Where Are You God?

SKU: CL.012-4180-75

This monumental programmatic work from the pen of Rob Romeyn captures the myth and legend of Zeus, the mythical master of the gods and men. A sky god, he controls lightning, which he uses as a weapon, and thunder. It opens as Zeus becomes involved in the Trojan war, hurling lightning bolts at his opponents. The tension soon subsides as we are introduced to the eternally beautiful Hera, whom Zeus would eventually marry. The music then ensues as our story unfolds, as Zeus made his domain the mountaintops and clouds where he could survey all creation, and inflict pain and justice on all evildoers. Tension builds as Zeus battles Typhon in hand to hand combat, ending ultimately with Zeus throwing the enormous Mt. Etna at the monster, pinning him underneath. From here, the tension subsides, and a beautiful lyrical section builds to an ending of incredible power and grandeur as Zeus again reaffirms his stature as the ruler of Mt. Olympus. This exceptional work is a wonderful addition to any concert or festival performance!

SKU: CL.012-4180-01

This monumental programmatic work from the pen of Rob Romeyn captures the myth and legend of Zeus, the mythical master of the gods and men. A sky god, he controls lightning, which he uses as a weapon, and thunder. It opens as Zeus becomes involved in the Trojan war, hurling lightning bolts at his opponents. The tension soon subsides as we are introduced to the eternally beautiful Hera, whom Zeus would eventually marry. The music then ensues as our story unfolds, as Zeus made his domain the mountaintops and clouds where he could survey all creation, and inflict pain and justice on all evildoers. Tension builds as Zeus battles Typhon in hand to hand combat, ending ultimately with Zeus throwing the enormous Mt. Etna at the monster, pinning him underneath. From here, the tension subsides, and a beautiful lyrical section builds to an ending of incredible power and grandeur as Zeus again reaffirms his stature as the ruler of Mt. Olympus. This exceptional work is a wonderful addition to any concert or festival performance!

SKU: HL.14020140

9.75x14.25x0.195 inches.

1. EOS: The Goddess of the Dawn, who travelled on the winds and sprinkled down dew upon the earth 2. PAN: The God of the countryside, of flocks, shepherds and animals, a famous player of the syrinx, or pan pipes, - the shepherd's pipe. 3. BOREAS: The God of the North Wind who had two faces - one facing where he was going, the other from whence he came. He was the male counterpart to Eos. 4. CIRCE: The Enchantress who changed men into beasts. Ulysses was given a sprig from a certain plant by Hermes which allowed him to resist her charms. 5. PANDORA: When Pandora was created by Zeus, he ordered all the Gods to endow her with some of their attributes. She was also given a box, but forbidden to open it. Her curiosity about its contents overwhelmed her - she opened it and all the evils of the world flew out. Too late she closed it, but she managed to prevent the escape of Hope. 6. SELENE: The Goddess of the Moon who drives across the night sky in her chariot to visit the sleeping Endymion. She was once seduced by Pan.

SKU: BT.DHP-1206260-140

English-German-French- Dutch.

The myth of El Dorado (“the golden one”) stems from the story of a powerful chief who used to cover himself with gold dust before bathing in a sacred lake where he threw precious objects as offerings to the gods. The myth was soon relayed to the Spanish conquistadors and inspired many expeditions, although the invaders didn’t bring back nearly as much gold as they expected, if any at all. Eldorado is a mysterious and dynamic work that illustrates the myth of the golden man and the European expeditions that followed. With a touch of exotic influences, the music is varied and rich. This piece was commissioned by the French Cultural Association Lille 3000 as part of theirEldorado-themed festival in 2019.

De mythe van El Dorado (de man van goud) is het verhaal van een machtig opperhoofd die zichzelf met goudpoeder bedekte voordat hij ging baden in een heilig meer waar hij ook kostbare voorwerpen aan de goden offerde. Deze mythe werd al snel bekend bij de Spaanse conquistadores en vormde de aanzet tot vele expedities, hoewel de veroveraars niet met grote hoeveelheden goud terugkwamen, zoals ze hadden gehoopt. Eldorado is een mysterieus, dynamisch werk dat het verhaal van de gouden man verklankt, alsmede de Europese expedities die op touw werden gezet. Met een vleugje exotische invloeden is de muziek gevarieerd en rijk aan schakeringen. Het werk werd geschreven in opdrachtvan de Franse culturele organisatie Lille 3000 als onderdeel van het thematische programma Eldorado in 2019.

