SKU: BT.DHP-1206253-130

English-German-French-Dutch.

In 1989, the demonstration named the Baltic Way also known as the Baltic Chain— was held in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by its citizens in a call for independence from the Soviet Union. On 23rd August 1989, some two million participants formed a human chain, hand-in-hand all the way from the Estonian capital of Tallinn its Latvian counterpart, Riga, through to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius - six hundred kilometres long. It became the longest human chain ever created and turned out to be the final push needed for much sought-after independence. This historic event became the source of inspiration for this composition. The introduction of thefirst movement, ‘Struggle for Independence’, is based on a nocturne for piano by the renowned Lithuanian composer and painter Mikalojus Konstantinas iurlionis (1875-1911), thematic material from which has been incorporated throughout the whole composition. The melancholic beginning is followed by a powerful theme which reflects the resolve of the Baltic people. The sudden aggressive, dissonant chords and a dominant and—in rhythmic terms—contrary bass drum announce that the resistance is not going smoothly. Just for a moment, we hear the anthem of the Soviet Union in the lower brass, but this is relentlessly pushed to the background by the rest of the band playing the Lithuanian national anthem, ‘Tautiška giesm ’ (Lithuania, our homeland). The second movement, ‘Decades of Suffering’, echoes life under the Soviet Union's thumb. In the pursuit of independence, a peaceful protest is planned in which a human chain is formed across the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This ‘Chain of Freedom’ is depicted in the final movement of the work.

De Baltische Weg (The Baltic Way) was een demonstratie van de bevolking van de Baltische staten die in 1989 plaatsvond als een roep om onafhankelijkheid van de Sovjet-Unie. Deze historische gebeurtenis vormde de inspiratiebron voor deze compositie. Van Vilnius via Riga naar Tallinn werd een zeshonderd kilometer lange keten van naar schatting twee miljoen mensen gevormd. Op 23 augustus 1989 gaven al die mensen elkaar de hand en werd De Baltische Weg de langste menselijke keten ooit. Het bleek de uiteindelijke opmaat tot de zo gewenste onafhankelijkheid. De inleiding van het eerste deel, ‘Struggle for Independence’, is gebaseerd op een nocturne voor piano van devooraanstaande Litouwse componist en kunstschilder Mikalojus Konstantinas iurlionis (1875-1911). Het thematische materiaal van deze nocturne is door de hele compositie heen verwerkt. Na het melancholische begin volgt een krachtig thema, waarmee de strijdbaarheid van de Baltische bevolking wordt uitgebeeld. De plotselinge agressieve dissonante akkoorden en een dominante en ritmisch gezien tegendraadse grote trom laten horen dat het verzet niet eenvoudig verloopt. Even klinkt het begin van het volkslied van de Sovjet-Unie in het lage koper, maar dat wordt door de rest van de band onverbiddelijk naar de achtergrond verwezen door het Litouwse nationale volkslied ‘Tautiška giesm ’ (Litouwen, ons vaderland). In deel twee, ‘Decades of Suffering’, wordt het leven onder het juk van de Sovjet-Unie verklankt. In het streven naar onafhankelijkheid worden plannen gemaakt om als vreedzaam protest tegen de onderdrukking een menselijke keten te vormen over de wegen van de Baltische staten Litouwen, Letland en Estland. Deze ‘Chain of Freedom’ wordt in het laatste deel van het werk muzikaal weergegeven.

Der sogenannte Baltischer Weg (The Baltic Way) auch unter dem Namen Baltische Kette bekannt war 1989 eine Demonstration von Bürgern in den baltischen Staaten Estland, Lettland und Litauen mit dem Aufruf zur Unabhängigkeit von der Sowjetunion. Am 23. August 1989 bildeten rund zwei Millionen Teilnehmer eine sechshundert Kilometer lange Menschenkette, die von der estnischen Hauptstadt Tallinn über das lettische Riga bis zur litauischen Hauptstadt Vilnius reichte. Die längste Menschenkette, die jemals geschaffen wurde, erwies sich als der letzte Schritt, der zur lang ersehnten Unabhängigkeit führte. Dieses historische Ereignis diente der Komposition alsInspirationsquelle. Die Einleitung des ersten Satzes, Struggle for Independence“, basiert auf einem Nocturne für Klavier des bekannten litauischen Komponisten und Malers Mikalojus Konstantinas iurlionis (1875 1911), dessen thematisches Material in der gesamten Komposition verwendet wird. Dem melancholischen Anfang folgt ein mitreißendes Thema, das die Entschlossenheit der baltischen Bevölkerung widerspiegelt. Die plötzlichen aggressiven, dissonanten Akkorde und eine dominante und rhythmisch gegenläufige Bewegung in der Basstrommel kündigen an, dass der Widerstand nicht reibungslos verläuft. Für einen kurzen Moment erklingt die Hymne der Sowjetunion in den tiefen Blechbläsern, aber diese wird unerbittlich vom restlichen Orchester in den Hintergrund gedrängt, welches die litauische Nationalhymne Tautiška giesm “ (Litauen, unser Heimatland“) spielt. Der zweite Satz, Decades of Suffering“, spiegelt das Leben unter dem Joch der Sowjetunion wider. Für das Streben nach Unabhängigkeit war ein friedlicher Protest geplant, bei dem eine Menschenkette durch die baltischen Staaten Estland, Lettland und Litauen gebildet wurde. Diese Chain of Freedom“ wird im letzten Satz des Werkes beschrieben.

