Three LatinElegies to Lesbiais a setting of three poems written by the ancient Roman poet, Gaius ValeriusCatullus (84-54 B.C.E.). His muse in these poems is understood to beLesbia, the name believed to have been given by Catullus to his mistress.Lesbia was really Clodia, the sexually promiscuous wife of proconsul QuintusCaecilius Metellus Celer. Clodia was said to have many lovers, and Catullus?torment and obsession for her is well documented in 13 of his poems where thename, Lesbia, is used. His first poem addressed to Lesbia (Catullus 51) is a freetranslation of a poem by the ancient Greek poet, Sappho. Scholars havesuggested that Catullus chose the name, Lesbia, because of his affinity forSappho, who it is believed was a lesbian.

Odie et Amo (Catullus 85), one of the mostcelebrated elegiac couplets composed by Catullus, has inspired many composers withits duality of emotions. The most well-known setting is from Carl Orff?s Catulli Carmina, part of Trionfi, themusical triptych that also includes the Carmina Burana andTrionfo di Afrodite. Unlike Orff?s driving rhythms of outwardlyexpressive anguish, my setting is a more introspective interpretation. It is asif the music is surrendering to the mercurial personalities that Catullus andall humans possess, the tortured ability to hate and love at the same time.

Lesbia mi dicit semper male (Catullus 92) consists of two elegiaccouplets. Catullus? earlier poem, 83,brings some context to 92. In thefirst part of 83, Catullus says:

Lesbia keeps insulting me in front of her husband:

thisfills the fatuous idiot with delight.

Mule, doyou perceive nothing? If she shut up and ignored me

that?dshow healthy indifference;?

In 92, Catullus expounds on the idea of whyLesbia insults him in front of her husband. Catullus reckons that he is alwayscursing her, and he loves her. She always curses him, so she must love him aswell. In his desperation, Catullus uses his wit and humor to reason that hisobsessive love for Lesbia is reciprocated. This setting of 92 uses incessant driving rhythms in the women?s voices to paint thewords, ?Lesbia mi dicit semper male nec tacetumquam de me? (Lesbia always speaks ill of me, never shuts up about me). The repeating rhythmsreturn in the men?s voices when Catullus says he does the same, ?quia sunt totidem mea: deprecor illamassidue? (?it?s the same with me: I?m continually complaining.) The piececomes to a final rest after Catullus realizes the he will always be cursed tolove her.

Mea Lesbia (Catullus 87) also consists of twoelegiac couplets. Catullus was only one of Lesbia?s many lovers, and he oftenwrote of his jealousy and disdain for her unfaithful actions. This elegy waswritten at a time when Lesbia had been particularly cruel toward Catullus.Despite being broken hearted, his obsession with her never waned. In hisdespair and desperation, he basically says, ?My love for you is so great thatno other woman could possibly even know what love is.? This setting of 87 returns to a more introspectivenature where Catullus surrenders his love forever to Lesbia.

The Water Is Wide (O Waly Waly)
Duration: 5:24
Score: 10 pg. 121 ms., MM quarter = 94, final verse MM quarter = 80, common time
Solo part: 3 pg.
Piano part: 4 pg.

A thought-provoking arrangement of a Traditional Scottish Folksong. Probably most widely known as "The Water Is Wide,"
it is also well known by it's more ancient title: "O Waly Waly." The tune is also known as " When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," and "The Gift of Love."
This is an original arrangement from the ground up.

Programming:
If you are looking for something with new contrapuntal and harmonic adventures for a Lenten prelude or a meditation during Holy Week, this will fit the bill.
It could also work well in a recital setting because it fits well on the instrument, and provides a chance to show off long, sensitive musical phrases.
Some of the figures in the descant verse are a wee-bit more advanced so, this is for intermediate players rather than beginners.

Keep in mind these performance ideas:
1. It's a simple tune that needs to unfold in the due course of time, so don't rush it. A slight ritardando at the end of each verse may help if you want to further delineate the verses.
2. There is a lot of interesting counterpoint here, so be prepared to give-and-take on the dynamics more than what I have indicated.
3. The final verse is much slower and more mysterious, and the dynamics are crucial - the quieter the better. Piano - the last chord: take your time on the roll, make it nice and slow.

Synopsis of the arrangement:
verse 1: Simple quiet duet with the melody in the solo instrument.
verse 2: Melody in the solo instrument accompanied by a 2-part canon in the piano.
verse 3: Melody in the piano in 4-part harmony.
verse 4: 3-part canon on the melody (with a free accompaniment voice).
verse 5: 2-part canon with a free accompaniment in the solo part
verse 6: Melody in octaves with free bass in octaves; descant in the solo part - loudest verse.
verse 7: Very quiet ending verse - Modulates down a fourth, melody in the solo part accompanied by simple quartal/quintal
piano clusters over bass chords that suggest submerged church bells.

