SKU: CL.012-4114-75

Shadowplay is a descriptive, impressionistic work inspired by an early morning walk along the beach of the composer's home in Vancouver, Canada. The music reflects the play of light and shadow with the rising of the sun through the trees. It begins calmly, with the sunrise as the light melts the shadows. The piece develops with the sounds and sights of nature; seagulls floating in the air and the crashing of the waves. Shadow becomes light ; light becomes shadow. The music ebbs and flows as the sun rises higher on the horizon. Shadowplay features a variety of tonal colors and textures, orchestration which is sometimes haunting and transparent, sometimes rich and lush, yet always evocative. After a dramatic build, the music subsides, with all of the melodies interweaving like a tapestry of light and dark and ending as it began, with emotional sensitivity. Features, lyrical solos by soprano saxophone, flute and flugelhorn. An ideal piece for concert or festival use to display sensitivity and dynamics.

SKU: PL.0408IP

Bruce Saylor is well-known for his exceptional sacred music and particularly his large-scale anthems. Blessing is a sensitive mixture of texts from the Scriptures and Jasper Keith, Jr. The anthem is scored for choir, trumpets, trombones, timpani and organ. It demands a great deal of sensitivity on the part of all the musicians and is especially gratifying for the exciting results that ensue. A quiet, rather sinuous line from the organ opens the work and is slowly transformed into more rhythmic and fiery figurations. A march-like section commences at the text, Hast thou not known? This subsides into more lyrical turns from the choir and organ and eventually a return to the opening music. The work concludes with an exuberant Amen from all forces. This is a real tour-de-force and should find its way into performances by large church and college choirs.

SKU: CF.CM9736

ISBN 9781491161166. UPC: 680160919758. Key: Bb major. English.

Stephen Collins Foster lived from 1826 to 1864, until only age 37. He was extremely prolific, with numerous songs that have lasted to this day. I first had the idea to arrange Beautiful Dreamer for SATB choirs a cappella, after hearing Kristen Chenoweth in concert. She ended her concert, in a 1,600 seat hall, with Beautiful Dreamer, an a cappella solo, with no microphone. Given the beautiful melody, text and Ms. Chenoweth's voice, one could have heard a pin drop in the audience. Her performance concluded to thunderous applause and a standing ovation. The power of music. Throughout this arrangement, the harmonies support the beautiful melody and text (rather than get in its' way). Opportunities abound for vocal parts to be showcased as well as an optional solo/duet at the beginning. Sing freely, with pure vowels, crisp diction and sensitivity, allowing the text to prevail by giving special attention to stressed and unstressed syllables and words. I hope you enjoy singing this arrangement in rehearsal and performance to the delight of your audience. Tell the story through song because that's what we should always do when performing choral music. Russell Robinson, Arranger  .
Stephen Collins Foster lived from 1826 to 1864, until only age 37. He was extremely prolific, with numerous songs that have lasted to this day.  I first had the idea to arrange Beautiful Dreamer for SATB choirs a cappella, after hearing Kristen Chenoweth in concert.  She ended her concert, in a 1,600 seat hall, with Beautiful Dreamer, an a cappella solo, with no microphone.  Given the beautiful melody, text and Ms. Chenoweth’s voice, one could have heard a pin drop in the audience. Her performance concluded to thunderous applause and a standing ovation.  The power of music.Throughout this arrangement, the harmonies support the “beautiful” melody and text (rather than get in its' way).  Opportunities abound for vocal parts to be showcased as well as an optional solo/duet at the beginning.Sing freely, with pure vowels, crisp diction and sensitivity, allowing the text to prevail by giving special attention to stressed and unstressed  syllables and words.I hope you enjoy singing this arrangement in rehearsal and performance to the delight of your audience.  Tell the story through song because that’s what we should always do when performing choral music.Russell Robinson, Arranger .

SKU: HL.1269589

UPC: 196288160793. I Peter 1:15-16, John 10:30, Revelation 4:8.

A delicate tone poem expressing the mystery of the sacred Trinity, this profound lyric provides a deeper understanding of the holiness of God. Set with refined sensitivity, the anthem moves gently with grace, murmuring textures, and word-sensitive melodic contours.

SKU: BT.EMBZ14837

Hungarian-English-German-French.

This is a sequel to the highly successful Child Prodigy Composers volume. In this second volume, the majority of the pieces are works recommended for pupils in the upper music school classes, and indeed some can be used successfully in secondary level teaching as well. Here too, most of the compositions were written before the age of 14 - it is amazing what highly developed piano technique some of these young composers already possessed at the age of 13 or 14!In addition to Muzio Clementi's A flat Major Sonata, the Allemandes by Carl Maria von Weber, Schubert's surprisingly mature C minor fantasia, the prodigiously talented Clara Schumann's two polonaises, Mussorgsky'sbrilliant polka, a sensitive waltz by Scriabin and Borodin's showy (but not difficult) four-hand polka, this volume also contains works by a Hungarian composer: the hitherto unpublished mazurkas by Ern Dohnányi, written around ages 11-12.

