SKU: PR.110418370

ISBN 9781491135075. UPC: 680160686247.

Composed as an organ solo by the 17-year-old Ives for his own performance purposes, the beloved Variations on America is a treat for any occasion, whether a holiday concert, a serious recital, or other special event. Danny Holt’s transcription for Piano, Four Hands adds a dazzling new option to play at home or on stage, taking best advantage of Ives’ tremendous contrasts in color, dynamics, and texture.
Composed when Charles Ives was a teenager, Variations on “America” is both a convenient introduction to Ives’ body of work, and an early example of his iconoclastic musical voice and creative genius. Just a few years after composing this piece, Ives would leave home to study music at Yale. But until then he had been taught by his father, George (who had been a bandmaster in the Civil War). George subjected the young Ives to experiments such as singing a song in one key while being accompanied in another, or arranging for two marching bands to converge on a town center, with the resulting cacophony that ensued.The Variations exemplifies an early period of experimentation in Ives’ work, spurred on by the unusual pedagogy of his father. The piece is particularly notable for its use of bitonality in the two interludes, subtly foreshadowing more well-known examples by Stravinsky, Bartók, and others by approximately two decades.The bitonal interludes were so ahead of their time, in fact, they were omitted from the first copy that was submitted to a publisher in 1892. (Alas, the piece was rejected even despite these “shocking” elements having been left out, and it wasn’t published until more than five decades later.) There is some ambiguity about when exactly Ives added the interludes into his manuscript copy, though ample evidence suggests he had performed the piece with the interludes around the time he notated the piece in 1891-92. In any case, in light of this piece and his other polytonal explorations from the last decade of the 19th century, it seems fair to give Ives credit for being a pioneer in this area!This arrangement for Piano, Four Hands, closely follows Ives’ original version for organ, setting aside William Schuman’s popular adaptation for symphony orchestra and William Rhoads’ band transcription of the Schuman orchestration. Pianists will find that the piece translates well to the instrument. Ideally, the choreography and logistics of elbow-to-elbow four-hands playing approximates the wild joy one gets from watching an organist play the piece (e.g., the elaborate pedal part in the final variation).In preparing this publication, attention was paid to details in the dual Critical Editions (Presser 443-41003) of both Ives’ manuscript edition and the 1949 publication edited by organist E. Power Biggs (who is credited with discovering what had been a long-lost, forgotten work.) But as with much of Ives’ output, attempting to create a true ‘urtext’ score is a futile endeavor, and especially with a piece such as this one – in which Ives incorporated improvisation in live performance – seems unnecessary anyhow. True die-hards are of course encouraged to consult the critical editions and even find inspiration in the orchestrated version. Generally, performers are advised to be wild, have fun, and not to be too rigid in their interpretive choices.Dynamics in this arrangement mostly follow the organ score closely. Pianists will use good judgment about pedaling throughout, which should be straightforward and intuitive. Courtesy accidentals have been provided frequently – without parentheses – balancing the need for extra clarity in the context of Ives’ murky musical language, and a desire to avoid unnecessary clutter.A few notes that might inform interpretive decisions:mm. 15-16: There are inconsistencies here between Ives’ original manuscript and the 1949 Biggs edition, regarding the top voice in m. 15, beat 3 (C# vs. Cn) and m. 16 (D Major vs. D Minor).mm. 76-84 & 143-146: In both Interludes, Ives emphatically notates extreme dynamic contrast, in order to highlight the bitonality. Although it may seem counterintuitive (or even a misprint, as has apparently been misconstrued by some), performers are urged to follow the composer’s marking!m. 109: Two-note slurs have been added here for clarity and consistency with other similar passages, though they do not appear in either the original manuscript or Biggs.m. 112: The last two eighth notes of Primo appear as 16ths in the original manuscript.mm. 183-186: The original manuscript has a slightly different bass line.mm. 184 & 186: Primo gestures have been re-written to be slightly more idiomatic for Piano, Four Hands.m. 186: The breath mark at the end of this bar does not appear in either the manuscript or Biggs, but is an editorial suggestion – aside from being appropriately dramatic, it will indeed be necessary in a reverberant hall!I would like to thank Steven Vanhauwaert, the other half of my piano duo, 4handsLA, for his input on early drafts of this arrangement.— Danny Holt, April 2022.

