SKU: FA.MFCD017B

8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Contains Le Roi Lear: Prelude,Premiere Fanfare, and La Mort de Cordelia,Toomai des elephants, Rodrigue et Chimene: Prelude a l'acte 1p. Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien: La Passion , and No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence

From Robert Orledge's notes:

My interest in the wonderful music of Claude Debussy began in the 1980s when I researched and published a book with Cambridge University Press entitled Debussy and the Theatre. During the course of my studies in Paris, I was amazed to discover that Debussy planned over 50 theatrical works but only finished two of these entirely by himself (the opera Pelleas et Melisande in 1893-1902 and the ballet Jeux for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1912-13). Of the rest, many were never started musically (like Siddartha and Orphee-roi with the Oriental scholar Victor Segalen, 1907); some had a few tantalising sketches (like the Edgar Allan Poe opera Le Diable dans le beffroi, 1902-03); some were half-finished (like his other Poe opera La Chute de la Maison Usher, 1908-17); while others were musically complete but had their orchestrations completed by other composers (like Khamma, by Charles Koechlin, 1912-13; or Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien and La Boite a joujoux by his 'angel of corrections' ['l'ange des Corrections'] Andre Caplet in 1911 and 1919 respectively).

For it has to be admitted that what some scholars call Debussy's 'compulsive achievement' could equally well be viewed as laziness, especially as far as the minute detail required for calligraphing his orchestral scores was concerned. It was as if creating the music itself was of greater importance than controlling its final sound, even if Debussy was an imaginative orchestrator when he found the time and energy to do it. It also seems true that Debussy also preferred inventing ideas to turning them into complete pieces. However, despite the lack of detail in many of his sketches (missing clefs, key signatures, dynamics, phrasing, etc.) the notes themselves are surprisingly accurate, whether or not they can be compared with a later draft. Thus, a large number of sketches exist for his Chinese ballet No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence and it is not too difficult to see which parts of Georges de Feure's 1913 scenario (see below) inspired which ideas. But Debussy hardly made any attempt to join them together after the first few bars.

It was usually up to his publisher, Jacques Durand, to find solutions when Debussy risked a breach of contract. Debussy was supposed to supervise the orchestrations completed by others, but this supervision was usually very light and restricted to quiet, sensitive moments in which problems were easier to spot. Far from jealously guarding every one of his created notes, as Ravel did, Debussy once even went as far as to ask Koechlin to 'write a ballet for him that he would sign' on 26 March 1914 when he was hard-pressed to fulfil his lucrative contract for No-ja-li with Andre Charlot at the Alhambra Theatre in London. In the end, Debussy (through Durand) sent Charlot the symphonic suite Printemps instead, whose orchestration had been completed by Henri Busser in the Spring of 1912.

So, when I was offered early retirement as Professor of Music at Liverpool University in 2004, I seized the opportunity it would give me to spend time trying to reconstruct some of Debussy's lost potential masterpieces from his existing sketches and drafts--then orchestrating them in Debussy's style when this was appropriate. I had begun this mission in 2001 with the most promising project, the missing parts of Scene 2 of La Chute de la Maison Usher and the sheer joy it gave me at every stage persuaded me to tackle other projects, especially when Debussy experts were unable to identify exactly where I took over from Debussy (and vice versa) in Usher.

SKU: WD.080689448232

UPC: 080689448232.

Written from the perspective of the faithful Wise Men, this charming, accessible arrangement by Marty Parks tells the story of three travelers who obediently followed a star to find their Infant King and to present Him with precious gifts. They knew that only Baby Jesus, the Son of God, was deserving and worthy of their honor and praise.

SKU: HL.14006779

English.

The traditional Nativity story, retold in narration and song, for performance by children of mixed ages and abilities. The music is easy to learn and has an up-to-date feel which makes it instantly appealing. If you need to license a school/youth theatre performance of this product, please use the online application form.

SKU: WD.679143059345

UPC: 679143059345.

Christy and Daniel Semsen, celebrated writers and creators of innovative, best-selling musicals for children's choir are back, and they're at it again! Their latest adventure, Back to the Cross, will take your Kids Choir on an inventive, fun-filled, rousing romp through time, discovering the message of the Cross along the way! A Semsen musical is guaranteed to deliver big on FUN and even bigger on a spiritual message that speaks to each child! In Back to the Cross, the long-awaited sequel to their hit musical, Back to the Manger, we find Norman and our cast of characters embarking on a time-travel excursion relying on the questionable reliability of the H/O-2000 Temporal Displacement Modulator...otherwise known as time travel machine.

At its heart, this musical is designed to impact the lives of your kids and your church for years to come through show-stopping songs that beg to be sung and a script guaranteed to captivate and engage young minds and imaginations while teaching foundational Biblical truths. A delightfully-entertaining, production-enhancing DVD Accompaniment Track is available to help transport the cast, crew, and audience through the ages, while the DVD Instructional Video will assist you with staging, choreography, and presentation. So jump into the H/O-2000, buckle your seatbelts, and embark on a Biblical truth-seeking trek through time!adventure in your next kids Christmas program!