SKU: PR.114419030
ISBN 9781491114124. UPC: 680160669851. 9 x 12 inches.
A fascination with polycultural synergy between diverse literary textsdrives the inspiration for much of Mohammed Fairouz’s prodigiouscreative output, including instrumental music as well as vocal. Inhis profound and extensive essay preceding the score, Fairouz shedslight on how Edgar Allen Poe’s “Israfel” relates to the prophetsand prophesies of the Quran, Old Testament, and New Testament.The eight-movement quartet may be heard as a dramatic galleryof portraits and of story-telling, flourishing in a post-traditionallanguage that is at once vernacular and spiritual, Middle Easternand Western. The complete set of score and parts is included in thispublication.(See pages 2-3 of score for clear distinction of paragraphs, etc.)Prophesies, by Mohammed FairouzEdgar Allen Poe’s rendition of Israfel was the point of departure for the final movement of my previous stringquartet which is titled The Named Angels. At the opening of his poem, Poe evokes the Quran:“And the angel Israfel, whose heartstrings are a lute, and who has the sweetest voice of all God’s creatures.”This informs the first lines of the poem that, in turn, gave me the title for the final movement of The Named Angels,“Israfel’s Spell”:In Heaven a spirit doth dwell“Whose heartstrings are a lute”None sing so wildly wellAs the angel Israfel,And the giddy stars (so legends tell),Ceasing their hymns, attend the spellOf his voice, all mute.It is the end of that poem, however, that is the starting point for the current quartet, Prophesies, which concernsitself with mortal prophets rather than eternal Angelic spirits.If I could dwellWhere IsrafelHath dwelt, and he where I,He might not sing so wildly wellA mortal melody,While a bolder note than this might swellFrom my lyre within the sky.Islamic thought has asked us to look at the example of the prophets. That’s significant because of the fact thatJoseph and all the prophets were human beings with the flaws of human beings. No prophet was perfect, andIslamic tradition has never asked its followers to aspire to the example of the Angels, the perfected ones. Instead weare given the gift of our prophets. While The Named Angels drew on the motion and energy of everlasting spirits,Prophesies is a depiction of the movements within our own mortal coil.This quartet is a continuation of a long tradition of Muslim artists telling their stories and singing their songs.Many of these renditions are, in fact, figurative and (contrary to popular belief) the Quran contains no “Islamicedict” prohibiting figurative renditions of the figures described in the Old Testament, New Testament, or Quran.The majority of artists, however, have preferred eternal and abstract forms such as words and their calligraphicrepresentations, poems (Yusuf and Zuleikha or the Conference of Birds come immediately to mind), architecture,and many other non-figurative art forms to the representation of man. These cold, ancient, and everlasting shapesof unending time flourished, and the divine infinity of representing geometric forms gained favor over the placementof the explicit representation of mankind and our own likeness at the center of the universes.Adding the string quartet to these forms which express the recursive spheres of heavens and earth abstractly shouldexplain why I have chosen to render higher things through the use of music without the addition of words or anyother art-form. It is the abstract art of pure form, in which all is form and all is content, which compels me. Thisquartet should be seen as no more programmatic than the arches of the Great Mosque at Cordoba.The first movement, Yāqub (Jacob), is slow, quiet and prayerful. It evokes the patient sorrow of a slow choraledeveloping over time as it coaxes our pulse out of the ticking of a clock-like meter that defines our day-to-day livesand into a divine eternity.The second, Saleh, imagines the spirit of that desert-prophet through the use of a Liwa; the dance-sequence that hasbeen such a prevalent form of expression in the Arabian Peninsula for much of our recorded history.The third movement is titled Dawoōd, and it is emblematic of the beloved Prophet, King, and Psalmist, David.Though it has no lyrics, the movement functions as a dabkeh (an ancient dance native to the Levant) and also “sets”the opening of Psalm 100 (Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands). This line is never set to music or sung inthe quartet but is evoked through the rhythmic shape of the violin part which imitates the phonology and rhythmof my speaking the opening line in the Hebrew and develops the contours of that line incessantly throughout themovement.3The fourth movement is an ode to Yousef (Joseph) and relates to the first movement in tempo and tone just as Josephrelates to Jacob, his father. Together, the first and fourth movements