SKU: PR.16400222S

UPC: 680160037841.

This work follows my Quartet No. 1 by five years. In terms of style and aesthetic aim, however, it seems light years away. Where the first work, a 28-minute, four-movement piece, took aim at cosmic conflicts and heroic resolutions, the present work is intended as a kind of divertissment. Harbor Music lasts a mere eleven minutes, is cast in a single movement with six sections, and should leave both performers and listeners with a feeling of good humor and affection.   The title comes from my experience as a guest in the magnificent city of Sydney, Australia. One of its most attractive features is its unique system of ferry boats: the city is laid out around a large, multi-channeled harbor, with destinations more easily approached by water than by land. Consequently, inhabitants of Sydney get around on small, people-friendly boats that come and go from the central docks at Circular Quay. During a week's visit in 1991, I must have boarded these boats at least a dozen times, always bound for a new location - the resort town of Manley, or the Zoo at Taronga Park, or the shopping district at Darling Harbour.   In casting about for a form for my second string quartet, a kind of loose rondo came to mind. Each new destination would be approached from the same starting-out point (although there are subtle variations in the repeating theme; it's always in a new key, and the texture is never the same). The result, I hope, is a sense of constant new information presented with introductory frames of a more familiar nature.   The embarkation theme, which begins the piece, is a sort of bi-tonal fanfare in which the violins are in G major and the viola and cello are in B-flat major. It is bold, eager, and forward-looking. The first voyage maintains this bi-tonality, beginning as a 9/8 due for second violin and viola in a kind of rocking motion -much as a boat produces when reaching the deeper water in the harbor. A sweet, nostalgic theme emerges over this rocking accompaniment. This music is developed somewhat, then transforms quickly into a much faster and lighter episode, filled with rising and falling scales (again, in differing keys). A scherzando interlude in short notes and changing meters provides contrast, and the episode ends with a reprise of the scales.   The second embarkation follows, this time in A major/C major. It leads quickly into a very warm and slow theme, in wide-leaping intervals for the viola. This section is interrupted twice by solo cadenzas for the cello, suggesting distant boat-horns in major thirds. The end of the episode becomes a transition, with boat-horns leading into the final appearance of the embarkation music, this time in trills and tremolos instead of sharply accented chords. The nostalgic theme of the first episode makes a final appearance, serving now as a coda. The rocking motion continues, in a lullaby fashion, leaving us drowsy and satisfied on our homeward journey.   Harbor Music was written for the Cavani Quartet, and is dedicated to Richard J. Bogomolny. Commissioned by his employees at First National Supermarkets as a gift, it represents a thank you from many of the people (including this composer) who have benefitted from his vision and generosity. An ardent advocate of chamber music (and a cellist himself), Mr. Bogomolny has for many years been Chairman of the Board of Chamber Music America. -- Dan Welcher.

SKU: HL.50606818

ISBN 9798350114324. UPC: 196288188186.

Mikrokosmos is perhaps the 20th century's most influential set of piano pieces and one of the milestones in pedagogical piano repertoire. These 153 piano pieces, organized in ascending order of difficulty, engage not only with technical aspects of piano playing but also with the fundamentals of composition. In addition, they include character pieces and even pieces with programmatic ideas. The Microcosm of String Ensemble Music provides 148 transcriptions from this series for making music for various string ensembles and graded in four volumes according to level of difficulty. Volumes 1 to 3 also include one copy of each part in additionto the full score. For performances with orchestra, further printed parts can be ordered individually. The parts are also available. 1. Elementary (first position): for three violins and cello or children's string orchestra (50605347) 1. Intermediate: for three violins and cello or string quartet or junior string orchestra (50605348) 3. Advanced: for string quartet and quintet or string orchestra (50605349) 4. Advanced: for string orchestra (50605350) Following Bartók's example, Volume 1 includes preparatory exercises, designed for practicing the more challenging technical and musical tasks, in the appendix. At the end of the volume, there are also notes on some of the pieces. This publication is printed on high-quality, age-resistant paper that is produced in an environmentally-friendly, climate-neutral manner using renewable raw materials.

SKU: HL.14002815

English.

Baby Jesus was written as a follow-up to Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. The songs are simple yet colourful and the piano part has been kept easy enough for most school pianists to cope with. Percussion parts will add interest to the music and give a great sense of achievement to the players. The lyrics are uncluttered and are hence manageable for very young children and those with learning difficulties. Baby Jesus provides a versatile work into which teachers can input their own ideas. Duration: 25 mins. If you need to license a school/youth theatre performance of this product, please use the online application form.

SKU: DH.DP200218-SET

A revolutionary innovation courtesy of The Ohio State University. A great new band work composed by Professor Russel Mikkelson and his graduate conducting students. A whopping medley of famous American folk songs: The Boatman's Dance, Dixie, and Old Dan Tucker. There's lots to like about this new important work.

SKU: CA.3105055

ISBN 9790007132262. Key: D major. Language: German/English.

Composed in the late period, around 1740 A lively discussion about the choral movement Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft has been carried on, in which not only all previous assumptions have been called into question-including Bach's authorship-but also show how little we know about the history of this magnificent movement. Even though there is little to refute the 1982 presumption that the work was handed down in the form of an arrangement, the question remains open concerning the identity of the arranger, as well as the alleged form of the original design. Therefore it seemed appropriate to forego any attempts at reconstruction. Rather, for the present new edition the music has been critically examined and commented upon based on the surviving copy from Bach's circle.

Score available separately - see item CA.3105050.