Der Mythos von El Dorado (der Goldene“) handelt von einem mächtigen Herrscher, der sich vor dem Baden in einem heiligen See mit Goldstaub bedeckte und als Opfergaben an die Götter kostbare Gegenstände in den See warf. Der Mythos sprach sich bald bei den spanischen Eroberern herum und war der Grund für zahlreiche Expeditionen doch sie fanden nicht annähernd so viel Gold, wie sie erhofft hatten. Eldorado ist ein geheimnisvolles und dynamisches Werk, das den Mythos des goldenen Mannes“ und die daraus resultierenden Expeditionen der Europäer darstellt. Durch ethnische Anklänge ist die Musik sehr abwechslungsreich. Dieses Stück wurde vom französischen Kulturverein Lille3000 für den Themenschwerpunkt Eldorado“ im Jahr 2019 in Auftrag gegeben.

Le mythe de l’El Dorado (« le doré ») raconte qu’un puissant seigneur se faisait enduire de poudre d’or avant de se baigner dans un lac sacré où il jetait des objets précieux en offrandes aux dieux. Ce mythe a rapidement été relayé par les conquistadors espagnols et est l'origine de nombreuses expéditions. Mais les envahisseurs rapportèrent beaucoup moins d'or qu'ils n'espéraient. la fois mystérieuse et dynamique, Eldorado est une œuvre qui dépeint le mythe de l’homme doré et les expéditions européennes qu’il inspira. Gr ce ses échos ethniques, la musique est riche et variée. Cette œuvre est une commande de l’association culturelle Lille 3000 pour l’éditionthé matique Eldorado du festival 2019.

SKU: BT.DHP-1206260-010

English-German-French- Dutch.

The myth of El Dorado (“the golden one”) stems from the story of a powerful chief who used to cover himself with gold dust before bathing in a sacred lake where he threw precious objects as offerings to the gods. The myth was soon relayed to the Spanish conquistadors and inspired many expeditions, although the invaders didn’t bring back nearly as much gold as they expected, if any at all. Eldorado is a mysterious and dynamic work that illustrates the myth of the golden man and the European expeditions that followed. With a touch of exotic influences, the music is varied and rich. This piece was commissioned by the French Cultural Association Lille 3000 as part of theirEldorado-themed festival in 2019.

De mythe van El Dorado (de man van goud) is het verhaal van een machtig opperhoofd die zichzelf met goudpoeder bedekte voordat hij ging baden in een heilig meer waar hij ook kostbare voorwerpen aan de goden offerde. Deze mythe werd al snel bekend bij de Spaanse conquistadores en vormde de aanzet tot vele expedities, hoewel de veroveraars niet met grote hoeveelheden goud terugkwamen, zoals ze hadden gehoopt. Eldorado is een mysterieus, dynamisch werk dat het verhaal van de gouden man verklankt, alsmede de Europese expedities die op touw werden gezet. Met een vleugje exotische invloeden is de muziek gevarieerd en rijk aan schakeringen. Het werk werd geschreven in opdrachtvan de Franse culturele organisatie Lille 3000 als onderdeel van het thematische programma Eldorado in 2019.

Der Mythos von El Dorado (der Goldene“) handelt von einem mächtigen Herrscher, der sich vor dem Baden in einem heiligen See mit Goldstaub bedeckte und als Opfergaben an die Götter kostbare Gegenstände in den See warf. Der Mythos sprach sich bald bei den spanischen Eroberern herum und war der Grund für zahlreiche Expeditionen doch sie fanden nicht annähernd so viel Gold, wie sie erhofft hatten. Eldorado ist ein geheimnisvolles und dynamisches Werk, das den Mythos des goldenen Mannes“ und die daraus resultierenden Expeditionen der Europäer darstellt. Durch ethnische Anklänge ist die Musik sehr abwechslungsreich. Dieses Stück wurde vom französischen Kulturverein Lille3000 für den Themenschwerpunkt Eldorado“ im Jahr 2019 in Auftrag gegeben.

Le mythe de l’El Dorado (« le doré ») raconte qu’un puissant seigneur se faisait enduire de poudre d’or avant de se baigner dans un lac sacré où il jetait des objets précieux en offrandes aux dieux. Ce mythe a rapidement été relayé par les conquistadors espagnols et est l'origine de nombreuses expéditions. Mais les envahisseurs rapportèrent beaucoup moins d'or qu'ils n'espéraient. la fois mystérieuse et dynamique, Eldorado est une œuvre qui dépeint le mythe de l’homme doré et les expéditions européennes qu’il inspira. Gr ce ses échos ethniques, la musique est riche et variée. Cette œuvre est une commande de l’association culturelle Lille 3000 pour l’éditionthé matique Eldorado du festival 2019.

