SKU: HL.49008100

ISBN 9790001115490.

Scarlet Letters was composed in 1984 on commission of the pianist and harpsichordist Franzpeter Goebels (1920-1988) on the occasion of the 300th birth day of Domenico Scarlatti. The original working title 'Lettere scarlattine' is a concealed homage to the Italian composer. The compositional material is limited to the tones D, E, C, Es (= S, spoken 'Es' = E flat in German notation) and A, derived from the musical letters of Domenico Scarlatti's name, and the tones B (= B flat in German nota tion) and H (= B natural), the initials of my name. With 7 tones and 7 parts, this music is a sort of story about my imaginary encounter with the composer Domenico Scarlatti who was then one of my favourite composers. Sometimes I also used compositional means which I discovered in the sonatas of Scarlatti, such as quick 6/8 figures, afterbeat octaves and repetitions of short motifs. I tried to translatethe clarity, brightness and cheerfulness, the astounding modulations and the pianistic brilliance of his music into my compositional language.Barbara HellerThe piece was recorded on CD by the American pianist Deborah Richards (WERGO 6610-02). First performance: 31. October 1987 International Festival of Women Composers, Unna; Rosario Marciano, piano.

SKU: BT.DHP-1196115-020

English-German-French-Dutch.

Hora Est! (Latin for ‘it is time!’) was composed to bid adieu to Sjoerd de Boer’s following forty years as conductor of the Chr. Fanfare Band, based in the town of Wjelsryp in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, this small phrase, hora est, is traditionally said upon awarding a university doctorate at graduation ceremonies. The composition was written with Sjoerd de Boer firmly in mind, mirroring various aspects of his life. The main motif of the work consists of three notes, forming his initials: S (Eb) D B. At a certain point, the music is interrupted by a thunderstorm and heavy rain (forever a bad omen: the debut for this work took place a day after such a deluge, but fortunately their open-air concert was met with clear blue skies.) The fanfare then plays an Italianesque march, with the motif of de Boer’s initials interwoven throughout. The work re-uses this motif twice towards the end of the piece as one might expect, by the saxophones to create a festive, driven and virtuosic atmosphere. Finally, the work comes to an end with the initials motif played across the ensemble in complete unison. The powerful closing chords symbolise a fond farewell to de Boer: a driven and extremely capable conductor whose musical mark on Concordia will be felt for years to come. Hora Est! is suitable as a contest piece and would be a definite highlight for any upcoming concert.

Hora Est! is gecomponeerd ter gelegenheid van het afscheid van Sjoerd de Boer als dirigent van Chr. Fanfarekorps Concordia uit Wjelsryp (Friesland), na maar liefst veertig jaar. Hora Est! is Latijn voor ‘Het is tijd!’. Het zinnetje wordt traditioneel uitgesproken bij een promotie tot doctor op de universiteit, op het moment dat de vastgestelde tijd voor verdediging van het proefschrift om is. De pedel komt dan binnen en stampt met zijn staf op de grond terwijl hij deze woorden roept. In dat opzicht verwijst de titel naar de voormalige universiteitsstad Franeker, de woonplaats van Sjoerd en de stad waar hij jaren lang leraar muziek was aan de christelijke scholengemeenschap. Anderzijds verwijst de titel naar zijn afscheid van Concordia: ‘Het is tijd!’.

SKU: PR.465000110

ISBN 9781598062090. UPC: 680160575442.

Castle Creek was written by Dan Welcher in celebration of the Aspen Music Festival's 40th anniversary, and served as a special tribute to the Festival's longtime President, Gordon Hardy. Castle Creek itself is a tributary of the Roaring Fork River on which the Aspen Music Festival campus (as well as Hardy's home) is built. Gordon's initials (G.A.H.) are used as the musical basis for the fanfare, which is centered on the ascending pitches G, A and B, and reflects the upward motion and positivity of the Aspen Music Festival itself. For advanced players. Duration: 5'.
Program Note by the ComposerThere is no “secret program” or hidden meaning in this lively, five-minute work: it was intended as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Aspen Music Festival, and as a special tribute to the Festival’s longtime President, Gordon Hardy. The title CASTLE CREEK refers to a tributary of the Roaring Fork River on which the Aspen Music Festival campus (as well as Mr. Hardy’s home) is built.The work pays homage to Gordon Hardy by utilizing his initials (“G.A.H.”) as a musical motive: the three letters correspond to the pitches G, A, and B). This three-note group forms the basis of the fanfare that opens the work, and it also serves as an ostinato, a bass line, and a general means of organizing the work’s tonal centers. Because the three notes are in ascending order, the ever-upward direction of the Aspen Music Festival and the positive energy of Gordon Hardy are readily evident.The athletic fanfare that begins the work (marked “noble, but energetic”) is scored for brass and percussion alone, and may be played as a separate piece. The rest of the ensemble joins at the conclusion of the fanfare, and a spirited tune in 9/8 issues from the woodwinds. After this is given a thorough workout, a middle section in faster 3/4 time provides machine-like energy. Perhaps it is the energy of the Festival, in high gear. At the height of this, the music of the fanfare returns in broad open notes in the brass, with the machine still pulsing in support. The overture ends in a burst of motion, with the three-note motive in its highest transposition.My colleague and former student Paul Bissell made this excellent transcription from the orchestral original.

SKU: BT.DHP-1125260-010

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

In this three-part piece, Peter Kleine Schaars uses the initials of the German concert band association otherwise known as the Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände (BDB). With ‘B’ equating to a B flat, various themes based on this sequence of notes follow one another: a funky fanfare, a comical waltz and a soulful set in a Mowtown style. With this much variety your audience will soon be in the groove!

