SKU: FA.MFCD017B

8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Contains Le Roi Lear: Prelude,Premiere Fanfare, and La Mort de Cordelia,Toomai des elephants, Rodrigue et Chimene: Prelude a l'acte 1p. Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien: La Passion , and No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence

From Robert Orledge's notes:

My interest in the wonderful music of Claude Debussy began in the 1980s when I researched and published a book with Cambridge University Press entitled Debussy and the Theatre. During the course of my studies in Paris, I was amazed to discover that Debussy planned over 50 theatrical works but only finished two of these entirely by himself (the opera Pelleas et Melisande in 1893-1902 and the ballet Jeux for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1912-13). Of the rest, many were never started musically (like Siddartha and Orphee-roi with the Oriental scholar Victor Segalen, 1907); some had a few tantalising sketches (like the Edgar Allan Poe opera Le Diable dans le beffroi, 1902-03); some were half-finished (like his other Poe opera La Chute de la Maison Usher, 1908-17); while others were musically complete but had their orchestrations completed by other composers (like Khamma, by Charles Koechlin, 1912-13; or Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien and La Boite a joujoux by his 'angel of corrections' ['l'ange des Corrections'] Andre Caplet in 1911 and 1919 respectively).

For it has to be admitted that what some scholars call Debussy's 'compulsive achievement' could equally well be viewed as laziness, especially as far as the minute detail required for calligraphing his orchestral scores was concerned. It was as if creating the music itself was of greater importance than controlling its final sound, even if Debussy was an imaginative orchestrator when he found the time and energy to do it. It also seems true that Debussy also preferred inventing ideas to turning them into complete pieces. However, despite the lack of detail in many of his sketches (missing clefs, key signatures, dynamics, phrasing, etc.) the notes themselves are surprisingly accurate, whether or not they can be compared with a later draft. Thus, a large number of sketches exist for his Chinese ballet No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence and it is not too difficult to see which parts of Georges de Feure's 1913 scenario (see below) inspired which ideas. But Debussy hardly made any attempt to join them together after the first few bars.

It was usually up to his publisher, Jacques Durand, to find solutions when Debussy risked a breach of contract. Debussy was supposed to supervise the orchestrations completed by others, but this supervision was usually very light and restricted to quiet, sensitive moments in which problems were easier to spot. Far from jealously guarding every one of his created notes, as Ravel did, Debussy once even went as far as to ask Koechlin to 'write a ballet for him that he would sign' on 26 March 1914 when he was hard-pressed to fulfil his lucrative contract for No-ja-li with Andre Charlot at the Alhambra Theatre in London. In the end, Debussy (through Durand) sent Charlot the symphonic suite Printemps instead, whose orchestration had been completed by Henri Busser in the Spring of 1912.

So, when I was offered early retirement as Professor of Music at Liverpool University in 2004, I seized the opportunity it would give me to spend time trying to reconstruct some of Debussy's lost potential masterpieces from his existing sketches and drafts--then orchestrating them in Debussy's style when this was appropriate. I had begun this mission in 2001 with the most promising project, the missing parts of Scene 2 of La Chute de la Maison Usher and the sheer joy it gave me at every stage persuaded me to tackle other projects, especially when Debussy experts were unable to identify exactly where I took over from Debussy (and vice versa) in Usher.

SKU: CF.BPS127

ISBN 9781491156209. UPC: 680160914746. 9 x 12 inches.

