Matériel : Partition
SKU: AP.1-ADV11303
UPC: 805095113037. English.
The goal of Modal Jazz Composition & Harmony, Volume 1 by Ron Miller is to show the student the means to develop latent creative abilities by offering the unfettered environment of the chromatic-modal system and free asymmetric form. The freedom of the approach will allow the composer to express him/herself in any style: post 50s jazz, ECM, fusion, pop, classical, etc., that is not tied to any harmonic particulars.
SKU: DZ.DZ-4308
ISBN 9782898522253.
Foll owing a recent experience on the jury of a guitar competition, I noted with great pleasure that Giorgio Mirto, with whom I had shared the role of juror, wanted to celebrate the experience of the competition - during from which we discovered that we had had a great affinity of thought - with something which could endure over time and not evaporate as often happens in short and occasional meetings between musicians. He did it as a true composer, which he is, and dedicated to me a very beautifully crafted Suite to which I allowed myself to collaborate at least formally, by suggesting titles for the four movements. This is how Suite n.1 was born, a piece that does not strictly respect the formal rules of the Baroque era, but reinterprets and reuses them in a new key. The work's obvious late Baroque inspiration led me to find titles that invited the performer to delve deeper into the work's aesthetic inspiration. So I suggested to Giorgio that he title the four movements with something that linked their content to four greats of the 18th century. German masters. The prelude has thus become from Eisenach because of its sometimes improvised Bach-like atmosphere, the second movement, vaguely toccata, speaks an organ language in the manner of Buxtehude (who lived in Lübeck), the slow movement has a Handelian quality - and Handel was born in Halle - and the last movement, far from being a true Chaconne, undoubtedly has the latter's taste for variation and ostinato, typical traits of Telemann who lived in Magdeburg. The cities that appear in the titles are therefore indelible to the authors cited. Furthermore, one should not think that the style of the work is in any way German, given that Giorgio Mirto expresses himself in a very joyful language that synthesizes modality with minimalism, all seasoned with a a nod to Pink's progressive rock Floyd. or a Mike Oldfield... The result of this mixture of ideas, inspirations and styles is a work that personally I never tire of reading and rereading, for the freshness that emanates from it and for the climate expressive which rises, nourishing itself with full efficiency. We ultimately cannot ignore that the note B, the one which marks in a minor way some of the most expressive works of the guitar repertoire, from the study of Sor which made generations of students fall in love with the guitar, until to that of Frank Martin's Four Pieces via La Catedral di Barrios, is the modal fulcrum of the entire Suite: it is true that the Prelude begins with a clear chord in E minor and lingers on an open ending in A minor , but it almost seems that the initial E serves as a launching pad for a continuation of the work in which the dominant, that is to say the B, is the true musical North, the pole star which guides us in the other three movements until the end of the Chaconne de Magdebourg. I wish Giorgio and our Suite great longevity and a favorable destiny in the complex and complex world of contemporary guitar composition. And I thank him again, flattered by his very kind dedication.FRANCE SCO BIRAGHIAu lendemain d'une récente expérience au sein du jury d'un concours de guitare, j'ai constaté avec grand plaisir que Giorgio Mirto, avec qui j'avais partagé le rôle de juré, souhaitait célébrer l'expérience du concours - au cours de laquelle nous avons découvert que nous avions eu un grand affinité de pensée - avec quelque chose qui pourrait perdurer dans le temps et ne pas s'évaporer comme cela arrive souvent lors de rencontres courtes et occasionnelles entre musiciens. Il l'a fait en véritable compositeur, ce qu'il est, et m'a dédié une Suite d'une très belle facture àlaquelle je me suis permis de collaborer au moins formellement, en suggérant des titres pour les quatre mouvements. C'est ainsi qu'est née la Suite n.1, une pièce qui ne respecte pas strictement les règles formelles de l'époque baroque, mais les réinterprèt e et les réutilise dans une nouvelle tonalité. L'inspiration évidente du baroque tardif de l'à Âuvre m'a amené àtrouver des titres qui invitaient l'interprète àapprofondir l'inspiration esthétique de l'à Âuvre. J'ai donc suggéré àGiorgio de titrer les quatre mouvements avec quelque chose qui