Format : Octavo
SKU: PR.111402650
UPC: 680160643516. Text: Lorna Goodison. Lorna Goodison.
Angel of Dreamers is a song cycle for bass-baritone (or mezzo-soprano) singer, trombone, and either string orchestra, string quintet, or piano. It is based on the extraordinary poetry of the Jamaican-American poet, Lorna Goodison, whom I have had the great pleasure of getting to know in the course of writing this piece. The work was commissioned by a friend from my undergraduate college years at The Eastman School of Music, Maury Okun, trombonist and director of the Detroit Chamber Winds And Strings. The work was premiered in 2011 by bass-baritone Daniel Washington, trombonist and U. of Michigan faculty member David Jackson, and the string section of the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Daniel and David gave the second performance of the work with Lorna Goodison and Maury Okun in attendance at The Juilliard School the following year. I was approached by Maury Okun and David Jackson to write this piece as a tribute to Maury's father who had recently passed away. They also introduced me to their colleague and friend Lorna Goodison, suggesting her poetry. Reading several volumes of her work, I was absolutely captivated by the vivid imagery and beautiful messages of her words. I chose five of the poems, forming a cycle about life and death and home and parents. Lorna is originally from Jamaica, and the rich, vivid imagery, language and story lines of her poems beautifully reflect her roots. The work, in the tradition of Brahms' songs for voice, viola, and piano, features a singer with an obligato lyric instrumental line, which, in my piece, is the trombone, an instrument that blends so beautifully with the sound of a bass singer. The first song, O Love You So Fear the Dark is hopeful and uplifting, describing enduring love throughout the twists and turns of our lives. The music is strong and declamatory, but also tender. The second song, God A Me actually portrays a fish in Jamaica which is almost amphibious, flying up out of the water onto the land, and somehow, magically, returning to the water! For me this poem depicts the enjoyment of seeing parts of life that are fun and enjoyable and almost magical! The third song, All Souls Day depicts a holiday, somewhat magical, but also full of life and energy. The final two songs are a tribute to our parents -- My Mother's Sea Chanty, recalling a dream of seeing one's mother, with lyrics of tender love and remembrance, and finally, This is my Father's Country which is a tribute to the life of a loving father, recalling his spirit, his love of the music Harry Belafonte, and his enduring spirit. Angel of Dreamers was a special piece for me to write: for and with friends, old and new, collaborating with a poet whose beautiful, meaningful, and touching words were so inspiring, performed by fantastic musicians who poured themselves into the music, and commissioned by a dear friend from years gone by. THIS is why we write and perform music!.
SKU: PR.114418410
ISBN 9781491133644. UPC: 680160641932. 9 x 12 inches.
Stormy, Husky, Brawling takes its name from the 4th line of the poem Chicago, written by Carl Sandburg in 1916 when Chicago was the heart of the meatpacking and railroad industries. When bass trombonist Sun He commissioned Garrop, he mentioned a deep love for Chicago, adding, “I remember the first time I walked on the street in Chicago, by the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt, and how I felt the energy of this city almost brought my blood to a boil...†Those images inspired Garrop to write a piece that conveys the beating pulse of the city, as well as its grandeur.Stormy, Husky, Brawling takes its name from the 4th line of the poem Chicago, written by the American poet Carl Sandburg. Dating from 1916, the city of Chicago at that time served as the heart of the meatpacking and railroad industries. The poem’s lines mingle the dark underbelly of the city:And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women           and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.with immense pride felt by its inhabitants:    Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive     and course and strong and cunning.As a Chicagoan myself, I find much of Sandburg’s unabashed view of the city very appealing and still relevant over a hundred years later.When bass trombonist Sun He commissioned me for a solo trombone piece, he mentioned his deep love for Chicago. He wrote to me in an email:“I remember the first time I walked on the street in Chicago, by the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt, and how I felt the energy of this city almost brought my blood to a boil...â€His words inspired me to write a piece that conveys the beating pulse of the city, as well as its grandeur. Carl Sandburg’s poem became the perfect inspiration to tell the story of the pride Sun He and I have for Chicago.Sun He has dedicated Stormy, Husky, Brawling to Jane Addams and the Hull House of Chicago. Ms. Addams (1860-1935) was a distinguished sociologist, social worker, philosopher, and author, who opened the Hull House in 1889. She provided many services to immigrant families at the Hull House, including kindergarten, day care, an employment bureau, and classes in English, citizenship, music, theater, and the arts.
