The New Colonial

SKU: CF.PPS42F

ISBN 9781491147757. UPC: 680160905256. 9 x 12 inches.

Colonial March is a stately British style march for beginning bands. George Washington served in the British colonial army prior to the American Revolution when he became the colonies' Commander-in-Chief and later the first President of the new nation. Two melodies, Yankee Doodle and America (My Country 'Tis of Thee or God Save the King) were known to both the British and American armies and are incorporated in this precious march for the youngest of students.

SKU: CF.PPS42

ISBN 9781491147054. UPC: 680160904556. 9 x 12 inches.

Colonial March is a stately British style march for beginning bands. George Washington served in the British colonial army prior to the American Revolution when he became the colonies' Commander-in-Chief and later the first President of the new nation. Two melodies, Yankee Doodle and America (My Country 'Tis of Thee or God Save the King) were known to both the British and American armies and are incorporated in this precious march for the youngest of students.

SKU: BT.CMP-0499-01-010

Explore new musical frontiers with COLONIAL COLLAGE! The three most prevalent musical styles of the Revolutionary era- fife and drum music, the country dance and the sacred hymn- are woven together here as a melodic reflection of life and culture in Colonial America.A challenging and rewarding selection for any number of venues, the brilliant opening and beautiful hymnodic sections balance perfectly in this artfully composed original piece by James L. Hosay. Stake your claim to this enticing new work today !

L’une des périodes les plus significatives de l’histoire du continent américain est celle de la fondation des colonies qui ont donné naissance aux États-Unis et au Canada au XVIe siècle. Basée sur les traditions musicales européennes et américaines de l’époque, cette œuvre colorée évoque trois des principaux styles de la vie musicale de la jeune Amérique : la musique militaire avec les tambours et les fifres, les danses traditionnelles et les hymnes chrétiennes. Subtile et élégante combinaison de rythmes et de mélodies, cette œuvre est l’image du continent qu’elle représente : une mosa que de sons et de couleurs.

SKU: HL.4003881

UPC: 888680010089. 9x12 inches.

Depicting three contrasting and intriguing settings from early American lore, Rick Kirby masterfully brings these images to life in this suite for band. The first movement tells the legend of The Phantom Drummer with unique orchestrational effects. The second movement, The Lady's Lament, mourns the loss of loved ones in the Revolutionary War, and the suite concludes with the lively dance Virginia Two-Step. Rich in stylistic and tonal variety, this is an appealing work for concert or festival use. Duration: 8:00.

SKU: HL.49030396

ISBN 9790220122743. 9.0x12.0x0.067 inches. Vocalise.

No traditional tunes of any kind are made use of in this piece, in which I have wished to express my personal feelings about my own country (Australia) and people, and also to voice a certain kind of emotion that seems to me not untypical of native-born Colonials in general.Perhaps it is not unnatural that people living more or less lonelily in vast virgin countries and struggling against natural and climatic hardships (rather than against the more actively and dramaticly exciting counter wills of their fellow men, as in more thickly populated lands) should run largely to that patiently yearning, inactive sentimental wistfulness that we find so touchingly expressed in much American art; for instance in Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn, and Stephen C. Foster's adorable songs, My Old Kentucky Home, Old Folks at Home, etc. I have also noticed curious, almost Italian-like, musical tendencies in brass band performances and ways of singing in Australia (such as a preference for richness and intensity of tone and soulful breadth of phrasing over more subtly and sensitively varied delicacies of expression) which are also reflected here.Percy Aldridge Grainger.

SKU: CF.CAS108

ISBN 9781491151273. UPC: 680160908776. 9 x 12 inches.

Thomas Jefferson's Fiddle Tunes is inspired by Thomas and Martha Jefferson's musical evenings after dinner at Monticello. Composer James Meredith has taken three reels from the colonial period in American history and put them together into a potpourri setting that students will enjoy playing.
Good music played well inspires the imagination. In the evenings after dinner at Monticello Thomas and Martha Jefferson enjoyed nothing better than to play music. Each was an accomplished musician. Jefferson would play the violin, and Martha would often accompany him at the piano. He especially enjoyed the music of Corelli. Thomas Jefferson’s Fiddle Tunes is an effort to depict what a musical evening might have been at the farm with guests joining in, clapping, stomping, or dancing to the lively tunes. Three reels of the Colonial period are featured in this medley. Jefferson and Liberty, Smash the Windows, and The White Cockade. Each jig is introduced by a solo violin then the whole section joins in.

