SKU: PR.165001000

ISBN 9781491129241. UPC: 680160669776. 9 x 12 inches.

Commissioned for a consortium of high school and college bands in the north Dallas region, FOR THEMYSTIC HARMONY is a 10-minute inspirational work in homage to Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon,patrons of the Fort Worth Symphony and the Van Cliburn Competition. Welcher draws melodic flavorfrom five American hymns, spirituals, and folk tunes of the 19th century. The last of these sources toappear is the hymn tune For the Beauty of the Earth, whose third stanza is the quatrain: “For the joy of earand eye, For the heart and mind’s delight, For the mystic harmony, Linking sense to sound and sight,”giving rise to the work’s title.
This work, commissioned for a consortium of high school bands in the north Dallas area, is my fifteenth maturework for wind ensemble (not counting transcriptions). When I asked Todd Dixon, the band director whospearheaded this project, what kind of a work he most wanted, he first said “something that’s basically slow,” butwanted to leave the details to me. During a long subsequent conversation, he mentioned that his grandparents,Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon, were prime supporters of the Fort Worth Symphony, going so far as to purchase anumber of high quality instruments for that orchestra. This intrigued me, so I asked more about his grandparentsand was provided an 80-page biographical sketch. Reading that article, including a long section about theirdevotion to supporting a young man through the rigors of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition fora number of years, moved me very much. Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon weren’t just supporters of the arts; theywere passionate lovers of music and musicians. I determined to make this work a testament to that love, and tothe religious faith that sustained them both. The idea of using extant hymns was also suggested by Todd Dixon,and this 10-minute work is the result.I have employed existing melodies in several works, delving into certain kinds of religious music more than a fewtimes. In seeking new sounds, new ways of harmonizing old tunes, and the contrapuntal overlaying of one tunewith another, I was able to make works like ZION (using 19th-century Revivalist hymns) and LABORING SONGS(using Shaker melodies) reflect the spirit of the composers who created these melodies, without sounding likepastiches or medleys. I determined to do the same with this new work, with the added problem of employingmelodies that were more familiar. I chose five tunes from the 19th century: hymns, spirituals, and folk-tunes.Some of these are known by differing titles, but they all appear in hymnals of various Christian denominations(with various titles and texts). My idea was to employ the tunes without altering their notes, instead using aconstantly modulating sense of harmony — sometimes leading to polytonal harmonizations of what are normallysimple four-chord hymns.The work begins and ends with a repeated chime on the note C: a reminder of steeples, white clapboard churchesin the country, and small church organs. Beginning with a Mixolydian folk tune of Caribbean origin presentedtwice with layered entrances, the work starts with a feeling of mystery and gentle sorrow. It proceeds, after along transition, into a second hymn that is sometimes connected to the sea (hence the sensation of water andwaves throughout it). This tune, by John B. Dykes (1823-1876), is a bit more chromatic and “shifty” than mosthymn-tunes, so I chose to play with the constant sensation of modulation even more than the original does. Atthe climax, the familiar spiritual “Were you there?” takes over, with a double-time polytonal feeling propelling itforward at “Sometimes it causes me to tremble.”Trumpets in counterpoint raise the temperature, and the tempo as well, leading the music into a third tune (ofunknown provenance, though it appears with different texts in various hymnals) that is presented in a sprightlymanner. Bassoons introduce the melody, but it is quickly taken up by other instruments over three “verses,”constantly growing in orchestration and volume. A mysterious second tune, unrelated to this one, interrupts it inall three verses, sending the melody into unknown regions.The final melody is “For the Beauty of the Earth.” This tune by Conrad Kocher (1786-1872) is commonly sung atThanksgiving — the perfect choice to end this work celebrating two people known for their generosity.Keeping the sense of constant modulation that has been present throughout, I chose to present this hymn in threegrowing verses, but with a twist: every four bars, the “key” of the hymn seems to shift — until the “Lord of all, toThee we praise” melody bursts out in a surprising compound meter. This, as it turns out, was the “mystery tune”heard earlier in the piece. After an Ivesian, almost polytonal climax, the Coda begins over a long B( pedal. At first,it seems to be a restatement of the first two phrases of “For the Beauty” with long spaces between them, but it soonchanges to a series of “Amen” cadences, widely separated by range and color. These, too, do not conform to anykey, but instead overlay each other in ways that are unpredictable but strangely comforting.The third verse of “For the Beauty of the Earth” contains this quatrain:“For the joy of ear and eye, –For the heart and mind’s delightFor the mystic harmonyLinking sense to sound and sight”and it was from this poetry that I drew the title for the present work. It is my hope that audiences and performerswill find within it a sense of grace: more than a little familiar, but also quite new and unexpected.

SKU: BT.AMP-300-400

ISBN 9789043138079. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

Part of the Anglo Music Play-along Series, Philip Sparkeâ??s 15 Easy Classical Solos is aimed at the young instrumentalist who can play just over an octave. Specifically tailored to suit the individual instrument, this book introduces the beginning player to the world of the classics by using simple yet attractive melodies that fit their limited range. The carefully selected pieces include music from the 16th to the 20th century and cover a wide variety of styles, from Bach to Grieg and from Purcell to Satie. This book will provide invaluable additional material to complement any teaching method and includes both piano accompaniment and a demo/play-along CD.

