Distant Horizons

SKU: HL.44010826

UPC: 884088555818. 9.0x12.0x1.738 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

Atlantic Odyssey was commissioned by the band program at Oakton High School in Vienna, VA, and its director, Dr. Cheryl Newton. The piece is in two extended movements and seeks to portray an imaginary yacht journey off the eastern seaboard of the USA. The first movement, Sunrise at Sea and the Ocean Awakes, opens with an atmospheric depiction of dawn at sea. Floating woodwinds soar above surging brass until a climax heralds the rising sun. Daylight reveals distant horizons and the prospect of a calm voyage, but the sea is never tamed and a light breeze whips up spray around the boat until a couple of high waves rock the boat alarmingly. But the sea soon calms again and the journey continues serenely. The second movement, Homeward Bound and Spindrift, sees us turn for home, the boat scything calmly through the gentle waves in perfect sailing conditions. But once again conditions change, a stiff breeze tugs at the sails and for a moment we are once again at the mercy of the wind and waves. A moment of calm returns but we are suddenly sprayed by spindrift as a gale picks up. The boat is in danger of overturning but we manage to trim the sail and take advantage of the strong winds to enjoy and exhilarating journey home.

SKU: XC.HSO2103FS

UPC: 812598037210. 9 x 12 inches.

Distant Shores evokes the excitement of exploring the unknown. Somewhere beyond the horizon is another experience: a new land, new people, a new culture. Composer Peter Terry takes us on a wonderful journey with this new work for young string orchestra.

SKU: KN.09998S

UPC: 822795099980.

Inspired by the beautiful landscapes the composer has seen on long road trips across the U.S., this powerful original features the pandiatonic harmonies and open-sounding intervals (fourths and fifths) that are reminiscent of the music of Aaron Copland, making it sound very American from start to finish. It portrays that moment when darkness gives way to light on the distant horizon, starting with a glimmer and eventually bursting into a brilliant sky to mark the start of a new day. Duration 3:40 . Available in SmartMusic.

SKU: AP.50895

ISBN 9781470668495. UPC: 038081587363. English.

Travel can be an enriching experience. Seeing new and distant places can expand your horizons, making you more mindful of other people's cultures and values while providing wonderful memories of interesting places. Voyages, by Robert Sheldon, is a musical representation of this experience as we visit a far-off land represented by moody modal melodies and driving percussion rhythms. (2:15)

The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances. Including:

• Assignment, recording, and assessment tools within MakeMusic Cloud
• Piece-specific exercises focused on skills and techniques
• Printable sheet music (with a standard MakeMusic Cloud subscription)
• Educational tips and suggestions to support learning

Available in print and digital formats.

SKU: AP.50895S

ISBN 9781470668501. UPC: 038081587370. English.

Travel can be an enriching experience. Seeing new and distant places can expand your horizons, making you more mindful of other people's cultures and values while providing wonderful memories of interesting places. Voyages, by Robert Sheldon, is a musical representation of this experience as we visit a far-off land represented by moody modal melodies and driving percussion rhythms. (2:15)

The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances. Including:

• Assignment, recording, and assessment tools within MakeMusic Cloud
• Piece-specific exercises focused on skills and techniques
• Printable sheet music (with a standard MakeMusic Cloud subscription)
• Educational tips and suggestions to support learning

Available in print and digital formats.

SKU: PR.416413010

UPC: 680160605682.

Under the Sun's Gaze as a title for a musical composition conjures up many possibilities. It is, in fact, an imagined line from an unwritten poem, invented with the idea of capturing something of the visual aura the sounds and energy of this work invoke in its composer' mind. An omnipotent presence in all of nature, a source of life yet also capable of its destruction, the sun affects the light and dark in our physical existence as it defines the daily and seasonal life. The music of this work, in three interlocking parts, takes turns being exuberant, caressing, scorching, receding, hazy, lazy, blazing, dissolving into darkness, blinding in its intensity. Subtitled Concerto da Camera III, this work is written for what has become known as the standard Pierrot instrumentation of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano plus percussion. The difference here is that the winds are doubled - the two flutists alternating with piccolo and alto flute and both clarinetists also doubling on bass clarinets. The ninth member of the ensemble, a soprano saxophone, appears well into the piece, its lyrical, plaintively expressive quality dominating the musical terrain for a while. While occasionally joining the others for some tutti outbursts, it maintains its position as something of a guest throughout. Of the various thematic ideas that populate this work, a six-note descending line played by the clarinet appearing right at the work's opening then arching back up reveals itself, as the music unfolds, to be the principal melodic building block of Under the Sun's Gaze. Its various transformations include the plaintive soprano saxophone melody appearing in the middle section. Just under 20 minutes in length, the work in its totality can be heard as being in a loose arch form, its ending receding into a distant darkening horizon which carries in it the seed of the new dawn that lies beyond. Under the Sun's Gaze was commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress for the San Francisco Contemporary Players, David Milnes, conductor.