SKU: PR.11641867L
UPC: 680160683215.
Contextures: Riots -Decade '60 was commissioned by Zubin Mehta and the Southern California Symphony Association after the successful premiere of the Concerto for Four Percussion Soloists and Orchestra. It was written during the spring and summer months of 1967. Riots stemming from resentment against the racial situation in the United States and the war in Vietnam were occurring throughout the country and inevitably invaded the composer's creative subconscious. Contextures, as the title implies, was intended to exploit various and varying textures. As the work progressed the correspondence between the fabric of music and the fabric of society became apparent and the allegory grew in significance. So I found myself translating social aspects into musical techniques. Social stratification became a polymetric situation where disparate groups function together. The conflict between the forces of expansion and the forces of containment is expressed through and opposition of tonal fluidity vs. rigidity. This is epitomized in the fourth movement, where the brass is divided into two groups - a muted group, encircled by the unmuted one, which does its utmost to keep the first group within a restricted pitch area. The playful jazzy bits (one between the first and second movements and one at the end of the piece) are simply saying that somehow in this age of turmoil and anxiety ways of having fun are found even though that fun may seem inappropriate. The piece is in five movements, with an interlude between the first and second movements. It is scored for a large orchestra, supplemented by six groups of percussion, including newly created roto-toms (small tunable drums) and some original devices, such as muted gongs and muted vibraphone. There is also an offstage jazz quartet: bass, drums, soprano saxophone and trumpet. The first movement begins with a solo by the first clarinetist which is interrupted by intermittent heckling from his colleagues leading to a configuration of large disparate elements. The interlude of solo violin and snare-drum follows without pause. The second movement, Prestissimo, is a display piece of virtuosity for the entire orchestra. The third movement marks a period of repose and reflection and calls for some expressive solos, particularly by the horn and alto saxophone. The fourth movement opens with a rather lengthy oboe solo, which is threatened by large blocks of sound from the orchestra, against an underlying current of agitated energy in the piano and percussion. This leads to a section in which large orchestral forces oppose one another, ultimately bringing the work to a climax, if not to a denouement. Various thematic elements are strewn all over the orchestra, resulting in the formation of a general haze of sound. A transition leads to the fifth movement without pause. The musical haze is pierced gently by the offstage jazz group as if they were attempting to ignore and even dispel the gloom, but a legato bell sound enters and hovers over both the jazz group and the orchestra, the latter making statements of disquieting finality. Two films were conceived to accompany portions of Contextures. The first done by Herbert Kosowar, was a chemography film (painting directly into the film using dyes and various implements) with fast clips of riot photographs. The second was a film collage made by photographically abstracting details from paintings of Reginald Pollack. The purpose was to invoke a non-specific response - as in music - but at the same time to define the subject matter of the piece. The films were constructed to correspond with certain developments in the piece and in no way affect the independence and musical flow of the piece, having been made after the piece was completed. Contextures: Riots - Decade '60 is dedicated to Mehta, the Southern California Symphony Association and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The news of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King came the afternoon of the premiere, April 4, 1968. That evening's performances, and also the succeeding ones, were dedicated to him and a special dedication to Dr. King has been inserted into he score. All the music that follows the jazz group - beginning with the legato bell sound playing the first 2 notes to We shall overcome constitutes a new ending to commemorate Dr. King's death.
SKU: PR.11641867S
UPC: 680160683208.
SKU: CF.CAS103
ISBN 9781491146637. UPC: 680160904136. 9 x 12 inches. Key: B minor.
Textures is a rhythmic and driving composition from composer Bill Calhoun. It contains shifting meters and ostinato bass lines underneath jaunty melodic material. There is a respite from the angular textures during a luscious, slow, lyrical section that features a beautiful violin solo. The pointed textures return for a dramatic finish.Textures is an original composition for string orchestra set in B minor . In its introduction, which alternates between 4/4 and 6/8, the piece begins with an ostinato bass rhythm that sets the time for the other voices to add, creating an interesting texture . Continuing in its bright tempo, the main theme is introduced in 5/4, which eventually becomes the unifying feel of this section . This rhythmic motif trades back and forth between the violins, violas and cellos before moving into a full chorus finishing in 5/4 . There is a brief return to a tutti treatment of the introductory 4/4 to 6/8 material as it moves into a melodic 3/4 middle section . A solo violin begins this dance-like theme . After a short ritardando and closing fermata, this section moves into a return to the opening Allegro, though slightly quicker . First is the return to its A-theme, then using the introductory material to transition into its dynamic ending .
About Carl Fischer Concert String Orchestra Series
This series of pieces (Grade 3 and higher) is designed for advancing ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
SKU: SF.SEA-031-00
Three short character pieces for a moderately advanced pianist, with engaging rhythms and contrasting textures.
SKU: CF.MXE54F
ISBN 9780825899553. UPC: 798408099558.
Textures, for two percussionists and two pianists, utilizes the wide breadth of sounds percussion instruments are able to create. Lansky instructs the players to find metals that have different decays, skins that are not too boomy or with a twang, wood blocks, and keyboard instruments - creating a world of sound. Written in eight short pieces, this work is for advanced performers.
SKU: CF.YAS181F
ISBN 9781491151839. UPC: 680160909339. 9 x 12 inches.
Peter Terry's The Lightning Catcher celebrates youth and the mysteries of summer nights. The wonder of lightning bugs and the hours spent chasing, catching, and releasing them back are childhood staples for many. With bold gestures and textures, this dramatic piece takes the audience back in time to the days of their youth.The Lightning Catcher is a piece that celebrates youth and the mysteries of a summer night. These mysteries include the wonder of lightning bugs: spending hours chasing them, catching them in jars and then releasing them back into the night, only to catch them again on another perfect night. Coupled with this experience are memories of summer thunderstorms moving across the Great Lakes and a certain naive wish that this too could be caught in a glass jar for later release. The Lightning Catcher is a dramatic work with big, bold gestures and textures. Make sure that you reserve enough volume and energy to make the ending the biggest point in the piece. I enjoyed writing this piece and hope your students will enjoy playing these contrasting styles and that you will find the piece beneficial in teaching important musical concepts.
Peter Terry, 2018
About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series
This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:--Occasionally extending to third position--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts--Viola T.C. part included--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels
SKU: CF.YAS181
ISBN 9781491151464. UPC: 680160908967. 9 x 12 inches. Key: B minor.
SKU: CF.MXE219
ISBN 9781491157794. UPC: 680160916399. 9 x 12 inches.