For better insight into the performance of this music: express the emotion indicated by the lyrics:

The Water Is Wide:
The water is wide, I cannot get over
Neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
A ship there is and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep as deep can be
But not so deep as the love I'm in
I know not if I sink or swim
I leaned my back against an oak
Thinking it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke
So did my love prove false to me
I reached my finger into some soft bush
Thinking the fairest flower to find
I pricked my finger to the bone
And left the fairest flower behind
Oh love be handsome and love be kind
Gay as a jewel when first it is new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away like the morning dew
Must I go bound while you go free
Must I love a man who doesn't love me
Must I be born with so little art
As to love a man who'll break my heart
When cockle shells turn silver bells
Then will my love come back to me
When roses bloom in winter's gloom
Then will my love return to me

The lyrics for "Waly, Waly, Gin Love Be Bonny" from Ramsay's Tea Table Miscellany (1724).

O Waly, waly (a lament ? "woe is me") up the bank,
And waly, waly doun the brae (hill),
And waly, waly, yon burn-side (riverside),
Where I and my love wont to gae.
I lean'd my back into an aik (oak),
I thocht it was a trusty tree;
But first it bow'd, and syne (soon) it brak (broke),
Sae my true love did lightly me.

O waly, waly, but love be bonnie (beautiful),
A little time while it is new,
But when 'tis auld (old), it waxeth cauld (cold),
And fades away like the morning dew.
O wherefore should I busk my heid (adorn my head)?
Or wherefore should I kame (comb) my hair?
For my true love has me forsook,
And says he'll never love me mair (more).

Now Arthur Seat shall be my bed,
The sheets shall ne'er be fyl'd by me,
Saint Anton's well shall be my drink,
Since my true love has forsaken me.
Martinmas wind, when wilt thou blaw (blow),
And shake the green leaves off the tree?
O gentle death, when wilt thou come?
For of my life I am weary.

'Tis not the frost, that freezes fell,
Nor blawing snaws (snow) inclemency,
'Tis not sic cauld (such cold) that makes me cry,
But my love's heart grown cauld to me.
When we cam in by Glasgow town,
We were a comely sight to see;
My love was clad in the black velvet,
And I my sell in cramasie (crimson).

But had I wist (known), before I kiss'd,
That love had been sae ill to win,
I'd lock my heart in a case of gold,
And pin'd it with a silver pin.
Oh, oh! if my young babe were born,
And set upon the nurse's knee,
And I my sell were dead and gane,
For a maid again I'll never be.[4]
(Lyrics courtesy of Wikipedia)


For more information, please feel free to contact me at: jmsgu3 "at" gmail.com
James M. Guthrie, ASCAP
jmsgu3 publications

Contains:
"Throwing The Dice"
- taken from the Isadar solo piano collections, "Active Imagination / Reconstructed" (also available on SMP)

Sounds like: Liz Story's ("Things With Wings"), Philip Aaberg, George Winston, early Windham Hill solo piano artists

Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Note: A slightly different version of this composition is also heard on the Isadar album, "Reconstructed" (Produced by Will Ackerman)

Album & Songbook Review by: Kathy Parsons

I love this CD! It constantly amazes me how many outstanding composer/pianists there are out there - especially in relation to the few who are highly (commercially) successful within this broad genre. I would say that Active Imagination definitely belongs near the top of the heap. Isadar?s style is original, and his pianism is excellent. He lists his inspirations as Liz Story, Keith Jarrett, and Bill Evans, and I can hear traces of all three in his playing, but find his composing and playing styles to be uniquely his own.

The first three tracks are lively and upbeat (?Active Imagination?, ?Throwing the Dice?, and ?Where the Wild Things Are?) with an easy, jazzy, improvised feel. The meter changes are fascinating, and the bluesy beat on ?Wild Things? is infectious.

From there, the mood seems to gradually darken and become more introspective. ?Waiting? is a beautiful, flowing mood piece full of questions and a lovely melody line. Isadar?s cover of Liz Story?s ?Wedding Rain? is wonderful - this is a piece I often work on with my advanced students, and everything about Isadar?s interpretation of the piece seems right without being a carbon-copy of Liz?s recording.

?Feu Follet (the ?spook? light?)? has a nice, easy flow with a strong sense of mystery; it also has an unusual rhythm that lightens the mood and adds a bounce. ?Uncertainty? is cooler and more aloof, but gorgeous in its flowing introspection - that it ends with a major chord, feels like the soul-searching has had positive results. ?Love Chaconne? is the closing track, and is the longest and most abstract piece on the CD. The left hand plays a repeated pattern while the right hand goes off in several different directions (one of the primary characteristics of a ?chaconne?). Beautiful in its simplicity, this is the only track that seems to contain an element of pain and sorrow, but never dissolves into melodrama.