reliait leur contenu àquatre grands du XVIIIe siècle. Maîtres allemands. Le prélude est ainsi devenu d'Eisenach en raison de son atmosphère parfois improvisée àla Bach, le deuxième mouvement, vaguement toccata, parle un langage d'orgue àla manière de Buxtehude (qui vivait àLübeck), le mouvement lent a un Qualité haendélienne - et Haendel est né àHalle - et le dernier mouvement, loin d'être une véritable Chaconne, a sans doute le goût de cette dernière pour la variation et l'ostinato, traits typiques de Telemann qui vivait àMagdebourg. Les villes qui apparaissent dans les titres sont donc indélébiles aux auteurs cités. De plus, il ne faut pas penser que le style de l'à Âuvre soit en aucune façon allemand, étant donné que Giorgio Mirto s'exprime dans un langage très joyeux qui synthétise la modalité avec le minimalisme, le tout assaisonné d'un clin d'à Âil au rock progressif Floyd de Pink. ou un Mike Oldfield... Le résultat de ce mélange d'idées, d'inspirations et de styles est un ouvrage que personnellement je ne me lasse pas de lire et de relire, pour la fraîcheur qui s'en dégage et pour le climat expressif qui monte, se nourrissant de plein efficacité. On ne peut finalement pas ignorer que la note B, celle qui marque de manière mineure certaines des à Âuvres les plus expressives du répertoire de guitare, depuis l'étude de Sor qui a fait tomber amoureux de la guitare des générations d'étudiants, jusqu'àcelle de Frank Martin Quatre Pièces via La Catedral di Barrios, est le point d'appui modal de toute la Suite : il est vrai que le Prélude commence par un accord clair en mi mineur et s'attarde sur une fin ouverte en la mineur, mais il semble presque que le mi initial sert de une rampe de lancement pour une suite de l'à Âuvre dans laquelle la dominante, c'est-à-dire le B, est le véritable Nord musical, l'étoile polaire qui nous guide dans les trois autres mouvements jusqu'àla fin de la Chaconne de Magdebourg. Je souhaite àGiorgio et àë notre û Suite une grande longévité et un destin favorable dans le monde complexe et complexe de la composition contemporaine pour guitare. Et je le remercie encore, flatté de son très aimable dévouement.FRANCESCO BIRAGHI.
SKU: AP.29644S
UPC: 038081324210. English.
Built from primitive sounding rhythms and modal harmonies, this intriguing work opens with an ominous introduction that leads into the first statement of the main theme. Educational opportunities abound in this energetic piece, including some easy two-part counterpoint between the 1st violins and 2nd violins/viola. Primitivo, which is correlated to Orchestra Expressions Book 1, or to most first year method books, is certain to capture the imaginations of students and audiences alike! (2:10).
About Orchestra Expressions
SKU: BT.PWM5447
''Stabat Mater'' by Karol Szymanowski for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, Op. 53, is one of the most famous and, at the same time, most personal works of the composer, making its appeal to the audience through the depth of its expression and sheer artistry. The first sketches of the work were made in the spring of 1925, while work on the full score occupied the composer from 20 January to 2 March 1926. Józef Jankowskis Polish translation of the medieval sequence formed the basis of the composition. This text, which was simple in a folk-like way, devoid of pathos but full of religious zeal, harmonized perfectly from the poetic point of view with the composers creative design. In an interview for the monthly Muzyka Szymanowski stated: ''in its Polish vestments that eternal, naive hymn was filled for me with its own immediate expressive content; it became something painted in colours which were recognisable and comprehensible as distinct from the black and white of the archaic original'' (''A Footnote to Stabat Mater'', Muzyka 1926, Nos. 11/12). In the score, the Latin text is given beside the Polish text, making it possible for the work to be performed more easily by foreign performers. In this work, the universal tradition of the Christian church was fused with the Polish religious tradition. The composer creates the religious folk-like climate primarily through the character of the melodies which are akin to to the plainchant melodies to the text of Stabat Mater (the sequence, and especially the hymn) and their paraphrases in Polish religious songs (e.g. Sta a Matka Bole ciwa [The Dolorous Mother was standing]) as well as motifs from Polish Lenten songs and Gorzkie ale (Bitter Laments). Szymanowski did not introduce them as quotations, but intersperses the melodic lines, which are more fully developed and frequently highly chromatic, with diatonic phrases, based on modal scales. They appear in all the movements