Philip Sparkeâ??s 15 Easy Classical Solos, onderdeel van de Anglo Music Play-Along Series, is bedoeld voor de jonge instrumentalist die iets meer dan een octaaf kan spelen. Het boek sluit qua instrumentaal bereik en gebruikte toonsoortenaan bij het Artist Level van Hal Leonards Essential Elements ®, maar kan ook los daarvan worden gebruikt.De zorgvuldig geselecteerde melodieën, die specifiek zijn toegesneden op elk instrument, beslaan een breed scala van klassieke stijlen:van Bach tot Grieg en van Purcell tot Satie.Het boek bevat waardevol materiaal ter aanvulling op elke lesmethode en wordt geleverd met pianobegeleiding en een cd met demo- en meespeeltracks.

15 Easy Classical Solos ist als Ergänzung zur bewährten Anglo Music Play-Along Reihe gedacht und richtet sich an Schüler, die ungefähr einen Tonumfang von einer Oktave beherrschen. Das Niveau entspricht dem des Artist Levels der Essential Elements ® Methode von Hal Leonard, kann aber auch unabhängig davon verwendet werden. Genau auf jedes Instrument zugeschnitten, ermöglicht die wohlüberlegte Stückeauswahl ein erstes Kennenlernen von Melodien aus verschiedenen Epochen der Klassik von Grieg über Purcell bis Satie. Jeder Band bietet wertvolles Ergänzungsmaterial, das zu jeder Instrumentalschule passt und enthält sowohl Klavier- als auch CD-Begleitungen.

15 Easy Classical Solos, de Philip Sparke, est un ouvrage qui sâ??adresse aux jeunes musiciens, maîtrisant un peu plus dâ??une octave. 15 Easy Classical Solos a été conçu pour être joué en corrélation avec les séries Artist et/ou Master Level de la collection Essential Elements ®, publiée par les éditions Hal Leonard. Mais il peut également être utilisé indépendamment.Spécifiquement adapté chaque instrument, ce volume rassemble quinze mélodies écrites par des compositeurs aussi variés que Bach, Purcell, Grieg et Satie.Comprenant les parties dâ??accompagnement de piano et une version dâ??accompagnement sur compact disc, ces ouvrages représentent une sourcecomplémentaire inestimable toute méthode pédagogique.

Il concetto della collana Anglo Music Play-Along Series è quello di integrare al più presto nel processo di apprendimento dei giovani strumentisti la possibilit di poter suonare accompagnati al piano o con lâ??ausilio di unâ??incisione su CD. Ilchiaro vantaggio di questo metodo è che gli allievi imparano da subito lâ??aspetto fondamentale del suonare insieme, vale a dire tenere il tempo in modo costante. 15 Easy Classical Solos consente agli allievi che hanno una conoscenza limitatadelle note di suonare brani di Bach, Schubert, Purcell, Grieg e altri, grazie alle versioni facilitate. Il livello di 15 Intermediate Classical Solos permette invece agli allievi che padroneggiano lâ??estensione superiore a unâ??ottava dicimentarsi nei â??primi concertiâ? con brani di Haendel, Clementi, Rameau, Glueck, Beethoven e altri. Il CD propone una traccia con lâ??incisione completa e una con il solo accompagnamento.

SKU: HL.35030607

UPC: 888680089856. 5x5 inches. Arr. Brad Nix/Jon Paige.

This glorious arrangement for choir and congregation is part of our “Fanfare and Concertato” series, dedicated to invigorating congregational worship. Designed to be a festive moment, the accoutrements of handbells, brass and percussion are incredible additions, yet this setting is interesting enough to be a “choir only” standalone anthem. This time-honored hymn will find its home in any worship gathering. Score and Parts (tpt 1-2, tbn 1-2, timp) available on CD-ROM and as a digital download. Handbell part (3 octaves) available as a digital download.

SKU: AP.36-52711050

ISBN 9781628762013. UPC: 679360706787. English.

The word "hymn" comes from the Greek "hymnos", meaning a festive song.  To hymnologists (people who study hymns), the HYMN is the poetry, the lyrics, which is then set to a HYMN TUNE.  Many wonderful hymn tunes have been used over the centuries with several completely different sets of words.  The name of a hymn tune seldom matches the name of its hymn, and most people refer to hymns by their poetic names rather than their tune names.  However, some hymn tunes are so powerful, so flexible and so rooted in the collective social consciousness that they transcend whatever poetry is put with them.  Several tunes in this set have been used for many poems, most of which are unfamilar.  But we know the melody instantly!  Written for two violins and piano, both a viola and cello part are include to substitue for the 2nd violin.  Hymns (tunes) include: 1. All Glory, Laud and Honor (St. Theodulph), 2. Crown Him With Many Crowns (Diademata), 3. Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (Austria), 4. I Love to Tell the Story (Hankey), 5. Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (St. Denio), 6. O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (Axnon), 7. O Worship the King (Lyons), 8. Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty (Lobe Den Herren).

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.