provide a sort of Lamentation and relief.Joseph had the appearance of a noble angel, but he was very much a human being. And the story of this particularprophet had tragic beginnings many years before he found himself in a position of power in Egypt. Back in his youth,still among the Israelites, Joseph experienced a series of revelations through his dreams that spoke of his impendingcareer in prophecy. He confided his dreams to his father, the Prophet Jacob, who told his son of the greatness thatawaited him in his future only to have his brothers throw him into a well and leave him for dead. Joseph eventuallyfound his way from Israel to Egypt and rose out of slavery into a position of power. Meanwhile, famine engulfs Israel.Forty years pass, and back in the land of Jacob and Rachel, of Joseph’s brothers and Abraham’s tribe, Israel wasnot spared the effects of the famine. They sorely lacked Joseph’s prophecy and his vision. The Qur’an then tells usthat Jacob, sensing Joseph, sends the other brothers to Egypt instructing them to come back with food and grain.Arriving in Egypt, they unwittingly appear before Joseph. They don’t recognize their little brother who has risen toa position of might, dressed in his Egyptian regalia. They ask for the food and the grain.After some conversation, Joseph is no longer able to contain his emotion. Overcome, he reveals himself to his nowterrified brothers. He embraces them. He asks them eagerly, “How is our father?” Joseph gives them the gift of thefood and the grain that they came in search of. He relieves them from hunger and alleviates their fear. He sendsthem back with proof that he is alive, and it is this joyful proof from the miraculous hands of a prophet that bringsback the ancient Jacob’s vision after 40 years of blindness.In this story, I am struck by the fact that Joseph may not have made the decision to forgive his brothers on thespot, but that something inside the prophet’s soul found forgiveness and peace for the brothers who had so gravelywronged him at some point along his journey. I would suspect this point to have been present at Joseph’s inception,even before he had ever been wronged.This is proof, if we needed it, that Joseph’s angel-like beauty was not only physical and external, but also internalas well: Joseph possessed a profound loveliness of spirit that bound his appearance and his soul. In Joseph, formand soul are one.Time is to musicians what light is to a painter. In this way, the story of Joseph also shows us that time can affectour perception of even the most tragic wounds. In fact, the most common Arabic word for “human being” is insaan,which shares its roots with the word insaa, “to forget.” While our ability to remember is essential to how we learnabout ourselves, our capacity to “forgive and forget” may also be one of our great gifts as human beings.The fifth movement follows my ode to Joseph with a structural memory of Mūsa (Moses). The movement consistsentirely of descending motifs which I constructed as an indication of Moses’ descending movement as he emergedto his people from the heights of Mt. Sinai. The music is constructed in five phrases which function as a formalreference to the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch. The movement is placed as the fifth of the quartet for the samereason.While Joseph is always evoked as supremely beautiful in the Books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Suleiman(Solomon) is described as surpassing in his quicksilver intelligence. This movement is composed of a seven-partriddle which passes by in an instant but can be caught by the attentive listener. From Solomon, we work our wayback to Yishak (Isaac) in a seventh movement that evokes Isaac’s literal meaning in Arabic and Hebrew: laughter.The eighth and final movement of this quartet is named for the Patriarch of the entire Book: Ibrahim (Abraham). Itrelates to Isaac just as Joseph relates to Jacob; they are father and son. The lines are prayerful and contemplative;the form of the music evolves from a fugue joining together many different forms of prayer into a single tapestry ofcounterpoint, to the cyclical form of this entire quartet which is rendered through the motion of pilgrims circling theKaaba (cube) in Mecca — a structure which was built by Abraham for Hagaar and their son Ismail.These are just some of the figures that are cherished by all three of the Middle Eastern monotheisms (Judaism,Christianity, and Islam) that the Qur’an refers to collectively as Ahl Al-Kitab. This Arabic phrase is most commonlytranslated as “The People of the Book,” but here the most common translation is a flawed one: the Arabic word“ahl” means “family” and not just “people.” A better translation would be “Family of the Book.” Each of the eightmovements of Prophesies grows from a single musical cell.This quartet is a family album.—Mohammed Fairouz (2018.
