SKU: CF.BAS5
ISBN 9780825845086. UPC: 798408045081. 8.5 X 11 inches. Key: D major.
The musical effect of Prarie Lullaby should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close to p as possible. Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are marked pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly to argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score. The divisi notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes. Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead. The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54. Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.The musical effect ofA Prarie LullabyA should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close toA p as possible. Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are markedA pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly toA argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score. TheA divisiA notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes. Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead. The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54. Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.The musical effect ofA Prarie LullabyA should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close toA p as possible. Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are markedA pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly toA argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score. TheA divisiA notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes. Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead. The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54. Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.The musical effect of Prarie Lullaby should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close to p as possible. Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are marked pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly to argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score. The divisi notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes. Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead. The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54. Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.The musical effect of Prarie Lullaby should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close to p as possible. Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are marked pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly to argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score. The divisi notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes. Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead. The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54. Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.The musical effect of Prarie Lullaby should be graceful and serene, evocative of a peaceful night on the open plains. To that end, players will need to strive for an unlabored rhythmic flow, smooth bowing and a clear, steady tone as close to p as possible.Beginning at m.39, the violin and viola parts are marked pizzicato. If young players are unable to return quickly to argo at m.53, they may make the bow preparation easier by taking a full measure rest at m.52. This option is marked in the parts and score.The divisi notes at m. 69 are provided for ensembles which lack violas. Ensembles with violas may have them play the lower notes while the second violins play the upper notes.Percussion, which is completely optional, should be very subdued. Choose a bell mallet which allows the tones to be heard just above the strings. the woodblock part is intended to imitate the clip-clop sound of a horse's hooves. Two different sizes of woodblocks or temple blocks are needed. Finding two suitable sounds on one woodblock is difficult. Again, the right mallets are very important. The suspended cymbal should be played with brushes if the string ensemble is small. If the suspended cymbal with brushes cannot be heard above a large number of strings, then sticks should be used instead.The percussion part can be performed by one player, provided the instruments and mallets are set up properly and the player has the skill to make the transitions smoothly. Note the optional rest at mm. 53-54.Performance time with the repeat is two and a half minutes.
About Carl Fischer Beginning String Orchestra Series
This series of Grade 1 pieces is designed for first year string groups. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
SKU: CF.CM9713
ISBN 9781491160084. UPC: 680160918683. Key: G major. English. Robert Bode. Original.