Preface In 1990, during an intense rehearsal of a Mozart Quartet transcription for flute and strings by Franz Anton Hoffmeister, at the Marblehead Summer Music Festival, a disgruntled violist friend complained about HoffmeisterAs awkward string writing, suddenly daring me to create my own arrangement. I balked. But the following winterA3despite scruples about treading on hallowed groundA3I grew curious and began to experiment. Soon I was hooked on the challenge of learning to speak MozartAs language with conviction. This fascination, encouraged by pianist Richard Goode and other Mozarteans, would eventually generate a total of thirty-nine recreations of Mozart piano sonatas as works for flute and strings. With zero tolerance for alteration of melodic or harmonic materialA3MozartAs friend Hoffmeister had regrettably attempted such A!improvementsA(r)A3I always tried to envision what Mozart himself would have desired. Many of the sonatas can be heard as if they were MozartAs A!blueprintsA(r) of imagined chamber works. Hence my task was to A!flesh outA(r) the keyboard versions as Mozart might have done, had a commission or performance opportunity arisen. I spent hours pondering how Mozart might have set these sonatas in four- or five-part form, providing the needed textural or contrapuntal enhancements. With immersion in the composerAs dialect, various apt solutions presented themselves. The search for the A!rightA(r) one then became a most absorbing study. On the eve of releasing my BognerAs CafA recording of Mozart-Stallman New Quintets (2006), I discovered to my delight that a prominent scholar had long before endorsed such an effort. Eric Blom (1888A+-1959), author of Mozart (1935), had taken note of the four-hand piano works as A!a kind of keyboard chamber music.A(r) Regarding Sonata, K. 497, Mr. Blom had observed that Mozart is often dealing with, not the expected four voices (one to a hand), but five. Blom states: A!The F major Sonata (K. 497) removes us to another worldA3the world of the great chamber music, especially of the string quintets. Indeed an arrangement of some sort for a combination of instruments would make a magnificent concert work of this almost uncomfortably great piece of domestic music.A(r) That Mozart was in 1786 writing for piano duo from a quintet perspective makes sense, as we find him returning to the quintet form with keen interest in his last years, writing four String Quintets, the Clarinet Quintet, rearranging a wind serenade for String Quintet, and leaving several other quintets incomplete. My arrangement presented here is made for flute and strings but is also intended for string quintet. Quintet in F Major for Flute and Strings, K. 497, was completed in 1999 and performed with the Martin Quartet in the Czech Republic prior to recording it in 2004. Mozart had finished the original Sonata in F Major for Piano, Four-Hands, K. 497, on August 1, 1786. It shows the unmistakable influence of Figaro, completed and premiered exactly three months prior. As signaled by the imposing introductory Adagio, the conception is on a grand symphonic scale, all three movements being richly developed with contrapuntal episodes and an abundance of marvelously contrasting textures and themes throughout. Called A!the crowning work of its kindA(r) by Alfred Einstein, the Sonata is laden with examples of MozartAs mercurial originality. Here we have a perfect synthesis of concertante brilliance, operatic intensity and intimate dialogue. The work opens in unison with a probing, minor-tinged Adagio, whose question comes to a pause on the dominant, before being answered with jaunty certainty by the opening theme of the Allegro di moltoA3an F-major tune as sunny and confident as an aria from Figaro itself. This movementAs declamatory A!opera chorusA(r) persistently intones its rhythmic motto over a swirling scale figure. The amorous second theme (initially presented in the first viola) also seems to be plucked from Figaro. The Andante opens with a heavenly melody, which takes as its springboard the Romanza theme from the Horn Concerto in E Major, K. 495, written only five weeks before. The A!love duetA(r) between flute and first viola seems to anticipate the impassioned A!duettingA(r) between violin and viola in the Andante of the String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, written about nine months later. The ingenious stretto canon of the AndanteAs middle section requires the precision of a Swiss clock (which its chiming thirds recall). Affecting bucolic codettas close each of the main sections of the movement. In the final Allegro, a rondo in 6/8a time, the puckish, yet aristocratic character of the opening theme contrasts with the bumptious, popular tune used for the second theme (heard first in the violin and then the flute, over pizzicato cello). Lilting hymn-like episodes in three, four- and finally five-part counterpoint are repeatedly interrupted by startling scale figures that rise up in furioso episodes throughout the movement. As in the A!Swiss clockA(r) section of the Andante, Mozart uses a stretto imitation treatment with this tempest theme, thereby heightening both intensity and sense of instability. I am most grateful to the adventuresome Martin Quartet for their warm support and collaboration over the years with several of my arrangements, and to my friend Edwin Swanborn for the original typesetting of this score. Gratitude is also due Weekend Edition, Performance Today and innumerable classical stations across the United States for their enthusiastic and repeated airings of my A!newA(r) Mozart Quintet endeavorsA3and most of all, to violist Katherine Murdock for that dare in 1990. A3Compiled from the writings of Robert Stallman by Hannah Woods Stallman, February 2, 2020.Preface In 1990, during an intense rehearsal of a Mozart Quartet transcription for flute and strings by Franz Anton Hoffmeister, at the Marblehead Summer Music Festival, a disgruntled violist friend complained about Hoffmeisteris awkward string writing, suddenly daring me to create my own arrangement. I balked. But the following winterodespite scruples about treading on hallowed groundoI grew curious and began to experiment. Soon I was hooked on the challenge of learning to speak Mozartis language with conviction. This fascination, encouraged by pianist Richard Goode and other Mozarteans, would eventually generate a total of thirty-nine recreations of Mozart piano sonatas as works for flute and strings. With zero tolerance for alteration of melodic or harmonic materialoMozartis friend Hoffmeister had regrettably attempted such iimprovementsioI always tried to envision what Mozart himself would have desired. Many of the sonatas can be heard as if they were Mozartis iblueprintsi of imagined chamber works. Hence my task was to iflesh outi the keyboard versions as Mozart might have done, had a commission or performance opportunity arisen. I spent hours pondering how Mozart might have set these sonatas in four- or five-part form, providing the needed textural or contrapuntal enhancements. With immersion in the composeris dialect, various apt solutions presented themselves. The search for the irighti one then became a most absorbing study. On the eve of releasing my Bogneris CafE recording of Mozart-Stallman New Quintets (2006), I discovered to my delight that a prominent scholar had long before endorsed such an effort. Eric Blom (1888n1959), author of Mozart (1935), had taken note of the four-hand piano works as ia kind of keyboard chamber music.i Regarding Sonata, K. 497, Mr. Blom had observed that Mozart is often dealing with, not the expected four voices (one to a hand), but five. Blom states: iThe F major Sonata (K. 497) removes us to another worldothe world of the great chamber music, especially of the string quintets. Indeed an arrangement of some sort for a combination of instruments would make a magnificent concert work of this almost uncomfortably great piece of domestic music.i That Mozart was in 1786 writing for piano duo from a quintet perspective makes sense, as we find him returning to the quintet form with keen interest in his last years, writing four String Quintets, the Clarinet Quintet, rearranging a wind serenade for String Quintet, and leaving several other quintets incomplete. My arrangement presented here is made for flute and strings but is also intended for string quintet. Quintet in F Major for Flute and Strings, K. 497, was completed in 1999 and performed with the Martin Quartet in the Czech Republic prior to recording it in 2004. Mozart had finished the original Sonata in F Major for Piano, Four-Hands, K. 497, on August 1, 1786. It shows the unmistakable influence of Figaro, completed and premiered exactly three months prior. As signaled by the imposing introductory Adagio, the conception is on a grand symphonic scale, all three movements being richly developed with contrapuntal episodes and an abundance of marvelously contrasting