SKU: LM.26850
ISBN 9790230968508.
In the Emilie's Eyes - For a blue note - You miss her - Ballad for Jodie - I prefer the Blue - To sing for heaven - He would like that - Michel lives in USA - Romantic tune - The End for Eddy - I'll be in the show - Ongobongo's star - Ernie is coming back - Modernesk - Just for Babe.
SKU: BA.BA09099-92
ISBN 9790006565733. 31 x 24.3 cm inches. Key: E minor. Preface: Larry R. Todd.
Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto op. 64, is a key work of the 19th century, adhering to the classical style of Beethoven while pointing the way to the romantic ethos of Brahms. It has long been known that Mendelssohn performed the work with three soloists in succession: Ferdinand David, who worked closely with the composer during its composition and played it at the premiere; the 'child prodigy' Joseph Joachim; and Hubert Leonard, a young Belgian virtuoso about whom little is known.As proof sheets for the Violin Concerto in E minor were long considered lost, it could be described as somewhat of a sensation when proofs for the solo violin part resurfaced together with a letter from Mendelssohn to Leonard.The letter informs us that the composer invited Leonard to his home in Frankfurt in order to make his acquaintance. It was already known that Mendelssohn had given proof sheets to David; now we know that he also gave some to Leonard.The recently discovered proofs reveal how Leonard played the concerto with Mendelssohn on that memorable evening in February 1845. Besides containing bowing marks and fingering, they also show how Leonard executed shifts of position and where he employed open strings. Furthermore modifications made to dynamic markings and additional legato bowing are shown.It is safe to assume that all of this was done with Mendelssohn's approval. That the young violinist made a positive impression on the composer is confirmed in the latter's correspondence following their joint performance. Mendelssohn is full of praise for Leonard's playing and offers to lend his support in finding employment in Germany. This revised edition of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (only the orchestral parts remain unchanged) includes a separate booklet on performance practice. The editor, Clive Brown, is an acknowledged expert on Romantic performance practice.- New source situation owing to recently rediscovered proofs- Revised Urtext edition- With a separate booklet on performance practice (Eng/Ger).
About Barenreiter Urtext Orchestral Parts
Why musicians love to play from B�¤renreiter Urtext Orchestral Parts
- Urtext editions as close as possible to the composer�s intentions - With alternate versions in full score and parts - Orchestral parts in an enlarged format of 25.5cm x 32.5cm - With cues, rehearsal letters, and page turns where players need them - Clearly presented divisi passages so that players know exactly what they have to play - High-quality paper with a slight yellow tinge which does not glare under lights and is thick enough that reverse pages do not shine through
SKU: HL.50487758
ISBN 9790080140987. 9.0x12.0x0.31 inches. Hungarian, English, German.
Violin ABC is the perfect volume for pupils to familiarize themselves with the instrument, basic musical elements, and the sensation of moving naturally while playing. Its editors comprise renowned Hungarian experts in the field of violin pedagogy, and their aim was to create a publication that allows children to have a joyous first encounter with the violin. Violin ABC helps students learn to have calm, relaxed posture and movements through playful illustrations. That way, those who want to play the violin can get a worthwhile introduction to the basics of the violin repertoire through various folk songs and beautiful music examples.The legendary violinist, Yehudi Menuhin (1916 - 1999), had this to say about the publication: ''I am delighted to see a work on the teaching of the violin stress the importance of the preparation of our body and limbs, of our minds and our soul, independently of the instrument itself. I have always said that, ideally, I would like the preparation to be so complete and thorough and enjoyable, that when a child first picks up a violin and a bow, it will draw a clean sound.')' - Yehudi Menuhin (1916 - 1999).
SKU: PR.414411630
ISBN 9781491114551. UPC: 680160089956. 9.5 x 13 inches.