SKU: HP.3047
UPC: 763628130473. Brenda E. Austin.
Israeli Folk Song A song of resilience, this traditional Israeli folk song begins with a mournful setting on handchimes and moves into an up-tempo section that uses mallets and thumb damps. The arrangement is fresh and inspiring.
SKU: HP.3028
UPC: 763628130282. Brenda E. Austin.
SKU: HP.GC995O
UPC: 763628143275.
Original anthem This original composition by the exceptionally talented Ken Medema has an energetic Israeli folk song feel. The refrain repeats the phrase, That's the reason we sing!. . . and choirs always love to sing songs about the joy of singing! Arranged for SATB choir and piano.
SKU: OT.26114
ISBN 9789655051049. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.
Ariel Lazarus Guitarra Liturgia Two pieces based on music from the Spanish and Portuguese tradition. Contents: Jerusalem de Sefarad - Suite for Guitar Contrapunto Sefardi The composer writes: For many years I wanted to compose a piece for guitar which would inspire interested students to expand their repertoire in the direction of Jewish music. The most natural thing for me was to write a suite based on themes from the synagogue in which I grew up – the Spanish and Portuguese synagogue of Gibraltar. My beloved grandfather served all his life as hazzan (cantor) of this synagogue, and I always felt as a composer and educator that I had a special obligation to continue his tradition and pass it on to a new generation. In this composition, I let the guitar echo the piyyutim (semi-liturgical poems) that were part of my childhood: Adon Olam, Sh'charchoret, Achot K'tana, Yigdal, Borei ad Ana, all of which are sung in the Spanish and Portuguese tradition from Gibraltar to London, and from New York to Jerusalem. I let myself dream the piyyutim, take them apart and reconstruct them as a short suite for guitar, the results of which you are invited to hear here. As a conceptual idea for the suite, I choose to suggest about the cultural continuation between the Diaspora and the land of Israel by way of referencing the well-known melody of Naomi Shemer, which is also popular among the hazzanim.Dr. Ariel Lazarus is a unique voice among Israeli composer-performers today. Brought up in a family with Jewish musical roots both in Gibraltar and Westphalia, he began composing and playing the guitar in his teens, and has been committed to developing his own compositional language ever since, always maintaining an open dialogue with his traditions. Lazarus received his BMus and MMus degrees from Oklahoma City University in classical guitar performance and composition where he studied with American composer Dr. Edward Knight. He earned his PhD from Bar Ilan University, studying composition with Prof. Betty Olivero and Prof. Gideon Lewensohn and conducting research under the supervision of Prof. Edwin Seroussi from the Hebrew University. His symphonic works have been premiered by the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra, and his chamber works have been performed by various ensembles in the United States, Central Europe, Portugal, Gibraltar, Scandinavia and Israel. Lazarus performs regularly as Art Ambassador on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora affairs Amiel BaKehila program. His solo album A Hebrew Capriccio was released by the German boutique label SmoothFactor and was awarded critical acclaim, among others, in Haaretz, and Neue Westfalishe. Dr. Lazarus is the musical director and co-founder of the Israeli Ladino Orchestra. His work with the orchestra has been recognized by the official Carta de España. He teaches at the Academic College for Education Givat Washington, and the Rimon School of Music. Lazarus’s work has been awarded by the Israeli Pais Art council and ACUM.
SKU: BT.GOB-000223-140
This piece features two folksongs from Israel, each portraying a different mood. The first section.'Ma Averech'(How shall this child be blessed) is calm and nostalgic, with a slight hint of melancholy. In the second section,'Zemer Atik' (Old Song), the celebration breaks out! An exciting, varied composition that your band will love playing! Dit werk bestaat uit twee Israëlische volksliedjes, contrasterend qua sfeer. Het eerste deel 'Ma Averech'(How shall this child be blessed) brengt op bijzondere wijze een ingetogen melodieus volksliedje voor het voetlicht terwijlhet tweede gedeelte 'Zemer Atik' (Old Song) een meer uitgelaten karakter in zich draagt. Een opwindende, gevarieerde compositie, die veel speel plezier zal geven!