The piece was commissioned by Kevin Scully, Director of Creative Arts, for the Port Washington School District, New York, with special thanks to the Ed Foundation and HEARTS for their unwavering support. Performance Notes This lighthearted piece is a great way to bring multiple choirs together in harmony. It may be sung by a single SATB choir, though it is intended to be performed by multiple choirs of varying age levels. Song of the Sound was written for an all-district feeder festival piece for combined elementary, middle level, and high school choirs. Here is a suggested outline for combining multiple choirs: Rehearsal Letters A to B: Elementary choir only (two-part, Soprano, Alto) Rehearsal Letter B: add Middle Level Soprano, Alto with Elementary choir Rehearsal Letter C: Middle Level choir only Rehearsal Letter D: High School choir only Rehearsal Letter E to the end: Everyone! Song of the Sound: Running on the beach, digging in the sand, Seaweed in my toes, bucket in my hand. When I'm at the shore, way above the rest, These are all the things that I love the best. Skipping like a stone on the water, diving deep in the silvery foam, Swimming far where the land cannot hold us, where the lighthouse calls us home. Flying free above the marshes, soaring high above the sea, Where the tern and cormorant and plover call to lands we cannot see.Come let us go to the water, let us go to the singing shore: Where the gentle breezes whisper and the mighty breakers roar. We will look to the shining ocean, to the East, where the new day dawned: We will sing a song of the edge of the world and the waiting sky beyond. -Poem by Robert Bode (Hope Springs Retreat Center, Ohio. August 2019) About the Composer: Jacob Narverud (b. 1986) is an American composer, arranger, and conductor. Dr. Narverud is an active guest Conductor/Clinician for Choral Festivals and All-State Choirs across the country and is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Tallgrass Chamber Choir, a professional ensemble comprised of musicians from across the Great Plains. As a sought-after composer, Narverud has been commissioned to write new works for a variety of choral ensembles and organizations. Many of his Editors' Choirs compositions are publisher Best Sellers and are performed worldwide by choirs of all levels. Website: www.jnarverud.com YouTube & Spotify: @jacobnarverud.The piece was commissioned by Kevin Scully, Director of Creative Arts, for the Port Washington School District, New York, with special thanks to the Ed Foundation and HEARTS for their unwavering support.Performance NotesThis lighthearted piece is a great way to bring multiple choirs together in harmony. It may be sung by a single SATB choir, though it is intended to be performed by multiple choirs of varying age levels. Song of the Sound was written for an all-district feeder festival piece for combined elementary, middle level, and high school choirs. Here is a suggested outline for combining multiple choirs:Rehearsal Letters A to B: Elementary choir only (two-part, Soprano, Alto)Rehearsal Letter B: add Middle Level Soprano, Alto with Elementary choirRehearsal Letter C: Middle Level choir onlyRehearsal Letter D: High School choir onlyRehearsal Letter E to the end: Everyone!Song of the Sound:Running on the beach, digging in the sand,Seaweed in my toes, bucket in my hand.When I'm at the shore, way above the rest,These are all the things that I love the best. Skipping like a stone on the water, diving deep in the silvery foam,Swimming far where the land cannot hold us, where the lighthouse calls us home.Flying free above the marshes, soaring high above the sea,Where the tern and cormorant and plover call to lands we cannot see.Come let us go to the water, let us go to the singing shore:Where the gentle breezes whisper and the mighty breakers roar.We will look to the shining ocean, to the East, where the new day dawned:We will sing a song of the edge of the world and the waiting sky beyond.-Poem by Robert Bode (Hope Springs Retreat Center, Ohio. August 2019)About the Composer:Jacob Narverud (b. 1986) is an American composer, arranger, and conductor. Dr. Narverud is an active guest Conductor/Clinician for Choral Festivals and All-State Choirs across the country and is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Tallgrass Chamber Choir, a professional ensemble comprised of musicians from across the Great Plains. As a sought-after composer, Narverud has been commissioned to write new works for a variety of choral ensembles and organizations. Many of his Editors' Choirs compositions are publisher Best Sellers and are performed worldwide by choirs of all levels. Website: www.jnarverud.com YouTube & Spotify: @jacobnarverud.
SKU: BT.AMP-340-140
