SKU: PR.416414230

ISBN 9781598066630. UPC: 680160602087. 9x12 inches.

Colonnade is James Matheson’s intriguing response to the Albany Symphony’s commission to create a work inspired by the NY State Board of Education Building, designed by the renowned architect Rafael Guastavino. Matheson explains that “A colonnade acts as a metaphor for the tension between knowledge and perception. The columns are the same height and equidistant from each other; while the mind understands this fully, there exists no place from which one can perceive this – the columns always appear to be of uneven height and spacing. If one then adds motion to perspective, identical columns acquire elasticity, and begin to change kaleidoscopically – they shrink, grow, become closer, and then further apart.” This structural paradox is given musical life in the outer sections of Colonnade, while the long, arching middle section is inspired by the vaulted ceiling of one of the building’s largest rooms, enhancing the structure’s spacious openness and lightness.
Colonnade is inspired by Albany’s majestic New York State Board of Education Building, and written on a commission from the Albany Symphony Orchestra. It was an intriguing task, in part because in order to accept the commission I had to agree to write a work “inspired by” a building I had not yet seen. Thisproblem was compounded by the fact that, for me, the very notion of extra-musical inspiration is a complex one, particularly with respect to literary or visual sources. I generally find ideas and abstracted notions more generative of musical ideas than specific ones (a poem, an experience, a painting). So when I went to seeand tour the building, I sought to identify fundamental formal aspects of the building which I could process into musical ideas, and would then be linked to the building through a sense of formal relationship. In theend, two characteristics of the building stood out as noteworthy and undiminished by time (compared with, for instance, the building’s rotunda, which contains a series of quaintly outdated allegorical paintings): theexterior colonnade and a beautiful interior vaulted ceiling, designed by Rafael Guastavino.For me, a colonnade acts as a metaphor for the tension between knowledge and perception. We all know, for instance, that the columns are of the same height and are equidistant from each other. Nevertheless, while the mind understands this fully, it is also the case that there exists no place – no standpoint or viewpoint – anywhere in the universe – from which one can perceive this; the columns always appear to be of uneven height and spacing. If one then adds motion to perspective – a walk along the colonnade, for instance – the fixed, even, rigidly identical columns acquire elasticity, and begin to change kaleidoscopically – they shrink, grow, become closer, and then further apart. Further, the detail of the building’s façade behind the colonnadeshifts into and out of visibility, with different portions obscured by the columns from each vantage point. These considerations underlie the outer sections of Colonnade, in which a continuously repeated, continuously varied rising figure – suggestive of a column – dominates. The iterations of this elastic, evolvingfigure are interspersed with other music – suggestive of the building’s façade. The second feature of the building that caught my attention was the vaulted ceiling, designed by Guastavino,of one of the building’s largest rooms. The ceiling enhances the spaciousness of the room, giving it an openness and lightness that is quite captivating. The middle section of Colonnade has this openness at its core, and is dominated by long, arching lines that, to me, suggest the refined beauty of this ceiling.World premiere March 8, 2003; Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Alan Miller.

SKU: HL.4003237

UPC: 884088668983. 10.5x14 inches.

Commissioned by the Oregon Symphonic Band in Portland, Bridge of the Gods is a dramatic three-movement symphonic poem presenting the colorful legend told by the Native American Klickitatst about the origins of the volcanic mountains of the Cascade range and legendary bridge. The first movement “Saghalie” pays tribute to the powerful chief of all gods and is based on a majestic fanfare theme. The 2nd movement captures the beauty of the maiden “Loowit” with haunting flute and english horns solos accompanied by soft chanting voices. The final movement “Tanmahawis” utilizes stark clusters, jagged melodic fragments and rhythmic percussive energy as it depicts the destruction of the mighty bridge. Duration: 8:50

Recorded by the Oregon Symphonic Band – Michael Burch-Pesses, conductor

SKU: BT.DHP-1196181-120

English-German-French-Dutch.

Cittaslow is an international network of more than 220 towns in 30 countries. Its members are towns where people are still finding themselves reminiscing over the old times; towns that are rich in theatres, squares, cafés, restaurants and spiritual places; towns with untouched landscapes and charming craftsman where people are still able to recognize the slow course of the seasons, and respect their authentic products, true taste as well as their health. The Hymn of Cittaslow, which was commissioned by the organisation itself, is entirely inspired by their commitment to the preservation of the member towns. The tempo is naturally ‘slow', and the themes somehow soundfamiliar. On the one hand, the music emanates peace and quiet, but it also sounds grand in its lyricism, thereby reflecting the beauty of the Cittaslow towns.

