SKU: XC.ISO2110FS

UPC: 812598037340. 9 x 12 inches.

Commissioned during Covid-19, this work is meant to inspire us as we Come Back to normal. Hopeful, and mostly upbeat, the work has moments of tension and sadness that underscore the year that we have had through music. We all hope to get back to normal soon, and Coming Back is a perfect anthem for that sentiment.

SKU: HL.14037585

UPC: 196288024026. 8.5x11.0x0.242 inches.

From an 18,000 verse Hindu text, the Bhagavata Purana composed about AD900, this extract is about the coming of the yearly monsoon rain.

Commissioned by the Minnesota Orchsetra on the occasion of the Orchestra'sCemtennial.

SKU: KJ.WB469F

UPC: 8402704730.

The James River forms in the Appalachian Mountains and flows into the Chesepeake Bay, 444 miles away. The melody is distributed throughout the ensemble and the harmonies are carefully doubled or cued to help all bands have a journey they'll never forget!

COMING SOON...

SKU: CF.CM9740

ISBN 9781491161203. UPC: 680160919789. Key: Bb major. English. Siegfried Sasson.

Everyone suddenly burst out singing; And I was filled with such delight As prisoned birds must find in freedom... These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the Great War finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he was feeling dull-minded and depressed. Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent. One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to.   The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality. The appearance of suddenly in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush. There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet's bold choices of action words - burst, winging, and shaken. Then there's alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance. Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11) Find/freedom (measure 21-22) Winging/wildly (measure 23) Setting/sun (measures 47-49) Was/wordless (measures 65-75) Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text.   And just as O is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting - in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder - ...O, but Everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will Never be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about. May the singing never be done.
Everyone suddenly burst out singingAnd I was filled with such delightAs prisoned birds must find in freedom…These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the “Great War” finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he “was feeling dull-minded and depressed.” Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent.One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to. The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality.The appearance of “suddenly” in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush.There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet’s bold choices of action words – burst, winging, and shaken.Then there’s alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance.Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11)Find/freedom (measure 21-22)Winging/wildly (measure 23)Setting/sun (measures 47-49)Was/wordless (measures 65-75)Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text. And just as “O” is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting – in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder –…O, but EveryoneWas a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing willNever be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about.May the singing never be done.