EXCURSIONS is a one-movement work exploring two “characters.†A rhapsodic, descending passage is introduced by the cello, followed by a static, chorale-like phrase for the violin and cello. Their individual developments are separated by a slow, contrasting middle section. The composer has written: “This is analogous to situations in life: we stand by a crossroad, choosing one option and forfeiting the other. But in art, the realm of the imagination, we can perhaps afford to pursue more than one route to its ultimate destination… or can we? It is symbolic that in this work both roads eventually lead to the same place.â€.Excursions for violin, cello and piano, is a one-movement work of tripartite structure in which materials explored in the first of three large sections are brought back in the last section. The traditional statement-contrast-restatement form, which is readily suggested by such a description, is, however, not at all in the mold in which the work is cast. Rather, my aim was to subject the essential materials of the piece (two “characters†–the rhapsodic, descending passage played by the cello in the very opening and, later, a static, slow moving, chorale-like phrase for the violin and cello) to two entirely different developments separated by a slow, contrasting middle section. This is analogous to an exploration of the ramifications that two divergent choices made by the same person might lead to. In life, as we stand by a crossroad, choosing one option usually means having to forfeit the other. But in art, the realm of the imagination, we can perhaps afford to pursue more than one route to its ultimate destination…or can we? It is, I believe, symbolic that in this work both roads eventually lead to the same place: in composing Excursions, it seemed absolutely inescapable that at the end the slow, contrasting middle sections – both more resigned and peaceful than the battling spirits of the outer parts – should return briefly to end the work. The piano trio combination (once highly favored, but to this composer still as challenging today) is approached here as a collaborative effort of three equal soloists – partners. Of the available pairings, the two strings find themselves occasionally approached as a team pitted against the piano. The cello-piano combination is also not uncommon here, and there is an extended violin cadenza toward the end of the piece. The writing for the three instruments is closely and at times interlinked, but the players are all instructed to play from scores. Excursions was first performed at Brandeis University in 1982.
SKU: DY.DO-1525
ISBN 9782897963057.
J'aime les formes musicales concises telles que le Prélude et la Fugue, où il y a une idée claire et directe, suivie d'une autre plus complexe et développée.Conformément à cette idée, cette œuvre se compose de deux pièces distinctes, la première - Transfigured Life - vise à attirer l'auditeur avec son rythme rapide et dansant et sa partie de violon simple et mélodique. Il se «transfigure» via quelques courts intermèdes au piano solo en seulement deux notes alternées pour terminer - qui sont le cœur de l'idée originale, maintenant clarifiée en effaçant tout le reste.Le deuxième morceau - Still Life - conserve son sentiment de quiétude grâce à une ligne de piano simple qui laisse beaucoup d'espace à la partie contrastée (mais encore une fois simple) du violon. En tant que pièce absolue et non programmatique, le titre fait référence uniquement à la couleur et au rythme atmosphériques ; c'est à l'auditeur de voir la « nature morte » de son choix dans son esprit.Une note sur les performances :Malgré ma référence à des lignes « simples » et l'évitement déterminé par l'œuvre des grincements modernistes traditionnels, l'œuvre présente certains défis d'exécution en termes de phrasé et d'ensemble qui nécessitent des compétences et une musicalité considérables. L'œuvre a eu le privilège d'être récemment enregistrée par le violoniste Ezgi Sarıkcıoğlu et la pianiste Rossitza Stoycheva, et est disponible sur toutes les principales plateformes :https://open.spotify.com/album/6p5YIe17ci0UMuo2RqZgjRhttps://music.apple.com/gb/album/transfigured-life-still-life-world-premiere-recording/1738035953Envoyer des commentairesTransfigured Life - Still Life, Op. 165 (violin and piano) - David BraidI am keen on concise musical forms such as Prelude and Fugue, where there is one clear straightforward idea, followed by another that is more involved and developed. In keeping with that idea, this work consists of two distinct pieces, the first - Transfigured Life - aims to draw in the listener with its quick, dancing rhythm and simple, melodic violin part. It 'transfigures' via a few short solo piano interludes into just two alternating notes to end - which are the core of the original idea, now made clear by clearing everything else out of the way.The second piece - Still Life - retains its sense of stillness through an uncomplicated piano line that gives lots of space for the violin's contrasting (but again simple) part. As an absolute, not programmatic, piece the title refers to the atmospheric colour and pacing only; it's up to the listener to see 'Still life' of their choosing in their own mind.A note on performance: Despite my reference to 'simple' lines, and the work's determined avoidance of mainstream modernist squeak - the work has certain performance challenges of phrasing and ensemble that requires considerable skill and musicianship. The work has had the privilege of being recently recorded by violinist Ezgi Sarıkcıoğlu and pianist Rossitza Stoycheva, and is available on all major platforms:https://open.spotify.com/album/6p5YIe17ci0UMuo2RqZgjRhttps://music.apple.com/gb/album/transfigured-life-still-life-world-premiere-recording/1738035953.
