Pluck and Strum

SKU: BT.XYZ1170

ISBN 9789043151092.

15 pieces where the player can both pluck and strum. begeleidings CD.

Grade: Easy.

SKU: PR.416415110

UPC: 680160621286.

Commissioned by Kennesaw State University Symphony Orchestra in 2012, Chinese Rap for violin and orchestra is premiered by Prof. Helen Kim as the soloist and the KSUSO led by Prof. Michael Alexander at Bailey Center in KSU, GA on Feb. 17, 2014. The work is inspired by Chinese folk musical story telling, Quyi, in a form of mixed reciting and singing style, with interludes played by percussion and plucking instruments in accompaniment. The folk musical story telling is sung in dialects from different geographic regions. I mixed all these elements in a complex three-part form, with an introduction, a cadenza in the middle, and a coda as the frame in the structure. The melodies are delicate and leisurely, and the rhythmic parts are energetic, vivid and lively. There are big contrasts between sections, which are juxtaposed and connected smoothly and congenially.
Commissioned by Kennesaw State University Symphony Orchestra in 2012,Chinese Rap for violin and orchestra is premiered by Prof. Helen Kim as thesoloist and the KSUSO led by Prof. Michael Alexander at Bailey Center inKSU, GA on Feb. 17, 2014. The work is inspired by Chinese folk musical storytelling, Quyi, in a form of mixed reciting and singing style, with interludesplayed by percussion and plucking instruments in accompaniment. The folkmusical story telling is sung in dialects from different geographic regions. Imixed all these elements in a complex three-part form, with an introduction, a cadenza in the middle, and a coda as the frame in the structure. The melodies are delicate and leisurely, and the rhythmic parts are energetic, vivid and lively. There are big contrasts between sections, which are juxtaposed and connected smoothly and congenially.

SKU: BO.B.3106

ISBN 9788480201940.

English comments:
With reference to the melody used to write the Fanstasia-Concerto, the composer Jordi Cervello says: A few years ago, a friend of mine, Jorge Wagensberg sang me a beautiful old Jewish melody inspired by the hymn Leja Dodi (Come, my beloved) by the Sefardie cabbalist Solomon Alkabez (1505-1576), who is buried in Israel. I was immediately entranced by its two extensive thematic ideas which complement each other perfectly. Its melodic and folk qualities seemed to me to make it an ideal theme for a work for guitar and orchestra. The orchestration is a fine thread of metallic timbres, which are present both in the very delicate subtleties of the pianissimi passages and the brilliant tutti. Moreover, the cler tonal definition of the melody contrasts with audacious harmonic contrapunctual textures, characteristic of the most advanced musical styles of our times. The solo guitar part is a model piece of compositon for the guitar, both for its melody and harmony. It puts forward extremely original formulas which are very effective from an instrumental point of view. Its abundant use of arpeggios, chords, harmonic pedals and other instrumental resources ensure that the dialogue with the orchestra is based completely on guitar-playing techniques, putting the guitarist's expressive skill and mastery to the test. This work was first performed on December 3 1997 in Sabadell's La Farandula Theatre performed by the Valles Symphonic Orchestra conducted by its permanent conductor Salvador Brotons. The guitar solo part was played by Jaume Torrent, to whom the work is dedicated.

Comentarios del Espanol:
En relacion al origen de la melodia utilizada en este Concierto-Fantasia, el compositor Jordi Cervello comenta: Hace ya algunos anos, mi amigo Jorge Wagensberg me canto una antigua y deliciosa melodia judia compuesta sobre el himno Leja Dodi (Ven mi bien amada) del cabalista sefardi Solomon Alkabez (1505-1576), cuya tumba se encuentra en Israel. En seguida me cautivo por las dos amplias ideas tematicas que contiene, las cuales se complementan muy armoniosamente. Por sus caracteristicas melodicas y por su caracter popular me parecio un tema ideal para una obra de guitarra y orquesta. La orquestacion de este concierto es una filigrana de sugerencias timbricas, presentes tanto en las mas delicadas sutilezas de los pianissimi como en los efusivos tutti. Asimismo, la clara definicion tonal de la melodia contrasta con audaces texturas armonicas y contrapuntisticas propias de la estetica musical de nuestros dias. La parte del instrumento solista en un modelo de escritura guitarristica, tanto desde el punto de vista melodico como del armonico y propone formulas que resultan de una gran originalidad y eficacia instrumental. La prodigalidad de arpegios, acordes, pedales armonicos y otros recursos instrumentales, garantizan un dialogo con la orquesta desde un lenguaje plenamente guitarristico, a traves del cual, el interprete pone a prueba tanto su capacidad expresiva como la vituosistica. El estreno de esta obra tuvo lugar el dia 3 de octubre de 1997 en el Teatro La Farandula de Sabadell, interpretada por la Orquesta Sinfonica del Valles bajo la direccion de su director titular Salvador Brotons, y actuando como solista el guitarrista Jaume Torrent a quien esta dedicada la obra.

SKU: BO.B.3452

English comments: Despite the difficulties that he claims to have in conceiving a guitaristic language, Xavier Benguerel is composer notorious for his prolific guitar writing. If in the course of its history the language of this instrument has oscillated between melodic writing with violonistic roots and a fundamentally pianistic harmonic writing. Benguerel achieves a perfect balance between both tendencies. This opportune convergence allows the performer to employ a wide array of markedly contrasted virtuoso techniques and instrumental resources and at the same time presents the listener a guitaristic discourse with a musical richness that is perfectly balanced with the string quartet or string orchestra.

