The Pyramids

SKU: IG.PMS111

9 x 12 in inches.

For Solo Piano. By Laura Collier. Pyramids is a fast exiting piece with an oriental feel.

SKU: PR.114419980

UPC: 680160681723. 9 x 12 inches.

The ancient Egyptian empire began around 3100 B.C. and continued for over 3000 years until Alexander the Great conquered the country in 332 B.C. Over the centuries, the Egyptian empire grew and flourished into a highly developed society. They invented hieroglyphics, built towering pyramids (including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World), and the created many household items we still use today, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, eyeliner, black ink, and the forerunner of modern-day paper. Included among their achievements were a series of highly developed funerary practices and beliefs in the Afterlife. As the average lifespan of an Egyptian hovered around 30 years, living past the death of oneAs physical body was a legitimate concern. Egyptians believed that upon death, their souls would undertake a harrowing journey through the Netherworld. If they survived the horrific creatures and arduous trials that awaited them, then their souls would be reunified with their bodies (hence the need to preserve the body through mummification) and live forever in a perfect version of the life they had lived in Egypt. To achieve this, Egyptians devised around 200 magical spells and incantations to aid souls on the path to the Afterlife. These spells are collectively called The Book of the Dead. Particular spells would be chosen by the family of the deceased and inscribed on the tombAs walls and scrolls of papyrus, as well as on a stone scarab placed over the deceasedAs heart. Subsequent collections of spells and mortuary texts, such as The Book of Gates, assisted a soul in navigating the twelve stages of the Netherworld. Not only did these spells protect and guide the soul on this dangerous path, but they also served as a safeguard against any unbecoming behavior an Egyptian did while alive. For instance, if a person had robbed another while alive, there was a spell that would prevent the soulAs heart from revealing the truth when in the Hall of Judgment. Rites for the Afterlife follows the path of a soul to the Afterlife. In Inscriptions from the Book of the Dead (movement 1), the soul leaves the body and begins the journey, protected by spells and incantations written on the tombAs walls. In Passage though the Netherworld (movement 2), the soul is now on a funerary barque, being towed through the Netherworld by four of the regionAs inhabitants. We hear the soul slowly chanting incantations as the barque encounters demons, serpents, crocodiles, lakes of fire, and other terrors. The soul arrives at The Hall of Judgment in movement 3. Standing before forty-two divine judges, the soul addresses each by name and gives a A!negative confessionA(r) connected to each judge (i.e. A!I did not rob,A(r) A!I did not do violence,A(r) and so on). Afterwards, the soulAs heart is put on a scale to be weighed against a feather of MaAat, the goddess of truth. If the heart weighs more than the feather, it will be eaten by Ammut, a hideous creature that lies in wait below the scale, and the soul will die a second and permanent death (this was the worst fear of the Egyptians). But if the heart is in balance with the feather, the soul proceeds onward. The final stage of the journey is the arrival at The Field of Reeds (movement 4), which is a perfect mirror image of the soulAs life in ancient Egypt. The soul reunites with deceased family members, makes sacrifices to the Egyptian gods and goddess, harvests crops from plentiful fields of wheat under a brilliant blue sky, and lives forever next to the abundant and nourishing waters of the Nile. Rites for the Afterlife was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment on behalf of the Akropolis Reed Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Brigham Young University Reed Quintet. -S.G.

SKU: BR.EB-9468

ISBN 9790004189481. 9 x 12 inches.

His triptych for guitar quartet takes as inspiration the trilogy of gods of Memphis in ancient Egypt. The work is a poetic journey through the mythological landscapes of their world around 3000 BC. Sakkara is a plateau south of Cairo, where an ideal space for a culture of the afterlife developed, through tombs and the construction of the first pyramids. To this contributed the fundamental role of Imhotep, the great architect in the III Dynasty from the Sakkara area, who was almost a god in his time and most likely responsible for the stepped pyramid of Djoser. The trilogy is formed by the couple Ptah and Sekhmet, and Nefertem, their son. Ptah is the patron of artists, and at the same time the god for measuring time. Sekhmet was the wife and sister of Ptah, goddess of war -- related to the Sun god and associated with the color red. Nefertem, son of both, was the god of fragrance, of perfume and linked to the lotus flower, the symbol of rebirth. The three movements of this composition are musical spaces created on poetic associations around this mythical world and in an area that has always fascinated me: Sakkara. The work is commissioned by the Aleph-Gitarrenquartett, which is also its dedicatee. (Jose M. Sanchez-Verdu, 2022)

World premiere: Karlsruhe, ZKM, January 14, 2023 Commissioned by the Aleph-Gitarrenquartett.

SKU: CF.BPS103F

ISBN 9781491147825. UPC: 680160905324. 9 x 12 inches.

The mystery and romance surrounding Egypt's Nile river, expansive deserts, mighty pyramids, Valley of the Kings, and legacy of art and culture has inspired generations of men and women around the globe. In ancient Egypt, the word Pharaoh meant Great House, referring first to the royal palace itself and later to the ruler in power as an official title of leadership. Land of the Pharaohs is a short, musical depiction of the power that the ancient Pharaohs once held and the drama that has captivated mankind since the end of their long reign.

SKU: AP.48131

UPC: 038081554457. English.

A fast-paced opening builds momentum leading to a bright and tuneful main theme. A lyrical contrasting section follows featuring a warmth of colors enhanced by vibraphone and gracefully cascading arpeggiated pyramids. A brief transition leads to a return of the main theme including a key change, bringing the piece to a driving conclusion. (4:20) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

SKU: HL.14041336

ISBN 9781849384698. UPC: 884088550158. 9.0x12.0x0.181 inches.

This best-selling Piano course teaches you to play using well-known pop and classical material, including songs by The Beatles and Abba, and music from composers such as Beethoven and Mozart.

Step by easy step, this provencourse lays a solid musical foundation. You acquire sound technique and learn to play in any style with confidence. By the end of the course you will have a wonderful gift - the ability to play the kind of music you likebest.

This third book in the series looks at

• Chord pyramids
• Accompaniment patterns
• Phrasing
• More left hand melody playing