Program Notes Elephant is, of course, inspired by the incredible mammals of the same name. Their column-like legs, long trunks, and massive presence will never cease to amaze; however, it's their trumpeting that makes them stand out as the instrumentalists of the animal kingdom! In this selection, an elephant's slow gate and general demeanor are represented by a methodical tempo and lumbering texture. Woodwinds will enjoy the opportunity to perform grace notes while Elephant also offers exposure to flams for young percussionists.   At m. 33 the trumpets and horns recreate an elephant call after slipping brown paper bags, or lunch-bag mutes, over their bells (in their bells for horn players). For the trumpet players, the mutes can be enhanced with an additional balled-up piece of paper placed at the bottom of the bag prior to slipping it over the bell. Horns should ball up the bag itself and experiment with placement to create the most realistic tones without stopping the instrument. While specific pitches are noted, making the best elephant sounds should prioritized. Young students always look forward to experimenting with mutes, and this selection offers an inexpensive and creative way to do so at a young age. Note to the Conductor This piece can be used to introduce or reinforce the finer points of staccato playing. While many students know to play these notes short in length, they may need reminding that they should also be played lightly. This also may allow for opportunities in emphasizing contrasting articulation styles that are in this piece. Younger students will likely need a reasonable amount of practice in successfully using the lunch-bag mutes. Allowing additional rehearsal time for this is recommended.
Program Notes Elephant is, of course, inspired by the incredible mammals of the same name. Their column-like legs, long trunks, and massive presence will never cease to amaze; however, it's their trumpeting that makes them stand out as the instrumentalists of the animal kingdom! In this selection, an elephant's slow gait and general demeanor are represented by a methodical tempo and lumbering texture. Woodwinds will enjoy the opportunity to perform grace notes while Elephant also offers exposure to flams for young percussionists.   At m. 33 the trumpets and horns recreate an elephant call after slipping brown paper bags, or lunch-bag mutes, over their bells (in their bells for horn players). For the trumpet players, the mutes can be enhanced with an additional balled-up piece of paper placed at the bottom of the bag prior to slipping it over the bell. Horns should ball up the bag itself and experiment with placement to create the most realistic tones without stopping the instrument. While specific pitches are noted, making the best elephant sounds should prioritized. Young students always look forward to experimenting with mutes, and this selection offers an inexpensive and creative way to do so at a young age. Note to the Conductor This piece can be used to introduce or reinforce the finer points of staccato playing. While many students know to play these notes short in length, they may need reminding that they should also be played lightly. This also may allow for opportunities in emphasizing contrasting articulation styles that are in this piece. Younger students will likely need a reasonable amount of practice in successfully using the lunch-bag mutes. Allowing additional rehearsal time for this is recommended.
Program NotesElephant is, of course, inspired by the incredible mammals of the same name. Their column-like legs, long trunks, and massive presence will never cease to amaze; however, it’s their trumpeting that makes them stand out as the instrumentalists of the animal kingdom! In this selection, an elephant’s slow gait and general demeanor are represented by a methodical tempo and lumbering texture. Woodwinds will enjoy the opportunity to perform grace notes while Elephant also offers exposure to flams for young percussionists. At m. 33 the trumpets and horns recreate an elephant call after slipping brown paper bags, or “lunch-bag mutes,” over their bells (in their bells for horn players). For the trumpet players, the mutes can be enhanced with an additional balled-up piece of paper placed at the bottom of the bag prior to slipping it over the bell. Horns should ball up the bag itself and experiment with placement to create the most realistic tones without stopping the instrument. While specific pitches are noted, making the best elephant sounds should prioritized. Young students always look forward to experimenting with mutes, and this selection offers an inexpensive and creative way to do so at a young age.Note to the ConductorThis piece can be used to introduce or reinforce the finer points of staccato playing. While many students know to play these notes short in length, they may need reminding that they should also be played lightly. This also may allow for opportunities in emphasizing contrasting articulation styles that are in this piece.Younger students will likely need a reasonable amount of practice in successfully using the “lunch-bag mutes.” Allowing additional rehearsal time for this is recommended.

SKU: PR.14140086S

UPC: 680160618392. 9 x 12 inches. Text: Rosemary Thomas. Rosemary Thomas. Text by Rosemary Thomas.

Composed in 2004 for baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, Leisner's A Timeless Procession was premiered in 2011 with Thomas Meglioranza and the ENSO String Quartet at Symphony Space (New York City). Of that premiere, Art Leonard writes, The centerpiece of the program was the world premiere of Mr. Leisner's composition for baritone and string quartet, A Timeless Procession, setting a lengthy narrative poem by Rosemary Thomas about the parade of elephants past Carngie Hall when the circus came to town. This provided a nice balance of drama and humor... Of the music, itself, Leisner says, [Rosemary Thomas'] poem, The Elephants Pass Carnegie Hall, begins with an image, maybe real, maybe surreal, of circus elephants parading by Carnegie Hall, and ends with a sharp, mystical left turn into the prehistoric times of their ancestors. My piece views the poem through the lens of time - beginning with a primordial awakening, progressing into real time (the parade of elephants), and then through slow motion, frozen time, a return to real time (but with a surreal overlay of baritone falsetto), and finally, in the canonic last section, time past. For advanced performers.