10 Nice Pieces for clarinet and piano

SKU: DM.DMP-115001

ISBN 9790365321315.

10 pieces, all in a different style, a ballad, waltz, foxtrot,. . . Easy to play with a nice and easy piano accompaniment. Have fun !

SKU: BT.DMP115001

SKU: FL.FX073450

The Clarinet du cote de chez Proust is a series of pieces composed by Pascal PROUST with piano accompaniment. Each piece is also published separately.

This volume, for beginners, is a visit full of surprises in an incredible zoo where nice elephants applaude a parade of ants... These 6 short pieces for very young clarinetists reflect those rare moments! ; Instruments: 1 Bb Clarinet 1 Piano; Difficuly Level: Grade 1.

SKU: OT.23132

ISBN 9789655050899. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
Viva Clarinet!, Stylish and Elegant
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces Viva Clarinet! and Stylish and Elegant for clarinet or soprano sax and piano are the second offering of OR-TAV's Nice and Easy to Play series.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer of Russian origin, now living in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: OT.23131

ISBN 9789655050882. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
Orange Republic, Feeling Young Again
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces Orange Republic and Feeling Young Again for clarinet or soprano sax and piano are the first offering of OR-TAV's Nice and Easy to Play series.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer of Russian origin, now living in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: OT.23140

ISBN 9789655051018. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
Summer in Flanders, Excellent!
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces Summer in Flanders and Excellent! for clarinet or soprano sax and piano capture different moods and places. Summer in Flanders takes us to Belgium, and Excellent! to the exuberance of playing a piece well.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer and pianist. Hailing originally from the Republic of Tajikistan, he now lives in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: OT.23134

ISBN 9789655050912. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
The Pride of America, Austin of England
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces The Price of America and Austin of England for clarinet or soprano sax and piano honor classic automobiles.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer of Russian origin, now living in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: OT.23137

ISBN 9789655051001. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
#Lunarball, Lunar Blues
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces #Lunarball and #Lunar Blues for clarinet or soprano sax and piano are something different. #Lunarball is like a video game with levels, and #Lunar Blues captures the spirit of space travel.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer and pianist. Hailing originally from the Republic of Tajikistan, he now lives in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: OT.23133

ISBN 9789655050905. 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Mike Witkerk
Afortunada, Aida Tirado
for Bb Clarinet or Soprano Sax and piano
The two pieces Afortunada and Aida Tirado for clarinet or soprano sax and piano are fun selections in Brazilian style.
OR-TAV's NICE and easy to play series is designed for the musician's pleasure. If you are looking for music for a recital, or just to have fun, you will find interesting material here. Each accessibly priced album includes two new pieces.
Mike Witkerk is a South African composer of Russian origin, now living in Israel. His performances include appearances with Michael Jackson, Chris deBurgh, Stevie Wonder and Cliff Richard. His compositions range from classical jazz to modern. He enjoys creating compositions that present new ideas and sounds.

SKU: CF.YAS186F

ISBN 9781491151884. UPC: 680160909384. 9 x 12 inches.