of the work determining its cohesion. In dividing the twenty-stanza text into separate segments, Szymanowski created a six- movement cantata. He took care to distinguish between the emotional shades of the various movements, varying his selection of solo voices (soprano, contralto, baritone), the voices of the chorus (female or mixed) and the orchestral forces. In the first and third movements the lyrical idiom prevails; the first movement, portraying the Mother of God at the foot of the cross, has a narrative character, whereas the third is a kind of prayer from a man who sympathizes with, and who wishes to be associated with Mater Dolorosas pain. In these movements only the female voices are used (soprano, contralto and female chorus), while the orchestra is employed in a chamber style, sometimes drawing on solo accompanying parts (e.g. the beginning of the third movement). The fourth movement, which continues the mood of prayerful contemplation, is designed for soprano and contralto solo as well as unaccompanied chorus. On the other hand, the second and fifth movements, involving the participation of solo baritone and the full chorus and orchestra, are similar with regard to forces and their dramatic character, which is austere in expression, harsh in tone, and markedly dissonant. Here grand climaxes appear with powerful orchestral tutti. The sixth movement crowns the whole. The lyrical, soft melody of the solo soprano at the beginning is gradually strengthened by the addition of the female chorus and the solo contralto, and in the final section, the solo baritone as well as the tutti of chorus and orchestra. The conclusion, subdued and full of concentration, suggests the introvert character of the experience as opposed to its dramatic pathos. Stabat Mater by Szymanowski is part of a long tradition of compositions based on the text of the medieval sequence - ranging from polyphonic works by Josquin des Prés and Palestrina to the romantic Stabat by Giuseppe Verdi and Anton n Dvo ák. And it was perhaps because of his consciousness of this tradition that Szymanowski used stylizing devices in the spirit of early music. The archaization manifests itself not only in the character of the melodies and their modal framework, but also in the harmonies (with their predominance of triads, open fourths and fifths chords and doubled thirds), the simple rhythms as well as the texture of the choruses (esp. the fourth movement). The composer does not, however, imitate the style of any specific historical epoch, but combines resources taken from early music with modern tonal and harmonic techniques. Archaization in Stabat Mater serves, moreover, a symbolic function; in evoking the many-centuries old tradition of church music, it emphasizes the universal nature of the idea contained in the text of the sequence, while the re-reading of the text by the composer gives the work its individual features. [Zofia Helman, translated by Ewa Cholewka].
SKU: SU.32040150
From delightful to lonesome to fiery, this three movement suite invites both performers and listeners to share the joy of being enveloped in richness of tone, creating poignant expressions of the heart. Marvelous recital and concert music. Vignette I: Delightful Dance Jaunty rhythms and clever surprises render a joyful opening section. Later, a warm, love filled melody is poured out by each instrumentalist, and climbs to a glorious tutti. Then it is back to the joyful dance, a few more surprises, and a delightfully happy ending. Vignette II: Lonesome Chaconne opens with two dark chords. Then the piano begins the chaconne with a mournful bass line and plaintive off beats. The viola enters and plays a lonesome melody, then is joined by the cello in a melancholy duet over the chaconne until it dies away. The cello's brief recitative emerges from the depths into an aching cry that is then echoed by the viola. Joining together, they pour out a fervent melody, moving higher and higher until they breakthrough to the light. Alas, the vision fades, and they return to only fragments as the chaconne disappears. Vignette III: Fiery Fugue opens with a feisty subject melody, first in the viola, followed by the cello, piano right hand, and left hand. It is similar in form to a Bach fugue, but uses modal tonality and syncopated rhythms. The statements and episodes build to a recall of the fervent melody from the second movement, leading to the final dynamic unison statement of the fugue subject. Just as it almost dies away, it recharges and boldly bounds ahead to the end. Difficulty Level: 5 (Advanced) Viola, Cello, Piano Duration: 13'30 Composed: 2016 Published by: Amy Mills Music, LLC See composer website for audio sample.
