Short Story

Based on the German fairy tale made popular by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, this piece is a musical depiction of the short story 'Rumpelstiltskin.' In addition to the original music in this work, the composer tips his musical hat with excerpts from Grieg's 'Morning Mood,' Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus,' and Brahms' 'Lullaby.' A delightful setting with several style and tempo changes that will capture the imagination of one and all! (2:45) / Orchestre D'Harmonie

Short Romantic Pieces for piano edited by Lionel Salter. The pieces included in this collection are suitable for pianists of grade 1-2 standard.

Learn to play the ukulele and open up a brand new world of musical knowledge with this exciting method from Alfred. Beginners of all ages can start their journey to a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Beginning with the fundamentals, you will learn about the history of the ukulele, its components, how to hold and tune it, and getting acquainted with standard musical notation. You will then move right along to playing different notes, chords, scales, and songs, lesson by lesson, all while continuing to increase your ever-growing knowledge of reading and understanding standard musical notation and playing a variety of well-known songs. You will learn different strumming techniques to help you play in a variety of musical styles. The book also contains a section teaching you how to play by ear. Upon completion of the book, you will be able to play your favorite songs on the ukulele in any key and know how to read music. The book features the following resources for reference during and after your lessons: * Transposition chart * Dictionary of tablature techniques * Ukulele fingerboard chart * Complete ukulele chord dictionary The accompanying DVD provides live performances that demonstrate how the music should sound, on-screen music and MP3 audio for every song and lessons hosted by performer and educator, Julia Jordan. This book teaches entirely in C tuning. The D tuning edition of Alfred's Teach Yourself to Play Ukulele (item 14135) is available from your favorite music retailer and at Alfred.com. Be your own teacher, and let Alfred Music be your resource every step of the way. / Ukulélé

d'après la nouvelle de Guy de Maupassant-Isabelle Aboulker’s A Girl Called Dumpling for Mixed Choir Narrator and Instrumental Ensemble (Vocal score). “Choosing an opera libretto is always delicate particularly if the work is aimed at young adults or teenagers (performers and audience). Published in 1880 Guy Maupassant's short story 'Dumpling' contains all of the elements essential to the process fruition and purpose of my work. In 1870 France was conquered and occupied. The Prussians marched into Rouen. The analogies with contemporary history are numerous and offer choir conductors and teachers multiple sources of reflection and analysis. The dignitaries whoreadily give in to power and collaborate with the occupier contrast with a young prostitute who is brave generous and patriotic. The libretto was taken straight from the original text though some cuts were necessary in order to keep the rhythm and momentum required in setting Maupassant’s story to music”. -Isabelle Aboulker

With a libretto written by Judith herself based on the cryptic supernatural short story Der blonde Eckbert by Ludwig Tieck. This one act pocket version of the opera makes use of a Chamber group rather than a fullorchestra and omits the chorus.'Eckbert and his wife Berthe live in seclusion in the Harz Moutains. One stormy night Eckbert's friend Walther arrives and to while away the time Berthe tells him her lifestory.Walther mysteriously knows a great deal about Berthe' s early life and Eckbert's suspicions grow eventually leading him to murder Walther during a hunting expediton.Consumed by terror and suspicion Eckbertretreats into seclusion and revisits the fairy-tale scenes of Berthe's childhood accompanied by a magical singing bird. He encounters the old woman who raised Berthe and at last learns the terrible truth about Walther Berthe and himself.'                 - Judith Weir

The Old Chevalier (2005) - A Gothic Tale for Tenor Trombone and Ensemble. Piano reduction/Solo Trombone part: WH30940 Version for Bass Trombone: WH30942 Programme note The Old Chevalier for Trombone and Ensemble is the second of a series of seven compositions named after Karen Blixen's collection of short stories Seven Gothic Tales. My musical gothic tales are written for very different ensembles - THE SUPPER AT ELSINORE is a saxophone quartet - but they all share musical material in a criss-cross of contextual references reminiscent of Blixen's narrativecomplexity: Themes and motivsfrom one piece appears in others in new and surprising shapes and combinations. Karen Blixens The Old Chevalier begins with an old man talking to a youth about obl igation and passion. The old man tells a story about a beautiful woman who wanted tomake her husband jealous and cheated on him with a young man who admired him. Afterdiscovering the truth the young man meets a prostitute on her very first job. The girl is an innocent trading favors for shelter. The young man falls in love but she remains obliviousto his passion. She leaves after their encounter without emotional involvement. Many years later the young man - the old man telling the tale - recognizes the girl in a beautifulskull he's holding in his hand. The Old Chevalier isn't 'about' anything. The music is inspired by the artistic content of Blixen's short story - it's emotionalism dramatic construction atmosphere period and setting - but unfolds in time and musical space in ways that are completelyindependent of the story's narrative progression... except one might say that the trombone makes love to the piano and at the very end - just like the old man in the story is left contemplating its remains. The piece is written for the trombonist Jens Vind.