SKU: CF.YPS214F
ISBN 9781491153017. UPC: 680160910519.
This new piece from composer George Sweet is a delightful combination of Scotland the Brave and Amazing Grace. Each tune on its own is wonderful, but in Sweet's setting, they are masterfully layered to reflect the composer's Scottish-American heritage. This presentation of a Scottish melody with Americana-inspired harmonies is a stunning example of compositional craft.Bravery and Grace is a setting of the unofficial Scottish national anthem, Scotland the Brave. While the melody is taken from Scotland the Brave, the accompaniment and harmony both have a “Western Americana†feel, reminiscent of composers like Roy Harris and Aaron Copland.  This combination of a Scottish melody with American harmony is a reflection of the composer’s Scottish-American Heritage.The piece begins with a fragment of Scotland the Brave presented in a lush and reflective context. The main theme is performed in full by the upper voices at m. 9. The middle voices perform the material at m. 17, and the lower voices perform it again at m. 33. This results in a loud passage representing pipers at m. 46. The traditional spiritual Amazing Grace appears suddenly at m. 51 in a somewhat polytonal setting. This is, once again, reminiscent of practices of the aforementioned American composers.  After this lyrical presentation, a fragment of the main theme returns at m. 66. This is followed by a broad restatement of the theme at m. 70 and a brisk conclusion with a final flair of polytonality.
SKU: CF.CPS137F
ISBN 9780825892790. UPC: 798408092795. 9 x 12 inches.
Soaring is an exciting composition for solo trumpet and concert band. The music is celebratory in nature and features the dynamic and rhythmic range of the trumpet. The piece opens with an American rhythmic gesture reminiscent of Aaron Copland and John Williams. The trumpet answers this gesture with a bold cadenza that will transform into the main melody a little later on in the piece. If you have a good trumpet player, this would be a great choice to feature them or it can be used with a feature soloist from elsewhere. Just gorgeous.
SKU: HL.50496814
SKU: SU.80102978
A cycle of nine poems by James Agee set for a flexible soprano or tenor voice and piano. Dedicated to Aaron Copland on his 70th birthday. Published by: Columbia University Music Press.