SKU: MH.1-59913-054-8
ISBN 9781599130545.
Roya l Coronation Dances is the first sequel to the Fanfare Ode & Festival, both being settings of dance music originally arranged by Gervaise in the mid 16th-century (the next sequel is The Renaissance Fair, which uses music of Susato and Praetorius). Fanfare Ode & Festival has been performed by many tens of thousands of students, both in high school and junior high school. I have heard that some of them are amazed that the music they are playing was first played and danced to over 400 years ago. Some students tend to think that music started with Handel and his Messiah to be followed by Beethoven and his Fifth Symphony, with naught in between or before of consequence. Although Royal Coronation Dances is derived from the same source as Fanfare Ode & Festival, they are treated in different ways. I envisioned this new suite programmatically -- hence the descriptive movement titles, which I imagined to be various dances actually used at some long-ago coronation. The first movement depicts the guests, both noble and common, flanked by flag and banner bearers, arriving at the palace to view the majestic event. They are festive, their flags swirling the air, their cloaks brightly colored. In the second movement, the queen in stately measure moves to take her place on the throne as leader and protector of the realm. In the third movement, the jesters of the court entertain the guests with wild games of sport. Musically, there are interesting sonorities to recreate. Very special attention should be given to the tambourine/tenor drum part in the first movement. Their lively rhythms give the movement its power. Therefore they should be played as distinctly and brilliantly as possible. The xylophone and glockenspiel add clarity, but must not be allowed to dominate. Observe especially the differing dynamics; the intent is to allow much buzzing bass to penetrate. The small drum (starting at meas. 29) should be played expressively, with attention to the notated articulations, with the brass light and detached, especially in a lively auditorium. It is of some further interest that the first dance is extremely modal. The original is clearly in G mixolydian mode (scale: G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G). However, other editors might put in F-sharps in many places (changing the piece almost to G major), in the belief that such ficta would have been automatically put in by the 16th-century performers as they played. I doubt it. I have not only eschewed these within the work, but even at the cadences. So this arrangement is most distinctly modal (listen to the F-naturals in meas. 22 and 23, for instance), with all the part-writing as Gervaise wrote it. In the second movement, be careful that things do not become too glued together. In the 16th century this music might have been played by a consort of recorders, instruments very light of touch and sensitive to articulation. Concert band can easily sound heavy, and although this movement has been scored for tutti band, it must not sound it. It is essential, therefore, that you hear all the instruments, with none predominating. Only when each timbre can be heard separately and simultaneously will the best blend occur, and consequently the greatest transparency. So aim for a transparent, spacious tutti sound in this movement. Especially have the flutes, who do this so well, articulate rather sharply, so as to produce a chiffing sound, and do not allow the quarter-notes to become too tied together in the entire band. The entrance of the drums (first tenor, then bass) are events and as such should be audible. Incidentally, this movement begins in F Major and ends in D Minor: They really didn't care so much about those things then. The third movement (one friend has remarked that it is the most Margolisian of the bunch, but actually I am just getting subtler, I hope) again relies upon the percussion (and the scoring) to make its points. Xylophone in this movement is meant to be distinctly audible. Therefore, be especially sure that the xylophone player is secure in the part, and also that the tambourine and toms sound good. This movement must fly or it will sink, so rev up the band and conduct it in 1 for this mixolydian jesting. I suppose the wildly unrelated keys (clarinets and then brass at the end) would be a good 16th-century joke, but to us, our put-up-the-chorus-a-half- step ears readily accept such shenanigans. Ensemble instrumentation: 1 Full Score, 1 Piccolo, 4 Flute 1, 4 Flute 2 & 3, 2 Oboe 1 & 2, 2 Bassoon 1 & 2, 1 Eb Clarinet, 4 Bb Clarinet 1, 4 Bb Clarinet 2, 4 Bb Clarinet 3, 2 Eb Alto Clarinet, 1 Eb Contra Alto Clarinet, 3 Bb Bass & Bb Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 1, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 2, 2 Bb Tenor Saxophone, 2 Eb Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpet 1, 3 Bb Trumpet 2, 3 Bb Trumpet 3, 4 Horn in F 1 & 2, 2 Trombone 1, 4 Trombone 2 & 3, 3 Euphonium (B.C.), 2 Euphonium (T.C.), 4 Tuba, 1 String Bass, 1 Timpani (optional), 2 Xylophone & Glockenspiel, 5 Percussion.