SKU: BR.EB-8327
ISBN 9790004176351. 9 x 12 inches.
Tommaso Giordani wrote sonatas - here for violin or flute - that are typical examples of early Classical chamber music: their scoring is flexible, they are fun to play, and their technical demands are moderate. The Sonatas Op. IVa show that Giordani is a Haydn contemporary who can really hold his own. Giordani's chamber-music works with obbligato piano were actually very important for the development of chamber music. Too bad Giordani did not contend himself with writing more of these enchanting ensemble sonatas rather than investing in dubious opera projects and going bankrupt. That was no way to become a serious Classical composer!Tommaso Giordani wrote sonatas - here for violin or flute - that are typical examples of early Classical chamber music: their scoring is flexible, they are fun to play, and their technical demands are moderate.
SKU: HL.50600469
8.25x11.75x0.14 inches.
“I belong to that group of people who appropriate Debussy's wonderfully formulated philosophy according to which music begins where words end. Contrary to a view that has become widespread during the past 100 years, I am convinced that the task of the composer is to write music, not to talk about it. Even if my technical and aesthetic commentaries on one of my compositions were to have a certain value for listeners, such a commentary would have the effect that I were more or less forcing my own vision of the work onto the listener. The power of music is, however, a gift that makes it capable of calling forth different reactions in listeners. I shall therefore limit myself to saying that the 'Imaginary Variations' were inspired by the wonderful recordings of Janet Packer that I listened to with the greatest pleasure prior to the beginning of my work. The title is derived from the fact that this composition is structured similarly to the classical variation form and that the audience can listen to the constant changes of the musical ideas. In truth, however, the twelve short sections of the work are not true variations even though they reveal some connections and similarities.†(Krzysztof Meyer).
SKU: AP.36-60710011
ISBN 9798888521892. UPC: 676737626686. English.
Austrian-born American violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) is considered among the best virtuosic violinists in history. While he did write some operettas, vocal works, and a smattering of pieces for other instruments, it is unsurprising that most of his output was for the violin. In the earlier part of his career, he wrote a number of pastiches in the style of other well-known composers, going so far as to ascribe the work to them rather than to himself. In 1935, Kreisler revealed that he had composed these select works, answering his critics by pointing out that they had deemed to music worthy under the other composers' names, and that the name changes, the value remains. Among these such works is his Concerto in C, IFK 42, which Kreisler falsely attributed to Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi. In three movements, the work exists with both string orchestra accompaniment and this Master reprint edition for violin and piano.
These products are currently being prepared by a new publisher. While many items are ready and will ship on time, some others may see delays of several months.
SKU: HL.370329
ISBN 9781638870418. UPC: 840126993660. 9.25x12.0x0.435 inches.