The Autumn Concerto gathers together, from a renewed perspective, some of the best discoveries the composer has offered throughout his production for guitar. Its open dialog, formal structure, instrumental efficiency and textural variety make this work very appealing when it comes to including it in a concert programme.
--Jaume Torrent. Barcelona, March 2006

Comentarios del Espanol: Pese a las dificultades que confiesa tener para concebir un lenguaje guitarristico, Xavier Benguerel se ha convertido en un compositor notoriamente prolifico en su produccion para guitarra. Si a lo largo de la historia el lenguaje de este instrumento ha basculado entre la escritura melodica de raices violinisticas y la armonica de fundamentos pianisticos, Benguerel consigue un perfecto equilibrio entre ambas tendencias. Esta feliz confluencia posibilita al interprete gozar de un despliegue de tecnicas virtuosisticas y recursos instrumentales marcadamente contrastados y, a la vez, proporciona al oyente un discurso guitarristico con una plenitud sonora perfectamente equilibrada con las propuestas del cuarteto o de la orquesta de cuerda.

El Concierto de Otono recoge -con vision renovada- algunas de los mejores hallazgos que el compositor nos ha ido ofreciendo a lo largo de su produccion para guitarra y su caracter dialogante, estructura formal, eficacia instrumental y variedad de texturas hacen de esta una obra de gran atractivo a la hora de formar parte de la programacion de un concierto.
--Jaume Torrent. Barcelona, marzo de 2006

SKU: BO.B.3107

ISBN 9788480201780.

English comments:
A work written in memory of Manuel de Falla in which the author tackles popular melodies and rhythms immersed in the orchestral fabric of the string section. A string section which, thanks to a wise and daring treatment, manages at all times to give a magical projection to the characteristic timbre of the guitar, a brilliant solo instrument.

Comentarios del Espanol:
Una obra escrita a la memoria de Manuel de Falla en la que el autor aborda melodias y ritmos populares inmersos en el tejido orquestal de la cuerda. Una cuerda que tratada con sabiduria y audacia consigue en todo momento dar una proyeccion magica al timbre caracteristico de la guitarra, brillante instrumento solista.

SKU: BR.BV-486

ISBN 9783765104862. 6.5 x 9.5 inches. German.

The piano, the concert grand piano as a percussion instrument, as a string instrument, as a plucked instrument? Why not? - here are resonant surfaces and there are strings. In fact, it seems obvious to pluck the strings, to produce harmonics, to play in the interior space with mallets, to use bow hairs, e-bow and bottleneck.But how do I find my way in this style of playing beyond the keys? Is that even allowed? What if I break something in the process? And where is this or that spot, and what do you call it? What works convincingly, and where are the difficulties? Klaus Steffes-Hollander answers these and other questions in this book.

SKU: PR.11440505S

UPC: 680160008391. 11 x 14 inches.

Although structurally it subdivides into five movements, the entire quartet emerges as one vast continuum. There are no formal breaks between movements. However, certain musical signposts can be discerned, associated with each of the movements' terminations and new beginnings. The opening movement, The Nostalgia of Clanging Bell Sonorities, begins floating on recurrent Bbs whose soft rhythmic flow slowly puts into motion strong undercurrents suggestive of the latent power of water... After several suggestions of tolling bells, the movement gradually fades into hushed tones of veiled and very distant sonorities. It uses a unique effect, for the first time in a musical context, conveyed through the use of extra heavy practice mutes. The second movement, The Spill of Water, disengages itself from the first through its distinct contrast in tempo. Water moves fast, and when it splashes, it tends to run wildly. In this case, it happens to be bubbly water that gushes forth bodly... smashing across rocky shorelines. So, too, the music attempts to conjure such moods. At the end of this movement, a cello cadenza emerges, introducing an introspective type of melodicism. The third movement, The Poignancy of Memory, contains many silences as it tries to convey memory through fragmented remembrances much like often occur in our dream state. Progressing through several slowly building images, it gradually works itself into juxtaposition of musical images. Towards the movement's end, high harmonics are sounding in all four instruments while left hand pizzicato notes in the cello pluck the last remembrances of this central core. Almost imperceptibly, the viola assumes leadership as it dissolves into: The fourth movement, The Fluidity of Motion, which has mostly the viola, but also the cello, articulating lyrical statements against sheets of sound conjured up by the two violins playing a flood of swirling figures, evokes a kind of static motion in space. Here , the virtually imperceptible manner in which this hushed whisper continues incessantly, can suggest the potential fluidity with which movement may inch forward... Later into the fourth movement, two fairly extended solos by the second and then the first violins, lead to a kind of spontaneous dialogue amont the four instrumentalists. Eventually, this musical conversation gets caught up in: The fifth movement's The Rush of Time, which opens with a hushed flurry of speed, precipitates the Finale. It generates, at first slowly, but then very swiftly, whole shifts of rhythmic fields that initially seem to conflict with one another. Ultimately, this use of psycho-rhythmics contributes to an on-rush seem of motion and time. Rhythmic changes are, at times, abruptly precipitated with but little or no preparation creating a kind of inevitability in forward thrust, while the movement rushes forward with a feeling of gradual and continuous acceleration. It gathers density as more and more notes are piled progressively upon successive beats. The attempt is to spark tension and ignite excitement by means of frenetic confrontations of dissimilitudes. Ultimately - with the help of time - these polarities centrifically spin out their own destinies with their accompanying fall-out and own inevitable resolutions.