SKU: BT.GOB-000223-010
SKU: OT.21124
ISBN 9789655050981. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.
Perpetuum Mobile, meaning perpetual motioni, is a Latin term that describes an impossible situation in which a substance has infinite energy. This situation is impossible because it violates the first and second laws of Newton. But it is possible in music. Imagine a musical piece that is a continuous stream of notes. These are exactly the etudes in this album. They do not stop, they are always in motion and they can be played continuously. Etudes are solo pieces, purposed to help the musician practice his technique. In this album, each etude is designed to practice another technique. In addition, the etudes in this album are arranged according to the circle of fifths - each etude ends in a key which is dominant to the beginning of the next etude, even the last etude to the first one, and so on and so forth. This further emphasizes the infinite mobility of the music in this piece. Once you enter the loop, you can't get out of it. All the etudes start in a minor key, as a symbol of the sadness of the matter, and end in a major key, to represent the hope, a false hope, that perhaps the next etude will take you out of the loop. This album is a three-year-long project, in which I gathered ideas from the environment in which I live, from the people in it and from their thoughts, from life that continues all the time, and the music that will never stop. Maayan Tal, 17, is a young Israeli musician, pianist and composer.
SKU: BT.DHP-0910302-160
International.
SKU: BT.DHP-1145555-400
ISBN 9789043135979. English-German-French-Dutch.
Position 1 covers the four fingerings of the first position. The connection between these fingerings and the different keys - up to three sharps or flats - is also dealt with. The book features 38 exercises for the various fingerings, sevenscale and triad exercises, and 68 attractive performance pieces in a range of musical styles. The performance pieces can be played with CD accompaniment (demo and play-along tracks are featured on CDs 1 and 2) or with piano accompaniment. The pianoaccompaniments can be found on CD 2 in PDF form.In Position 1 worden alle vingerstellingen binnen de 1e positie geleerd aan de hand van grepenschema?s, oefeningen en speelstukken. Verder wordt het verband gelegd tussen de verschillende vingerstellingen in toonladders en drieklanken inde 1e positie over 2 oktaven. De 68 speelstukken kunnen met cd-begeleiding worden gespeeld, of met live-pianobegeleidingen. Deze worden als pdf geleverd op de 2 bijbehorende cd?s. De vertrouwde afwisseling van nieuwe stukken, arrangementen vanklassieke thema?s en volksliedjes ontbreekt uiteraard niet!
Lees hier de boekbespreking uit Arco.In Position 1 geht es um die vier Griffarten der ersten Lage. Diese Griffarten werden auch mit den verschiedenen Tonarten - mit bis zu drei Kreuzen oder Bs - verknüpft. Das Buch umfasst 38 Ã?bungen für die verschiedenen Griffarten, siebenTonleiter- und Dreiklangsübungen sowie 68 reizvolle Vortragsstücke in einer ganzen Palette an Musikstilen. Die Vortragsstücke können zu den Begleitungen auf den beiden CDs (die Demo- und Mitspielversionen enthalten), aber auch mit einem Pianistengespielt werden. Die Klavierstimmen sind im PDF-Format zum Ausdrucken auf der CD 2 enthalten.Position 1 couvre les quatre doigtés de la première position et examine le rapport entre ces doigtés et les différentes tonalités - jusquà trois dièses ou bémols. Cet ouvrage contient 38 exercices pour les divers doigtés, 7exercices de gammes et de triades, et 68 morceaux de concert dans une diversité de styles. Ces morceaux peuvent être exécutés avec l´accompagnement du CD, mais aussi accompagnés au piano. Des versions intégrales et de démonstration figurent surles CD 1 et 2, ce dernier comprenant aussi les partitions du piano sous forme de fichiers PDF.Position 1 affronta le quattro diteggiature della prima posizione. La pubblicazione contiene 38 esercizi per le varie posizioni, sette scale e terze, come anche 68 accattivanti brani in vari stili musicali da suonare in pubblico. Questipossono essere eseguiti sia con lausilio dei 2 CD inclusi (traccia demo e traccia play-along), sia con l´accompagnamento di un pianista. Le parti del piano, contenute sul secondo CD, sono scaricabili in formato PDF.