SKU: PR.312419020

ISBN 9781491131862. UPC: 680160680474. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. English.

Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, Terra Nostra is a 70-minute oratorio on the relationship between our planet and humankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. Part I: Creation of the World explores various creation myths from different cultures, culminating in a joyous celebration of the beauty of our planet. Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines human achievements, particularly since the dawn of our Industrial Age, and how these achievements have impacted the planet. Part III: Searching for Balance questions how to create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. In addition to the complete oratorio, stand-alone movements for mixed chorus, and for solo voice with piano, are also available separately.
Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child” praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!” Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass” in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,” William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,” and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,” each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,” Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge” concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness” speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming” gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us” warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace” speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?” and “There was a child went forth every day”) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass” from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…”My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?

SKU: PR.31241902A

UPC: 680160690510. English.

Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, Terra Nostra is a 70-minute oratorio on the relationship between our planet and humankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. Part I: Creation of the World explores various creation myths from different cultures, culminating in a joyous celebration of the beauty of our planet. Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines human achievements, particularly since the dawn of our Industrial Age, and how these achievements have impacted the planet. Part III: Searching for Balance questions how to create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. In addition to the complete oratorio, stand-alone movements for mixed chorus, and for solo voice with piano, are also available separately.
Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child” praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!” Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass” in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,” William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,” and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,” each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,” Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge” concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness” speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming” gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us” warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace” speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?” and “There was a child went forth every day”) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass” from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…”My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?

SKU: CL.012-4840-01

Pierre La Plante’s mastery of presenting folk songs and beloved carols in innovative and unique ways for concert band is well-illustrated with Joyeux Noël! Shepherds Awake begins an exciting three-part musical retelling of the Christmas story. The middle section (What is this Perfume) is a beautiful lullaby, followed by a joyous finale (He Is Born,) a song of celebration and rejoicing. This charming suite of beloved French carols will be a welcome and refreshing addition to any holiday concert.

SKU: CF.YAS162

ISBN 9781491143803. UPC: 680160901302. Key: A minor.

Virgo is a lush and dramatic piece for string orchestra that reflects upon lost loved ones. In the case of the composer, it is a remembrance of his late brother whose astrological sign was virgo. It is an emotional harmonic journey with well-place dissonance tied together by a memorable motive. Musically, this piece is pure emotion and will stretch your young musicians to strive for musical elegance.
Virgo is a lush and dramatic piece for string orchestra that is intended to reflect upon lost loved ones. In the case of the composer, it is a remembrance of his late brother, Scott Andrew Sweet. The title of the piece refers to the astrological sign ofthe composer’s brother, who was born on September 19, 1970. Virgo is dedicated to his memory.The piece utilizes many close-knit intervals and dissonances and care should be taken throughout the work to ensure that these intervals blend evenly into a singular sonority. The piece begins with an introduction that utilizes portions of the A-theme which is presented in full at m. 10 by the second violins. The theme is repeated at m. 18 and moves to a brief B-section at m. 26. The B-section utilizes inverted “pyramid” chords, and each voice should enter with a slight accent so that the rhythmic structure of the pyramid is audible. The A- and B-sections are both repeated with slight variation and are followed by a C-section at m. 58. This section utilizes melodic counterpoint between all voices, and care must be taken to maintain a strong individual presence from voice to voice. These voices lead to a dramatic arrival on beat 3 of m. 68. From this point, the C-section decreases in intensity, coming to restat m. 82. The introductory material returns at m. 84 with pizzicato accompaniment and leads to a final statement of both A- and B themes in a more developed and intense fashion. A delicate and restrained coda appears at m. 113 and brings the piece to a close.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels

SKU: WD.080689659171

UPC: 080689659171.

Ever wonder what it was like on that one starry night in Bethlehem long ago? That night when angels sang, shepherds rejoiced, and a young couple gazed at their precious, newborn baby boy. You may think you’ve heard it all before; that you know all there is to know about that night and that special baby’s birth. But until you’ve heard the story told by the animals who were there with Mary and Joseph, you just might be missing an important perspective on all that happened that first Christmas night! Now you can hear all about it in Raad Tidings We Bring…The Animals’ Christmas Story, new, from Christy and Daniel Semsen! The Animals’ Christmas Story begins with two revered “old-timers”… two celebrated “senior citizens” of the animal community in Bethlehem. Meet Ruthie and Eleanor; one, a wise old donkey, the other, a shall we say, long-in-the-tooth, camel, both reminiscing about the night when Christ was born. Our two old friends are joined throughout the musical by others who all came together to experience this miraculous birth. You’ll hear from birds on their way to Bethlehem for the census, meet theater mice and a thespian cat who entertain guests at the inn, and be introduced to a super-smart sheepdog and a super-chill flock of sheep- you know, those sheep who saw the angels on the hillside, outside of Bethlehem! Raad Tidings We Bring… The Animals’ Christmas Story, is a paws-i-tively amazing, meow-fully wonderful, hee-haw-fully marvelous re-telling of God’s love story…the story of a Savior, the story of redemption, the story of Christmas!

SKU: FJ.ST6240S

English.

Transport your audience to a café in Venice with this unique, all-pizzicato arrangement of Enrico Toselli's Serenata Rimpianto. The string orchestra mimics a mandolin ensemble by strumming chords and using tremelos. They can even hold their instruments guitar style! Let your students experience a new way of playing while exploring the emotional depths of this sad, romantic, and beautiful expression of lost love.

About FJH Developing Strings

Slightly more advanced than Beginning Strings, this series begins to involve more position work and a slightly more complex rhythmic figures. Rehearsal piano is often provided. Ideal for middle school and smaller high school programs. Grade 2 - 2.5