SKU: PR.466411770
UPC: 680160640850. 9 x 12 inches.
Mississippi I. Father of Waters: born of the Highlands and the Lakes; the Glaciers, the Mountains, and the Prairies. The picture of your birth is clounded in the ice and mists of ancient ages but your spirit remains our life stream. II. The Red Man knew your bountiful gifts and gave thanks to the Great Spirit on your banks. -- The Spanish and French Fathers brought the glory of Christianity to America on Mississippi. But all men, white and dark; -- Indian, Spaniard, and Negro; Bourbon and Yankee, combined to make Mississippi the heart of America. Saga of the Mississippi Harl McDonald Born near Boulder, Colorado, July 27, 1899 Now living in Philadelphia The original suggestion for a symphonic work on the subject of the Mississippi came indirectly from the late Booth Tarkington who saw in it color and movement and atmosphere translatable into the terms of music. In the course of time, by the mysterious processes of composers' chemistry, it took shape as a tone-poem of two sections, one representing the rise of the great stream from its primeval geologic sources, the other the human history of the river. Mr. McDonald devised the following verbal outline of the general scheme of his diptych: I. Father of Waters: born of the Highlands and the Lakes; the Glaciers, the Mountains, and the Prairies. The picture of your birth is clounded in the ice and mists of ancient ages but your spirit remains our life stream. II. The Red Man knew your bountiful gifts and gave thanks to the Great Spirit on your banks. -- The Spanish and French Fathers brought the glory of Christianity to America on Mississippi. But all men, white and dark; -- Indian, Spaniard, and Negro; Bourbon and Yankee, combined to make Mississippi the heart of America. The first of the two movements, beginning molto andante, is vaguel modal to hint at antiquity. It is built upon the conventional two themes, with an episode, poco piu mosso, misterioso, for prehistoric murk and muck. There are various changes of pace and mood. The second, Allegro ma vigorosamente, prefigures an Indian ceremony. A theme presented by flute, clarinet and bassoon is a Canadian Indian fishing call collected by the late J.B. Beck. A later passage of quasi-Gregorian chant identifies the French and Spanish priests who made the great river their highway. The fishing-call is altered in rhythm and harmony to represent Negro field hands and roustabous. A turbulent close brings all these elemts together in the muddy swirling currents of the Mississippi. The work was begun in the summer of 1945, and was revised and completed in the summer of 1947. Harl McDonald, who is the manager of The Philadelphia Orchestra, has concerned himself with music as an art, as a science and as a business in course of his career. He was born on a cattle ranch in the Rockies, but since his was a musical family, his up-bringing combined piano lessons with ranch life. Years of study and professional experience followed in Los Angeles and in Germany. In 1927 he was appointed lecuter in composition at the University of Pennsylvania and he has since then made is home in Philadelphia. In 1933 under a grant of the Rockefeller FOundation he collaborated with physicists in research dealing with the measurement of instrumental and vocal tone, new scale divisions and the resultant harmonies. In that same year he was named head of the University's music faculty and conductor of its choral organizations. In 1939, having been a member of the Board of Directors for five years, he was appointed manager of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He continus to write, but otherwise his entire attention is now devoted to managerial duties. Chief items in the catalogue of his compositions are four symphonies, three orchestra suites, a half-dozen tone-poems, three concertos and considerable quantity of choral music.
SKU: CF.SPS71
ISBN 9781491143544. UPC: 680160901043. Key: G minor.