Cittaslow is een internationaal netwerk van meer dan 220 gemeenten verspreid over 30 landen. De aangesloten plaatsen zijn gemeenten waar mensen nieuwsgierig zijn naar vroeger, waar een rijke schakering aan theaters, pleinen, cafés, restaurants en spirituele plekken te vinden is, met een ongerept landschap en innemende ambachtslieden, waar mensen de langzame tred van de seizoenen nog herkennen en hun authentieke producten, ware smaak en gezondheid eerbiedigen. De Hymn of Cittaslow, in opdracht van deze organisatie gecomponeerd, is helemaal ge nspireerd op deze gedachte. Het tempo is uiteraard 'slow' en de thema's zijn herkenbaar. De muziek ademt enerzijds rust, maarklinkt ook groots in haar lyriek, die de schoonheid van de Cittaslow-gemeenten weerspiegelt.

Cittaslow ist ein internationales Netzwerk, dem mehr als 220 Städte in 30 Ländern angehören. Zu den Mitgliedern gehören Städte, in denen die Vergangenheit noch sehr lebendig und spürbar ist: Städte, die reich an Theatern, Plätzen, Cafés, Restaurants und spirituellen Orten sind. Städte mit unberührten Landschaften und bezauberndem Handwerk, wo man immer noch den langsamen Lauf der Jahreszeiten wahrnehmen sowie authentische und gesunde Produkte mit ihrem ursprünglichen Geschmack genießen kann. Die Hymn of Cittaslow wurde von der Organisation selbst in Auftrag gegeben und ist ganz von dem Engagement ihrer Mitgliedsstädte inspiriert, die sich dafür einsetzen, dieVergangenheit zu bewahren. Das Tempo ist natürlich langsam“ und die Themen klingen irgendwie vertraut. Einerseits strahlt die Musik Ruhe und Frieden aus, andererseits klingt sie großartig lyrisch und spiegelt damit die Schönheit der Cittaslow-Städte wider.

Cittaslow est un réseau international de plus de 220 villes dans 30 pays. Ses membres sont des villes dont les habitants se souviennent encore de l’ancien temps ; des villes qui jouissent de nombreux thé tres, cafés, restaurants, esplanades et lieux spirituels ; des villes offrant des environnements intacts et des magasins d’artisanat attrayants, des villes où les gens sont encore conscients du lent changement des saisons et respectent des produits authentiques, des saveurs traditionnelles et l’importance d’une bonne santé. Commande de cette organisation, Hymn de Cittaslow s’inspire entièrement de son engagement préserver ses villes membres. Le tempo de cettepièce est lent et les thèmes ont un petit air familier. La musique dégage une sensation de paix et de tranquillité, mais son lyrisme lui confère un caractère grandiose qui reflète la beauté des villes de Cittaslow.

SKU: BT.DHP-1196181-140

English-German-French-Dutch.

Cittaslow is an international network of more than 220 towns in 30 countries. Its members are towns where people are still finding themselves reminiscing over the old times; towns that are rich in theatres, squares, cafés, restaurants and spiritual places; towns with untouched landscapes and charming craftsman where people are still able to recognize the slow course of the seasons, and respect their authentic products, true taste as well as their health. The Hymn of Cittaslow, which was commissioned by the organisation itself, is entirely inspired by their commitment to the preservation of the member towns. The tempo is naturally ‘slow', and the themes somehow soundfamiliar. On the one hand, the music emanates peace and quiet, but it also sounds grand in its lyricism, thereby reflecting the beauty of the Cittaslow towns.

Cittaslow is een internationaal netwerk van meer dan 220 gemeenten verspreid over 30 landen. De aangesloten plaatsen zijn gemeenten waar mensen nieuwsgierig zijn naar vroeger, waar een rijke schakering aan theaters, pleinen, cafés, restaurants en spirituele plekken te vinden is, met een ongerept landschap en innemende ambachtslieden, waar mensen de langzame tred van de seizoenen nog herkennen en hun authentieke producten, ware smaak en gezondheid eerbiedigen. De Hymn of Cittaslow, in opdracht van deze organisatie gecomponeerd, is helemaal ge nspireerd op deze gedachte. Het tempo is uiteraard 'slow' en de thema's zijn herkenbaar. De muziek ademt enerzijds rust, maarklinkt ook groots in haar lyriek, die de schoonheid van de Cittaslow-gemeenten weerspiegelt.

Cittaslow ist ein internationales Netzwerk, dem mehr als 220 Städte in 30 Ländern angehören. Zu den Mitgliedern gehören Städte, in denen die Vergangenheit noch sehr lebendig und spürbar ist: Städte, die reich an Theatern, Plätzen, Cafés, Restaurants und spirituellen Orten sind. Städte mit unberührten Landschaften und bezauberndem Handwerk, wo man immer noch den langsamen Lauf der Jahreszeiten wahrnehmen sowie authentische und gesunde Produkte mit ihrem ursprünglichen Geschmack genießen kann. Die Hymn of Cittaslow wurde von der Organisation selbst in Auftrag gegeben und ist ganz von dem Engagement ihrer Mitgliedsstädte inspiriert, die sich dafür einsetzen, dieVergangenheit zu bewahren. Das Tempo ist natürlich langsam“ und die Themen klingen irgendwie vertraut. Einerseits strahlt die Musik Ruhe und Frieden aus, andererseits klingt sie großartig lyrisch und spiegelt damit die Schönheit der Cittaslow-Städte wider.

