SKU: CA.927600
ISBN 9790007296117. French. Text: Gautier, Theophile.
A prevailing melancholy mood is characteristic of Theophile Gautier's (1811-1872) poetry; a melancholy mood which inspired composers such as Hector Berlioz and Gabriel Faure to compose settings. Tristesse (Sadness) is taken from the 1838 collection La Comedie de la Mort (The Comedy of Death). With over 50 poems this is regarded as Gautier's major Romantic work. Although the narrator in the poem is conscious of the joy and zest for life of spring coming into bloom around him, he cannot share this: Helas! j'ai dans le coeur une tristesse affreuse. (Alas, in my heart I bear a terrible grief.). Faure's setting portrays this effect less as a dramatic sigh than a melancholic unworldliness with peaceful piano accompaniment in the minor key. This art song was originally composed not for chamber choir, but for solo voice and piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted it to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losing any of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with an enormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist.The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD ... Wo die Zitronen bluhn (Carus 83.514).
SKU: UT.TME-1
ISBN 9790215316096. 9 x 12 inches.
Performance Material on Hire[Solo: SAATB - Str - Bc]Thanks to its patron the Duke Francesco II, Modena became a capital city worldwide for the oratorio genre: renowned maestro di cappella in Ferrara, also Bassani wished to offer to the Duke his own work, setting aside for him the summit of his melodic and dramaturgical inventiveness.According to the documents that we have, the performance of Giona was Bassani's debut at the court of Francesco II. Born in Padua around 1650, the composer carried out the main part of his activities in Ferrara, where he was organist (probably from 1667), and maestro di cappella at the Accademia della Morte (from 1683), and subsequently also at the Cathedral (from 1686); he also became a member of the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna (in 1677) and was committed to Alessandro II Pico, Duke of Mirandola and Marquis of Concordia. In 1712 he moved to Bergamo, where he was maestro di cappella at S. Maria Maggiore; he died there on 1st October 1716. Before his commission in Modena, the <> - as he was often called at that time - had already printed seven instrumental and vocal works as well as a few operas and oratorios.
SKU: OU.9780193407855
ISBN 9780193407855. 10 x 7 inches.
For SATB unaccompanied Setting a well-known poem by Percy Shelley, Love's Philosophy is a sweet and tender choral song reflecting on the idea of love with reference to nature and the interdependent relationships evident in the world around us. Mellifluous choral writing and sighing interjections convey the theme of unrequited or lost love.
SKU: OU.9780193564886
ISBN 9780193564886. 11 x 9 inches.
For SSATB and orchestra This work is centred around a powerful poem by Indian-American author Neelanjana Banerjee exploring the relationship of an immigrant and her child to their country of origin. Esmail engages full orchestral forces to create a vibrant work that draws on the sound-worlds of Western European and Indian traditions.