SKU: UT.CH-106
ISBN 9790215315921. 9 x 12 inches.
The first impulse to compose these 3 Little Suites for Guitar came from the desire to offer very young students compositions not framed by the usual features of â??music for childrenâ?? but, rather, meant to introduce into their musical horizon sonorities, rhythms, and expressive modalities not generally experienced in the more â??traditionalâ?? courses of study. As the compositions developed, the project underwent some slight modifications, so that in the end one could say that the three suites became progressively more difficult, though remaining, in their deep essence, quite â??simpleâ??.I would recommend paying careful attention to the titles of the pieces and to the expressive markings. Although it was not my intention to write â??descriptiveâ?? music, I have tried to handle these pieces like stage scripts, giving each a specific â??characterâ??. For this purpose my long experience as a composer of theatre music has been very helpful.It would give me great satisfaction if guitarists of every age would enjoy performing these suites. I would like teachers to find in them cues for proposing to their pupils further refinements concerning both technique and expression, never forgetting how inexpressible music truly is.(Carlo de Nonno).
SKU: BT.CMP-0919-05-010
English.
Expect the unexpected in this major new work for Saxophone quartet and band by James Curnow. Built on a grand thematic plane, this tour de force employs the full range of expression. Gleaming modernity; dark modality; rhythms ranging from tentative to deliberate; and throughout, a sense of mysterious expectation for what is next to come. Expectations are fulfilled with the Presto finale.Not every band is capable of playing at this level, but if yours is, consider breaking new ground with DIALOGUES.In Dialogues voor saxofoonkwartet, harmonieorkest en slagwerk ontvouwen zich levendige dialogen tussen de solisten, maar ook het harmonieorkest komt in dit expressieve, veeleisende werk ruimschoots aan bod.In Dialogues für Saxophonquartett, Blasorchester und Schlagzeug entspinnen sich lebendige Dialoge zwischen den Solisten, aber auch das Blasorchester kommt in diesem ausdrucksstarken, stellenweise sehr anspruchsvollen Werk nicht zu kurz. Dialogues est une oœuvre pour Quatuor de Saxophones et Orchestre d’Harmonie. La conversation est expressive, soutenue et exigeante la fois pour les solistes et l’accompagnement.< /p>
SKU: CF.CAS141F
ISBN 9781491160824. UPC: 680160919420.
This lyrical original work is based on a theme the composer first wrote at age 12. The melody is first stated in an expressive viola solo, then developed by the rest of the orchestra with dramatic variation in dynamics, tonality, and effusive modal shifts. A nostalgic musical reflection that offers students the opportunity to develop tone, expression, and style in their playing.
About Carl Fischer Concert String Orchestra Series
Thi s series of pieces (Grade 3 and higher) is designed for advancing ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
SKU: CF.CAS141
ISBN 9781491160565. UPC: 680160919154.
SKU: AP.48101
ISBN 9781470661441. UPC: 038081553986. English.
With Gratitude by Katie O'Hara LaBrie is a flowing yet spirited composition written in memory of a bright youngster who always sought out the good things in life. Perfect for advancing string orchestras, this piece features soaring melodies, rhythmic independence, and higher positions for violin 1 and cello, all while exploring changing modalities in C major and A major. Students will learn to play expressively as they connect to the story behind the piece using the hashtag #yearofgratitude. (4:30) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
SKU: AP.48101S
ISBN 9781470661458. UPC: 038081553993. English.