9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains was commissioned by the Northern California Band Directors' Association to honour their 50th Anniversary in 2012. The first performance was given by the Association’s 2012 Honor Band, conducted by Dr Royce Trevis, in the Harlen Adams Theater, California State University, Chico, California, on 4th February that year.The brief for the commission asked for a piece that celebrated the United States’ natural resources and composer Philip Sparke turned to Katharine Lee Bates’s lyrics for the song America the Beautiful, of which the first and last verses are:O beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purplemountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaThe three movements each take their title from these verses:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: Opening with filigree woodwind figuring, this movement aims to recreate the light and lightness of a spring sky, birds and blossoms floating on gentle breezes.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: A vivacious celebration of water bubbling in streams, rivers and lakes.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties: A slow final movement representing an awe-inspiring range of mountains Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains is geschreven in opdracht van de Northern California Band Directors' Association, ter gelegenheid van het vijftigjarig jubileum van deze organisatie, dat in 2012 werd gevierd. De première werd op 4 februari van dat jaar onder leiding van dirigent Royce Trevis uitgevoerd door de Association’s 2012 Honor Band, in het Harlen Adams Theater, California State University, Chico, Californië.De componist kreeg het verzoek een werk te schrijven dat een lofzang zou zijn op alles wat de natuur van Verenigde Staten te bieden heeft. Philip Sparke gebruikte de tekst van Katharine Lee Bates voor de song America the Beautiful, waarvan heteerste en laatste couplet als volgt luiden:O beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaDe titels van de drie delen van de compositie zijn ontleend aan deze coupletten:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: Dit deel, dat opent met verfijnde figuren in het hout, is een poging om het licht en de lichtheid van een lentehemel te herscheppen, met vogeltjes en bloesems die wiegen in een milde bries.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: Een levendige ode aan water dat stroomt in beken, rivieren en meren3. For Purple Mountain Majesties: Een langzaam laatste deel waarin het beeld wordt opgeroepen van een indrukwekkende bergketen Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains wurde von der Northern California Band Director’s Association (Dirigentenverband Nord-Kaliforniens) zum 50-jährigen Jubiläum im Jahr 2012 in Auftrag gegeben. Die Uraufführung mit dem Ehrenorchester 2012 des Verbands fand am 4. Februar desselben Jahre unter der Leitung von Dr. Royce Trevis im Halen Adams Theater an der California State University, Chico Kalifornien) statt.Der Kompositionsauftrag verlangte ein Stück zu Ehren der Reichtümer der Natur Amerikas. Der Komponist Philip Sparke wählte daher die erste und letzte Strophe aus Katherine Lee Bates’ Text zum Lied America the Beautiful, die da lauten:O beautiful for spaciousskies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaDie Titel der drei Sätze stammen alle aus diesen Strophen:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies (O wunderschön, der weite Himmel): Mit filigranen Figuren im Holz beginnend, will dieser Satz das Licht und die Leichtigkeit des Frühlingshimmels, die Vögel und von einer sanften Brise getragene Blüten zum Leben erwecken.2. From Sea to Shining Sea (Vom Meer zum strahlenden Meer): Mit lebhafter Musik wird hier in Flüssen, Bächen und Seen sprudelndes Wasser zelebriert.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties (Die Erhabenheit der purpurrot leuchtenden Berge): Der langsame Schlusssatz richtet den Blick auf ehrfurchtgebietende Gebirge. Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains est une commande de la Northern California Band Directors' Association pour marquer son 50e anniversaire, en 2012. Cette œuvre a été créée par le Honor Band 2012 de l’Association sous la direction du Dr Royce Trevis au thé tre Harlen Adams de l’université de Californie Chico, Californie, le 4 février de cette même année.La commande stipulait que la pièce devait célébrer les ressources naturelles des États-Unis. Le compositeur Philip Sparke s’est donc inspiré des paroles de Katharine Lee Bates pour la chanson America the Beautiful, dont voici les premier et dernier couplets :O beautiful for spacious skies,For amberwaves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!(Oh belle pour tes vastes cieux,Tes vagues de grains ambrés,La majesté de tes montagnes violettesDominant des plaines fruitées !)America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea(Amérique ! Amérique !Dieu t’a donné sa gr ceCouronnée de la fraternité des hommesDe la mer la mer étincelante)Les trois mouvements empruntent chacun leur titre ces couplets :1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: S’ouvrant avec des figures en filigrane jouées par les bois, ce mouvement cherche recréer la lumière et la légèreté d’un ciel printanier, d’oiseaux et de fleurs flottant au gré d’une douce brise.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: Plein de vivacité, ce mouvement évoque les frémissements de l’eau des ruisseaux, des rivières et des lacs.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties:Le dernier mouvement, lent et majestueux, dépeint une impressionnante chaîne de montagnes.
SKU: BR.OB-5530-30
ISBN 9790004340875. 10 x 12.5 inches.