Nordanvind is a tour de force symphonic rhapsody that is built on three Scandinavian folk songs. Composer Carl Strommen has composed these Viking-influenced melodies into a concert setting that brings out all of the history of the Scandinavian people. The piece is at times bold and aggressive, at other times beautiful. Carl employs all of the instrumental colors of the concert band to create a new work for more advanced ensembles.Modern Scandinavians are descendants of the Vikings, an adventuresome people who were known for their love of the sea, their naval prowess, and as fierce fighters . The Scandinavian Vikings were warriors from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden who traded, raided and settled in various parts of Europe, Russia, the North Atlantic islands, and the northeastern coast of North America .Starting around 1850, over one million Swedes left their homeland for the United States in search of religious freedom and open farm land . Augustana College was founded in 1860 by graduates of Swedish universities and is located on the Mississippi River in Rock Island, Illinois . Home of the “Vikings,†Augustana College is the oldest Swedish- American institution of higher learning in the United States . This powerful and lively piece takes inspiration from Swedish history and from Swedish folk songs and hymns .Havsdrake (Dragon of the Sea)The Nordanvind or “North Wind†blows a cold wind during a journey of a group of courageous Viking rowers . The “Dragon-ship†or long ships designed for raiding and war was a sophisticated, fast ship able to navigate in very shallow water . To musically portray these magnificent seafaring vessels, the director is encouraged to use an Ocean Drum (or a rain stick) during the introduction . Wind players may consider blowing air through their instruments to suggest the North wind . Adding men’s voices to accompany the haunting low brass and percussive “rower†sounds can be helpful in creating the dark and ominous portrayal of Viking adventurers .Slangpolska efter Byss - KalleIn Sweden, a “polska†is a partner dance where the dancers spin each other (släng in Swedish “to sling or tossâ€) . Slangpolska efter Byss - Kalle is attributed to Byss-Kalle, who was a notable Swedish folk musician, specifically a nyckelharpa player . Slangpolska efter Byss - Kalle is a traditional “polska†dance song most often played on the Nyckelharpa or keyed fiddle and is commonly heard in pubs and at festive events throughout Sweden . Approximately 10,000 nyckelharpa players live in Sweden today, and the Swedish and the American Nyckelharpa Associations are dedicated to this Swedish National instrument . The director is encouraged to share video and audio examples of the nyckelharpa playing the original Slangpolska efter Byss - Kalle .Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara (Children of the Heavenly Father)Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara Is a traditional Swedish melody, possibly of German roots, and was believed to be arranged as a hymn by the Swedish hymn writer, Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg (1832–1903) . As a daughter of a Swedish Lutheran minister, she began writing poems as a teenager and is said to have written over 1,700 different texts . There are two different accounts as to the inspiration for this hymn . The first story is that Lina (as she was called) wrote the hymn to honor her father and to say thank you to him for raising her and protecting her . A second belief is of her witnessing the tragic death of her father . She and her father were on a boat, when a wave threw her father overboard . It was said that the profound effect of watching her father drown is what caused Lina to write the text to this hymn . Although this is a treasured song to people of Swedish descent everywhere, it speaks to all people about a father tending and nourishing his children, and protecting them from evil .SPS71FThe Augustana College Concert BandFounded in 1874, the Augustana Band program is one of the oldest continuously active collegiate band programs in the country . The Concert Band is one of two bands on campus and was formed more than thirty years ago . The Concert Band attracts students of every skill level and from a wide variety of majors . Students in the ensemble play a large part in choosing their music for performance, which include works from the standard repertoire, orchestral transcriptions, and the latest compositions from leading composers .Rick Jaeschke began his musical career as a clarinet player in the 1st US Army Band . He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Susquehanna University, a Masters of Music from James Madison University, and a doctorate from Columbia University in New York . He was also fortunate to study conducting with Donald Hunsburger and with Frederick Fennell .Dr . Jaeschke taught band and choir at Great Mills High School in Southern Maryland, and for fifteen years, he was the district Music Supervisor in Armonk, New York, where he taught high school concert and jazz bands, beginning band, and music technology . During that time, the music program flourished, and the high school band consistently received Gold Medals in the New York State Festivals, as well as in national, and international festivals . As a clarinet and saxophone player, Dr . Jaeschke performed in the New York metropolitan area with the Rockland Symphony Orchestra, the Putnam Symphony Orchestra, Fine Arts Symphony Orchestra, and served as the concert master for the Hudson Valley Wind Symphony .For several years, Dr . Jaeschke served as the Fine Arts Coordinator for the District 204 schools in Naperville, IL, a district selected as One of the Best 100 Schools in America for Music . Currently, Dr . Jaeschke is an Associate Professor at Augustana College where he teaches music and music education courses, and directs the Concert Band . He has served on various educational boards, is a National edTPA scorer, and has presented at state, national and international music conferences . He lives with his family in Bettendorf Iowa, and enjoys any opportunity to explore the open water in his sea kayak .