textures and themes throughout. Called ithe crowning work of its kindi by Alfred Einstein, the Sonata is laden with examples of Mozartis mercurial originality. Here we have a perfect synthesis of concertante brilliance, operatic intensity and intimate dialogue. The work opens in unison with a probing, minor-tinged Adagio, whose question comes to a pause on the dominant, before being answered with jaunty certainty by the opening theme of the Allegro di moltooan F-major tune as sunny and confident as an aria from Figaro itself. This movementis declamatory iopera chorusi persistently intones its rhythmic motto over a swirling scale figure. The amorous second theme (initially presented in the first viola) also seems to be plucked from Figaro. The Andante opens with a heavenly melody, which takes as its springboard the Romanza theme from the Horn Concerto in E Major, K. 495, written only five weeks before. The ilove dueti between flute and first viola seems to anticipate the impassioned iduettingi between violin and viola in the Andante of the String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, written about nine months later. The ingenious stretto canon of the Andanteis middle section requires the precision of a Swiss clock (which its chiming thirds recall). Affecting bucolic codettas close each of the main sections of the movement. In the final Allegro, a rondo in 6/8+time, the puckish, yet aristocratic character of the opening theme contrasts with the bumptious, popular tune used for the second theme (heard first in the violin and then the flute, over pizzicato cello). Lilting hymn-like episodes in three, four- and finally five-part counterpoint are repeatedly interrupted by startling scale figures that rise up in furioso episodes throughout the movement. As in the iSwiss clocki section of the Andante, Mozart uses a stretto imitation treatment with this tempest theme, thereby heightening both intensity and sense of instability. I am most grateful to the adventuresome Martin Quartet for their warm support and collaboration over the years with several of my arrangements, and to my friend Edwin Swanborn for the original typesetting of this score. Gratitude is also due Weekend Edition, Performance Today and innumerable classical stations across the United States for their enthusiastic and repeated airings of my inewi Mozart Quintet endeavorsoand most of all, to violist Katherine Murdock for that dare in 1990. oCompiled from the writings of Robert Stallman by Hannah Woods Stallman, February 2, 2020.Preface In 1990, during an intense rehearsal of a Mozart Quartet transcription for flute and strings by Franz Anton Hoffmeister, at the Marblehead Summer Music Festival, a disgruntled violist friend complained about Hoffmeister's awkward string writing, suddenly daring me to create my own arrangement. I balked. But the following winter--despite scruples about treading on hallowed ground--I grew curious and began to experiment. Soon I was hooked on the challenge of learning to speak Mozart's language with conviction. This fascination, encouraged by pianist Richard Goode and other Mozarteans, would eventually generate a total of thirty-nine recreations of Mozart piano sonatas as works for flute and strings. With zero tolerance for alteration of melodic or harmonic material--Mozart's friend Hoffmeister had regrettably attempted such improvements--I always tried to envision what Mozart himself would have desired. Many of the sonatas can be heard as if they were Mozart's blueprints of imagined chamber works. Hence my task was to flesh out the keyboard versions as Mozart might have done, had a commission or performance opportunity arisen. I spent hours pondering how Mozart might have set these sonatas in four- or five-part form, providing the needed textural or contrapuntal enhancements. With immersion in the composer's dialect, various apt solutions presented themselves. The search for the right one then became a most absorbing study. On the eve of releasing my Bogner's Cafe recording of Mozart-Stallman New Quintets (2006), I discovered to my delight that a prominent scholar had long before endorsed such an effort. Eric Blom (1888-1959), author of Mozart (1935), had taken note of the four-hand piano works as a kind of keyboard chamber music. Regarding Sonata, K. 497, Mr. Blom had observed that Mozart is often dealing with, not the expected four voices (one to a hand), but five. Blom states: The F major Sonata (K. 497) removes us to another world--the world of the great chamber music, especially of the string quintets. Indeed an arrangement of some sort for a combination of instruments would make a magnificent concert work of this almost uncomfortably great piece of domestic music. That Mozart was in 1786 writing for piano duo from a quintet perspective makes sense, as we find him returning to the quintet form with keen interest in his last years, writing four String Quintets, the Clarinet Quintet, rearranging a wind serenade for String Quintet, and leaving several other quintets incomplete. My arrangement presented here is made for flute and strings but is also intended for string quintet. Quintet in F Major for Flute and Strings, K. 497, was completed in 1999 and performed with the Martinu Quartet in the Czech Republic prior to recording it in 2004. Mozart had finished the original Sonata in F Major for Piano, Four-Hands, K. 497, on August 1, 1786. It shows the unmistakable influence of Figaro, completed and premiered exactly three months prior. As signaled by the imposing introductory Adagio, the conception is on a grand symphonic scale, all three movements being richly developed with contrapuntal episodes and an abundance of marvelously contrasting textures and themes throughout. Called the crowning work of its kind by Alfred Einstein, the Sonata is laden with examples of Mozart's mercurial originality. Here we have a perfect synthesis of concertante brilliance, operatic intensity and intimate dialogue. The work opens in unison with a probing, minor-tinged Adagio, whose question comes to a pause on the dominant, before being answered with jaunty certainty by the opening theme of the Allegro di molto--an F-major tune as sunny and confident as an aria from Figaro itself. This movement's declamatory opera chorus persistently intones its rhythmic motto over a swirling scale figure. The amorous second theme (initially presented in the first viola) also seems to be plucked from Figaro. The Andante opens with a heavenly melody, which takes as its springboard the Romanza theme from the Horn Concerto in E<= Major, K. 495, written only five weeks before. The love duet between flute and first viola seems to anticipate the impassioned duetting between violin and viola in the Andante of the String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, written about nine months later. The ingenious stretto canon of the Andante's middle section requires the precision of a Swiss clock (which its chiming thirds recall). Affecting bucolic codettas close each of the main sections of the movement. In the final Allegro, a rondo in 6/8 time, the puckish, yet aristocratic character of the opening theme contrasts with the bumptious, popular tune used for the second theme (heard first in the violin and then the flute, over pizzicato cello). Lilting hymn-like episodes in three, four- and finally five-part counterpoint are repeatedly interrupted by startling scale figures that rise up in furioso episodes throughout the movement. As in the Swiss clock section of the Andante, Mozart uses a stretto imitation treatment with this tempest theme, thereby heightening both intensity and sense of instability. I am most grateful to the adventuresome Martinu Quartet for their warm support and collaboration over the years with several of my arrangements, and to my friend Edwin Swanborn for the original typesetting of this score. Gratitude is also due Weekend Edition, Performance Today and innumerable classical stations across the United States for their enthusiastic and repeated airings of my new Mozart Quintet endeavors--and most of all, to violist Katherine Murdock for that dare in 1990. --Compiled from the writings of Robert Stallman by Hannah Woods Stallman, February 2, 2020.PrefaceIn 1990, during an intense rehearsal of a Mozart Quartet transcription for flute and strings by Franz Anton Hoffmeister, at the Marblehead Summer Music Festival, a disgruntled violist friend complained about Hoffmeister’s awkward string writing, suddenly daring me to create my own arrangement. I balked. But the following winter—despite scruples about treading on hallowed ground—I grew curious and began to experiment. Soon I was hooked on the challenge of learning to speak Mozart’s language with conviction. This fascination, encouraged by pianist Richard Goode and other Mozarteans, would eventually generate a total of thirty-nine recreations of Mozart piano sonatas as works for flute and strings.With zero tolerance for alteration of melodic or harmonic material—Mozart’s friend Hoffmeister had regrettably attempted such “improvementsâ€â€”I always tried to envision what Mozart himself would have desired. Many of the sonatas can be heard as if they were Mozart’s “blueprints†of imagined chamber works. Hence my task was to “flesh out†the keyboard versions as Mozart might have done, had a commission or performance opportunity arisen. I spent hours pondering how Mozart might have set these sonatas in four- or five-part form, providing the needed textural or contrapuntal enhancements. With immersion in the composer’s dialect, various apt solutions presented themselves. The search for the “right†one then became a most absorbing study.On the eve of releasing my Bogner’s Café recording of Mozart-Stallman New Quintets (2006), I discovered to my delight that a prominent scholar had long before endorsed such an effort. Eric Blom (1888–1959), author of Mozart (1935), had taken note of the four-hand piano works as “a kind of keyboard chamber music.