With Gratitude by Katie O'Hara LaBrie is a flowing yet spirited composition written in memory of a bright youngster who always sought out the good things in life. Perfect for advancing string orchestras, this piece features soaring melodies, rhythmic independence, and higher positions for violin 1 and cello, all while exploring changing modalities in C major and A major. Students will learn to play expressively as they connect to the story behind the piece using the hashtag #yearofgratitude. (4:30) This title available in MakeMusic Cloud.
SKU: AP.38505
UPC: 038081439747. English.
A beautiful exploration of programmatic music and tonality/modality in four movements! Although all four snapshots of Wisconsin appear to be in the key of G (one sharp), closer examination finds four contrasting tonal centers and modes, allowing students to experience varying keys/modes and their inherent expressive tendencies, while using similar pitches and finger patterns.
SKU: HL.44006365
UPC: 884088083540. 9x12 inches.
(Grade 5)Expect the unexpected in this major work for saxophone quartet and band by James Curnow. Built on a grand thematic plane, this tour de force employs the full range of expression. Gleaming modernity; dark modality; rhythms ranging from tentative to deliberate – and throughout, a sense of mysterious expectation for what is next to come.
SKU: CF.CM9756
ISBN 9781491162446. UPC: 680160921195. Key: E minor. Latin, English.
Personent Hodie is a medieval Christmas carol from the larger work Piae Cantiones—a published collection of songs intended for cathedral schools in 16th century Finland. The original tune uses modality and plainchant to evoke the mysterious character of Christmastide.This rhythmic setting of Personent Hodie expresses the tune in compound meter, resulting in a joyful energy. The optional hand drum and finger cymbals complement the melody with an exciting, dance-like pulse.“Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo!â€Therefore, glory be in the highest to God!Ideas for study and reflection: How might word stress be used to enhance overall musicality? What syllables should be stressed vs. unstressed? What dynamic markings are indicted in the score, and where do they occur? Listen to a recording of the original “Personent Hodie†written in 4/4 time. How are the two settings different? .
SKU: GI.G-10377
ISBN 9781574635324.
A unique resource for both novice and experienced band directors gathering effective teaching tools from the best in the field including more than 40 chapters dealing with every aspect of teaching instrumental music from curriculum to valuable websites. This best-selling and highly praised text has become the method of choice for university methods courses throughout the United States and Canada. What's New in the Revised Edition? Curriculum—updated to 2014 National Music Education Standards, including relevant learning theories, modalities, and music instruction theories. Resources—for concert band, marching band, pep band, jazz ensemble, and chamber groups School Law—learn more about the teacher’s Code of Ethics, music copyright law, and examine common ethical teaching scenarios. Anatomy of Music-Making—prese nts effective methods for teaching tone quality, balance, blend, intonation, pulse, rhythm, technique, style, articulation, phrasing, interpretation, and expression. STEPS© Method—for creating rehearsal plans and providing a theoretical approach to understanding the ensemble to improve score study and objective assessment. Motivation—surveys current intrinsic and extrinsic methods, and explores the development of leadership and character in the instrumental program, including Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Job Readiness—new teacher assessment and certification requirements, as well as valuable information guiding the new teacher throughout the music practicum and the job interview. Intonation—expande d tools for training the ear in both the individual student and full ensemble. Program Administration— the “nuts and bolts†of managing the instrumental program have been updated with topics on assessment, evaluation, rehearsal planning, score study, repertoire selection, programming, rehearsal facilities, auditions, seating, recruiting and retention, budget planning, music library management, basic instrument repair, booster groups, advocacy, time management, practicing tips, and classroom management and discipline. Mind Your P’s and Q’s—conside rs the implications and relationships of Professional Growth, Personal Growth, Intelligence Quotient, and Emotional Quotient. Supplementary Website—numerous charts, figures, templates, a balanced instrumentation calculator, teaching tools, recruiting materials, assessment rubrics, various learning activities. Learn more about this new resouce in this short video below: Click here to download Lesson Plan Forms.  A wonderful resource for all music educators! Dr. Jagow’s book is comprehensive and impressive in scope. An excellent book! Bravo! —Frank L. Battisti Finally, an exceptional text that offers the depth of understanding our students need in critically important topic areas. Bravo! —Don Harris So many important facets are uncovered and solutions revealed. It’s a must for the library of any serious music educator. —H. Robert Reynolds There are a growing number of fine books dealing with different aspects of the wind band and ensemble, none cover so many essential aspects in so much detail. —Tim Reynish Dr. Jagow's book is a fantastic resource for instrumental conductors, both the young and the more experienced! —George Edge . . . a book which contains a wonderfully diverse wealth of knowledge that is 'hands on' for the informed music educator. . . . an excellent resource for both beginning teachers and veteran music educators. —Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse From creating artistic musical experiences to establishing a first-class organization blueprint, there is no stone left unturned. This is not a book to be recommended, but a book to be REQUIRED. —Tim Lautzenheiser.