SKU: PR.312418590
UPC: 680160595785. 8.5 x 11 inches. Text by Chen Yi.
Often called the Ellis Island of the West, Angel Island in San Francisco was used as an immigration station in the first half of the 20th century, processing some one million Asian immigrants. Because of U.S. policy of the time, many spent years on Angel Island awaiting entry. Recently named a National Historical Landmark, Angel Island and its history is the inspiration behind Chen Yi's Angel Island Passages, commissioned by the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Chen explores the experiences of the immigrants, even using poems carved in the walls, to express the mood, the patient yearning, and the ultimate release and embrace of a new country. Angel Island Passages was premiered June 4-5, 2010 by the SFGC and the Cypress String Quartet at the San Francisco Conservatory. For advanced performers. Duration: 15'.Commissioned by San Francisco Girls Chorus (Executive Director Melanie Smith), and premiered by the SFGC and Cypress String Quartet on June 4, 2010, conducted by SFGC’s Artistic Director Susan McMane, at San Francisco Conservatory, CA, the 3-movement song cycle Angel Island Passages is written for children’s chorus and string quartet, with multimedia projection on the walls of the concert hall, produced by visual artist Felicia Lowe. The creative idea of this work was initiated by Dr. McMane, who invited me to write the music, and sent me the book “Island, poetry and history of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940â€, by Him Mark Lai, Genny Lim, and Judy Yung for reference in 2009; also inspired by the Angel Island stories, and through cooperation with Felicia, who shared with me her film “Carved in Silence†and video productions “Chinatown†and “Road to Restorationâ€.I named the first movement of my work as “1882â€, which reflected the dark mood under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The collective poems carved on the wooden walls in Angel Island expressed deep emotion in sorrow and anxiety. The music in the second movement “Longing†is sad and sentimental. The third movement is called “We Are Americaâ€, which is ever-moving, energetic and optimistic. The text sung in the beginning in Chinese means “I am an Americanâ€. It’s sung in Cantonese dialect, then in Mandarin. As the music develops, from homophonic to polyphonic with increasing layers, the climax is reached when the text is turned to English “We Are Americaâ€, which symbolizes the flourishing society with the great contribution from thousands of immigrants during the years. The music fades out towards the ending of the work, which pushes the scene to a remote picture, to look forward to the future peace of the world.I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with such inspiring creative artists in this project, and hope the work is meaningful to our new society after the premiere performance.—Chen Yi.
SKU: PR.14140089S
UPC: 680160625437. 9 x 12 inches. Text: Czeslaw Milosz. Text by Czeslaw Milosz.
When commissioned by UC Berkeley to compose a major work, Steven Stucky turned to the poetry of Lithuanian-Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz. One of Stucky's favorite writers, Milosz fled to the US in 1960, and joined the Berkeley faculty in 1961. He was still at Berkeley, his poems still banned back home in Poland, when he won the Nobel Prize in 1980. Many of his poems are dark, and some deal with the Holocaust. The Stars and the Roses sets three lighter, more lyrical poems for tenor and orchestra: Happiness, The Sun, and The Bird Kingdom, texts positively aglow with joy and tenderness. Comissioned by Berkeley Symphony, Joana Carneiro, Music Director, with funding from Music Alive, a national residency program of the League of American Orchestras and Meet the Composer.
