaustion was not a frequently occurring phenomenon with Liszt. Secondly, at the beginning of the seventies Zoltan Kocsis played the piece in Transylvania. At that time, I asked the composer, +Is the character of the continuous staccato in the left hand sharp, short, or an accompanying background like a constant shadow? Is it a weighty Brahmsian staccato, an ominous knocking? - and so on. Then there are the Bartokian false relations that keep recurring in the work, the B-E flat-G, etc. That foreshadows Debussy, creating harmonic thrills that, when I hear the work, keep my continuing interest alive for it. Finally, my immediate reason for arranging the work was of a family nature: in connection with Liszt's jubilee year, my daughter, who is a cellist, wanted a 'more energetic' piece to play at a bicentenary concert an addition to the existing slow, lyrical, or sombre works written by Liszt for the cello.+.