SKU: HL.14008374
ISBN 9781846096150. UPC: 884088435202. 8.25x11.75x0.105 inches.
The Full Score for Peter Maxwell Davies' fourth in a series of ten string quartets commissioned by the Naxos Recording company, first performed by the Maggini Quartet on 20th August 2004 at the Chapel of the Royal Palace, Oslo, Norway, as part of the Olso Chamber Music Festival. Composer Note: The fourth Naxos quartet was written in January and February of 2004, with the intention of producing something lighter and much less fierce than its predecessor, an unpremeditated and spontaneous reaction to the illegal invasion of Iraq. I returned to the well-known Brueghel picture of children's games (1560, now in Vienna), which had been the inspiration for my sixth Strathclyde Concerto, for flute and orchestra. These illustrations liberated my musical imagination, but I feel it would limit the listener's perception to be too specific about which game relates to exactly which section of the work. Suffice it to say that there is vigorous play - leap-frog, bind the devil with a cord, truss, wrestling - alongside quieter pastimes - masks, guess whom I shall choose, courting, odds and evens. The single movement juxtaposes these activities as abruptly and intimately as they occur in Brueghel. Rather as the eye is taken into different perspectives and proportions of scale within the picture, taking liberties which would never be present in, for instance, Brunelleschi architectural drawings, so here, with a constant sequence of transformation processes, I have distorted the neat, precise implications of modal progression, expressed in the unison opening phrase (from F to B through A sharp/B flat), so that the ear is led, en route, into the sound equivalents of strange passageways and closed rooms: sicut exposition ludus. As work on the quartet progressed I became aware that I was reading into, and behind the games, adult motives and implications, concerning aggression and war, with their consequences. It was impossible to escape into innocent childhood fantasy. The nature of the F to B progression underlying the whole construction derives from a passage in the development of the first movement of Mahler's Third Symphony, and the opening of Schoenberg's Second String Quartet. However, unlike in these models, here a real - if temporary - sense of resolution occurs at the close of the quartet: as when the curtain falls on the reconciled Count and Countess in 'Figaro' one wonders how long the F/B truce will hold, and games break out again. The quartet is dedicated to Giuseppe Rebecchini, Roman architect, and friend since the nineteen-fifties.
SKU: AU.9781506413747
ISBN 9781506413747. UPC: 9.78151E+12.
This baker's dozen of carols for the holiday season includes many favorites in unusual and personal arrangements specifically for the piano. Touches of modal and contemporary harmony, jazz rhythms and contrapuntal textures express a variety of idiomatic piano styles that recall composers as diverse as Handel and Satie.
SKU: AP.38341S
UPC: 038081436500. English. Traditional.
Get ready for an abundance of merriment! This work features carols that have been traditionally sung in Canada for many years and will help to create a spirit of mirth in no time. It opens with the joyous strains of Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant (He is Born, The Divine Child) and continues with the plaintive and modal Noël Nouvelet (Sing We Now of Christmas). The Huron Carol ('Twas In the Moon of Wintertime) is then presented with remnants of Noël Nouvelet cleverly woven in. The dramatic conclusion develops brief dialogue between Good King Wenceslas and Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant that brings the work to an exuberant and powerful close. Juxtaposing the lyrical and expressive with the joyous and cheerful in this masterful arrangement will add a little touch of Canada to your next holiday concert. (4:00).
