Do-It-Yourself Violin

SKU: PR.110406720

UPC: 680160001316.

I have always been fond of writing works for specific people or organizations. It has been my good fortune during most of my creative career to be asked to compose for many extraordinary performers. The Sonata for Harpsichord Solo is such a case in point: it was written in 1982 for Barbara Harbach, a superb performer, close friend, and collaborator on many musical projects. The Sonata was premiered on March 2, 1984, in a recital given by Dr. Harbach at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. During my formative years as a composer, one seldom heard of the harpsichord as a modern instrument, though while I attended undergraduate school at Boston University, some of us banded together to construct a small harpsichord from one of the first do-it-yourself kits which began to appear in the late '40s. It was also during this time that I heard the Sonatina for Violin and Harpsichord by my teacher Walter Piston and consequently specified that the accompanying instrument for my second violin sonata could either be a piano or a harpsichord. It was not until recently, however, that my interest in the harpsichord as a solo instrument for new music was aroused. This was because of the emergence of so many young virtuosi, such as Barbara Harbach, who are interested in the performance of new music besides the great harpsichord music of the Classical, Baroque, and pre-Baroque eras. The keyboard music of Domenico Scarlatti has always intrigued and fascinated me. The brevity, excitement, and clarity of this sparkling music is charming as well as exhilarating. It is this type of Baroque sonata that inspired the conception and form of my harpsichord sonata. The entire work is loosely based on the musical translation of Barabara Harbach's name, especially the conflict of the B (B-flat) and H (B-natural in German notation). This secondo rub or dissonance especially pervades the first movement, which is in a modified sonata form, pitting jagged and tense melodic elements against most lyrical and smooth lines. This second movement is a song-like melody accompanied by rolled chords which may be played on the lute stop of the instrument if this sonata is performed on a two-manual harpsichord. The final movement is an ever-driving joyous toccata which brings the work to an exciting close with a coda made up of accelerating repeated chords. --Samuel Adler.

SKU: AP.1-ADV14708

UPC: 805095147087. English.

With this book/audio set you will learn essential jazz rhythms first-hand from world-class professionals ! Reading Key Jazz Rhythms is a collection of 24 easy to medium level jazz etudes, and 24 simplified guide tone versions of the etudes. They are ideal for learning the basic language of jazz, swing phrasing, and articulation. A perfect tool for preparing for the jazz ensemble or for any other ensemble/orchestra which performs jazz related music (pops orchestras, musical, studio, movie scores, concert and marching bands, etc.). Each etude is based on a specific rhythm or a combination of rhythmic figures. Some etudes sound like very lyrical improvised jazz solos, while others are more like a melody to a standard. On the downloadable audio tracks the soloist demonstrates the 24 melodious etudes together with a professional rhythm section. You can also improvise along with the play-along tracks using the chord symbols. The guide tones are the essential or defining notes for each given chord type. So if improvising is new to you and you find yourself getting lost, you can always return to a guide tone and play rhythmically around it. Any etude and its corresponding simplified guide tone version can be played together as a duet (with or without the audio accompaniment) with your teacher or a friend.