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:

• Expanded use of rhythms, ranges and keys but technical demands are still carefully considered
• More comprehensive bowing techniques
• Viola T.C. included
• Careful selection of keys and degree of difficulty for advancing musicians

SKU: CF.FAS83

ISBN 9780825894572. UPC: 798408094577. 9 x 12 inches. Key: D major.

Williamsburg Variations takes an original theme reminiscent of songs from early nineteenth-century America, and develops it over several variations into a variety of styles. A great introduction to the idea of theme and variations, this will make your developing orchestra sound great at any festival.
This composition was inspired by a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The opening theme is reminiscent of a hymn of the eighteenth century with a hint of Chester in mm. 5 and 15. The variations are indicative of the hustle and bustle of colonial life that required a strong work ethic to survive, and the fife and drums variation shows a glimpse of Yankee Doodle in mm. 34-44. The theme should be played as a legato chorale. The variations are to be played with energy and the D Major Key will enhance that style. In mm. 34-44 the viola, cello and bass quarter notes should be short and accented to imitate field drums.The unison violins are the fifes in this fife-and-drum section. The final variation at m. 52 is a combination of three prior melodies so all lines are equally important.The melodic and moving parts create interest in all the instruments and should provide for an excellent festival or contest piece. I hope your students enjoy playing this music.

SKU: CF.CAS108F

ISBN 9781491151648. UPC: 680160909148. 9 x 12 inches. Key: D minor.

Thomas Jefferson's Fiddle Tunes is inspired by Thomas and Martha Jefferson's musical evenings after dinner at Monticello. Composer James Meredith has taken three reels from the colonial period in American history and put them together into a potpourri setting that students will enjoy playing.
Good music played well inspires the imagination. In the evenings after dinner at Monticello Thomas and Martha Jefferson enjoyed nothing better than to play music. Each was an accomplished musician. Jefferson would play the violin, and Martha would often accompany him at the piano. He especially enjoyed the music of Corelli. Thomas Jefferson’s Fiddle Tunes is an effort to depict what a musical evening might have been at the farm with guests joining in, clapping, stomping, or dancing to the lively tunes. Three reels of the Colonial period are featured in this medley. Jefferson and Liberty, Smash the Windows, and The White Cockade. Each jig is introduced by a solo violin then the whole section joins in.

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:

• Expanded use of rhythms, ranges and keys but technical demands are still carefully considered
• More comprehensive bowing techniques
• Viola T.C. included
• Careful selection of keys and degree of difficulty for advancing musicians

SKU: SS.50600030

Commissioned by the Colonial Symphony, Paul Hostetter, Music Director and Conductor. First performed in 2006. Composer's Note: My inspiration for Smiling Dennis is the great bass clarinet virtuoso Dennis Smylie. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Dennis over the past several years owing to our mutual affiliation at Montclair State University. We would meet unintentionally in the halls and begin conversations regarding all manners of topics: from the colorful history of the bass clarinet - and bass clarinetists - to the furious appetite of the New Jersey groundhog. Dennis inevitably finds the humor in things - he revels in discovering the comic story that can often be found, just underneath the topic. When Maestro Hostetter asked me to compose a new piece during his initial season with the Colonial Symphony, and mentioned the possibility of a work related to humor, I immediately thought of the Dennis. When I spoke with Maestro Hostetter the following day, I had already conceived of the title (very unusual for me - I'm much more a musical/visual thinker than a verbal one) as well as the overall musical narrative. Smiling Dennis is a concerto in one movement for one bass clarinetist and twenty string players. Somewhat unusually, each performer has a unique musical assignment - that is, the string players are not aligned into their typical alliances of first violins, second violins and so forth. This permits a more complex string texture, allowing each performer to assert his or her individuality. Indeed, the notion of individuality is essential to this concerto, as it often is in concerti. For example, Smiling Dennis begins with the bass clarinet not quite obeying the conventions of tuning to the orchestra. Rather than simply take the A offered by the Concertmaster, the soloist playfully performs a gently descending series of notes. Offered another A, the soloist repeats this gesture (though with a different descending series). This exchange occurs four times. In the final one, members of the string orchestra join the soloist in the first significant statement of one of the central melodies. The bass clarinet completes this introductory section alone, playing all the way down to a low A, a third below the lowest note in the celli. Following the introduction, Smiling Dennis consists of six sections, somewhat along the lines of a dance suite: an energetic Allegro, a lyric Arioso, a forward Piu mosso, a light-hearted and syncopated dance, a even more energetic passage for strings alone, and finally a modified return to the introduction. In the return, the string ensemble is no longer at all oppositional to the soloist. Rather, in response to the soloist's gentle cajoling and supportive commentary, the strings accompany - with pleasure, you might say - the quiet, individual playfulness of the bass clarinet. The work ends with a return to the soloist's substratum A, accompanied quietly by the strings.