En 1989, la manifestation nommée « La Voie balte » (The Baltic Way) s’est tenue en Estonie, en Lettonie et en Lituanie, les pays baltes dont les citoyens demandaient être indépendants de l’Union soviétique. Le 23 ao t 1989, quelque deux millions de personnes se tenant par la main ont formé une chaîne humaine de 600 km de long reliant les trois capitales Tallinn (Estonie), Riga (Lettonie) et Vilnius (Lituanie). Cette chaîne humaine, la plus longue ce jour, donna une impulsion décisive au rétablissement d’une indépendance vivement souhaitée. Cet événement historique est devenu source d’inspiration pour cette composition. L’introduction du premier mouvement,« Struggle for Independence », est fondée sur un nocturne pour piano du célèbre compositeur et peintre letton Mikalojus Konstantinas iurlionis (1875-1911). Du matériel thématique emprunté ce nocturne est parsemé travers la présente composition. Un début mélancolique est suivi d’un thème puissant qui reflète la détermination des peuples baltes. La présence soudaine d’accords agressifs et dissonants, associés une grosse caisse dont le décalage rythmique domine, indiquent que la résistance rencontre des obstacles. Nous entendons momentanément l’hymne soviétique dans les cuivres graves, mais cet air est inexorablement repoussé l’arrière-plan par le reste de l’orchestre interprétant l’hymne national de Lettonie, « Tautiška giesm » (Lettonie, notre patrie). Le deuxième mouvement, « Decades of Suffering », dépeint la vie sous le joug de l’Union soviétique. la recherche de l’indépendance, une manifestation pacifique est organisée sous la forme d’une chaîne humaine traversant les trois pays baltes l ’Estonie, la Lettonie et la Lituanie. Le dernier mouvement de la pièce, « Chain of Freedom », exprime cet appel la liberté.

SKU: LO.99-2654L

SKU: HL.48185432

UPC: 888680834012. 9.0x12.0x0.1 inches.

“6 Favourite Pieces: Adagio, Larghetto et Final, from Violin Sonata No.4; Allegro, from Flute Sonata No.3; Allegro, Largo et Final, from Violin Sonata No.3; Gavottes; Largo; Sicilienne et Gigue, from Flute Sonata No.5”.

SKU: HL.114523

UPC: 884088874803. 6.75x10.5 inches.

Cascading bells played by choir members and the recurring phrase “Et in terra pax” between the verses of the familiar melody create a joyful seasonal showcase for treble voices. The final triumphant verse features a majestic descant and transitions into a sonorous conclusion on the final phrase, “good will to all.&rdquo.

SKU: ST.C360

ISBN 9790570813605.

Gavotte en Rondeau from Violin Partita No.3 (BWV 1006).

Paper, daylight and candles were often in short supply during Bachâ??s very busy lifetime but simply to view the autograph score in his hand of the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin is to be bound into a spell by the beauty, skill and extempore furiosity of the script. The cycle has been described as a miracle of implied harmony and rich harmonic textures, â??its freshness and maturity, its depth, its beauty, its response to all moodsâ? informing a work of humanity and genius unparalleled in all the literature for solo violin.

The present arrangement of the Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita No. 3 (BWV1006) is based on Rachmaninoffâ??s intricate harmonisation for piano. â??Ruht Wohlâ?? from the St. John Passion (BWV 245). In the final Chorus from the St. John Passion, Bach imbues the popular dance-forms of the Sarabande and Minuet with a spiritual theme of atonement and reconciliation. The three ritornelli stand like pillars in a palindromic structure whose unbroken melodic line and flowing counterpoint represent a â??timeless continuanceâ??. The original scoring is light and transparent, and transfers appropriately to a choir of cellos without the loss of any counterpoint. Prelude Op. 25 No 3 by Rachmaninoff. Throughout his career as a composer and virtuoso pianist, this Prelude was one of Rachmaninoffâ??s favourite pieces and he dedicated it to his teacher Alexander Siloti. A powerful structure is built up from a small rhythmic motif, reminiscent of Tchaikovskyâ??s representations of fate or Shostakovichâ??s of looming state power. This is contrasted with a lyrical middle section and a final phrase marked leggiero in which the music flies off into the air like a bird.