A stunning and heart-wrenching composition based on the Jewish folk son Shlof, Mayn Kind. You can hear the emotional content pour out of this piece written in memory of an outstanding orchestra director. The piece beginnings with original material to set the tone, followed by a violin solo on the song. It them develops through a variety of different harmonic presentation before building to a nice key change and climatic moment. The piece ends as it began, but with a more hopeful tone. An amazing piece.
Sleep, My Child was commissioned by the Madison Middle School Band and Orchestra in Tampa, Florida, and is dedicated to the memory of their Director of Orchestras Kevin Frye. Director of Bands Chris Shultz championed the commissioning of this piece to honor Kevin after he passed away in December 2016. Mr. Frye was a beloved member of the staff at Madison Middle as well as the music community of Tampa and the state of Florida. I was a personal friend of Kevin’s. We were in several musical groups together when we were young that were formative to both of our musical careers. I also guest-conducted his Madison Middle School Orchestra several times over the past four years. His musicianship, teaching skills and love for his students were exemplary.When taking on the challenge of writing a piece to honor Kevin’s legacy, Mr. Shultz and I decided to try and include several important aspects of Kevin’s life into the piece. Kevin was proudly Jewish, a fantastic trumpet player and loved Jazz. With that in mind, and after a lot of research, a Jewish folk song Shlof, Mayn Kind was selected as the basis for the piece, not to be religious, but to honor his faith and heritage. Plus it is a beautiful song and I felt the title reflected the sentiment I was looking to express, which is of someone taking rest after a long battle with illness, so a lullaby seemed appropriate.I also wanted to incorporate Jazz into the piece, but in a concert setting, so you will hear as the piece develops, the harmonies of the folk song expand into ones found more commonly in Jazz compositions.  Not in a far out way, but in a subtle way to again honor this part of his life. For example the climactic moment of the piece at the fermata in m. 57 is a Dbmaj9#11 chord. It appropriately give the piece the angst that I was looking for at this moment in the piece, while honoring the importance of Jazz in Kevin’s musical life.The piece was also conceived to include both the Madison band and orchestra in the performance at the premiere. I wanted the pieces to work separately by the band and separately by the orchestra, but I also wanted them to be able to play the piece together to honor Kevin.The piece begins with original material designed to set the mood of the piece with a tempo/style marking of pensive, but also as material that I used as connective musical tissue between statements of the folk song.  After this introduction, the folk song is presented by a solo violin (or clarinet) with orchestral accompaniment in a simple straight forward presentation of the song. This is followed by a woodwind section statement of the folk song accompanied by muted trumpets. During this presentation the harmony starts to expand with more color notes in the chords. The low brass are added half way through this statement to add depth and lushness.The introductory material returns, but with some angry hits in the lower voices. This leads to a full ensemble state of new material that is used to transition to the climax of the piece, and to build tension. After the build, the piece modulates to a shortened statement of the folk song with more advanced harmonies and an active counter line in the violas, horns, saxes and first clarinets to further build the tension.  This tension is released at the fermata in m. 57 as mentioned above. After a thoughtful pause, the piece concludes with a completion of the folk song again with a solo violin (or clarinet) followed by a return of the introductory material to tie the piece together. The piece ends hopeful, with a solo trumpet (Kevin’s instrument) that is dissonant at first, but then resolves as if to say, Everything will be OK! It has been my distinct honor to have been asked to write this piece in Kevin’s memory! I hope that in some small way the piece helps to bring comfort to his family, students, colleagues and to all those that knew him!–Larry ClarkLakeland, FL  2017.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

Thi s 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: CF.YAS186

ISBN 9781491151518. UPC: 680160909018. 9 x 12 inches. Key: D minor.