Sarasate's concert career began at age seventeen after he was awarded the coveted Premier Prix from the Paris Conservatoire for both violin and composition. After his London debut, the playwright and music critique George Bernard Shaw wrote in his review that Sarasate 'left criticism gasping miles behind him.' Shaw also declared that there were many composers of music for the violin; there were but few composers like Sarasate for violin music. His vast concert repertory included many works written for and dedicated to him by Bruch, Saint-Saens, Wieniawski, Dvorak and many others. He performed his own works in an inimitable, brilliant and charming manner. His contemporaries marveled at his perfect intonation and stunning rhythmic acuity. His bowing technique was the pride of the French School of violin playing. The works presented in this volume are among his finest. All are based on Spanish popular music and are a virtuosic set for violin and piano. They are and have been in virtually every great violinist's repertory. They are also exceptionally popular as encore pieces, as well as favorites of budding virtuosos.
SKU: HL.48025035
ISBN 9783793142607. UPC: 196288020790. 9.0x12.0x0.171 inches.
With Berlin Music, Brett Dean wrote a threefold homage: to the classical duo consisting of violin and piano; to the violin virtuoso Midori, for whom the piece was written; and to the city of Berlin, where he lived between the mid-1980s and 2000 and whose rich cultural life he owes much to his development as a musician and composer. The first four, relatively short movements of the five-movement work form a suite of character pieces, which is followed by a longer final movement. In summary, this turns out to be the actual main movement from which all motifs and harmonies emerged in a compositional manner. This includes tuning down the G side by a whole tone - an apparently small difference, but one that has a major effect on the timbre and resonance of the instrumentand suddenly makes previously impossible interval sequences playable. In addition, the violin in the third movement (a moto perpetuo in which Dean bows to Ravel's violin sonata) has to play with a practice damper, while the pianist changes the instrument and plays on a standing piano that is dampened by a pedal and placed next to the concert grand Expressing nervous energy in tight college spaces.
SKU: HL.49045998
ISBN 9781540034960. UPC: 888680790998. 9.0x12.0x0.142 inches.
In The Diamond Sutra, an early Buddhist text also known as The Diamond that Cuts Through Illusion, the Buddha leads his interlocutor, the Elder Subhuti, through a series of questions and provocations. The Buddha then concludes the session by offering this teaching to those assembled:All composed things are like a dream,a phantom, a drop of dew, a flash of lightning.That is how to meditate on them;that is how to observe them.This duo piece is in four sections, corresponding roughly to these four disparate visions of impermanence: four distinct moments of interplay between form and emptiness, four corners of a diamond. This series of images is itself a 'composed thing,' gathering dissimilar elements into a unified system. It suggests that the things we make are similar to things that exist beyond intention. The Buddha's utterance helps us hear so-called 'composition' and 'improvisation' - or the encompassing category, 'music' - as part of an even larger aggregate: that which forms and recedes.- Vijay Iyer.
SKU: FG.55011-546-0
ISBN 9790550115460.
Uuno Klami probably began composing the Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano as early as May 1920. He completed two movements but only sketched the finale. The reason why he never finished it may be that he began composing a Viola Sonata at around the same time. In 2016, composer Eero Kesti was editing Klami's Viola Sonata when ne noticed that the main section, Allegro affetta, in its finale is fully based on the sketches for the finale of the Violin Sonata. He concluded that the finales of the two works were presumably meant to be very similar, even though they were in different keys. He therefore constructed the last movement of the Violin Sonata, basing it entirely on the last movement of the Viola Sonata. This, we believe, is what Klami originally intended.
SKU: PR.114422690
UPC: 680160684809. 9 x 12 inches.
In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists thegift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided withstudio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I havebeen in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previousexperiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 peopleliving within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up forabundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcardsfrom Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects ofmy residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lightsdimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made forcolleagues and friends.In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont, Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists the gift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided with studio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I have been in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previous experiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a 20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 people living within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up for abundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcards from Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects of my residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet, was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lights dimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie. This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made for colleagues and friends.In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists thegift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided withstudio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I havebeen in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previousexperiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 peopleliving within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up forabundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcardsfrom Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects ofmy residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lightsdimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made forcolleagues and friends.
SKU: HL.51481275
UPC: 888680991661. 9.25x12.25x0.157 inches.