SKU: BR.EB-9468

ISBN 9790004189481. 9 x 12 inches.

His triptych for guitar quartet takes as inspiration the trilogy of gods of Memphis in ancient Egypt. The work is a poetic journey through the mythological landscapes of their world around 3000 BC. Sakkara is a plateau south of Cairo, where an ideal space for a culture of the afterlife developed, through tombs and the construction of the first pyramids. To this contributed the fundamental role of Imhotep, the great architect in the III Dynasty from the Sakkara area, who was almost a god in his time and most likely responsible for the stepped pyramid of Djoser. The trilogy is formed by the couple Ptah and Sekhmet, and Nefertem, their son. Ptah is the patron of artists, and at the same time the god for measuring time. Sekhmet was the wife and sister of Ptah, goddess of war -- related to the Sun god and associated with the color red. Nefertem, son of both, was the god of fragrance, of perfume and linked to the lotus flower, the symbol of rebirth. The three movements of this composition are musical spaces created on poetic associations around this mythical world and in an area that has always fascinated me: Sakkara. The work is commissioned by the Aleph-Gitarrenquartett, which is also its dedicatee. (Jose M. Sanchez-Verdu, 2022)

World premiere: Karlsruhe, ZKM, January 14, 2023 Commissioned by the Aleph-Gitarrenquartett.

SKU: CF.YPS217F

ISBN 9781491156551. UPC: 680160915095. 9 x 12 inches.

Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn't exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora. As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn't attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus's brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, jar seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call Pandora's box) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope. The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn't it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place? I'm not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I've tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed. Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope's beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin's work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key. Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece's slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn't resist.).
Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora.As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn’t attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, “jar” seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call “Pandora’s box”) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope.The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn’t it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place?I’m not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I’ve tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed.Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope’s beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin’s work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key.Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece’s slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn’t resist.).

SKU: CF.YPS217

ISBN 9781491156544. UPC: 680160915088. 9 x 12 inches.

Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn't exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora. As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn't attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus's brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, jar seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call Pandora's box) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope. The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn't it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place? I'm not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I've tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed. Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope's beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin's work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key. Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece's slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn't resist.).
Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora.As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn’t attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, “jar” seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call “Pandora’s box”) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope.The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn’t it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place?I’m not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I’ve tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed.Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope’s beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin’s work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key.Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece’s slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn’t resist.).

SKU: CF.CM9700

ISBN 9781491160008. UPC: 680160918607. Key: A minor. Hungarian. Hungarian Folk.

