Version For Solo Cello and Tape-Cello Counterpoint is scored for eight Cellos and can be played by a soloist with the other parts pre-recorded (This tape is available from the Boosey & Hawkes rental library.) Alternatively the piece can be played by a Cello Octet. (There are differences in the distribution of parts between the two versions.) The piece is in three movements: fast slow fast. The first and last movements are both based on a similar four-chord cycle that moves ambiguously back and forth between C minor and E-flat major. This harmonic cycle is treated extremely freely particularly in the third movement. The second slow movement is a canon in E-flat minorinvolving near the end of the movement seven separate voices. The piece is a little more than 11 minutes in duration and was co-commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation in the Library of Congress the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and Leiden University for Cellist Maya Beiser.

Musicland a été créé en 1984 par Caroline et Alan Lumsden afin de publier la musique éducatif pour les jeunes enfants. La série Musicland théorie, l'enregistreur et violon a été lancée après des essais positifs de la matière dans leur propre école de musique à Gloucester, en Angleterre. Ces livres de tuteur bien établies sont conçues pour encourager la capacité créative naturelle de l'enfant et de stimuler les capacités artistiques et dramatiques ainsi que musicales. / Ensemble De Violoncelles

Par TELEMANN GEORG PHILIPP. Musicland est spécialisée dans la publication de la musique ensemble de chaîne depuis sa création en 1987. Une grande partie de sa production est de oeuvres spécialement composée pour le bénéfice des jeunes cordistes, mais elle a également accessibles des oeuvres du passé qui ont été injustement négligé./ Répertoire / Ensemble de Violoncelles

Composer's Note When I considered the ensemble of eight cellos I first thought of matt and dark textures. I also wanted to go back to some ideas on symmetry. While I was pondering all that I saw snow flakes fallingfrom the dark sky of the Finnish autumn. Focusing on the snow the idea of writing variations on it and its various forms became clearer in my mind.Nuages de neige is a uniform and linear texture in which I realise my firstimpressions of that ensemble. The two Etoiles de neige are based on the idea of symmetry and repetition: the first one develops up to a certain point where it doubles back as in a mirror image the second one consists of eightsections in which the harmonic structure is repeated as well as a linear gesture that becomes ever more present. Aguilles de glace focuses on different pizzicati and superimposed ostinati. With Fleurs de neige I sought to recallthe texture of those harmonic trills at the end of the first section although more airy and diversified here. Kaija Saariaho

Folk Strings is a collection of folk melodies from around the world arranged for strings. Unlike classical music, which normally has an authentic version, folk music often exists in many versions, with differences in the melody or lyrics. Sometimes several countries lay claim to a melody because a group of people moved to a new country and took their music with them. Most folk songs were sung and played for many years before they were written down, and their original composer is usually unknown. This collection includes melodies in a variety of moods and with rhythmic patterns which are representative of their country of origin. The arrangements in Folk Strings can be effective with players at a variety of levels. In order to provide maximum flexibility, the collection is available in a number of instrumentations.