SKU: PE.EP73479

ISBN 9790577019888. 297 x 210mm inches. English.

At First Light was commissioned by Eric Bruskin, a resident of Philadelphia, USA, in memory of his mother. Eric had a longstanding enthusiasm for my work, and I was touched to be the person he approached for a task which is both a privilege and a daunting responsibility. In a sense, no music can ever measure up to the weight of love or the hope of consolation vested in it under such circumstances - but in memory I carry the deaths of both my own parents, and I was able to draw upon that. Eric's fondness for my Cello Sonata (itself written in memoriam) led him to ask that I include a solo 'cello part in the new work - but his attachment also to my polyphonic sacred choral writing meant that he wanted a centrepiece which would be both a showcase of that approach and the celebration of a life well lived. Therefore, the seven movements of At First Light arrange themselves as a series of slow meditations surrounding an exuberant 9-minute motet in which the lamenting cello falls temporarily silent.

Eric's Jewish faith meant that approaching an agnostic humanist brought up within the Anglican tradition was hardly free of problems! Gradually, though, I was able to win his approval for a collated mosaic of texts. This embraces some liturgical Latin (necessary for the motet) as the shared preserve of broad western culture in general, but balances it with a secular approach to loss, celebration, remembrance and the many shades of our mourning those whom we see no longer. Eric was adamant that he did not want the title Requiem; but what has emerged is still a form of semi-secular Requiem in all but name, taking its title instead from a phrase in the poem by Thomas Blackburn set as the third movement. This seemed to suggest succinctly how the loss of one very close to us is an awakening into an unfamiliar world where everything is changed. Following the exuberant central movement, the texts by the Lebanese-born Kahlil Gibran and the US, Kentuckian poet Wendell Berry first address the departed loved one directly, then place us within an imaginary funeral cortege, where the perennial and universal in human experience become personal without subscribing explicitly to any particular faith (or lack of it). The final text of all is a translation of a Hebraic prayer, requested and provided by Eric Bruskin, which serves to mirror its Latin counterpart heard at the outset.

Throughout, the lamenting cello represents a commentary on the experience articulated in the text. It evokes and, in a sense, tries to embrace and sanctify the individual existential journeys of the bereft, as they in turn seek to make their own sense of what the short-lived Second World War poet Alun Lewis called 'the unbearable beauty of the dead' (movement 5).

In a modern world hostage to ever greater menace, displacement, bloodshed and anguish, I hope fervently that this music not only brings a measure of solace to the person who commissioned it, but also makes its own small contribution to bailing out the sinking ship of humanity.

SKU: SP.TS180

ISBN 9781585604623. UPC: 649571101800.

Variety lies at the core of 83 Classified Piano Solos published by Santorella Publications. It combines eighty-three songs from seven different genres to form an incredibly unique product. From Hymns to Marches, Waltzes to Folk songs and Classics to Boogie, 83 Classified Piano Solos has everything that a beginning piano student needs. Boredom is a major obstacle to learning which students and teachers have encountered. They have found it extremely difficult to maintain interest when using a single resource. Often, supplemental materials are needed to keep study interesting and exciting since it is nearly impossible to find adequately diverse books. This adds a significant and unnecessary financial burden on both parties. 83 Classified Piano Solos from Santorella Publications is different. This best-selling easy piano title eliminates the need for costly supplemental materials while exploring many composers in varied genres and keeping study fun and interesting. To take full advantage of the variety, we strongly urge that you jump around from section to section and explore all that 83 Classified Piano Solos has to offer. This Jonathon Robbins best seller from Santorella Publications includes a performance CD which serves as a great tool for the beginning student. He or she can listen to a performance of each piece performed at the appropriate tempos, dynamics and stylings, then emulate this during their own performance, practice or study sessions. Just take a look at the incredibly diverse range of titles found in this great Santorella title: WALTZES - WALTZ (From, The Sleeping Beauty) - Tchaikovsky - EMPEROR WALTZ - Strauss - WALTZ IN A MINOR - Chopin, WALTZ IN Bb - Schubert - WALTZ IN C - Schubert - WALTZ IN C - Brahms - WAVES OF THE DANUBE - Ivanovici - WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS (From, The Nutcracker) - Tchaikovsky COWBOY MUSIC RED RIVER VALLEY - HOME ON THE RANGE - POOR, LONESOME COWBOY - GOOD BYE OLD PAINT - BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN - I'D LIKE TO BE IN TEXAS - THE COLORADO TRAIL - TO BURY ME NOT ON THE LONE PRAIRIE - WHOOPIE TI-YI-YO! (Git Along Little Dogies!) HYMNS ABIDE WITH ME - I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR - WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS - ETERNAL FATHER - STRONG TO SAVE - HEAR OUR PRAYER - O LORD - I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY - ROCK OF AGES - COME, THOU ALMIGHTY KING - MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE - NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE - HE LEADETH ME - ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS' NAME - HOLY, HOLY, HOLY - SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER - IN THE SWEET BYE AND BYE - FAITH OF OUR FATHERS FOLK MUSIC BILLYBOY - ALOUETTE - ON TOP OF OLD SMOKY - CRAWDAD SONG - TURKEY IN THE STRAW - THE FARMER IN THE DELL - SKIP TO MY LOU - SHE'LL BE COMIN''ROUND THE MOUNTAIN - PUT YOUR LITTLE FOOT - JOHN PEEL - OH, WHERE HAS MY LITTLE DOG GONE - MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW - POLLY WOLLY DOODLE MARCHES THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER - AMERICAN PATROL - MARCH OF THE PRIESTS (From, Athalia) - GRAND MARCH (From the Opera, Aida) - DIXIE - THE MARINES' HYMN - SOLDIER'S CHORUS (From the Opera, Faust) - HAIL TO THE CHIEF - ANCHORS AWEIGH - THE THUNDERER CLASSICS CRADLE SONG - Brahms - TURKISH MARCH (From, The Ruins of Athens) - Beethoven, NOCTURNE IN F - Chopin - MINUET IN G - Bach - MUSETTE - Bach - FANTASIE IMPROMTU - Chopin - GAITE PARISIENNE (Can Can) - Offenbach - THEME FROM SURPRISE SYMPHONY - Haydn - MARCHE MILITAIRE - Schubert - UNFINISHED SYMPHONY THEME - Schubert - LARGO (From the Opera, Xerxes) - Handel - TOREADOR SONG (From the Opera, Carmen) - Bizet - JUNE - Tchaikovsky - BRIDAL CHORUS (From the Opera, Lohengrin) - Wagner - BARCAROLLE (From, The Tales of Hoffman) - Offenbach, HALLELUJAH CHORUS (From, The Messiah) - Handel - LA DONNA E MOBILE (From the Opera, Rigoletto) - Verdi. BOOGIE WOOGIES (Jonathon Robbins) BOOGIE WOOGIE BLUES - DOODLIN'- RIDE THE BOOGIE WOOGIE TRAIN - THE LAZY BOOGIE WOOGIE - ONE NOTE BOOGIE - MR. BOOGIE WOOGIE - THE NON-STOP BOOGIE - THE HORSE BACK BOOGIE.