SKU: BT.MUSM570368679

Isthmus denotes a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger ars of land. The title is a metaphor for an effort to bond artistically my experiences of living in Cyprus, my birthplace, and in the USA, my recently adopted homeland. Having lived in a small, partitioned island for my formative years and in England for eleven years, water has always had a double meaning: it has at once served as a gateway to other cultures but also as a border, a violent and absolute interruption of a continuum. While in the USA, or indeed in a now connected Europe, it is possible to travel on land for days without having to encounter a border, in the countries where I lived for most of my life, that was not possible. As an artist, this notion of establishing boundaries and consciously trying to break them is very close to me, as my music deals both with modernity but also with tradition and, similarly, with metaphor and reality. As a Cypriot, the sea, the world of antiquity, the mysteries of the oracles, the notion of borders and the pastoral are all very central to my way of thinking. In Cyprus, different layers of history are frequently superimposed on a single building that might still preserve its Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman features in its layers of stone and architecture. Similarly, ancient ruins or the barbed wire of modern conflict often interrupt placid fields. An isthmus, therefore, can be seen to symbolize my artistic struggle to join strikingly different experiences and notions in a cohesive way. Similar to an isthmus, in this short piece, I connect these experiences with the purpose of creating a distinct and unique sonic context, connecting technology and tradition, the pastoral with the urban, the musical with the extra-musical and the abstract with the concrete. For example, the choir does not always sing in the traditional sense, but the singers imitate various natural sounds, such as water, air, crickets or birds, to create a vivid visual impression for the work. Scandinavian herding calls blend with field recordings from the seas of Cyprus and the lakes of Upstate New York, communicated within clearly defined, singular acoustic sources and spaces through wireless speakers. The text used is both onomatopoeic, articulating an imaginary language, but also literal, with a setting of the poem, “To make a prairie” by the iconic American poet Emily Dickinson and a tiny fragment from Callimachus’ “Hymn to Demeter.” Technology is used sparsely and very intentionally to articulate the expressive qualities of pastoral imagery, creating one unified synthetic timbre with the choristers’ sounds. This piece is dedicated to the wonderful singers of the Georgia Institute of Technology Chamber Choir with special thanks to Professors Hsu and Ulrich, without whose support this composition would not have been possible. Practical notes: A choir of no less than 24 singers is sought with 4 additional soloists (2 Sopranos and 2 Altos). Each singer must have their own wireless speaker, secured either in the music folder or as a strap inside their shirts. All sounds must match in volume the sound from the speakers, creating one unified timbre. The speakers should not be noticeable to the public. The four soloists are placed offstage at the beginning of the work. From 1:35’ onwards they enter the hall and take their positions, ideally at the four corners of the hall. If the hall is too large, the singers can find alternate positions, but these should always be antiphonal. The four soloists sing predominantly in the “kulning” style and the antiphonal aspect is very important to the work. There are two sound files for each section (SATB) that are triggered by each singer’s mobile device. The first occurs at the start of the piece, and the second, about a minute before the end. The sound files are able to be purchased separately, on CD, or are available directly from UYMP.

SKU: CA.3106955

ISBN 9790007186388. Language: German/English.

Bach's Cantata BWV 69a of 1723, which has remained largely unknown to the present day, is now available for the first time in a practical edition with this Carus publication. It has been unjustly neglected as it was overshadowed by the Cantata BWV 69 of the same name, a piece which Bach reworked to celebrate the inauguration of Leipzig Town Council in 1748. On that occasion Bach re-used the parts from 1723 for simplicity, and adapted them for the new use by means of cuts, alterations, and additions - something which certainly did not mean that he rejected the 1723 version. This version can readily be recovered from the parts of 1723, if we explore beyond the alterations of 1748. With its rich wind instruments and great opening chorus, the 1723 cantata is in no way inferior to the later festive music in terms of musical splendor. The text takes the Gospel reading about the healing of the deaf and dumb man as a reason for praise and thanks for God's good deeds. In contrast to the later version, in which God is thanked for the wisdom of the Leipzig authorities, the original version of 1723 is free of such contemporary references, and is suitable for use in worship and concerts in many different ways. Score available separately - see item CA.3106900.