A stunning and heart-wrenching composition based on the Jewish folk son Shlof, Mayn Kind. You can hear the emotional content pour out of this piece written in memory of an outstanding orchestra director. The piece beginnings with original material to set the tone, followed by a violin solo on the song. It them develops through a variety of different harmonic presentation before building to a nice key change and climatic moment. The piece ends as it began, but with a more hopeful tone. An amazing piece.
Sleep, My Child was commissioned by the Madison Middle School Band and Orchestra in Tampa, Florida, and is dedicated to the memory of their Director of Orchestras Kevin Frye. Director of Bands Chris Shultz championed the commissioning of this piece to honor Kevin after he passed away in December 2016. Mr. Frye was a beloved member of the staff at Madison Middle as well as the music community of Tampa and the state of Florida. I was a personal friend of Kevin’s. We were in several musical groups together when we were young that were formative to both of our musical careers. I also guest-conducted his Madison Middle School Orchestra several times over the past four years. His musicianship, teaching skills and love for his students were exemplary.When taking on the challenge of writing a piece to honor Kevin’s legacy, Mr. Shultz and I decided to try and include several important aspects of Kevin’s life into the piece. Kevin was proudly Jewish, a fantastic trumpet player and loved Jazz. With that in mind, and after a lot of research, a Jewish folk song Shlof, Mayn Kind was selected as the basis for the piece, not to be religious, but to honor his faith and heritage. Plus it is a beautiful song and I felt the title reflected the sentiment I was looking to express, which is of someone taking rest after a long battle with illness, so a lullaby seemed appropriate.I also wanted to incorporate Jazz into the piece, but in a concert setting, so you will hear as the piece develops, the harmonies of the folk song expand into ones found more commonly in Jazz compositions.  Not in a far out way, but in a subtle way to again honor this part of his life. For example the climactic moment of the piece at the fermata in m. 57 is a Dbmaj9#11 chord. It appropriately give the piece the angst that I was looking for at this moment in the piece, while honoring the importance of Jazz in Kevin’s musical life.The piece was also conceived to include both the Madison band and orchestra in the performance at the premiere. I wanted the pieces to work separately by the band and separately by the orchestra, but I also wanted them to be able to play the piece together to honor Kevin.The piece begins with original material designed to set the mood of the piece with a tempo/style marking of pensive, but also as material that I used as connective musical tissue between statements of the folk song.  After this introduction, the folk song is presented by a solo violin (or clarinet) with orchestral accompaniment in a simple straight forward presentation of the song. This is followed by a woodwind section statement of the folk song accompanied by muted trumpets. During this presentation the harmony starts to expand with more color notes in the chords. The low brass are added half way through this statement to add depth and lushness.The introductory material returns, but with some angry hits in the lower voices. This leads to a full ensemble state of new material that is used to transition to the climax of the piece, and to build tension. After the build, the piece modulates to a shortened statement of the folk song with more advanced harmonies and an active counter line in the violas, horns, saxes and first clarinets to further build the tension.  This tension is released at the fermata in m. 57 as mentioned above. After a thoughtful pause, the piece concludes with a completion of the folk song again with a solo violin (or clarinet) followed by a return of the introductory material to tie the piece together. The piece ends hopeful, with a solo trumpet (Kevin’s instrument) that is dissonant at first, but then resolves as if to say, Everything will be OK! It has been my distinct honor to have been asked to write this piece in Kevin’s memory! I hope that in some small way the piece helps to bring comfort to his family, students, colleagues and to all those that knew him!–Larry ClarkLakeland, FL  2017.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

Thi s 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: PR.11641139S

UPC: 680160682119.

Barca rolles for a Sinking City was inspired by the city of Venice, a place that has long held the fascination of artists, writers and composers, and which I have been lucky enough to visit on several occasions. Sadly it seems that future generations may not be so lucky: in addition to the city's slow sinking and recently discovered tilting, studies predict that if global warming and the resultant rise of ocean levels is unabated, the entire city (as well as many other coastal cities around the globe) will be under water by 2100.   I. Funeral Gondola The late, cryptic piano works of Franz Liszt made a profound impression on me as a young composer, among them two works he entitled La Lugubre Gondola (usually translated as The Funeral Gondola ) which were said to be a premonition of Wagner's death in Venice, his coffin transported through the canals in a black gondola. These late pieces of Liszt acquired even greater significance to me after I spent two summers in Bayreuth under the patronage of Friedelind Wagner, the granddaughter of Wagner and great-granddaughter of Liszt. This movement is a meditation on Wagner, Liszt, Venice and its own evanescence. II. Barcarolle/Quodlibet The Quodlibet (Latin for what pleases) is a musical form dating back to the 15th century where many disparate melodies are juxtaposed. Popular in the Renaissance, sacred and secular melodies were combined, often to comical effect due to the resultant incongruity of the words. The form was considered the ultimate test of a composer's mastery of counterpoint. The most famous Quodlibet is without doubt the final Variation of Bach's Goldberg Variations. As a form the Quodlibet is less common in more recent music, although examples can be found in the works of Kurt Weill and David Del Tredici.   My own Barcarolle/Quodlibet was inspired by the (perhaps apocryphal) story of the funeral where musicians were asked to play a Bach Choral, but due to miscommunication played instead the Bacarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann. Here, the Bach Choral Allen Menschen mussen sterben (All Men Must Die) is heard in the strings pizzicato, with a tempo indication In slow motion. The alto line of the Bach suggests a phrase from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Alle Menchen werden Bruder) heard in the muted trombone. Before long, the famous tune from Offenbach's opera is heard, followed by quotations from iconic Barcarolles by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Faure, as well as two Venetian popular songs and more Beethoven.   III. Barcarola/Ostinato/Carill on An ostinato is a repeated musical figure, and carillon is Italian for music box. This movement references the obsolete genre of salon pieces that imitated music boxes: such works by composers like Liadov and Gretchaninov used to be a mainstay of pianists' encore repertoire. This movement is however much darker in conception than those pleasant trifles. Utilizing the full battery of percussion, the carefully notated temporal slowing of the ostinato becomes overwhelmed by a poignant chorale melody before this box is snapped shut.   IV. Barcarolle Oubliee (Forgotten Barcarolle) Marked limpido (still) the final movement begins with the sound of rain produced by a percussion instrument called (appropriately) a rain stick. Halting phrases in the harp coalesce into the accompaniment for a plangent melody heard in the clarinet. The central Adagio of this movement leads to a shattering climax, before the opening phrases return and dissipate into nothingness.