“Memory of a dear place†is the title given to this collection of three enchanting pieces for violin and piano. The “place†in question was the country estate of Brailov that belonged to Tchaikovsky's patron and friend Nadezhda von Meck. He stayed there in idyllic seclusion in May 1878 and completed this work. These pieces were composed very close in time to his Violin Concerto, and they too demonstrate Tchaikovsky's matchless gifts as a Romantic master of melody. For this edition, the Russian Tchaikovsky specialist Alexander Komarov offers the highest degree of editorial precision, having drawn on all the relevant sources from both Russian and international archives. In the course of his work he has also been able to disprove beyond a doubt the view held up to now that the title Souvenir d'un lieu cher was only added after Tchaikovsky's death.
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SKU: HL.978474
ISBN 9781638871361. UPC: 196288090922. 9.0x12.0x0.102 inches.
This one of a kind album pairs two of the most performed Ave Maria's for violin and piano, meticulously edited by Jascha Heifetz' protege, Endre Granat. The first of these is Schubert's melody, which was originally composed as a setting of a song from Walter Scott's popular narrative poem The Lady of the Lake, titled, “Ellen's Third Song” (Ellens dritter Gesang). The opening words and refrain of Ellen's song, namely “Ave Maria” (Latin for “Hail Mary”), may have led to the idea of adapting Schubert's melody as a setting for the full text of the traditional Roman Catholic prayer. The Latin version of the song is now so frequently used with Schubert's melody that it has led to the misconception that he originally wrote the melody as a setting for the “Ave Maria.” The second Ave Maria in this collection was created when Gounod famously improvised the melody over the background of J.S. Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846, from The Well-Tempered Clavier. Gounod's beatiful improvisation was transcribed by his future father-in-law Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann, which was published with the Bach keyboard accompaniment in 1835 under the title “Méditation sur le Premier Prélude de Piano de S. Bach.” Alongside Schubert's version, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria has become a fixture at funerals, wedding masses, and quinceañeras. Both works have been recorded hundreds of times during the twentieth century.
SKU: AP.36-60710001
ISBN 9798888521878. UPC: 676737670276. English.
Percy Grainger's (1882-1961) love for music of the simple rural folk of the British Isles led to a series of forty-three pieces that he grouped into a series called British Folk-Music Settings, including Molly on the Shore, Irish Reel from British Folk Music Settings, No. 1. Grainger produced at least six versions of this folk tune arrangement of two contrasting Irish Reels (Temple Hill and Molly on the Shore, from The Complete Petrie Collection of Ancient Irish Music), starting with the original 1907 version for string quartet or string orchestra. That same year, Grainger also produced a version for violin solo and piano, which is also available from the publisher. This wholly unique version was freely arranged for violin and piano by famous early 20th century violinist Fritz Kreisler, offering players already familiar with Grainger's original rendition an opportunity to approach the music in a different way. Reprint edition.
SKU: EC.LMP044
ISBN 9781962585026.
This work was especially arranged for Thomas Stumpf and Joanna Kurkowicz and was adapted from the second movement of my Violin Concerto No. 1. The inspiration comes from the melodic shapes and sentiments of the hymns and chants of the Syrian Orthodox Church. Though there is no direct referenceto any particular hymn or chant in that repertoire, it is the formal structure and melodic contour from that tradition that provided inspiration for Hymn; especially in the opening and closing sections. The inner feelings of Hymn reflect on one aspect of the nature of faith, and how one holds on to it in a tumultuous world. This is reflected in the middle section where the piano's jagged rhythms attempt to throw off the steady pulses of the violin. Only faith in one's own inner rhythm can keep the violinist moving steadily forward. -Kareem Roustom.