After Bolero and La Valse, a third, often-played work by Ravel is now entering Breitkopf's orchestral program, obviously in a Breitkopf Urtext edition that was supervised by the Ravel expert Jean-Francois Monnard. As a compositional destination around 1900, Spain was in the air, as is also confirmed by Debussy's Iberia. Monnard's incisive preface brilliantly draws links between the two composers who, along with Igor Stravinsky, were working in Paris during those years. The Rapsodie espagnole qualifies above all as a masterpiece of Ravel's instrumental magic. This fireworks of orchestration demands a reliable and purchasable performance material that can grace the library of every professional orchestra.The Rapsodie espagnole qualifies above all as a masterpiece of Ravel's instrumental magic - a fireworks of orchestration!
SKU: BR.OB-5530-16
ISBN 9790004340837. 10 x 12.5 inches.
SKU: CF.CM9735
ISBN 9781491161159. UPC: 680160919741. Key: A minor. Latin, English. Christopher Smart and ZRS.
Origins of the Tarantella The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (little spider), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the poison, the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship. Origins of the Text Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as Kit Smart or Jack Smart, was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor's prison, was common during this period if one's debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [Rejoice in the Lamb] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart's writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart's Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance: theraphosa [teh-rah-fo-sa] a genus of tarantula spiders bellicose [beh-lee-ko-sah] hostile; aggressive odiosa [o-dee-o-sa] hateful; vexation tenebrosa [teh-neh-bro-sa] creeping; dark nemorosa [neh-mo-ro-sa] wooded; shady lapidosa [lah-pee-do-sa] stony area; gritty The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work. About the Composer Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico. Performance Notes Text: In Latin, the r is flipped; use s instead of z on endings such as phosa, cosa, and so on; the Latin o is a cross between oh and aw; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an o for consistency. The director will blend the oh and aw in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, tarantula is pronounced tah-rah-n-too-lah (avoid teh-ran-choo-luh) within the confines of this text. Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (“little spiderâ€), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the “poison,†the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship.Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as “Kit Smart†or “Jack Smart,†was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor’s prison, was common during this period if one’s debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [“Rejoice in the Lambâ€] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart’s writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart’s Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance:The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work.Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico. In Latin, the “r†is flipped; use “s†instead of “z†on endings such as “phosa,†“cosa,†and so on; the Latin “o†is a cross between “oh†and “awâ€; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an “o†for consistency. The director will blend the “oh†and “aw†in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, “tarantula†is pronounced “tah-rah-n-too-lah†(avoid “teh-ran-choo-luhâ€) within the confines of this text.Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (“little spiderâ€), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the “poison,†the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship.Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as “Kit Smart†or “Jack Smart,†was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor’s prison, was common during this period if one’s debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [“Rejoice in the Lambâ€] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart’s writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart’s Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance:The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work.Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico.In Latin, the “r†is flipped; use “s†instead of “z†on endings such as “phosa,†“cosa,†and so on; the Latin “o†is a cross between “oh†and “awâ€; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an “o†for consistency. The director will blend the “oh†and “aw†in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, “tarantula†is pronounced “tah-rah-n-too-lah†(avoid “teh-ran-choo-luhâ€) within the confines of this text.Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.
SKU: BR.OB-5530-19
ISBN 9790004340844. 10 x 12.5 inches.
SKU: BR.OB-5530-27
ISBN 9790004340868. 10 x 12.5 inches.
SKU: PR.114422630
UPC: 680160684793. 9 x 12 inches.
In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists thegift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided withstudio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I havebeen in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previousexperiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 peopleliving within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up forabundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcardsfrom Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects ofmy residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lightsdimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made forcolleagues and friends.In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont, Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists the gift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided with studio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I have been in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previous experiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a 20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 people living within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up for abundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcards from Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects of my residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet, was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lights dimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie. This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made for colleagues and friends.In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists thegift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided withstudio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I havebeen in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previousexperiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 peopleliving within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up forabundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcardsfrom Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects ofmy residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lightsdimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made forcolleagues and friends.
SKU: BR.OB-5530-23
ISBN 9790004340851. 10 x 12.5 inches.
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