Piano Quintet

SKU: BR.EB-9399

Hommage a Schubert. Composed by Christian Mason. Chamber music; stapled. Edition Breitkopf. Music post-1945; New music (post-2000). Score and parts. Composed 2020. 72 pages. Duration 15'. Breitkopf and Haertel #EB 9399. Published by Breitkopf and Haertel (BR.EB-9399).

ISBN 9790004188736. 9 x 12 inches.

One of my favourite pieces of music as a child - and I still love it - was Schubert's Trout Quintet. It was partly the wonderful music, of course, so light-hearted and joyful on the surface, yet with twists and turns and murky depths of feeling too. But I also liked the picture of a trout on the album sleeve - such beautiful creatures! Last year, while resident at the Villa Concordia in Bamberg, as I took daily walks along the Regnitz river, I observed the trout as they calmly hovered and swayed in the shallows... But if they felt my shadow they were gone in a split second! If you ever get a chance to look closely at brown trout you see that they are covered in myriad brown/red spots of varied sizes; camouflage I suppose. Now those patterns seem to be mixing in my mind with the shifting colours of the spectral arpeggios that flow through this little piece. It's a watery piece, with rippling waves, shimmering surfaces and textural veils around the melodies which flow through it. But it also takes inspiration (and it's title) from a Pablo Neruda poem: the third stanza of Every Day You Play includes the line The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish. There's no singer, but I imagine an invisible or imaginary voice somewhere behind (or beyond) the music, and so the score includes a melodic setting of the text. Even though this is not performed by a voice, the melody is always played by the ensemble - especially high register cello - making the piece something like the inverse of a song without words. (Christian Mason)

World premiere: Aix-en-Provence, October 16, 2020 Commissioned by the Grand Theatre de Provence - Aix-en-Provence.

Orchestra Cello, Contrabass, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, soprano Recorder - Grade 3.5

SKU: CF.CAS147

Composed by Basque Carol. Arranged by Christopher Thomas. Carl Fischer Concert String Orchestra Series. Set of Score and Parts. 8+8+5+5+5+1+3+16 pages. Carl Fischer Music #CAS147. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.CAS147).

ISBN 9781491160916. UPC: 680160919512.

A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel's Message) originated from the 13th or 14th century. This brilliantly crafted tune is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. The lasting power of this song is in the craftsmanship of the melody. Its contours are complex and skillful, yet incredibly simple to sing. A Basque Carol's popularity can also be attributed to it's elegant translation into English by Sabine Baring-Gould. While translations often feel blunt or coarse, this one is especially poetic (his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame). In this orchestration, a flowing, cinematic style is combined with rich, thickly-textured string voicings inspired by composer Ralph Vaughn Williams. This graceful arrangement features an obbligato line on solo recorder (optional solo flute or violin). It may be performed by orchestra and soloist alone, or with soprano and alto choir (or S/A soloists). There is even a moment quoted from another favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. A lovely addition to your next holiday program!.
A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel's Message) originated from the 13th or 14th century. This brilliantly crafted tune is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. The lasting power of this song is in the craftsmanship of the melody. Its contours are complex and skillful, yet incredibly simple to sing. A Basque Carol's popularity can also be attributed to it's elegant translation into English by Sabine Baring-Gould. While translations often feel blunt or coarse, this one is especially poetic (his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame). In this orchestration, a flowing, cinematic style is combined with rich, thickly-textured string voicings inspired by composer Ralph Vaughn Williams. This graceful arrangement features an obbligato line on solo recorder (optional solo flute or violin). It may be performed by orchestra and soloist alone, or with SATB choir. There is even a moment quoted from another favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. A lovely addition to your next holiday program!.
A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel’s Message) originated from the 13th or 14th century. This brilliantly crafted tune is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. The lasting power of this song is in the craftsmanship of the melody. Its contours are complex and skillful, yet incredibly simple to sing. A Basque Carol’s popularity can also be attributed to it’s elegant translation into English by Sabine Baring-Gould. While translations often feel blunt or coarse, this one is especially poetic (“his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame”). In this orchestration, a flowing, cinematic style is combined with rich, thickly-textured string voicings inspired by composer Ralph Vaughn Williams. This graceful arrangement features an obbligato line on solo recorder (optional solo flute or violin). It may be performed by orchestra and soloist alone, or with SATB choir. There is even a moment quoted from another favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. A lovely addition to your next holiday program!

About Carl Fischer Concert String Orchestra Series

This series of pieces (Grade 3 and higher) is designed for advancing ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:

• Expanded use of rhythms, ranges and keys but technical demands are still carefully considered
• More comprehensive bowing techniques
• Viola T.C. included
• Careful selection of keys and degree of difficulty for advancing musicians