SKU: CA.3106999

ISBN 9790007206741. Language: German/English.

Bach's Cantata BWV 69a of 1723, which has remained largely unknown to the present day, is now available for the first time in a practical edition with this Carus publication. It has been unjustly neglected as it was overshadowed by the Cantata BWV 69 of the same name, a piece which Bach reworked to celebrate the inauguration of Leipzig Town Council in 1748. On that occasion Bach re-used the parts from 1723 for simplicity, and adapted them for the new use by means of cuts, alterations, and additions - something which certainly did not mean that he rejected the 1723 version. This version can readily be recovered from the parts of 1723, if we explore beyond the alterations of 1748. With its rich wind instruments and great opening chorus, the 1723 cantata is in no way inferior to the later festive music in terms of musical splendor. The text takes the Gospel reading about the healing of the deaf and dumb man as a reason for praise and thanks for God's good deeds. In contrast to the later version, in which God is thanked for the wisdom of the Leipzig authorities, the original version of 1723 is free of such contemporary references, and is suitable for use in worship and concerts in many different ways. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3106900.

SKU: CA.3106953

ISBN 9790007186371. Language: German/English.

Bach's Cantata BWV 69a of 1723, which has remained largely unknown to the present day, is now available for the first time in a practical edition with this Carus publication. It has been unjustly neglected as it was overshadowed by the Cantata BWV 69 of the same name, a piece which Bach reworked to celebrate the inauguration of Leipzig Town Council in 1748. On that occasion Bach re-used the parts from 1723 for simplicity, and adapted them for the new use by means of cuts, alterations, and additions - something which certainly did not mean that he rejected the 1723 version. This version can readily be recovered from the parts of 1723, if we explore beyond the alterations of 1748. With its rich wind instruments and great opening chorus, the 1723 cantata is in no way inferior to the later festive music in terms of musical splendor. The text takes the Gospel reading about the healing of the deaf and dumb man as a reason for praise and thanks for God's good deeds. In contrast to the later version, in which God is thanked for the wisdom of the Leipzig authorities, the original version of 1723 is free of such contemporary references, and is suitable for use in worship and concerts in many different ways. Score available separately - see item CA.3106900.

SKU: FG.55011-857-7

Žibuoklė Martinaitytė tells about the background of Aletheia (2022) for mixed choir (SSSSAAAATTTTBBBB): Aletheia is variously translated from Greek as unconcealedness, revealing or unclosedness. It is uncovering of the Truth - the one we are afraid to face, the truth that can only be expressed directly through the pre-verbal communication. How do you find words for the horrors of the war, for all unimaginable global atrocities? How do you even allow yourself to feel it out? Solely through art, through music that offer a safe space and a formalized framework for processing these accumulated complex emotions and sharing them with others in a moment. This piece has no verbal text and it is based on various combinations of vowels and consonants, thus connecting us on a deeper level through the immediate emotional experience.

The war in Ukraine in spring of 2022 had an impact on all of us and shattered my deeply rooted Lithuanian identity. When the freedom is threatened and innocent people are dying, it is hard to make sense out of the reality. Yet there is poetry even in the worst nightmares. I was imagining that the only instrument people have even in situations of destruction, in the midst of the war, is their VOICE. It brought back memories of my youth when Singing revolution was taking place in the Baltic countries. Human voice was the only weapon that people used to express their determination for freedom and independence. Voice is our first and the very last instrument we have in our lifetime. Thinking in these terms brings almost a sacred dimension to the voice as an expression of the life itself - from the very first baby's scream until the last breath and whisper.

Duration c. 15'

The works of New York -based Lithuanian composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė (b. 1973) have been lauded as breathtaking and profoundly moving. Her stimulating music bristles with energy and tension and revolves often around the subject of beauty, which she calls both a guiding principle and an aesthetic measure for sonic quality.