SKU: PR.114414290

UPC: 680160594030.

Written for Concertante, a string sextet which has commissioned six different works, each highlighting one of its players. In Ran's new work, the second cellist, Zvi Plesser, was spotlighted with an outgoing, intensely lyrical opening theme, according to a New York Times review. Yet, Lyre of Orpheus never overlooks the collaborative, conversational essence of the ensemble. Read the full review here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/arts/music/18conc.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1286200920-wRrt7MJ416+FpOYAUe/IOQ For advanced performers.
Lyre of Orpheus was composed for Concertante, the New York-based string sextet, for its One Plus Five Project, a three-year, six-composer commissioning project designed to create six string sextets, each featuring one of Concertante’s core players.This particular commission was made with the goal of giving center-stage to the ensemble’s first cello, a choice I was especially grateful for, not only because it features Zvi Plesser, the outstanding Israeli cellist, but also because it gave ma an opportunity to highlight an instrument for which, from a very early stage in my life, I have felt a special affinity.  The cell’s “soul”, so naturally combining passion and lyricism, has always touched me in a special way.As sometimes happens, naming the piece was the final act in the process of creation.  Once titled, though, I found myself looking through the piece with a mixture of delight and astonishment – the narrative of the almost iconic mythological story of love and loss seems as one entirely plausible, and to my mind convincing, way to tract the unfolding of the musical events.  Of course, the music was written with no such tale (or any tale, for that matter) in mind.  But perhaps some stories are emblematic of so much that is part of our lives and psyches, of our desires, fears and wishes.  Orpheus, whose longing for Eurydice recognizes no boundaries of heaven and hell…  Love regained, then forever lost…  Orpheus’ lyre intoning his sorrowful yearning…Lyre of Orpheus, approximately fifteen minutes in length, composed in late 2008, is intermittently songful, caressing, passionate, pained, ferocious, longing.  The instrumentation consists of 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, the first of which is the soloist/protagonist, the second notable for having its lowest string tuned down a third to achieve extra lower notes.This commission has been made possible by the Chamber Music America Commissioning Program, with funding generously provided by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.

SKU: BT.MEX141056C

SKU: BT.DHP-1053830-140

English-German-French-Dutch.

Jacques Offenbach was born in 1819 in Cologne, Germany, but as a child he moved to Paris where he received a thorough musical education. In his operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, Offenbach parodies the famous Greek legend of Orpheus and Euridice. Indirectly, however, he criticises the complacency of many of his contemporaries. The overture was not written entirely by Offenbach, Carl Binder added various pieces to it for a Viennese production of this operetta in 1860 and since then, these pieces have remained part of the composition. This appealing transcription includes the famous Can Can which is sure to get your audience high kicking in the aisles!

In de operette Orphée aux Enfers (Orpheus in de onderwereld) parodieert Offenbach het beroemde verhaal van Orpheus en Euridice uit de oude Griekse sagenwereld - indirect stelt hij echter de zelfgenoegzaamheid van veelvan zijn tijdgenoten aan de kaak. De ouverture is niet geheel van Offenbachs hand. Carl Binder heeft er diverse stukken aan toegevoegd voor een Weense productie in 1860, en die zijn er sindsdien in gebleven. Wil van der Beek maakteeen transcriptie voor harmonieorkest van de aanstekelijke ouverture - waarin natuurlijk de beroemde cancan is verwerkt.

In seiner Operette Orpheus in der Unterwelt (Orphée aux Enfers) parodiert Offenbach die berühmte Erzählung von Orpheus und Eurydike aus der klassischen griechischen Sagenwelt. Indirekt kritisiert er darin jedoch die Selbstgefälligkeit vieler seiner Zeitgenossen. Die Ouvertüre schrieb Offenbach nicht ganz alleine; Carl Binder fügte einige Stücke für eine Wiener Produktion dieser Operette im Jahr 1860 hinzu. Diese Stücke blieben seither Teil der Ouvertüre. Wil van der Beek schuf eine Transkription für Blasorchester dieser reizvollen Ouvertüre, die auch den berühmten Cancan enthält.

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) cultivait l’art d’ironiser sur la frivolité des moeurs parisiennes, sur l’amour, la vie politique et la vie militaire. Son opérette Orphée aux Enfers (1858) est une parodie du mythe grec d’Orphée et Eurydice, mais sous le masque de l’antiquité, il se livre une critique sévère de l’attitude suffisante de nombreux de ses contemporains. L’Ouverture telle que nous la connaissons aujourd’hui n’est pas la version originale d’Offenbach, mais une version complétée par Carl Binder pour une production Vienne en 1860. Wil van der Beek en a réalisé une transcription irrésistible qui contient le pétillant Cancan, l’une des pages les plus célèbres de lapartition.

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) coltivava l’arte di ironizzare sulla frivolezza delle abitudini parigine, sull’amore, sulla vita politica e la vita militare. La sua operetta Orfeo agli Inferni (1858) è una parodia del mito greco di Orfeo ed Euridice, ma dietro la facciata dell’antichit , si abbandona ad una critica severa del comportamento di sufficienza di numerosi suoi contemporanei. L’Ouverture come noi la conosciamo oggi, non è la versione originale di Offenbach, ma una versione completata da Carl Binder per una produzione a Vienna nel 1860. Wil van der Beek ne ha realizzato una trascrizione irresistibile che contiene il brillante Cancan, una delle pagine più celebri dellospartito.

SKU: GI.G-10670

English. Text Source: Sts. 1-2: Anonymous, st. 3: John T. McFarland, 1851-1913. Text by Anonymous.

SKU: GI.G-10203

UPC: 785147020318. English. Text source: Negro Spiritual.

SKU: GI.G-10381

UPC: 785147038115. Latin.

Employing the single word Alleluia throughout, this piece is a joyous addition to Easter services or other festive celebrations. Employing a good deal of divisi yet is largely homophonic, allowing voices to feel secure in their rhythms.