†Regarding Sonata, K. 497, Mr. Blom had observed that Mozart is often dealing with, not the expected four voices (one to a hand), but five. Blom states: “The F major Sonata (K. 497) removes us to another world—the world of the great chamber music, especially of the string quintets. Indeed an arrangement of some sort for a combination of instruments would make a magnificent concert work of this almost uncomfortably great piece of domestic music.†That Mozart was in 1786 writing for piano duo from a quintet perspective makes sense, as we find him returning to the quintet form with keen interest in his last years, writing four String Quintets, the Clarinet Quintet, rearranging a wind serenade for String Quintet, and leaving several other quintets incomplete. My arrangement presented here is made for flute and strings but is also intended for string quintet.Quintet in F Major for Flute and Strings, K. 497, was completed in 1999 and performed with the Martinů Quartet in the Czech Republic prior to recording it in 2004. Mozart had finished the original Sonata in F Major for Piano, Four-Hands, K. 497, on August 1, 1786. It shows the unmistakable influence of Figaro, completed and premiered exactly three months prior. As signaled by the imposing introductory Adagio, the conception is on a grand symphonic scale, all three movements being richly developed with contrapuntal episodes and an abundance of marvelously contrasting textures and themes throughout. Called “the crowning work of its kind†by Alfred Einstein, the Sonata is laden with examples of Mozart’s mercurial originality. Here we have a perfect synthesis of concertante brilliance, operatic intensity and intimate dialogue.The work opens in unison with a probing, minor-tinged Adagio, whose question comes to a pause on the dominant, before being answered with jaunty certainty by the opening theme of the Allegro di molto—an F-major tune as sunny and confident as an aria from Figaro itself. This movement’s declamatory “opera chorus†persistently intones its rhythmic motto over a swirling scale figure. The amorous second theme (initially presented in the first viola) also seems to be plucked from Figaro.The Andante opens with a heavenly melody, which takes as its springboard the Romanza theme from the Horn Concerto in E≤ Major, K. 495, written only five weeks before. The “love duet†between flute and first viola seems to anticipate the impassioned “duetting†between violin and viola in the Andante of the String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, written about nine months later. The ingenious stretto canon of the Andante’s middle section requires the precision of a Swiss clock (which its chiming thirds recall). Affecting bucolic codettas close each of the main sections of the movement.In the final Allegro, a rondo in 6/8 time, the puckish, yet aristocratic character of the opening theme contrasts with the bumptious, popular tune used for the second theme (heard first in the violin and then the flute, over pizzicato cello). Lilting hymn-like episodes in three, four- and finally five-part counterpoint are repeatedly interrupted by startling scale figures that rise up in furioso episodes throughout the movement. As in the “Swiss clock†section of the Andante, Mozart uses a stretto imitation treatment with this tempest theme, thereby heightening both intensity and sense of instability.I am most grateful to the adventuresome Martinů Quartet for their warm support and collaboration over the years with several of my arrangements, and to my friend Edwin Swanborn for the original typesetting of this score. Gratitude is also due Weekend Edition, Performance Today and innumerable classical stations across the United States for their enthusiastic and repeated airings of my “new†Mozart Quintet endeavors—and most of all, to violist Katherine Murdock for that dare in 1990.—Compiled from the writings of Robert Stallmanby Hannah Woods Stallman,February 2, 2020.
SKU: CF.AS144
ISBN 9781491160602. UPC: 680160919192.
Often referred to as the Dean of African American Composers, William Grant Still's illustrious career contained many ground-breaking achievements. Following the massive success of his critically acclaimed Symphony No. 1, the Afro-American Symphony (1930), Still's Symphony No. 2 was premiered in 1937 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Leopold Stokowski. The work, subtitled Song of a New Race, infuses elements of blues and jazz into the classical form, creating a uniquely blended sound to reflect Still's vision of an increasingly diverse American culture. Slow, dreamy themes are expressed through lush harmonies utilizing thick textures along with solo and divisi playing. The tension between traditional and jazz idioms is felt in the push and pull of shifting tempo and tonality. Originally composed for Full Orchestra, this slightly abridged version for String Orchestra includes the original harp part, honoring the legacy of one of America's greatest composers.Often referred to as the Dean of African American Composers, William Grant Still's illustrious career contained many ground-breaking achievements. Following the massive success of his critically acclaimed Symphony No. 1, the Afro-American Symphony (1930), Still's Symphony No. 2 was premiered in 1937 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Leopold Stokowski. The work, subtitled Song of a New Race, infuses elements of blues and jazz into the classical form, creating a uniquely blended sound to reflect Still's vision of an increasingly diverse American culture. Slow, dreamy themes are expressed through lush harmonies utilizing thick textures along with solo and divisi playing. The tension between traditional and jazz idioms is felt in the push and pull of shifting tempo and tonality. Originally composed for Full Orchestra, this slightly abridged version for String Orchestra includes the original harp part, honoring the legacy of one of America's greatest composers.Often referred to as the Dean of African American Composers, William Grant Still's illustrious career contained many ground-breaking achievements. Following the massive success of his critically acclaimed Symphony No. 1, the Afro-American Symphony (1930), Still's Symphony No. 2 was premiered in 1937 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Leopold Stokowski. The work, subtitled Song of a New Race, infuses elements of blues and jazz into the classical form, creating a uniquely blended sound to reflect Still's vision of an increasingly diverse American culture. Slow, dreamy themes are expressed through lush harmonies utilizing thick textures along with solo and divisi playing. The tension between traditional and jazz idioms is felt in the push and pull of shifting tempo and tonality. Originally composed for full orchestra, this slightly abridged version for string orchestra includes the original harp part, honoring the legacy of one of America's greatest composers.Often referred to as the “Dean of African American Composersâ€, William Grant Still’s illustrious career contained many ground-breaking achievements. Following the massive success of his critically acclaimedSymphony No. 1, the Afro-American Symphony (1930), Still’s Symphony No. 2 was premiered in 1937 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Leopold Stokowski. The work, subtitled “Song of a New Raceâ€, infuses elements of blues and jazz into the classical form, creating a uniquely blended sound to reflect Still’s vision of an increasingly diverse American culture. Slow, dreamy themes are expressed through lush harmonies utilizing thick textures along with solo and divisi playing. The tension between traditional and jazz idioms is felt in the push and pull of shifting tempo and tonality. Originally composed for full orchestra, this slightly abridged version for string orchestra includes the original harppart, honoring the legacy of one of America’s greatest composers.