SKU: PR.11641139L

UPC: 680160682126.

Barca rolles for a Sinking City was inspired by the city of Venice, a place that has long held the fascination of artists, writers and composers, and which I have been lucky enough to visit on several occasions. Sadly it seems that future generations may not be so lucky: in addition to the city's slow sinking and recently discovered tilting, studies predict that if global warming and the resultant rise of ocean levels is unabated, the entire city (as well as many other coastal cities around the globe) will be under water by 2100.   I. Funeral Gondola The late, cryptic piano works of Franz Liszt made a profound impression on me as a young composer, among them two works he entitled La Lugubre Gondola (usually translated as The Funeral Gondola ) which were said to be a premonition of Wagner's death in Venice, his coffin transported through the canals in a black gondola. These late pieces of Liszt acquired even greater significance to me after I spent two summers in Bayreuth under the patronage of Friedelind Wagner, the granddaughter of Wagner and great-granddaughter of Liszt. This movement is a meditation on Wagner, Liszt, Venice and its own evanescence. II. Barcarolle/Quodlibet The Quodlibet (Latin for what pleases) is a musical form dating back to the 15th century where many disparate melodies are juxtaposed. Popular in the Renaissance, sacred and secular melodies were combined, often to comical effect due to the resultant incongruity of the words. The form was considered the ultimate test of a composer's mastery of counterpoint. The most famous Quodlibet is without doubt the final Variation of Bach's Goldberg Variations. As a form the Quodlibet is less common in more recent music, although examples can be found in the works of Kurt Weill and David Del Tredici.   My own Barcarolle/Quodlibet was inspired by the (perhaps apocryphal) story of the funeral where musicians were asked to play a Bach Choral, but due to miscommunication played instead the Bacarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann. Here, the Bach Choral Allen Menschen mussen sterben (All Men Must Die) is heard in the strings pizzicato, with a tempo indication In slow motion. The alto line of the Bach suggests a phrase from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Alle Menchen werden Bruder) heard in the muted trombone. Before long, the famous tune from Offenbach's opera is heard, followed by quotations from iconic Barcarolles by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Faure, as well as two Venetian popular songs and more Beethoven.   III. Barcarola/Ostinato/Carill on An ostinato is a repeated musical figure, and carillon is Italian for music box. This movement references the obsolete genre of salon pieces that imitated music boxes: such works by composers like Liadov and Gretchaninov used to be a mainstay of pianists' encore repertoire. This movement is however much darker in conception than those pleasant trifles. Utilizing the full battery of percussion, the carefully notated temporal slowing of the ostinato becomes overwhelmed by a poignant chorale melody before this box is snapped shut.   IV. Barcarolle Oubliee (Forgotten Barcarolle) Marked limpido (still) the final movement begins with the sound of rain produced by a percussion instrument called (appropriately) a rain stick. Halting phrases in the harp coalesce into the accompaniment for a plangent melody heard in the clarinet. The central Adagio of this movement leads to a shattering climax, before the opening phrases return and dissipate into nothingness.