Wald for Ensemble was composed by Hans Abrahamsen in 2008-09. Co-commission by the Schönberg Ensemble and BBC for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.Programme NoteWald is in a way a series of variations from the beginning of my woodwind quintet Walden (1978). This thematical idea is very simple - a rising call of a fourth and the response in other voices. This idea is repeated several times but because the call has a slower pulse than the responses the process leads to them changing order.In Walden I borrowed the title from the Americanphilosopher Henry David Thoreau who in the middle of the eighteenth century in a little wooden hermit house at the bank of the lake Walden pond wrote the book Walden of his life and time in the forests. Here he experimented living for two years in order to come closer to nature and to see if it was possible to live simply without all the unnecessary needs created by society. The book is filled with poetry but is also cutting and critical of society. In my piece Walden I tried to search for the same simplicity handling the most simple material but at the same time trying not to lose the poetry.Wald is a twin piece to Walden but also to my former piece Schnee.Robert Schumann wrote in 1848-49 a wonderful piano piece Waldszenen. He wrote this collection of short pieces with beautiful titles like Einsame Blumen Vogel als Prophet and also Jäger auf der Lauer just a few years before Thoreau wrote his book Walden. For them the forest is the magical romantic place that gives a spiritual insight to man but also from where we get our food through hunting. For me the forest still has this magical quality and Wald has scenes with a hunting horn that calls (I many years ago played the magical 'Waldhorn' and remember playing in the forest near my home) flocks of birds that when agitated take

Une autre collection dans la série des arrangements de lieder de la Romantik allemand pour voix et quatuor à cordes par Reimann (6 chansons opus 107 par Robert Schumann, ED 8329 et Franz Schubert Mignon, ED 8466, ont déjà été publiés). Le donjon d'Ophélie-chansons presque aphorismes étroitement à l'original de Brahms - une approche de composition différente à celui de l'adaptation de Mendelssohn ci-dessous, où chansons et les fragments sont entrecoupées d'intermezzi plus longtemps, délibérément contemporaine et l'ensemble forme un cycle prolongé. / Voix Et Quatuor A Cordes

Soundless Coast-Costa Muda (Soundless Coast) was commissioned by the Casa da Música Foundation. First performed on the 26th February 2013 at the Sala Suggia/CdM by the Matosinhos Jazz Orchestra conducted by Pedro Guedes to accompany the projection of the film ?O Naufrágio do Veronese? (Invicta Filme Portugal January 1913.5'30'; for ensemble2 Alto Sax (1st = Soprano Sax; 2nd = Flute) 2 Tenor Saxophones (1st = Bass Clar) 1 Baritone Sax (= Bass Clar)4 Trumpets in Bb (1st = Flugelhorn) 3 Trombones 1 Bass Trombone Guitar Piano Double Bass Drums

Reminiscent of the great Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band this tune settles into a nice groove after a tongue-in-cheek intro that's sure to bring back visions of the Groove Merchant. Rachel has scored this fine original to feature the saxes on the head and later the tenor in the solo spotlight complete with changes and a suggested written-out part for the developing jazz musician. Check it out for your festival program.

Check out this tasty setting of an old standard. It features an alto solo on the intro then settles into a nice bossa groove. The solo section is double time for an added kick with the bones playing the familiar melody in the background. Great writing!

This chart is written in a fast samba setting with flute trumpet and guitar lead on the head. An open drum solo and a hard-driving ending keeps this one smoking all the way. Optional 8va's can lower this to a grade 3.

This extremely interesting original is based on a modified New Orleans-style street beat. A 'gritty' bass part really helps add to the style and there are plenty of opportunities for your pianist to add fills throughout. A tenor solo leads into some creative ensemble writing and a driving shout chorus. Very unique and destined to be one of the bestsellers this year!

What a great chart! The Sermon seamlessly integrates gospel rock jazz and Dixieland. The sax section is featured prominently throughout and the rest of the ensemble gets plenty of exciting material as well. The melody is a strong hook and is naturally developed throughout the chart including a short Dixieland section that includes an optional clarinet for a really authentic sound. This one is destined to become a bestseller!

Here's an easy swinger in B written to showcase each section. All solos are written out with changes provided as well. The rhythm section writing is complete and will lay down easy with inexperienced players. This chart is fun to play and should please most any crowd or adjudication panel.