SKU: LM.PB1359

ISBN 3137990013592.

Comm e un homme a la mer - O Compagnons - Il ira Loin - La Memoire des jours - Il y a toujours - Au temps des colonies - Etre Rimbaud - 1900 - Sur la route - La Realite - Des mots - Suivez la musique - Poste restante - Une journee particuliere - Cela nous aurait suffi.

SKU: BT.DHP-1064079-020

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.

The Golden Age is a programmatic composition in four movements. I Overture For the Netherlands, the seventeenth century was a period of great flourishing in the fields of economy, culture and politics; thus it is called the Golden Age. Overseas trade boomed, and the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC by the Dutch) was founded and expanded to become a powerful -and, at the time - modern enterprise. II ¡Adiós españoles!(Farewel l, Spaniards!) In 1567, the Spanish army invaded, led by the Duke of Alva. There was a fierce resistance against the Spanish tyranny; toward the end of the sixteenth century, the Dutch proclaimed theRepublic. However, the Spanish continued the war. Only with the Treaty of Münster in 1648 did the Dutch get their much sought-after independence. This was also the end of the Eighty Years’ War. III Rembrandt’s Night WatchThe field of culture, particularly literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, the art of printing, and cartography developed fast. It was in the Golden Age that the celebrated painter Rembrandt van Rijn created his famous Night Watch. IV The Admiral Overseas trade entailed the colonization of large areas in Asia, from where precious products that yielded lots of money were brought in. Surrounding countries were also involved in such practices. Colonizers poached on each other’s territories in the literal and figurative sense - in this context the Anglo-Dutch Sea Wars are legendary. The fourth movement starts with the English patriotic song Rule Britannia, after which the Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter makes the English change their tune; one can even hear the roaring of cannons. When the smoke of battle has cleared, a small fragment of a Dutch song about Michiel de Ruyter appears, followed by a fitting closing.

The Golden Age is een programmatische compositie in vier delen. Overtureverklankt de Gouden Eeuw, voor Nederland een periode van grote bloei. Dan volgt ¡Adiós españoles! over het einde van de Tachtigjarige Oorlog.Rembrandt� ��s Night Watch beschrijft de ontwikkeling op cultureel gebied: in de Gouden Eeuw schilderde Rembrandt van Rijn zijn beroemde Nachtwacht. Deel vier, The Admiral, begint met Rule Britannia,waarna de Nederlandse admiraal Michiel de Ruyter de Engelsen een toontje lager laat zingen, er is zelfs kanongebulder te horen. Dan klinkt een fragment van het Nederlandse liedje dat aan Michiel de Ruyter is gewijd, waarna een passendslot volgt.

The Golden Age ist eine programmatische Komposition in vier Sätzen über das so genannte “Goldene Zeitalter“ in der Geschichte der Niederlande. In dieser Periode erlebte das Land eine Blütezeit des (Übersee-)Handels, der Kultur und Politik, es befreite sich von der spanischen Herrschaft, brachte Kunstwerke wie Rembrandt’s Nachtwache hervor und entwickelte sich zu einer Kolonialmacht. Die Aufmerksamkeit der Zuhörer ist bei Kees Schoonenbeeks spannender musikalischer Geschichtsstunde garantiert!