B, D en B? Dat zijn de initialen van de Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände, de opdrachtgever van dit werk! Maar we vinden deze letters natuurlijk ook terug op de notenbalk. Peter Kleine Schaars gebruikte ze in deze driedelige compositieals volgt: Bes-D-Bes. U hoort achtereenvolgens een funky fanfare, een komische wals en een ‘motownachtige’ soul. Voer uw publiek mee in diverse ‘grooves’ met deze compositie vol afwisseling!

Peter Kleine Schaars verwendete in dieser dreiteiligen Komposition die Initialen seines Auftraggebers, dem Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände (BDB). Auf dieser Tonfolge beruhend erklingen nacheinander eine funkige Fanfare, ein komischer Walzer und ein souliger Satz im Motown-Stil“. Viel Abwechslung, die das Publikum sich bald im Groove“ bewegen lässt!

Pour cette oeuvre de commande en trois mouvement, Peter Kleine Schaars a utilisé les initiales de la société dédicataire, la Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände - BDB (Confédération des Sociétés de Musique d’Allemagne). Une séquence mélodique s’articulant autour de ces trois notes, Si-Ré-Si, dans un style plutôt funky, puis dans un tempo de valse toute particulière pour finir dans un motif soul & blues, fait de Move to the Groove une oeuvre qui saura charmer votre auditoire !

Per questo brano in tre movimenti, Peter Kleine Schaars ha utilizzato le iniziali della societ commissionante, la Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbaende (BDB). Una sequenza melodica che si sviluppa attorno alle tre note BDB (vale a dire si-re-si), in uno stile quasi funky, per proseguire con un valzer molto particolare, e poi terminare con un motivo soul & blues. Un brano che delizier il vostro pubblico.

SKU: BR.OB-4960-23

ISBN 9790004326824. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The roller coaster of opinions - worthless, absolutely unplayable (claims Nikolaj Rubinstein, basically Tchaikovsky's desired pianist for his Concerto in B flat minor); brilliant, magnificent (Hans von Bulow, then first performer and dedicatee of the work) - demonstrates the work's initially ambivalent reception. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 is one of the most powerful and popular compositions of the classical music repertoire altogether; and it is also quite unconventional and runs counter to the norms of the time. Though it may seem strange to us today, let us recall that during his lifetime, Tchaikovsky was regarded disputable abroad (and especially in Germany), was considered an ultra-modern Russian composer, and was even accused of being a musical nihilist and primitivist. But one glance at the score of the piano concerto suffices to reveal its truly amazing character ...

SKU: BR.OB-4960-19

ISBN 9790004326817. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The roller coaster of opinions - worthless, absolutely unplayable (claims Nikolaj Rubinstein, basically Tchaikovsky's desired pianist for his Concerto in B flat minor); brilliant, magnificent (Hans von Bulow, then first performer and dedicatee of the work) - demonstrates the work's initially ambivalent reception. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 is one of the most powerful and popular compositions of the classical music repertoire altogether; and it is also quite unconventional and runs counter to the norms of the time. Though it may seem strange to us today, let us recall that during his lifetime, Tchaikovsky was regarded disputable abroad (and especially in Germany), was considered an ultra-modern Russian composer, and was even accused of being a musical nihilist and primitivist. But one glance at the score of the piano concerto suffices to reveal its truly amazing character ...

SKU: ST.CN25P

ISBN 9790220225376.

This simple and effective setting of Psalm 67 was written for the marriage ceremony of two of the composer's close friends.

The work is constructed around the psalm's refrain 'Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee', initially incanted very softly by the SATB chorus then gradually strengthening with each iteration. In and around this simple architecture two soloists, a baritone and a soprano, weave melismatic strands of melody into a prayer for enlightenment and harmony. The soloists begin in alternation but come together at the psalm's conclusion, finishing as one voice.

The work may be performed with the soloists positioned either amongst the choir or set apart within the acoustic space.

SKU: HL.14077689

SKU: OU.9780193572959

ISBN 9780193572959. 12 x 9 inches.

This is the first of two books of preludes and fugues for solo organ by Howard Skempton. Each book comprises 25 pairs of preludes and fugues based around the 24 major and minor keys with an additional entry in each book employing the notes B-A-C-H and the initials of the composer as the thematic material.

SKU: PR.16500099F

UPC: 680160637423.

Castle Creek was written by Dan Welcher in celebration of the Aspen Music Festival's 40th anniversary, and served as a special tribute to the Festival's longtime President, Gordon Hardy. Castle Creek itself is a tributary of the Roaring Fork River on which the Aspen Music Festival campus (as well as Hardy's home) is built. Gordon's initials (G.A.H.) are used as the musical basis for the fanfare, which is centered on the ascending pitches G, A and B, and reflects the upward motion and positivity of the Aspen Music Festival itself. For advanced players.

SKU: PR.11640110S

UPC: 680160682744.

The Essay for Strings was written in 1986 in memory of Glenn Hull, a colleague and the choir director at Norfolk State University during my early years there. His sudden passing was a shock, and I expressed my sadness in this work. It was premiered that year by the NSU orchestra at their Winter concert. In w000, after conductor-composer Coleridge Taylor Perkinson gave the work its second performance in Chicago (with the ensemble of the Center For Black Music Reasearch), I decided to add it to my catalog of orchestra works. The designation Essay refers to the fact that the piece is based on one idea (like a literary essay). In this case the musical idea (or motive) is made from the initials of my deceased friend, Glenn Hull (G and H in music are represented by the pitches G and B-natural). These two notes are sounded throughout the work in tribute to him.