Active Imagination is excellent from start to finish and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes solo piano with substance and complexity, but is still accessible, melodic, and rhythmic. Bravo amundo!

Active Imagination Sheet Music Collection is the companion songbook to Isadar?s 1999 CD release, Active Imagination. The CD was one of my favorites for the year when I reviewed it for the print version of ?Wind and Wire? magazine, so I was really looking forward to the sheet music! Transcribed note-for-note by David Shenton of ShentonMusic.com (I proofed about half of the book, so I can attest to how accurate it is!), it is up to you to make the music sound as close to the CD as you want or to interpret the music and make your own statements with it.

One thing that really stands out about this collection is how much FUN it is to play. The rhythms are interesting and catchy, and the mood in several of the songs is playful and upbeat. This is especially true with the title song, ?Throwing the Dice,? ?Where the Wild Things Are,? and ?Feu Follet (the ?spook? light).? ?Waiting,? ?Love Chaconne,? and ?Uncertainty? are slower, more introspective, and a bit moody, making this a sheet music collection that contains a variety of moods and styles. The only piece missing from the book is Liz Story?s ?Wedding Rain,? but the sheet music for that song is available in some of Ms. Story?s own collections.

Early-advanced players should have no trouble with this music. The timing on some of the songs is a little bit tricky, but if you count it as you are learning it, it will fall into place.

If you haven?t heard the CD, check it out, too! This book is available here from SMP, isadar.com and amazon.com. Highly recommended!

Isadar is an artist on both Enlightened Piano Radio & Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, the latter featuring some of today's biggest names in solo piano music, including Ludovico Einaudi, David Nevue, Brian Crain, Kevin Kern, Robin Spielberg, Michele McLaughlin, Philip Wesley and over 300 more...

Also available as sheet music in physical songbooks, digital downloads, as well as software for Yamaha Disklavier player-pianos.

For more information, visit his website at: http://www.isadar.com

Contains:
"Waiting"
- taken from the Isadar solo piano collections, "Active Imagination / Reconstructed" (also available on SMP)

Sounds like: Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Liz Story, George Winston, early Windham Hill solo piano artists

Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Note: A slightly different version of this composition is also heard on the Isadar album, "Reconstructed" (Produced by Will Ackerman)

Album & Songbook Review by: Kathy Parsons

I love this CD! It constantly amazes me how many outstanding composer/pianists there are out there - especially in relation to the few who are highly (commercially) successful within this broad genre. I would say that Active Imagination definitely belongs near the top of the heap. Isadar?s style is original, and his pianism is excellent. He lists his inspirations as Liz Story, Keith Jarrett, and Bill Evans, and I can hear traces of all three in his playing, but find his composing and playing styles to be uniquely his own.

The first three tracks are lively and upbeat (?Active Imagination?, ?Throwing the Dice?, and ?Where the Wild Things Are?) with an easy, jazzy, improvised feel. The meter changes are fascinating, and the bluesy beat on ?Wild Things? is infectious.

From there, the mood seems to gradually darken and become more introspective. ?Waiting? is a beautiful, flowing mood piece full of questions and a lovely melody line. Isadar?s cover of Liz Story?s ?Wedding Rain? is wonderful - this is a piece I often work on with my advanced students, and everything about Isadar?s interpretation of the piece seems right without being a carbon-copy of Liz?s recording.

?Feu Follet (the ?spook? light?)? has a nice, easy flow with a strong sense of mystery; it also has an unusual rhythm that lightens the mood and adds a bounce. ?Uncertainty? is cooler and more aloof, but gorgeous in its flowing introspection - that it ends with a major chord, feels like the soul-searching has had positive results. ?Love Chaconne? is the closing track, and is the longest and most abstract piece on the CD. The left hand plays a repeated pattern while the right hand goes off in several different directions (one of the primary characteristics of a ?chaconne?). Beautiful in its simplicity, this is the only track that seems to contain an element of pain and sorrow, but never dissolves into melodrama.

Active Imagination is excellent from start to finish and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes solo piano with substance and complexity, but is still accessible, melodic, and rhythmic. Bravo amundo!

Active Imagination Sheet Music Collection is the companion songbook to Isadar?s 1999 CD release, Active Imagination. The CD was one of my favorites for the year when I reviewed it for the print version of ?Wind and Wire? magazine, so I was really looking forward to the sheet music! Transcribed note-for-note by David Shenton of ShentonMusic.com (I proofed about half of the book, so I can attest to how accurate it is!), it is up to you to make the music sound as close to the CD as you want or to interpret the music and make your own statements with it.