Apr� �s une guerre qui dura 80 ans, l'Espagne reconnut finalement l'indépendance des Provinces-Unies néerlandaises, qui devinrent alors l’une des plus importantes puissances maritimes et économiques du XVIIe siècle. Cette période est connue sous le nom de Siècle d’or (The Golden Age) et correspond une phase de développement exceptionnel des Pays-Bas tant sur le plan colonial et militaire que sur le plan culturel, intellectuel et artistique.

Dopo una guerra che durò 80 anni, la Spagna riconobbe l’indipendenza delle Province-Unite olandesi che divennero potenze marittime ed economiche del XVII secolo. Questo periodo è conosciuto con il nome di Secolo d’Oro (The Golden Age) e corrisponde ad una fase di sviluppo eccezionale dei Paesi Bassi sia sul piano coloniale e militare, sia sul piano culturale, intellettuale e artistico.

SKU: BT.DHP-1064079-120

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.

The Golden Age is a programmatic composition in four movements. I Overture For the Netherlands, the seventeenth century was a period of great flourishing in the fields of economy, culture and politics; thus it is called the Golden Age. Overseas trade boomed, and the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC by the Dutch) was founded and expanded to become a powerful -and, at the time - modern enterprise. II ¡Adiós españoles!(Farewel l, Spaniards!) In 1567, the Spanish army invaded, led by the Duke of Alva. There was a fierce resistance against the Spanish tyranny; toward the end of the sixteenth century, the Dutch proclaimed theRepublic. However, the Spanish continued the war. Only with the Treaty of Münster in 1648 did the Dutch get their much sought-after independence. This was also the end of the Eighty Years’ War. III Rembrandt’s Night WatchThe field of culture, particularly literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, the art of printing, and cartography developed fast. It was in the Golden Age that the celebrated painter Rembrandt van Rijn created his famous Night Watch. IV The Admiral Overseas trade entailed the colonization of large areas in Asia, from where precious products that yielded lots of money were brought in. Surrounding countries were also involved in such practices. Colonizers poached on each other’s territories in the literal and figurative sense - in this context the Anglo-Dutch Sea Wars are legendary. The fourth movement starts with the English patriotic song Rule Britannia, after which the Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter makes the English change their tune; one can even hear the roaring of cannons. When the smoke of battle has cleared, a small fragment of a Dutch song about Michiel de Ruyter appears, followed by a fitting closing.

The Golden Age is een programmatische compositie in vier delen. Overtureverklankt de Gouden Eeuw, voor Nederland een periode van grote bloei. Dan volgt ¡Adiós españoles! over het einde van de Tachtigjarige Oorlog.Rembrandt� ��s Night Watch beschrijft de ontwikkeling op cultureel gebied: in de Gouden Eeuw schilderde Rembrandt van Rijn zijn beroemde Nachtwacht. Deel vier, The Admiral, begint met Rule Britannia,waarna de Nederlandse admiraal Michiel de Ruyter de Engelsen een toontje lager laat zingen, er is zelfs kanongebulder te horen. Dan klinkt een fragment van het Nederlandse liedje dat aan Michiel de Ruyter is gewijd, waarna een passendslot volgt.

The Golden Age ist eine programmatische Komposition in vier Sätzen über das so genannte “Goldene Zeitalter“ in der Geschichte der Niederlande. In dieser Periode erlebte das Land eine Blütezeit des (Übersee-)Handels, der Kultur und Politik, es befreite sich von der spanischen Herrschaft, brachte Kunstwerke wie Rembrandt’s Nachtwache hervor und entwickelte sich zu einer Kolonialmacht. Die Aufmerksamkeit der Zuhörer ist bei Kees Schoonenbeeks spannender musikalischer Geschichtsstunde garantiert!

Apr� �s une guerre qui dura 80 ans, l'Espagne reconnut finalement l'indépendance des Provinces-Unies néerlandaises, qui devinrent alors l’une des plus importantes puissances maritimes et économiques du XVIIe siècle. Cette période est connue sous le nom de Siècle d’or (The Golden Age) et correspond une phase de développement exceptionnel des Pays-Bas tant sur le plan colonial et militaire que sur le plan culturel, intellectuel et artistique.