SKU: CF.CPS242F
ISBN 9781491157947. UPC: 680160916542. 9 x 12 inches.
All of us have experienced unique moments in our lives that create unforgettable mental snapshots. These images can often provide comfort, a moment of humor, or can be a source of inspiration. Years ago while traveling with (who are now) old friends, I witnessed a New Mexico night sky for the very first time. We were so taken with the view that we pulled our rental car to the side of the highway just to stand and stare skyward. The clarity and size of the stars redefined my understanding of our place in this vast universe. To my eye, I was staring at hundreds of little moons. In writing this piece, I wanted to capture a sense of beauty, wonder and humility. The euphonium solo presents the theme as a wistful offering to things beyond our understanding. Throughout the selection this theme is passed throughout the ensemble, and thicker textures evolve. The mallet percussion plays a vital role in providing harmonic stability early in the selection. Non-pitched percussion is essential in building tension and generating effective impacts at louder dynamic levels. Ideally, the two triangles found in the Percussion 2 part should be mounted and of two distinctly different pitches. Both should be played with light beaters if possible. I sincerely hope Many Moons provides years of inspiration for you and your ensemble just as that southwestern sky did for me amany moonsa ago.All of us have experienced unique moments in our lives that create unforgettable mental snapshots. These images can often provide comfort, a moment of humor, or can be a source of inspiration. Years ago while traveling with (who are now) old friends, I witnessed a New Mexico night sky for the very first time. We were so taken with the view that we pulled our rental car to the side of the highway just to stand and stare skyward. The clarity and size of the stars redefined my understanding of our place in this vast universe. To my eye, I was staring at hundreds of little moons. In writing this piece, I wanted to capture a sense of beauty, wonder and humility. The euphonium solo presents the theme as a wistful offering to things beyond our understanding. Throughout the selection this theme is passed throughout the ensemble, and thicker textures evolve. The mallet percussion plays a vital role in providing harmonic stability early in the selection. Non-pitched percussion is essential in building tension and generating effective impacts at louder dynamic levels. Ideally, the two triangles found in the Percussion 2 part should be mounted and of two distinctly different pitches. Both should be played with light beaters if possible. I sincerely hope Many Moons provides years of inspiration for you and your ensemble just as that southwestern sky did for me many moons ago.All of us have experienced unique moments in our lives that create unforgettable mental snapshots. These images can often provide comfort, a moment of humor, or can be a source of inspiration. Years ago while traveling with (who are now) old friends, I witnessed a New Mexico night sky for the very first time. We were so taken with the view that we pulled our rental car to the side of the highway just to stand and stare skyward. The clarity and size of the stars redefined my understanding of our place in this vast universe. To my eye, I was staring at hundreds of little moons. In writing this piece, I wanted to capture a sense of beauty, wonder and humility.The euphonium solo presents the theme as a wistful offering to things beyond our understanding. Throughout the selection this theme is passed throughout the ensemble, and thicker textures evolve. The mallet percussion plays a vital role in providing harmonic stability early in the selection. Non-pitched percussion is essential in building tension and generating effective impacts at louder dynamic levels. Ideally, the two triangles found in the Percussion 2 part should be mounted and of two distinctly different pitches. Both should be played with light beaters if possible.I sincerely hope Many Moons provides years of inspiration for you and your ensemble just as that southwestern sky did for me “many moons†ago.
SKU: CF.CPS242
ISBN 9781491157930. UPC: 680160916535. 9 x 12 inches.
SKU: CF.BPS134F
ISBN 9781491158272. UPC: 680160916870. 9 x 12 inches.
QuA(c) verdes son is the Spanish-language version of O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree). Although the Christmas carol is sung in many languages, the translated lyrics are rarely a close copy of the original German text. Instead, each version finds unique ways to explore the beauty and meaning of one of the holidayas most beloved symbols: the Christmas tree. In QuA(c) verdes son, the beautiful lights, fresh aroma, and especially the lovely color of the tree are celebrated. This arrangement of QuA(c) verdes son begins with simmering Latin percussion playing a groove based on a 3-2 son clave. Subdividing this in groups of eighth notes (123-123-1234-12-12-12) will help lock in the time. In the gA 1/4 iro part, the quarter notes should be scraped and the eighth notes tapped. The main melody begins at m. 5. Rather than needing to be overly loud, much of the energy comes from the silences between notes and from the contrast between accents and staccatos. The woodwind countermelody at m. 9 and m. 17 should be smooth and sweet, a further contrast to the punchy rhythms beneath it. The percussion section is featured at m. 26, with a gradual buildup of textures and rhythmic energy. At m. 38 the whole band is back in, driving toward the fun cha-cha-cha ending.Que verdes son is the Spanish-language version of O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree). Although the Christmas carol is sung in many languages, the translated lyrics are rarely a close copy of the original German text. Instead, each version finds unique ways to explore the beauty and meaning of one of the holiday's most beloved symbols: the Christmas tree. In Que verdes son, the beautiful lights, fresh aroma, and especially the lovely color of the tree are celebrated. This arrangement of Que verdes son begins with simmering Latin percussion playing a groove based on a 3-2 son clave. Subdividing this in groups of eighth notes (123-123-1234-12-12-12) will help lock in the time. In the guiro part, the quarter notes should be scraped and the eighth notes tapped. The main melody begins at m. 5. Rather than needing to be overly loud, much of the energy comes from the silences between notes and from the contrast between accents and staccatos. The woodwind countermelody at m. 9 and m. 17 should be smooth and sweet, a further contrast to the punchy rhythms beneath it. The percussion section is featured at m. 26, with a gradual buildup of textures and rhythmic energy. At m. 38 the whole band is back in, driving toward the fun cha-cha-cha ending.Qué verdes son is the Spanish-language version of O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree). Although the Christmas carol is sung in many languages, the translated lyrics are rarely a close copy of the original German text. Instead, each version finds unique ways to explore the beauty and meaning of one of the holiday’s most beloved symbols: the Christmas tree. In Qué verdes son, the beautiful lights, fresh aroma, and especially the lovely color of the tree are celebrated.This arrangement of Qué verdes son begins with simmering Latin percussion playing a groove based on a 3-2 son clave. Subdividing this in groups of eighth notes (123-123-1234-12-12-12) will help lock in the time. In the güiro part, the quarter notes should be scraped and the eighth notes tapped.The main melody begins at m. 5. Rather than needing to be overly loud, much of the energy comes from the silences between notes and from the contrast between accents and staccatos. The woodwind countermelody at m. 9 and m. 17 should be smooth and sweet, a further contrast to the punchy rhythms beneath it.The percussion section is featured at m. 26, with a gradual buildup of textures and rhythmic energy. At m. 38 the whole band is back in, driving toward the fun cha-cha-cha ending.
SKU: CF.C1233
ISBN 9781491162316. UPC: 680160921065.