SKU: HL.14035123

ISBN 9780711926769. 9.0x12.0x0.328 inches.

Kaleidoscope will save you time! Do you spend hours arranging music for odd assortments of instruments? Kaleidoscope is specially arranged to suit almost any instrumental combination and these varied ensembles are easy and enjoyable too. So much scope for virtually any combination of instruments! The series is successful with recorders, guitars, percussion and keyboard as well as with orchestral groupings. Whether there are five or fifty players, every Kaleidoscope title will work! Just make sure that melody and keyboard parts are included - all other parts are optional. Kaleidoscope is superb value for money - each set contains a score plus around 50 parts, each one carefully written to suit the needs of each instrument. For example, easy string parts are in first position only whilst easy clarinet parts take care to avoid the break. There are more demanding parts too, for experienced players. To help you choose the right pieces for your players we have given the key of each Kaleidoscope in brackets. The complete performance option! These super-flexible arrangements of well-known titles are a must for every school. Why not choose a theme for your concert and perform a selection of Kaleidoscope show titles and film themes or have an evening of classical favourites? In G and D minor. Edited by Nicholas Hare.

SKU: CF.FAS130F

ISBN 9781491162972. UPC: 680160921720. Key: E minor.

An adventurous concert experience for developing orchestras, Mystic Fire uses familiar notes on the D and G string, doubling Violin II with Viola, and Cello with Bass. Easy whole notes and staccato patterns reinforce techniques and rhythms learned in the classroom as students get to practice independent counting. Set in string-friendly E minor, the mysterious theme gives all sections the opportunity to shine.

SKU: AP.38468S

UPC: 038081434629. English.

Jingle Bells has been transformed into a Viennese-style waltz and combined with We Wish You a Merry Christmas in this charming selection perfect for your second-year players' holiday concert. In the keys of D and G major, this light-hearted dance features every section of the orchestra and reinforces hooked bowings, eighth note runs, and a variety of triple-meter rhythmic patterns. A fun and educational way to challenge your students technically, while taking your orchestra to that next level of maturity.

SKU: BT.EMBZ14802

Johann Nepomuk Hummel is a key figure of the transition period between Viennese classicism and Romanticism: a pupil of Mozart, a contemporary of Beethoven, and a model for the composers of the next generation, especially Chopin. He was not only a composer but also one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of that time, who gave enormously successful concerts all over Europe, and wrote one of the most important piano tutors of the first half of the 19th century (Ausführlich theoretisch-practische Anweisung zum Pianoforte Spiel). The majority of the pieces that feature in this collection are from that piano tutor.

Johann Nepomuk Hummel ist eine Schlüsselfigur der Übergangsepoche zwischen der Wiener Klassik und der Romantik: Er war Schüler von Mozart, Zeitgenosse von Beethoven und das Vorbild der nachfolgenden Generation,vor allem von Chopin. Er war nicht nur Komponist, sondern einer der größten Klaviervirtuosen seiner Zeit, dessen Kunst europaweit gefeiert wurde. Er schrieb eine der wichtigsten Klavierschulen in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Ausführlich theoretisch-practische Anweisung zum Pianoforte Spiel. Der Großteil der Stücke in dieser Sammlung stammt aus dieser Klavierschule.

Johann Nepomuk Hummel est une figure clé de la période de transition entre classicisme viennois et romantisme : il fut l'élève de Mozart, le contemporain de Beethoven, et un modèle pour les compositeurs de la génération suivante, notamment Chopin. Il était non seulement compositeur, mais aussi l'un des plus grands pianistes virtuoses de l'époque, ayant donné des concerts succès dans toute l'Europe. Éminent professeur de piano, sa méthode Anweisung zum Pianofortespiel remporta un vif succès tout au long de la première moitié du 19e siècle.

SKU: KJ.SOP8C

Ballade Was Written As A Teaching Piece To Help Students Enhance Tone & Production & Intonation. Utilizing The Keys Of F & G Major, Students Can Work With Different Finger Patterns As They Concentrate On Their Intonation. Also A Nice Concert Selection.