One thing that really stands out about this collection is how much FUN it is to play. The rhythms are interesting and catchy, and the mood in several of the songs is playful and upbeat. This is especially true with the title song, ?Throwing the Dice,? ?Where the Wild Things Are,? and ?Feu Follet (the ?spook? light).? ?Waiting,? ?Love Chaconne,? and ?Uncertainty? are slower, more introspective, and a bit moody, making this a sheet music collection that contains a variety of moods and styles. The only piece missing from the book is Liz Story?s ?Wedding Rain,? but the sheet music for that song is available in some of Ms. Story?s own collections.

Early-advanced players should have no trouble with this music. The timing on some of the songs is a little bit tricky, but if you count it as you are learning it, it will fall into place.

If you haven?t heard the CD, check it out, too! This book is available here from SMP, isadar.com and amazon.com. Highly recommended!

Isadar is an artist on both Enlightened Piano Radio & Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, the latter featuring some of today's biggest names in solo piano music, including Ludovico Einaudi, David Nevue, Brian Crain, Kevin Kern, Robin Spielberg, Michele McLaughlin, Philip Wesley and over 300 more...

Also available as sheet music in physical songbooks, digital downloads, as well as software for Yamaha Disklavier player-pianos.

For more information, visit his website at: http://www.isadar.com

The Best Hymns of All Time
Arranged for Strings by Colin Kirkpatrick

Book 1

We?re really excited to present our collection of sixty of the best-loved hymns ever composed. The hymns are scored in four parts but could be used with virtually any combination of stringed instruments from string quartet upwards. Book 1 includes full four-part instrumental scores plus parts for 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola and cello/double bass reading from the same part. There?s also an optional but useful simplified keyboard part intended for less experienced keyboard players. The left hand plays only the bass part most of the time, with the right hand part as simple as possible. It could be used as the basis of an accompaniment and means that you can use the arrangements as solos, duets or trios. To make the music accessible to less experienced string players, the range of the notes has been kept fairly low so that many of the arrangements can be played in first position. However, to produce a brighter and richer sound, a few of the more experienced violinists could play an octave higher. You can hear this effect in the audio sample.

These arrangements are intended either as stand-alone pieces that could be used as interludes in a service, or they could be used to accompany solo, choral or congregational singing. This is essential music for schools and many churches and contains probably all the hymns you?ll ever need. The score and all the parts are contained in a single 60-page PDF file.

Book 1 contains the following twenty popular hymns: Abide with Me (Eventide); All Glory, Laud and Honor (St. Theodulph); All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (Coronation); All Through the Night (Ar Hyd y Nos); City of God, How Broad and Far (Richmond - Haweis); Fairest Lord Jesus (Crusader?s Hymn); Fight the Good Fight (Duke Street); Forth in Thy Name (Angel's Song, Song 34); Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (Cwm Rhondda); He who Would Valiant Be (Monk?s Gate); Holy, Holy, Holy! (Nicea); I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Kingsfold); Jesu, Lover of my Soul (Aberystwyth); Nearer my God to Thee (Bethany); Now Thank We All Our God (Nun Danket); O Worship the King (Hanover); Rejoice, the Lord is King (Darwall?s 148th); Soldiers of Christ, Arise (Diademata); The Lord?s my Shepherd (Crimmond); What a Friend we Have in Jesus (Converse).

The audio samples include Abide with me (Eventide); All Through the Night (Ar Hyd y Nos); Nearer my God to Thee (Bethany), Soldiers of Christ, Arise (Diademata) and What a Friend we Have in Jesus (Converse). The music has been set in string-friendly keys so they are not compatible with the brass or wind publications of the same name.

With this sheet music, you can play the famous jazz / pop standard "For Once in My Life" on piano!

It's a playable, beautiful piano arrangement which contains the full melody, so it makes for a perfect instrumental (piano solo) cover.

Of course, you can also use this piano arrangement to accompany a singer, or sing along yourself - this sheet music includes a system for the singer, as well as the song's full lyrics!

Written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records, it was first recorded in the mid-60s by Connie Haines and Jean DuShon.

Stevie Wonder recorded it as the title track for hit 1967 album, and it became a huge hit!

Other famous versions were recorded by Frank Sinatra, The Temptations, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, and Michael Bubl�.

Today, "For Once in My Life" is a popular jazz standard / pop standard, and it's a fantastic song to play on the piano!

Here are the song's famous lyrics:

For once in my life
I have someone who needs me
Someone I have needed so long
For once unafraid
I can go where life leads me
And somehow I know I'll be strong

For once I can touch
What my heart used to dream of
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Would make my dreams come true

For once in my life
I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it's hurt me before
For once I have something
I know won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore

For once I can say
"This is mine, you can't take it"
Long as I know I have love
I can make it
For once in my life
I have someone who needs me