First written for string orchestra and later arranged for concert band, Water Reflections by Yukikko Nishimura has now been beautifully scored for full orchestra. In this setting, the gorgeous melodies are expanded with new harmonic depth and rich textures. Lush interplay between winds and strings is enhanced with stately percussion, timpani, and optional harp. The gentle opening melody leads to a faster, joyful middle section that eventually returns to the original lyrical theme.First written for string orchestra and later arranged for concert band, Water Reflections by Yukiko Nishimura has now been beautifully scored for full orchestra. In this setting, the gorgeous melodies are expanded with new harmonic depth and rich textures. Lush interplay between winds and strings is enhanced with stately percussion, timpani, and optional harp. The gentle opening melody leads to a faster, joyful middle section that eventually returns to the original lyrical theme.First written for string orchestra, Water Reflections by Yukiko Nishimura has now been beautifully scored for full orchestra. In this setting, the gorgeous melodies are expanded with new harmonic depth and rich textures. Lush interplay between winds and strings is enhanced with stately percussion, timpani, and optional harp. The gentle opening melody leads to a faster, joyful middle section that eventually returns to the original lyrical theme.
SKU: CF.BPS134
ISBN 9781491158265. UPC: 680160916863. 9 x 12 inches.
SKU: HL.14001122
ISBN 9788759855669. Danish.
ACTIONS, INTERPOLATIONS AND ANALYSES, symphonies for bass-clarinet and large ensemble (1987-90), is what is commonly termed a work in progress. So far Schaathun has completed three of five parts. The is the composer's first large-scale attempt to investigate possible connections between ostensibly unrelated material. Explained in simple terms, it involves taking two of Schaathun's own type of texture (composed by means of different techniques) and letting them rotate around a familiar musical object (in this case a short excerpt from Stravinskij's Symphonies of Wind instruments in which he employs the famous frozen chords). In the course of the piece the elements takes over various characteristics from one another and the form progresses from fairly clear-cut textures to a situation where the various textures are superimposed, creating a dramatic flow. On a more advanced level, the piece is about trying to mediate between different musical textures as metaphors for the different levels of the sound itself. One of the main questions in this context is; What is size in music? Is it possible to take a small chord(i.e. narrow register, few instruments, simple tone colours) and then blow it up (wide register, many instruments, advanced mixtures) in such a way that the listener still perceives it as the same chord? You have simply moved closer to the sound. At any rate, when Schaathun composed the piece, he himself travellig into the sound, as if were viewing a texture from a distance. He then recomposed the same situation and drew closer, and then recompose it a third time and simply get close enough to discover the world of sounds that thus emerged. A world of sounds capable of travelling at a tremendous speed... However, like all concertos, the piece is of course about the individual and his relationship to his surroundings (society). Schaathun has often pondered on the reason for this preoccupation wih solo concertos. The answer derives from his firm conviction that nothing would ever happen if it weren't for the initiative, the Action, of the individual.
SKU: CF.CPS250
ISBN 9781491159576. UPC: 680160918164.
Kaleidoscope Sky is inspired by the breathtaking pastime of hot-air ballooning and the glorious festivals around the world that honor the practice. A sky full of colorful spheres elegantly floating at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Mondial Air Ballons and more draw thousands of people to witness awe-inspiring scenes full of passionate balloonists. Traditional hot-air balloons mix with creatively designed balloons to thrill the tens of thousands of spectators below. While I personally am not a person who dreams of taking my own flight--heights are not my thing--I have to marvel at how gently and easily these vessels float among the clouds. It truly is an image of exquisite freedom. This piece reflects the view and experience of the onlooker taking in an elegantly shifting scene reminiscent of kaleidoscope patterns. Spectators like me can appreciate the beauty and vibrancy associated with a horizon full of adventurous balloonists and their wondrous aircrafts. Kaleidoscope Sky starts in a triumphant and celebratory fashion and continues to conjure images reminiscent of the wide variety of soaring colors on display at a hot-air balloon event. Ultimately, the piece appropriately concludes with a suspenseful, yet graceful, run to the finish line. Melodic lines should soar with attention being paid to phrase markings and assigned articulations. Encourage musicians to allow room for the melodic material to be heard in thicker textures where supporting harmonies are often rhythmic in nature. These harmonies should support, and not cloud the melodies. The meter changes should sound effortless, and the continuous figures in the percussion will help to achieve this effect. The snare drum, in particular, should bring accented notes to the foreground while maintaining a steady textural effect with non-accented notes as a rhythmic background. This will go a long way in finding a cohesive subdivision and ensemble pulse.Kaleidoscope Sky is inspired by the breathtaking pastime of hot-air ballooning and the glorious festivals around the world that honor the practice. A sky full of colorful spheres elegantly floating at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Mondial Air Ballons and more draw thousands of people to witness awe-inspiring scenes full of passionate balloonists. Traditional hot-air balloons mix with creatively designed balloons to thrill the tens of thousands of spectators below. While I personally am not a person who dreams of taking my own flight—heights are not my thing—I have to marvel at how gently and easily these vessels float among the clouds. It truly is an image of exquisite freedom. This piece reflects the view and experience of the onlooker taking in an elegantly shifting scene reminiscent of kaleidoscope patterns. Spectators like me can appreciate the beauty and vibrancy associated with a horizon full of adventurous balloonists and their wondrous aircrafts. Kaleidoscope Sky starts in a triumphant and celebratory fashion and continues to conjure images reminiscent of the wide variety of soaring colors on display at a hot-air balloon event. Ultimately, the piece appropriately concludes with a suspenseful, yet graceful, run to the finish line.Melodic lines should “soar†with attention being paid to phrase markings and assigned articulations. Encourage musicians to allow room for the melodic material to be heard in thicker textures where supporting harmonies are often rhythmic in nature. These harmonies should support, and not “cloud†the melodies. The meter changes should sound effortless, and the continuous figures in the percussion will help to achieve this effect. The snare drum, in particular, should bring accented notes to the foreground while maintaining a steady textural effect with non-accented notes as a rhythmic background. This will go a long way in finding a cohesive subdivision and ensemble pulse.
SKU: CF.CPS250F
ISBN 9781491159583. UPC: 680160918171.
SKU: PR.114417130
ISBN 9781491110409. UPC: 680160626687. 9x12 inches.