Dopo una guerra che durò 80 anni, la Spagna riconobbe l’indipendenza delle Province-Unite olandesi che divennero potenze marittime ed economiche del XVII secolo. Questo periodo è conosciuto con il nome di Secolo d’Oro (The Golden Age) e corrisponde ad una fase di sviluppo eccezionale dei Paesi Bassi sia sul piano coloniale e militare, sia sul piano culturale, intellettuale e artistico.

SKU: BT.DHP-1064079-140

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.

The Golden Age is a programmatic composition in four movements. I Overture For the Netherlands, the seventeenth century was a period of great flourishing in the fields of economy, culture and politics; thus it is called the Golden Age. Overseas trade boomed, and the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC by the Dutch) was founded and expanded to become a powerful -and, at the time - modern enterprise. II ¡Adiós españoles!(Farewel l, Spaniards!) In 1567, the Spanish army invaded, led by the Duke of Alva. There was a fierce resistance against the Spanish tyranny; toward the end of the sixteenth century, the Dutch proclaimed theRepublic. However, the Spanish continued the war. Only with the Treaty of Münster in 1648 did the Dutch get their much sought-after independence. This was also the end of the Eighty Years’ War. III Rembrandt’s Night WatchThe field of culture, particularly literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, the art of printing, and cartography developed fast. It was in the Golden Age that the celebrated painter Rembrandt van Rijn created his famous Night Watch. IV The Admiral Overseas trade entailed the colonization of large areas in Asia, from where precious products that yielded lots of money were brought in. Surrounding countries were also involved in such practices. Colonizers poached on each other’s territories in the literal and figurative sense - in this context the Anglo-Dutch Sea Wars are legendary. The fourth movement starts with the English patriotic song Rule Britannia, after which the Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter makes the English change their tune; one can even hear the roaring of cannons. When the smoke of battle has cleared, a small fragment of a Dutch song about Michiel de Ruyter appears, followed by a fitting closing.

The Golden Age is een programmatische compositie in vier delen. Overtureverklankt de Gouden Eeuw, voor Nederland een periode van grote bloei. Dan volgt ¡Adiós españoles! over het einde van de Tachtigjarige Oorlog.Rembrandt� ��s Night Watch beschrijft de ontwikkeling op cultureel gebied: in de Gouden Eeuw schilderde Rembrandt van Rijn zijn beroemde Nachtwacht. Deel vier, The Admiral, begint met Rule Britannia,waarna de Nederlandse admiraal Michiel de Ruyter de Engelsen een toontje lager laat zingen, er is zelfs kanongebulder te horen. Dan klinkt een fragment van het Nederlandse liedje dat aan Michiel de Ruyter is gewijd, waarna een passendslot volgt.

The Golden Age ist eine programmatische Komposition in vier Sätzen über das so genannte “Goldene Zeitalter“ in der Geschichte der Niederlande. In dieser Periode erlebte das Land eine Blütezeit des (Übersee-)Handels, der Kultur und Politik, es befreite sich von der spanischen Herrschaft, brachte Kunstwerke wie Rembrandt’s Nachtwache hervor und entwickelte sich zu einer Kolonialmacht. Die Aufmerksamkeit der Zuhörer ist bei Kees Schoonenbeeks spannender musikalischer Geschichtsstunde garantiert!

Apr� �s une guerre qui dura 80 ans, l'Espagne reconnut finalement l'indépendance des Provinces-Unies néerlandaises, qui devinrent alors l’une des plus importantes puissances maritimes et économiques du XVIIe siècle. Cette période est connue sous le nom de Siècle d’or (The Golden Age) et correspond une phase de développement exceptionnel des Pays-Bas tant sur le plan colonial et militaire que sur le plan culturel, intellectuel et artistique.

