Repetition Waltz

SKU: ST.C463

ISBN 9790570814633.

This volume contains contrasting works by Federico Ruiz spanning quite a large and rich period of his compositional output that goes from his early Micro-Suite (1971), to lilting, sweet and rhythmic Venezuelan waltzes passing by the mysterious, intimate, and intense Nocturno (1994) plus pieces originally composed for film, and theatre. Real eclecticism in styles, moods and atmospheres that show Ruizâ??s talents and scope.

The Nocturno is a deep, intriguing, substantial piece presenting a satisfying length which moves from different paths of the mind and the heart written in an abstract, chromatic idiom, that does not dissociate itself from the Venezuelan waltz and the joropo. One could perhaps say that there is a deconstruction of the latter. For the interpretation, the composer has suggested to me that it is allowed to have some flexibility in the tempo. Ruiz kindly dedicated it to me, and I have had the pleasure of performing it in many concerts.

Although all highly expressive, the Three Venezuelan Waltzes present in this collection as well as the piece titled Aliseo, are works that are close to the colourful Venezuelan folk tradition. Federico Ruiz had given me two of them when we first met: â??Tu Presenciaâ?? (1981) and â??Eloísaâ?? (1989) and then I attended a performance of the play â??Office Number Oneâ?? by Miguel Otero Silva with a fantastic actor, Elba Escobar in the role of Carmen Rosa and, I just fell in love and was very moved by the incidental music that I later discovered, by reading the programme, had been written by Federico Ruiz. Later that evening, I called him and asked to please make a piano score of the composition, so I could have the desired piece in my hands. That is how â??Carmen Rosaâ? waltz (1987) came to exist in a piano version.

â??Eloisaâ?? is another Venezuelan waltz with more jazzy harmonies where precision in the rhythm and elegant playing is also essential, as it is in most of his pieces.

â??Tu Presenciaâ?? was dedicated to his mother, Margarita. It is written with the structure of the Venezuelan waltz, which consists of a nostalgic subject that leads to a faster, happier middle section where the typical graceful rhythm is given by the left-hand accompaniment figure of a dotted crotchet followed by a quaver and a crotchet.

The craft and magic found in the five movements of the Micro-Suite is based on a dodecaphonic row by Ernst Krenek. They remind us of the idiom of the Second Viennese School. These real miniatures seem to tell short stories. The â??Preludioâ?? is full of humour. I imagine dancing figures given by the jumps all over the keyboard and extreme dynamics; the phrases give the impression of a conversation with many questions and answers. The â??Invenciónâ?? is a kaleidoscopic piece where the hands mirror each other. The â??Passacagliaâ?? is the longest movement, at just over a minute where the prime motif is repeated three times on the bass line. For its construction Federico Ruiz uses as well the retrograde and the retrograde inversion of the twelve-tone series. It must be played expressively with dynamic contrasts between pianissimo and louder events. The â??Scherzoâ?? has repetitive motifs of a minor third in both hands and the â??Finalâ?? displays virtuosic passages for the pianist.

Aliseo was originally written for the film â??Aire libreâ? (1995), by Luis Armando Roche. It contains elements of diverse types of Venezuelan joropo. In the film, the character of Aliseo Carvallo is played by the composer himself who performs this piece on a harpsichord to welcome scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland one day at the turn of the 1800â??s, as a sample of the new music from the South American land. It presents the refinement of the late European classical era in fusion with Venezuelan folk music.

SKU: CF.MXE112

ISBN 9781491156766. UPC: 680160915309. 9 x 12 inches.

Angles for Piano Trio plays with a variety of textures and timbres that can be produced on the piano. Each of the four movements takes a different textural or procedural angle. The first movement, With Pluck, uses a lot of pizzicato in the strings, with virtually no use of the pedal in the piano. The second movement, Take a Bow, uses extensive double stops in the strings. The third movement, About a Minute Waltz, is percussive and rhythmic, and the last movement, A Sad Song, contrasts repetitions of a straightforward lyrical stanza with rhapsodic interludes.

SKU: CF.YPS207

ISBN 9781491152270. UPC: 680160909773. Key: C minor.

Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. The piece depicts the factory life of children laboring many hours a day and manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores. Young performers will find this thought-provoking piece an excellent way to use their musical voice to affect change.
Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. Written in memory of Mrs. Peterson, who loved children dearly, the piece depicts the factory life of children laboring 16+ hours a day, manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores.Factory Child begins with factory sounds and an oppressive, repetitive pattern that supports the melody carried by the upper voices. The second section is composed of wistful, dream-like sounds and melodies that have traces of children’s songs that remind us that these children forced into labor would love to have the opportunity to play, attend school, and dream, but cannot and realistically have little hope for a life we consider normal.  The middle section gives way to more sounds from the factory. The climax is a raucous circus-like waltz using themes from both sections.The percussion parts can be covered by six players. Some players will need to cover two parts. Use someone from the wind section if you do not have six, as some of the parts, although important, are not very difficult. The second clarinet never goes over the break and the bass line is usually doubled in the euphonium as well as in the low reeds.This piece is an excellent way for young performers to use their musical voice to affect change. It is a great discussion starter for researching where our apparel comes from and why to stay away from some brands. It can also make students aware of the fantastic opportunity they have to attend school that children in other parts of the world do not. Young students will find this piece very thought provoking.Ed Kiefer .

SKU: CF.YPS207F

ISBN 9781491152959. UPC: 680160910458.

Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. The piece depicts the factory life of children laboring many hours a day and manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores. Young performers will find this thought-provoking piece an excellent way to use their musical voice to affect change.
Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. Written in memory of Mrs. Peterson, who loved children dearly, the piece depicts the factory life of children laboring 16+ hours a day, manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores.Factory Child begins with factory sounds and an oppressive, repetitive pattern that supports the melody carried by the upper voices. The second section is composed of wistful, dream-like sounds and melodies that have traces of children’s songs that remind us that these children forced into labor would love to have the opportunity to play, attend school, and dream, but cannot and realistically have little hope for a life we consider normal.  The middle section gives way to more sounds from the factory. The climax is a raucous circus-like waltz using themes from both sections.The percussion parts can be covered by six players. Some players will need to cover two parts. Use someone from the wind section if you do not have six, as some of the parts, although important, are not very difficult. The second clarinet never goes over the break and the bass line is usually doubled in the euphonium as well as in the low reeds.This piece is an excellent way for young performers to use their musical voice to affect change. It is a great discussion starter for researching where our apparel comes from and why to stay away from some brands. It can also make students aware of the fantastic opportunity they have to attend school that children in other parts of the world do not. Young students will find this piece very thought provoking.Ed Kiefer .