A recipient of the New Music USA 2013 Live Music For Dance Award commissioning grant, Not Alone is inspired by the ancient Chinese poet Li Bai's poem Drinking Alone under the Moon with the Shadow. The premiere was given on April 26, 2014 by the PRISM Quartet with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, which commissioned the work to celebrate its 25th Anniversary NYC Season. From the Program Note by Matthew Levy (The PRISM Quartet), Not Alone (2014) is an interdisciplinary work...but it stands alone in a chamber music setting. The work spans a stunning range of textures, from introspective solos for each of the four saxophones to majestic hyper-active gestures. The PRISM Quartet recorded Not Alone for a 2017 release on XAS Records titled Paradigm Lost. But we're excited for a wider community of saxophonists to embrace the work, and share it with their own audiences. Not Alone is published together with Happy Birthday to PRISM, a brief miniature that Chen Yi wrote for the quartet's 20th anniversary celebration in 2004. For advanced performers._________________________Text from the scanned back cover:NOT ALONE for Saxophone QuartetHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PRISM for Saxophone QuartetNot Alone is a 14-minute saxophone quartet and dance score inspired by the ancient Chinese poet Li Bai’s “Drinking Alone under the Moon with the Shadow.†The expansively-textured sax quartet matches the exploratory and dramatic movements and gestures in the dance. NOT ALONE was commissioned by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company which premiered the work in collaboration with the PRISM Quartet. Also included in this publication is Chen Yi’s fascinating take on “Happy Birthday to You,†composed in celebration of Prism’s 25th anniversary season.A recipient of the New Music USA 2013 Live Music For Dance Award commissioning grant, Not Alone is inspiredby the ancient Chinese poet Li Bai’s poem “Drinking Alone under the Moon with the Shadow.†The premierewas given on April 26, 2014 by the PRISM Quartet with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, which commissioned thework to celebrate its 25th Anniversary NYC Season. Program Note by composer Chen YiThe original inspiration for this work for both the choreographer and the composer came from the Tang Dynasty poem - Alone Under the Moon by Li Bai. The poem describes the poet being alone in a garden. The moon and his shadow became his companions that night. The choreographer brings this idea to modern life in an urban setting. She created a series of “mindscapes†which are the result of the exploration of the different mental and physical states of being alone.Through self-examination, the choreographer raises the question: are we ever really alone? Our physical being may be standing by itself, but what about our introspective self? When we are still, we let our thoughts pass by like flowing water. If we could engage with our shadows, what would it be like?Program Note by Matthew Levy, The PRISM QuartetThe PRISM Quartet has commissioned a great many composers since our founding days in 1984. Chen Yi is among ahandful of our very favorites, and one to whom we’ve returned time and time again. Her music is powerful, expansive,intimate, and draws connections between Eastern and Western, ancient and modern traditions in a voice all her own.Chen Yi has written or adapted four works for the PRISM Quartet. She penned a wonderful miniature called HappyBirth day to PRISM to celebrate the ensemble’s 20th anniversary back in 2004 (Dedication, Innova Recordings).We subsequently commissioned her to compose Septet (2008) for Erhu, Pipa, Percussion, and Saxophone Quartet(2008), premiered and recorded with the New York ensemble Music From China (Antiphony, Innova Recordings 2010).In 2015, the PRISM Quartet performed and recorded (XAS Records) a new version of her saxophone quartet concerto,BA YIN, with the University of Missouri-Kansas City Wind Ensemble under the baton of Steven Davis (originally writtenfor the Rascher Quartet and scored for saxophones and string orchestra.).Finally, Not Alone (2014) is an interdisciplinary work written for the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company with the PRISMQuartet, but it stands alone in a chamber music setting. The work spans a stunning range of textures, from introspectivesolos for each of the four saxophones to majestic hyper-active gestures. The PRISM Quartet recorded Not Alonefor a 2017 release on XAS Records titled Paradigm Lost. But we’re excited for a wider community of saxophonists toembrace the work, and share it with their own audiences.In his liner notes for the recording, WNYC’s John Schaefer writes: “As with much of her music, Chen employs percussiveeffects and glissandi; in Chinese music these are not considered “extended techniques†or special effects, but animportant part of the performer’s arsenal. Here, they help create the twilit mood of the opening moments. The piecesoon becomes more dramatic, suggesting the arrival of the drinker’s companions (real or imagined) and his or herincreasingly garrulous outbursts. Passages of consonance and discord can easily be heard as companionable singingand bouts of drunken argument. The piece bustles along on a kind of restless energy, until, finally, that restlessnesssubsides, giving way to a gently humorous ending where a short falling phrase signals the drinker falling asleep.â€.
SKU: BR.DLV-5633
ISBN 9790004802151. 9 x 12 inches. Swedish / German.
Six single editions:DLV 5631 - 1. Der NordenDLV 5632 - 2. Hennes Budskap - Ihre BotschaftDLV 5632 - 3. Morgonen - Der MorgenDLV 5634 - 4. Fagelfangaren - Der VogelstellerDLV 5635 - 5. Sommernatten - Die SommernachtDLV 5636 - 6. Vem Styrde hit din vag - Wer hat dich hergefuhrt Fast alle Orchesterbearbeitungen sind Jahre nach den Originalkompositionen fur Singstimme und Klavier entstanden.Trotz der Tatsache dass sie rasch hingeworfen sind zeigt sich in allen Liedern Sibelius' Meisterschaft als Orchesterliederkomponist. Manchmal vermag er eine dustere dramatische Atmosphare (in ,,Pa verandan vid havet) zu erzeugen manchmal gelingen ihm leuchtend farbige Impressionen (in ,,Soluppgang) oder zart transparente Gewebe (in ,,Varen flyktar hastigt) - immer jedoch sind die Lieder ganz aus deren poetischer Idee heraus gestaltet und differenziert nachgezeichnet. In den meisten Fallen beschrankte sich Sibelius auf ein relativ kleines Orchester. In ,,Varen flyktar hastigt sind neben den Streichern nur zwei Floten und vier Horner besetzt. Nearly all of the orchestral arrangements were made years after the original compositions for voice and piano.Yet even though the arrangements were made in a very short period of time Sibelius handled the combination of solo voice and orchestra in all songs with equal mastery sometimes creating dark and dramatic atmospheres (in Pa verandan vid havet) sometimes radiant colorful impressions (in Soluppgang) or light-colored transparent textures (in Varen flyktar hastigt) and always basing his ideas on the poetic idea of the song while discovering refined ways of supporting it. Fast alle Orchesterbearbeitungen sind Jahre nach den Originalkompositionen fur Singstimme und Klavier entstanden.Trotz der Tatsache dass sie rasch hingeworfen sind zeigt sich in allen Liedern Sibelius' Meisterschaft als Orchesterliederkomponist. manchmal vermag er eine dustere dramatische Atmosphare (in ,,Pa verandan vid havet) zu erzeugen manchmal gelingen ihm leuchtend farbige Impressionen (in ,,Soluppgang) oder zart transparente Gewebe (in ,,Varen flyktar hastigt) - immer jedoch sind die Lieder ganz aus deren poetischer Idee heraus gestaltet und differenziert nachgezeichnet. In den meisten Fallen beschrankte sich Sibelius auf ein relativ kleines Orchester. In ,,Varen flyktar hastigt sind neben den Streichern nur zwei Floten und vier Horner besetzt. Nearly all of the orchestral arrangements were made years after the original compositions for voice and piano.Yet even though the arrangements were made in a very short period of time Sibelius handled the combination of solo voice and orchestra in all songs with equal mastery sometimes creating dark and dramatic atmospheres (in Pa verandan vid havet) sometimes radiant colorful impressions (in Soluppgang) or light-colored transparent textures (in Varen flyktar hastigt) and always basing his ideas on the poetic idea of the song while discovering refined ways of supporting it.
SKU: PR.11641737S
ISBN 9781491136133. UPC: 680160688432.