Dopo una guerra che durò 80 anni, la Spagna riconobbe l’indipendenza delle Province-Unite olandesi che divennero potenze marittime ed economiche del XVII secolo. Questo periodo è conosciuto con il nome di Secolo d’Oro (The Golden Age) e corrisponde ad una fase di sviluppo eccezionale dei Paesi Bassi sia sul piano coloniale e militare, sia sul piano culturale, intellettuale e artistico.

SKU: BT.DHP-1064079-010

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.

The Golden Age is a programmatic composition in four movements. I Overture For the Netherlands, the seventeenth century was a period of great flourishing in the fields of economy, culture and politics; thus it is called the Golden Age. Overseas trade boomed, and the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC by the Dutch) was founded and expanded to become a powerful -and, at the time - modern enterprise. II ¡Adiós españoles!(Farewel l, Spaniards!) In 1567, the Spanish army invaded, led by the Duke of Alva. There was a fierce resistance against the Spanish tyranny; toward the end of the sixteenth century, the Dutch proclaimed theRepublic. However, the Spanish continued the war. Only with the Treaty of Münster in 1648 did the Dutch get their much sought-after independence. This was also the end of the Eighty Years’ War. III Rembrandt’s Night WatchThe field of culture, particularly literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, the art of printing, and cartography developed fast. It was in the Golden Age that the celebrated painter Rembrandt van Rijn created his famous Night Watch. IV The Admiral Overseas trade entailed the colonization of large areas in Asia, from where precious products that yielded lots of money were brought in. Surrounding countries were also involved in such practices. Colonizers poached on each other’s territories in the literal and figurative sense - in this context the Anglo-Dutch Sea Wars are legendary. The fourth movement starts with the English patriotic song Rule Britannia, after which the Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter makes the English change their tune; one can even hear the roaring of cannons. When the smoke of battle has cleared, a small fragment of a Dutch song about Michiel de Ruyter appears, followed by a fitting closing.

The Golden Age is een programmatische compositie in vier delen. Overtureverklankt de Gouden Eeuw, voor Nederland een periode van grote bloei. Dan volgt ¡Adiós españoles! over het einde van de Tachtigjarige Oorlog.Rembrandt� ��s Night Watch beschrijft de ontwikkeling op cultureel gebied: in de Gouden Eeuw schilderde Rembrandt van Rijn zijn beroemde Nachtwacht. Deel vier, The Admiral, begint met Rule Britannia,waarna de Nederlandse admiraal Michiel de Ruyter de Engelsen een toontje lager laat zingen, er is zelfs kanongebulder te horen. Dan klinkt een fragment van het Nederlandse liedje dat aan Michiel de Ruyter is gewijd, waarna een passendslot volgt.

The Golden Age ist eine programmatische Komposition in vier Sätzen über das so genannte “Goldene Zeitalter“ in der Geschichte der Niederlande. In dieser Periode erlebte das Land eine Blütezeit des (Übersee-)Handels, der Kultur und Politik, es befreite sich von der spanischen Herrschaft, brachte Kunstwerke wie Rembrandt’s Nachtwache hervor und entwickelte sich zu einer Kolonialmacht. Die Aufmerksamkeit der Zuhörer ist bei Kees Schoonenbeeks spannender musikalischer Geschichtsstunde garantiert!

Apr� �s une guerre qui dura 80 ans, l'Espagne reconnut finalement l'indépendance des Provinces-Unies néerlandaises, qui devinrent alors l’une des plus importantes puissances maritimes et économiques du XVIIe siècle. Cette période est connue sous le nom de Siècle d’or (The Golden Age) et correspond une phase de développement exceptionnel des Pays-Bas tant sur le plan colonial et militaire que sur le plan culturel, intellectuel et artistique.

Dopo una guerra che durò 80 anni, la Spagna riconobbe l’indipendenza delle Province-Unite olandesi che divennero potenze marittime ed economiche del XVII secolo. Questo periodo è conosciuto con il nome di Secolo d’Oro (The Golden Age) e corrisponde ad una fase di sviluppo eccezionale dei Paesi Bassi sia sul piano coloniale e militare, sia sul piano culturale, intellettuale e artistico.

SKU: PR.416415760

UPC: 680160636532. 9 x 12 inches.