In 2014, Chanticleer commissioned me to make a new arrangement of the Hungarian-Romani folk song Jarba, Mare Jarba for their 2014 touring program. Passed down orally through the Romani communities, this beautiful folk song, with text in a language called Beas (beh-osh), speaks of a deep longing to visit one's homeland, a place where the singer can never return. Chanticleer consists of twelve men whose vocal ranges span from low bass to high soprano, equivalent to the range of a mixed choir of women and men. I composed slow sections of original material to represent the singers' longing to return home; these are interspersed with the folk song's traditional fast sections. The incorporated shouts and calls in the score are typically found in the performance of Central European folk songs. I hope you enjoy singing this new version of Jarba, Mare Jarba that contains all of the vigor and excitement of the Chanticleer version. PERFORMANCE NOTES All spoken sounds (indicated by x noteheads) should be performed by individuals. Feel free to elaborate with more sounds of your own in the tradition of Eastern European folk music. If the piece is memorized, feel free to experiment with clapping on the off-beats of m. 93 to the end. TEXT Transliteration Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat, Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa. Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. O mers mama de pe sat, O lasat coliba goala, Infrunzitu, ingurzitu da plina de saracie, da plina de saracie. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa. Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Translation Green grass, tall grass, I would like to go home, but I cannot, because I have sworn not to. Tall grass, green grass - oh, that I cannot go home! My mother has left the village; she left the hut empty, Adorned with leaves but full of poverty. Tall grass, green grass - oh, that I cannot go home! Tall grass, green grass - I would like to go home. but I cannot, because I have sworn not to. Stacy Garrop's music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. The sharing of stories is a defining element of our humanity; we strive to share with others the experiences and concepts that we find compelling. She shares stories by taking audiences on sonic journeys - some simple and beautiful, while others are complicated and dark - depending on the needs and dramatic shape of the story. Garrop served as the first Emerging Opera Composer of Chicago Opera Theater's Vanguard Program. She also held a 3-year composer-in-residence position with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, funded by New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. She has received numerous awards and grants including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Fromm Music Foundation Grant, Barlow Prize, and three Barlow Endowment commissions, along with prizes from competitions sponsored by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Omaha Symphony, New England Philharmonic, Boston Choral Ensemble, Utah Arts Festival, and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. She is a Cedille Records artist; her works are commercially available on more than ten additional labels. Her catalog covers a wide range, with works for orchestra, opera, oratorio, wind ensemble, choir, art song, various sized chamber ensembles, and works for solo instruments. Notable commissions include My Dearest Ruth for soprano and piano with text by Martin Ginsburg, the husband of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Transformation of Jane Doe for Chicago Opera Theater, The Battle for the Ballot for the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Goddess Triptych for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Glorious Mahalia for the Kronos Quartet, Give Me Hunger for Chanticleer, Rites for the Afterlife for the Akropolis and Calefax Reed Quintets, and Terra Nostra: an oratorio about our planet, commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and Piedmont East Bay Children's Chorus. Garrop previously served as composer-in-residence with the Albany Symphony and Skaneateles Festival, and as well as on faculty of the Fresh Inc Festival (2012-2017). She taught composition and orchestration full-time at Roosevelt University 2000-2016) before leaving to launch her freelance career. She earned degrees in music composition at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (B.M.), University of Chicago (M.A.), and Indiana University-Bloomington (D.M.).
In 2014, Chanticleer commissioned me to make a new arrangement of the Hungarian-Romani folk song Jarba, Mare Jarba for their 2014 touring program. Passed down orally through the Romani communities, this beautiful folk song, with text in a language called Beas (beh-osh), speaks of a deep longing to visit one’s homeland, a place where the singer can never return. Chanticleer consists of twelve men whose vocal ranges span from low bass to high soprano, equivalent to the range of a mixed choir of women and men. I composed slow sections of original material to represent the singers’ longing to return home; these are interspersed with the folk song’s traditional fast sections. The incorporated shouts and calls in the score are typically found in the performance of Central European folk songs. I hope you enjoy singing this new version of Jarba, Mare Jarba that contains all of the vigor and excitement of the Chanticleer version.PERFORMANCE NOTESAll spoken sounds (indicated by x noteheads) should be performed by individuals. Feel free to elaborate with more sounds of your own in the tradition of Eastern European folk music.If the piece is memorized, feel free to experiment with clapping on the off-beats of m. 93 to the end.TEXTTransliterationJa rba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat, Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa.Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat.O mers mama de pe sat, O lasat coliba goala,Infrunzitu, ingurzitu da plina de saracie, da plina de saracie. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa.Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat.TranslationGreen grass, tall grass, I would like to go home, but I cannot, because I have sworn not to.Tall grass, green grass – oh, that I cannot go home!My mother has left the village; she left the hut empty, Adorned with leaves but full of poverty.Tall grass, green grass – oh, that I cannot go home! Tall grass, green grass – I would like to go home.but I cannot, because I have sworn not to.Stacy Garrop’s music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. The sharing of stories is a defining element of our humanity; we strive to share with others the experiences and concepts that we find compelling. She shares stories by taking audiences on sonic journeys – some simple and beautiful, while others are complicated and dark – depending on the needs and dramatic shape of the story.Garrop served as the first Emerging Opera Composer of Chicago Opera Theater’s Vanguard Program. She also held a 3-year composer-in-residence position with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, funded by New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. She has received numerous awards and grants including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Fromm Music Foundation Grant, Barlow Prize, and three Barlow Endowment commissions, along with prizes from competitions sponsored by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Omaha Symphony, New England Philharmonic, Boston Choral Ensemble, Utah Arts Festival, and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. She is a Cedille Records artist; her works are commercially available on more than ten additional labels.Her catalog covers a wide range, with works for orchestra, opera, oratorio, wind ensemble, choir, art song, various sized chamber ensembles, and works for solo instruments. Notable commissions include My Dearest Ruth for soprano and piano with text by Martin Ginsburg, the husband of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Transformation of Jane Doe for Chicago Opera Theater, The Battle for the Ballot for the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Goddess Triptych for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Glorious Mahalia for the Kronos Quartet, Give Me Hunger for Chanticleer, Rites for the Afterlife for the Akropolis and Calefax Reed Quintets, and Terra Nostra: an oratorio about our planet, commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and Piedmont East Bay Children’s Chorus.Garrop previously served as composer-in-residence with the Albany Symphony and Skaneateles Festival, and as well as on faculty of the Fresh Inc Festival (2012-2017). She taught composition and orchestration full-time at Roosevelt University 2000-2016) before leaving to launch her freelance career. She earned degrees in music composition at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (B.M.), University of Chicago (M.A.), and Indiana University-Bloomington (D.M.).­­.