Son et lumière (“sound and light,†a kind of show staged for tourists at historic sites or famous buildings) is an orchestral entertainment whose subject is the play of colors, bright surfaces, and shimmery textures. I have tried in this music to recapture the élan and immediacy that regular meters and repetitive rhythms make possible—something forbidden during the modernist regime but recently restored in the post-modern work of composers like John Adams, Steve Reich, and others. Throughout its brief nine-minute span, then, the piece is built almost exclusively of short, busy ostinato figures—my attempt, I suppose, to achieve the rhythmic vitality of minimalism, but without giving in to the over-simple harmonic language that usually comes with it.Surprisingly, the musical materials seemed determined to shape themselves into an approximation of nineteenth-century sonata form. We hear an introduction, a first theme (based on triadic broken chords), a second theme (beginning with the flute solo), and a closing theme (led by two piccolos). In a sort of development section, these materials are recombined in new ways; in a recapitulation, both the first and second themes are recalled more or less intact (part of the second is actually repeated quite literally).Then, in the coda, a second surprise: as if another, different music has been lurking all the while behind the shiny surface, the strings now unexpectedly split off from the rest of the orchestra to assert a new, more passionate, more “serious†voice, transcending the external show of sound and light.Son et lumière, commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was composed between June and December 1988 in Ithaca (N.Y.), in Los Angeles, and at the artists’ colony Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs (N.Y.). David Zinman conducted the first performance in Baltimore on 18 May 1989; André Previn gave the West Coast premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on 18 January, 1990.Son et lumière (“sound and light,†a kind of show staged for tourists at historic sites or famous buildings) is an orchestral entertainment whose subject is the play of colors, bright surfaces, and shimmery textures. I have tried in this music to recapture the élan and immediacy that regular meters and repetitive rhythms make possible—something forbidden during the modernist regime but recently restored in the post-modern work of composers like John Adams, Steve Reich, and others. Throughout its brief nine-minute span, then, the piece is built almost exclusively of short, busy ostinato figures—my attempt, I suppose, to achieve the rhythmic vitality of minimalism, but without giving in to the over-simple harmonic language that usually comes with it.Surprisingly, the musical materials seemed determined to shape themselves into an approximation of nineteenth-century sonata form. We hear an introduction, a first theme (based on triadic broken chords), a second theme (beginning with the flute solo), and a closing theme (led by two piccolos). In a sort of development section, these materials are recombined in new ways; in a recapitulation, both the first and second themes are recalled more or less intact (part of the second is actually repeated quite literally).Then, in the coda, a second surprise: as if another, different music has been lurking all the while behind the shiny surface, the strings now unexpectedly split off from the rest of the orchestra to assert a new, more passionate, more “serious†voice, transcending the external show of sound and light.Son et lumière, commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was composed between June and December 1988 in Ithaca (N.Y.), in Los Angeles, and at the artists’ colony Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs (N.Y.). David Zinman conducted the first performance in Baltimore on 18 May 1989; André Previn gave the West Coast premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on 18 January, 1990.
SKU: CF.CPS234
ISBN 9781491156346. UPC: 680160914883. 9 x 12 inches.
Mercury - the Roman god of financial gain, commerce, travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, merchants, and thieves. A popular deity in Roman culture, he was instantly recognized by his unique winged shoes (talaria) and hat (petasos). With its close proximity to the sun and faster orbit than all other planets, the Romans named this small celestial body after the swift-winged messenger of their culture. It is not surprising that in Holst's major orchestral suite The Planets that Mercury utilizes such light and swift themes. There is some duality to the title of the work. Part of it involves my impression of what a playful chase of the winged messenger sounds like. The other part is the opening motif chasing two themes of Holst around the rest of the work. It was only after developing the first few ideas that I recognized some of the commonalities with some of those same themes from Holst's orchestral work. There are several quotations from that famous piece by Holst (notably as both are stated successively at mm. 13-20). The idea of someone having to chase the Winged Messenger struck me as a unique title around which to craft a work. One of my core beliefs about music is that it can be imbued with meaning by a composer, and as the sonic story unfolds an ensemble, director, and audience members can draw out their own meaning from the experience. Who exactly is chasing Mercury? I leave that up to the wonderfully creative minds of the young ladies and gentlemen who have the opportunity to bring this work to life. The opportunity to compose music and allow student musicians to give this piece new life and draw out different meanings is a humbling experience. Rehearsal Notes and Suggestions As stated earlier, the opening motif (a range of a seventh) comes back frequently in the work in a variety of settings and textures. Throughout the work, it is important for students to recognize the two themes from Holst when they are present in the sound canvas. If the solos (clarinet and alto saxophone) are utilized, the supporting parts around and underneath those lines must be sensitive and play in such a way to properly balance those parts. There are number of muted sections for the trumpet section, and I would advocate for all trumpets acquiring the same mute to contribute to unity in timbre. The bold fanfare sections (the first occurs at m. 37) must be presented with a unified articulation style. As the texture intensifies prior to m. 169, it is crucial for the ensemble to play within themselves and exercise musical courtesy to allow all voices to be heard as they arrive at m. 181. My thanks in advance for your support of this music, and I wish you well as you and your ensemble begin Chasing Mercury!.Mercury – the Roman god of financial gain, commerce, travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, merchants, and thieves. A popular deity in Roman culture, he was instantly recognized by his unique winged shoes (talaria) and hat (petasos). With its close proximity to the sun and faster orbit than all other planets, the Romans named this small celestial body after the swift-winged messenger of their culture. It is not surprising that in Holst’s major orchestral suite The Planets that Mercury utilizes such light and swift themes.There is some duality to the title of the work. Part of it involves my impression of what a playful chase of the winged messenger sounds like. The other part is the opening motif chasing two themes of Holst around the rest of the work. It was only after developing the first few ideas that I recognized some of the commonalities with some of those same themes from Holst’s orchestral work. There are several quotations from that famous piece by Holst (notably as both are stated successively at mm. 13–20). The idea of someone having to chase the Winged Messenger struck me as a unique title around which to craft a work.One of my core beliefs about music is that it can be imbued with meaning by a composer, and as the sonic story unfolds an ensemble, director, and audience members can draw out their own meaning from the experience. Who exactly is chasing Mercury? I leave that up to the wonderfully creative minds of the young ladies and gentlemen who have the opportunity to bring this work to life. The opportunity to compose music and allow student musicians to give this piece new life and draw out different meanings is a humbling experience.Rehearsal Notes and SuggestionsAs stated earlier, the opening motif (a range of a seventh) comes back frequently in the work in a variety of settings and textures. Throughout the work, it is important for students to recognize the two themes from Holst when they are present in the sound canvas. If the solos (clarinet and alto saxophone) are utilized, the supporting parts around and underneath those lines must be sensitive and play in such a way to properly balance those parts. There are number of muted sections for the trumpet section, and I would advocate for all trumpets acquiring the same mute to contribute to unity in timbre. The bold fanfare sections (the first occurs at m. 37) must be presented with a unified articulation style. As the texture intensifies prior to m. 169, it is crucial for the ensemble to play within themselves and exercise musical courtesy to allow all voices to be heard as they arrive at m. 181. My thanks in advance for your support of this music, and I wish you well as you and your ensemble begin Chasing Mercury!