SKU: HL.44012758

UPC: 888680652913. 10.5x14 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

To hear a recording of this piece, please visit the Hal Leonard MGB Concert Band page at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeHzOLTDBDG2pZX6fYtaxSw

Based on the traditional Japanese tune â??Suiryo-Bushi,â? Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song opens with two contrasting statements of the melody - first sparsely presented by the woodwinds and then in a harmonized version played by the full band. This is followed by a lively section based on pentatonic melodies that characterize the folk tune. The following slower variation first centers around a plaintive English horn melody made up of sections of the original tune, and later presents the opening phrases of â??Suiryo-Bushiâ? against an intensely florid accompaniment. The final section is in the form of a scherzo that eventually forms the accompaniment to a final presentation of the folk tune. Duration: 8:30.

SKU: PR.114410380

UPC: 680160015160. 9.5 x 13 inches.

My second String Quartet was written twenty years after the first, Opus 4 from 1978. The First Quartet is an obsessively contrapuntal work in one movement, which was no doubt influenced by my studies with David Diamond. I had always intended to return to the medium once I left the astringency of my earlier style, but it was only when the National Federation of Music Clubs commissioned a major chamber work, with unspecified instrumentation, to celebrate their 100th Anniversary that I was enabled to do so. The Second Quartet is in four movements: Moderato, Allegro isterico, an Andante theme with 11 variations, and the closing Allegro, which then returns to the tempo of the first movement. An audience member at the premiere told me that she heard echoes of recent tragic events such as the Oklahoma bombing in this work. While I had no such programmatic intent while writing the quartet, it was not an entirely incorrect assessment of the work's intended emotional impact. The quartet is pervaded by a sense of seriousness, even mournfulness. The second movement's scherzo is an aggressively animated piece of musical machinery. The third movement's Variations unfold into a greater variety of moods than the others - but the moments of lyricism are countered by aggressive or ironic outbursts. The final movement's attempt at triumph quickly subsides into a return of the first movement, before being transformed onto a sense of resignation and acceptance as the chromaticism of the opening theme is transformed into a pure and diatonic C-Major. The work received its world premiere by the Shanghai Quartet at the 100th Anniversary Congress of the National Federation of Music Clubs at the Congress Hotel in Chicago on August 19th 1998.
My second String Quartet was written twenty years after the first, Opus 4 from 1978.  The First Quartet is an obsessively contrapuntal work in one movement, which was no doubt influenced by my studies with David Diamond.  I had always intended to return to the medium once I left the astringency of my earlier style, but it was only when the National Federation of Music Clubs commissioned a major chamber work, with unspecified instrumentation, to celebrate their 100th Anniversary that I was enabled to do so.The Second Quartet is in four movements:  Moderato, Allegro isterico, an Andante theme with 11 variations, and the closing Allegro, which then returns to the tempo of the first movement.An audience member at the premiere told me that she heard echoes of recent tragic events such as the Oklahoma bombing in this work.  While I had no such programmatic intent while writing the quartet, it was not an entirely incorrect assessment of the work’s intended emotional impact.  The quartet is pervaded by a sense of seriousness, even mournfulness.  The second movement’s scherzo is an aggressively animated piece of musical machinery.  The third movement’s Variations unfold into a greater variety of moods than the others – but the moments of lyricism are countered by aggressive or ironic outbursts.  The final movement’s attempt at triumph quickly subsides into a return of the first movement, before being transformed onto a sense of resignation and acceptance as the chromaticism of the opening theme is transformed into a pure and diatonic C-Major.The work received its world premiere by the Shanghai Quartet at the 100th Anniversary Congress of the National Federation of Music Clubs at the Congress Hotel in Chicago on August 19th 1998.

SKU: ST.MB89

ISBN 9790220222573.

The third and final volume devoted to the anthems of S. S. Wesley completes the canon with 23 original works written in the period between his departure from Exeter Cathedral to become organist of Leeds parish church in 1842 and 1874, the likely date of his final essays in the genre. Moving towards a greater simplicity of style, with less counterpoint and dissonance, but emphasising elements of colour, timbre and texture, these works are in general conceived on a more modest scale than earlier pieces such as The Wilderness. Even so, they show the composer continuing to experiment with the Anglican verse anthem, the evolution of which had been the cornerstone of a creative achievement without equal in the history of the English cathedral tradition between Purcell and Stanford.