SKU: HL.44010430

UPC: 884088414610. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

The piece traces key events in the life of Haakon the Good, later to become King Haakon I (ca. 921-960), who had been fostered by King Athelstan of England as part of a peace agreement made by his father (“The Future King”). The English king brought him up in the Christian religion and, on the news of his father's death, provided him with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been proclaimed king of Norway. On his arrival he travelled north (“The Journey to Trondheim”), where he began to gain the support of the landowners by promising to give up the rights of taxation his father had previously claimed. Elrik's sons allied themselves with the Danes, but were invariably defeated by Haakon, who was successful in everything he undertook except in his attempt to introduce Christianity to the country (“The Missionary King”), which aroused an opposition he did not feel strong enough to face. One of his most famous victories was “The Battle of Rastarkalv” (near Frei) in 955. By placing ten standards far apart along a low ridge (to give the impression his army was bigger than it actually was), he managed to fool Eirik's sons that they were outnumbered (the ten standards are represented by ten loud chords that begin in m. 420). The Danes fled and were slaughtered by Haakon's army.

SKU: BR.OB-4642-30

ISBN 9790004317464. 10 x 12.5 inches.

SKU: CA.5032919

ISBN 9790007133597. Key: D major. Language: Latin.

Johann Michael Haydn worked for over 40 years at the Court of the Prince Bishop in Salzburg, in whose employment he composed most of his music. However, the Missa sub titulo Sancti Francisci Seraphici was composed in 1803 on commission from the Viennese Imperial Court, on the occasion of the name day of Emperor Franz I. Two years previously, his wife Empress Marie Theresia had already commissioned a large Mass with a gradual, an offertory and a Te Deum on the occasion of her own name day (Missa sub titulo Sanctae Theresiae, 50.328). Both Masses are impressive because of their size and their unusually large instrumental forces. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.5032900.

SKU: HL.332770

ISBN 9780615243047. UPC: 884088271862. 10.25x12.75x0.96 inches.

Most musicians are familiar with the famous Bigsby Vibrato, but not as many know about the wonderful guitars that Paul Bigsby built in the 1940s. Bigsby, who was responsible for developing and refining the pedal steel guitar, also built the first modern solid body electric guitar for Merle Travis in 1948, predating Leo Fender and Gibson's Les Paul by a number of years. The Story of Paul A. Bigsby tells how Bigsby influenced Fender and Gibson, as well as a number of other guitar manufacturers, in building techniques and design. This deluxe illustrated coffee table book contains over 300 color and black & white photos. Many of these have not previously been published, and over 50 are actual Bigsby instrument photos taken by fine arts photographer Greg Morgan. The book also comes with an audio CD of Paul Bigsby, recorded in the late 1950s, telling stories of his business.

SKU: BP.1818PS

Craig Courtney has transcribed his well-loved choral work for piano solo, as an expression of solidarity in the midst of the 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine, where Craig previously served on a mission team. Evocative pedalling, textures, and countermelodies make this a poignant pianistic expression of faith, strength, and hope in the midst of suffering and tragedy.

Originally written for SATB choir or TTBB choir.

SKU: BR.BV-333

SKU: PR.144407380

ISBN 9781491133903. UPC: 680160683475. 9 x 12 inches.

In her powerful Foreword to the music, violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins has written: “There are great works which give voice to important moments for generations, and this is one of them.” The tragedy of Elijah McClain’s murder has moved us all, and for many musicians the image of this gentle young man playing his violin for kittens at an animal shelter has added a poignant extra layer. Zwilich was a professional violinist before turning exclusively to composing, and A LITTLE VIOLIN MUSIC is a memorial from the heart of one violinist to another.
[THESE NOTES MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLICATION; OK TO QUOTE A BIT AND GIVE AUTHOR CREDIT]We often research important pieces of music to gain some glimpse into the mind of the composer by understanding the times in which a piece was written. The times that brought this piece into being, 2020, has been a year like no other in our lifetimes.With the suffering of a once in a century pandemic raging in ever higher waves, and millions of people around the world confined to their homes with a shared attention span for the first time in generations, we watched in horror the 8 minute 46 second killing of George Floyd, a man previously unknown to us, but now unwillingly joining a long list of names of unarmed African Americans killed by police. The anguished backlash of citizens around the world, from Japan to New Zealand to Germany to the United States, of every age, color, and creed, has rallied for weeks and months on end to demand enough and that “Black Lives Matter.”And yet, in the midst of it all is an America starkly divided against itself with some defiantly pushing back, emboldened by authoritarian-style government actions against its own citizens occurring all over the country. It is against this backdrop that we ever had a chance to know of Elijah McClain. Here in quarantine I sometimes practice my scales in front of the news. And one day the mirror image looking back at me from the screen was a slight young man, warm, affable brown eyes, and also a violin under his chin. The newsreel-style camera pan so familiar now, I knew the only reason we were gazing upon his unfamous face was that he too had been killed by police nearly a year before. But the revelation of it in the broadcast hit me particularly hard.Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, who is not only one of the great composers of our time, is also a dear friend, and called me the next day, also deeply saddened by the news. It was from Ellen that I learned that Elijah used to play for the kittens at the local animal shelter so they wouldn’t be lonely. This kind, gentle soul was aggressively taken into police custody while saying, “I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking... I’m going home.” He was never seen alive again.Ellen and I spoke of the sadness and the injustice of this several times. She felt a powerful calling to contribute something in a statement and the result is the piece you now hold in your hands. I am deeply honored to be the dedicatee of the piece, to have worked together with Ellen on some of the final details, and to pen this score note. As an invited alumna of the Eastman School of Music, I premiered the work for their virtual event on Diversity and Inclusion. Each time I play it, there is a persistent lump in my throat because Ellen has captured something poignant and powerful here.There are great works which give voice to important moments for generations, and this is one of them. We humbly offer this piece in memory of Elijah McClain.Foreword © 2021 by Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Used by permission.