SKU: BO.B.3673
It is a work for violin and piano inspired directly by Paganini's Capriccio No. 13, known as La risata del diavolo and one of the most renowned capriccios from the series of twenty-four composed by the celebrated Genovese violinist and composer. In my version for violin and piano, I have singled out the two essential features of the work: the third notes on a double string that emulate the devil's laughter, and the quick eighth notes that follow, all of it within a light and humorous chromaticism.Il diavolo begins with a slow and fragmented but suggestive violin cadenza. It then follows the Allegro deciso, built on the two features mentioned above. In the central part, yet another violin cadenza of a similar character but which recalls the devil's laughter more evidently. The Allegro deciso goes on up to a carefree and virtuosic finale.The work is dedicated to violinist Jesus Reina.
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: PR.114423360
UPC: 680160686285.
When the Newport Music Festival commissioned me for a piano trio in honor of their 2021 season, I looked for a topic that would celebrate an aspect of the Newport community. While researching the area, I was struck by the nine lighthouses situated around the island. The dual nature of lighthouses was particularly appealing to me: not only do they serve a vital role in the navigation of ships around rocks and land, but they are also a beautiful sight, particularly at night when their blinking beacons are clearly visible to the eye. It occurred to me that lighthouses link the past with the present, and will endure long into the future, with their beacons serving the same purpose for every generation.I became fascinated with the lighthouse on the property of Castle Hill Inn, located at the opening of the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay. This squat thirty-four foot granite structure was erected in 1890 on a very picturesque spot, right at the water’s edge. Its “characteristic,†the nautical term for each lighthouse’s unique light sequence that allows ships to identify the lighthouse, is to alternate on for three seconds, then off for three seconds. The lighthouse has also served as the starting and finish line for numerous high profile yacht races, as well as survived a massive hurricane in 1938, though the lighthouse keeper’s nearby residence wasn’t so lucky. American novelist Thornton Wilder wrote much of his 1973 novel Theophilus North while staying at the Castle Hill Inn; a passage from the book perfectly captures the dual nature of lighthouses:“At a later visit I was able to engage the pentagonal room in a turret above the house; from that magical room I could see at night the beacons of six lighthouses and hear the booming and chiming of as many sea buoys.â€In Beacon of the Bay, we first hear the lighthouse’s characteristic as its ruby light blinks on and off. This is followed by a simple theme that represents the lighthouse performing its solitary duty. As the piece progresses, we hear waves playfully lapping around its base, then yachts gracefully floating by; this is followed by a violent storm that churns the waves with so much force that they crash against the lighthouse’s granite body. But the steadfast lighthouse holds firm to the rocks, grandly blinking its ruby light. The music quiets back down to its simple theme, with yachts sailing by once more as the piece concludes.
SKU: HL.49019079
ISBN 9790001178686. UPC: 884088907358. 9.0x12.0x0.103 inches.
'Privacy' means separation. The title of the trio for clarinet, violin and piano thus describes the character of the piece. The piano weaves sound tapestries of deep and long, yet fully fingered chords which increase their tempo in the course of the piece. In contrast to that, the melody of the violin is for the most part played in a very high register. It is the clarinet that fills the space between these extremes by means of trembling trills, always following the rhythm of the violin and answering to the latter like an echo.
SKU: BR.SON-454
ISBN 9790004803646. 9 x 12 inches.
The Violin Concerto in E minor, op. 64, and the Sonata in F minor, op. 4, are the only works for solo violin that Mendelssohn had had printed during his lifetime. However, his complete oeuvre includes other completed or fragmentary compositions, including two further concertos and several unfinished sonatas and other individual pieces. He himself had an extraordinary command of the violin and entrusted the instrument in several other works, such as the Octet op. 20 or the concert aria Infelice! - Ah, ritorno, eta dell'oro, with special tasks. Nevertheless, with regard to details of playing technique, he usually sought advice from solo violinist friends, first from Eduard Ritz, then, after Ritz's early death, from Ferdinand David. The present volume contains all of the completed and fragmentary compositions for violin and piano that have survived - from the early Prelude and Fugue in D and G minor from Zelter's practice book (1820), which can be assigned without doubt, through to the Sonata in F major (1838) in their various versions.