Cittaslow est un réseau international de plus de 220 villes dans 30 pays. Ses membres sont des villes dont les habitants se souviennent encore de l’ancien temps ; des villes qui jouissent de nombreux thé tres, cafés, restaurants, esplanades et lieux spirituels ; des villes offrant des environnements intacts et des magasins d’artisanat attrayants, des villes où les gens sont encore conscients du lent changement des saisons et respectent des produits authentiques, des saveurs traditionnelles et l’importance d’une bonne santé. Commande de cette organisation, Hymn de Cittaslow s’inspire entièrement de son engagement préserver ses villes membres. Le tempo de cettepièce est lent et les thèmes ont un petit air familier. La musique dégage une sensation de paix et de tranquillité, mais son lyrisme lui confère un caractère grandiose qui reflète la beauté des villes de Cittaslow.

SKU: PR.41641423L

UPC: 680160602094. 11 x 14 inches.

Colonnade is inspired by Albanys majestic New York State Board of Education Building, and written on a commission from the Albany Symphony Orchestra. It was an intriguing task, in part because in order to accept the commission I had to agree to write a work inspired by a building I had not yet seen. This problem was compounded by the fact that, for me, the very notion of extra-musical inspiration is a complex one, particularly with respect to literary or visual sources. I generally find ideas and abstracted notions more generative of musical ideas than specific ones (a poem, an experience, a painting). So when I went to see and tour the building, I sought to identify fundamental formal aspects of the building which I could process into musical ideas, and would then be linked to the building through a sense of formal relationship. In the end, two characteristics of the building stood out as noteworthy and undiminished by time (compared with, for instance, the buildings rotunda, which contains a series of quaintly outdated allegorical paintings): the exterior colonnade and a beautiful interior vaulted ceiling, designed by Rafael Guastavino. For me, a colonnade acts as a metaphor for the tension between knowledge and perception. We all know, for instance, that the columns are of the same height and are equidistant from each other. Nevertheless, while the mind understands this fully, it is also the case that there exists no place no standpoint or viewpoint anywhere in the universe from which one can perceive this; the columns always appear to be of uneven height and spacing. If one then adds motion to perspective a walk along the colonnade, for instance the fixed, even, rigidly identical columns acquire elasticity, and begin to change kaleidoscopically they shrink, grow, become closer, and then further apart. Further, the detail of the buildings facade behind the colonnade shifts into and out of visibility, with different portions obscured by the columns from each vantage point. These considerations underlie the outer sections of Colonnade, in which a continuously repeated, continuously varied rising figure suggestive of a column dominates. The iterations of this elastic, evolving figure are interspersed with other music suggestive of the buildings facade. The second feature of the building that caught my attention was the vaulted ceiling, designed by Guastavino, of one of the buildings largest rooms. The ceiling enhances the spaciousness of the room, giving it an openness and lightness that is quite captivating. The middle section of Colonnade has this openness at its core, and is dominated by long, arching lines that, to me, suggest the refined beauty of this ceiling. World premiere March 8, 2003; Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Alan Miller.

SKU: LO.30-3601L

UPC: 000308150612.

Orchestral Score and CD with Printable Parts for Let There Be Peace on Earth (10/5163L) Mary McDonald’s setting of the classic song about peace and unity is a great option for concerts, choir features, and themed services. The optional full orchestration adds to the beauty and emotive nature of the song, ensuring it will be a staple in your music library.

SKU: CL.CTS-8063-00

Claude T. Smith’s setting of For The Beauty Of The Earth as this chorale prelude develops the original hymn by Conrad Kocher. It celebrates our beautiful Earth, the skies above us, and the joy of loving one another. This flexible arrangement allows ensembles to perform the work with as few as nine musicians providing accessibility and flexibility for numerous instrumentation needs, while still allowing a full ensemble sound. *The posted recording is based on the full band scoring but aligns with the suggested preferences for either woodwinds/strings or brass suggested in the score.

SKU: HL.4007668

UPC: 196288077886. 9.0x12.0x0.078 inches.

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Eckroth Music (Bismarck, ND), Across the Nothern Sky captures the majesty and beauty of the northern states served by their store locations. The antiphonal brass fanfare in the opening is followed by a dynamic main theme. A brief lyric section features rich harmonies with a short solo for flute, and the work concludes with a buoyant theme of celebration. (compatible with the “Young Edition” for multi-level performances - HL04007669) Dur: 5:20.