This is a sequel to the highly successful publication entitled Child Prodigy Composers (EMBZ14773). In this second volume the majority of the pieces are works recommended for pupils in the upper music school classes, and indeed some can be used successfully in secondary level teaching as well. Here too, most of the compositions were written before the age of 14 - it is amazing what a highly developed piano technique some of these young composers already possessed at the age of 13 or 14! In addition to Muzio Clementi's A flat major sonata, the Allemandes by Carl Maria von Weber, Schubert's surprisingly mature C minor fantasia, the prodigiously talentedClara Schumann's two polonaises, Mussorgsky's brilliant polka, a sensitive waltz by Scriabin and Borodin's showy (but not difficult) four-hand polka, this volume also contains works by a Hungarian composer: the hitherto unpublished mazurkas by Ern Dohnányi, written at the age of 11 and 12.

Dies ist die Fortsetzung der Erfolgsausgabe Wunderkinder als Komponisten (EMBZ14773). In diesem zweiten Band sind mehrheitlich Werke für die höheren Klassen der Musikschulen vertreten, manche Stücke können auch in der Mittelstufe eingesetzt werden. Bemerkenswert ist, dass ein Großteil der Werke mit unter 14 komponiert wurden. Verblüffend, über welche Klaviertechnik ein Teil der dreizehn-vierzehnjährigen Komponisten schon verfügten!Neben der Sonate in As-Dur von Muzio Clementi, den Allemanden von Carl Maria von Weber, der überraschend reifen Phantasie in c-Moll von Schubert, den beiden entzückenden Polonaisen von Clara Schumann, der brillanten Polka von Mussorgsky,dem sensiblen Walzer von Skrjabin und der effektvollen, aber nicht allzu schwierigen Polka für vier Hände von Borodin, erscheinen auch in diesem Band Werke eines ungarischen Komponisten - die Erstveröffentlichungen der im Alter von elf und zwölf Jahren entstandenen Masurken und Scherzandi von Ern Dohnányi.

SKU: CF.CM9635

ISBN 9781491157077. UPC: 680160915637. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: E major. English, English. Abram Joseph Ryan (1838-1886).

Victor Johnson captures the mystery and nuance of the bittersweet poem, Wake Me a Song, by American poet, Abram Joseph Ryan. Nuance, text, and Johnson's rich harmonies paired with intertwining textures make this a noteworthy addition to any program. Also available for SATB Voices (CM9561).
About the Author Abram Joseph Ryan was born Matthew Abraham Ryan on February 5, 1838 in Hagerstown, Maryland. As a young man, Ryan and his family moved west St. Louis, Missouri, where he was educated at the Christian Brothers School. He studied for the priesthood at Niagra University in New York State and was ordained a priest in the Vincentian order on November 1, 1856. He taught theology, first at Niagra university and then at the diocesan seminary in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, until the beginning of the war between the states. Father Ryan enlisted in the army on September 1, 1862, and served as a chaplain throughout the conflict, carrying the wounded to safety and performing last rites on the battlefield. His first piece of poetry was inspired by the death of a younger brother while serving in the army. After the war, he established a weekly literary magazine in which most of his poetry was published. He also put out several volumes of poetry, including Father Ryan's Poems and A Crown for Our Queen. Father Ryan died on April 22, 1886 at a Franciscan monastery in Louisville, Kentucky. About the Song Wake Me A Song is an inspired and sensitive setting of the 19th-century poem by Abram Joseph Ryan. It features sweeping melodic lines, rich harmonies, and a flowingly beautiful accompaniment. To master a performance of this selection, singers must perform very expressively, paying close attention to such musical aspects as phrase shaping, the rise and fall of the melodic line, blending and proper intonation between sections. One strategy that could be used to ensure proper phrasing is the idea of Painting the Phrase. The singer should make a motion as if they have a paintbrush in their hand and paint the melodic line and phrase shape as if they are painting with a nice, flowing brush stroke. One could think about painting a rainbow or an arch to show the rise and fall of the line and/or phrase. The director can also show this gesture while conducting to reinforce this concept.
About the AuthorAbram Joseph Ryan was born Matthew Abraham Ryan on February 5, 1838 in Hagerstown, Maryland. As a young man, Ryan and his family moved west St. Louis, Missouri, where he was educated at the Christian Brothers School. He studied for the priesthood at Niagra University in New York State and was ordained a priest in the Vincentian order on November 1, 1856. He taught theology, first at Niagra university and then at the diocesan seminary in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, until the beginning of the war between the states.Father Ryan enlisted in the army on September 1, 1862, and served as a chaplain throughout the conflict, carrying the wounded to safety and performing last rites on the battlefield. His first piece of poetry was inspired by the death of a younger brother while serving in the army. After the war, he established a weekly literary magazine in which most of his poetry was published. He also put out several volumes of poetry, including Father Ryan's Poems and A Crown for Our Queen. Father Ryan died on April 22, 1886 at a Franciscan monastery in Louisville, Kentucky.About the SongWake Me A Song is an inspired and sensitive setting of the 19th-century poem by Abram Joseph Ryan. It features sweeping melodic lines, rich harmonies, and a flowingly beautiful accompaniment.To master a performance of this selection, singers must perform very expressively, paying close attention to such musical aspects as phrase shaping, the rise and fall of the melodic line, blending and proper intonation between sections.One strategy that could be used to ensure proper phrasing is the idea of “Painting the Phrase.” The singer should make a motion as if they have a paintbrush in their hand and “paint” the melodic line and phrase shape as if they are painting with a nice, flowing brush stroke. One could think about painting a rainbow or an arch to show the rise and fall of the line and/or phrase. The director can also show this gesture while conducting to reinforce this concept.