The 1712 Overture stands out in P.D.Q. Bach's oeuvre for two reasons, among others: it is by far the most programmatic instrumental piece among those by the minimeister of Wein-am-Rhein so far unearthed, and 2) its discovery has led to a revelation about the composer's father, Johann Sebastian Bach, that has exploded like a bombshell on the usually serene musicological landscape. The overture is based on an anecdote told to P.D.Q. Bach by a cousin, Peter Ulrich. Since P.U. Bach lived in Dudeldorf, only a few miles down the road from Wein-am-Rhein, he was P.D.Q.'s closest relative, and he was, in fact, one of the few members of the family who was on speaking terms with P.D.Q. The story, related to P.D.Q. (fortunately for us posterity types) in a letter, may be summarized thus: The town of Dudeldorf was founded by two brothers, Rudi and Dieter Dudel, early in the 18th century. Rudi remained mayor of the newborn burg for the rest of his long life, but Dieter had a dream of starting a musicians' colony, an entire city devoted to music, which dream, he finally decided, could be realized only in the New World. In 1712, he and several other bagpipers sailed to Boston, never to return to Germany. (Henceforth, Rudi became known as der deutscher Dudel and Dieter as the Yankee Dudel). Unfortunately, the head of the Boston Musicians' Guild had gotten wind of Dudel's plans, and Wilhelm Wiesel (pron. VEE-zle), known none too affectionately around town as Wiesel the Weasel, was not about to share what few gigs there were in colonial America with more foreigners and outside agitators. He and his cronies were on hand to meet Dudel's boat when it pulled into Boston Harbor; they intended to prevent the newcomers' disembarkation, but Dudel and his companions managed to escape to the other side of the bay in a dinghy, landing with just enough time to rent a carriage and horses before hearing the sound of The Weasel and his men, who had had to come around the long way. The Germans headed West, with the Bostonians in furious pursuit. soon the city had been left far behind, and by midnight so had the pursuers; Dieter Dudel decided that it was safe for him and his men to stop and sleep until daybreak. When they awoke, they found that they were in a beautiful landscape of low, forested mountains and pleasant fields, warmed by the brilliant morning sun and serenaded by an entrancing variety of birds. Here, Dudel thought, her is where I will build my colony. The immigrants continued down the road at a leisurely pace until they came upon a little church, all by itself in the countryside, from which there suddenly emanated the sounds of a pipe organ. At this point, the temptation to quote from P.U. Bach's letter to P.D.Q. cannot be resisted: They went inside and, after listening to the glorious music for a while, introduced themselves to the organist. And who do you think it was? Are you ready for this -- it was your old man! Hey, no kidding -- you know, I'm sure, that your father was the guy to get when it came to testing new organs, and whoever had that one in Massachusetts built offered old Sebastian a tidy sum to go over there and check it out. The unexpected meeting with J.S. Bach and his sponsors was interrupted by the sound of horse hooves, as the dreaded Wiesel and his men thundered on to the scene. They had been riding all night, however, and they were no spring chickens to start with, and as soon as they reached the church they all dropped, exhausted, to the ground. The elated Germans rang the church bells and offered to buy everyone a beer at the nearest tavern. There they were taught, and joined in singing, what might be called the national anthem of the New World. The melody of this pre-revolutionary patriotic song is still remembered (P.D.Q. Bach quotes it, in the bass instruments, near the end of the overture), but is words are now all but forgotten: Freedom, of thee we sing, Freedom e'er is our goal; Death to the English King, Long live Rock and Ross. The striking paucity of biographical references to Johann Sebastian Bah during the year 1712 can now be explained: he was abroad for a significant part of that year, testing organs in the British Colonies. That this revelation has not been accepted as fact by the musicological establishment is no surprise, since it means that a lot of books would have to be rewritten. The members of that establishment haven't even accepted the existence of P.D.Q. Bach, one of whose major works the 1712 Overture certainly is. It is also a work that shows Tchaikowsky up as the shameless plagiarizer that some of us have always known he was. The discovery of this awesome opus was made possible by a Boston Pops Centennial Research Commission; the first modern performance took place at the opening concert of the 100th anniversary season of that orchestra, under the exciting but authentic direction of John Williams.