SKU: PR.16500092L

UPC: 680160039531. 11 x 17 inches.

Zion is the third and final installment of a series of works for Wind Ensemble inspired by national parks in the western United States, collectively called Three Places in the West. As in the other two works (The Yellowstone Fires and Arches), it is my intention to convey more an impression of the feelings I've had in Zion National Park in Utah than an attempt at pictorial description. Zion is a place with unrivalled natural grandeur, being a sort of huge box canyon in which the traveler is constantly overwhelmed by towering rock walls on every side of him -- but it is also a place with a human history, having been inhabited by several tribes of native Americans before the arrival of the Mormon settlers in the mid-19th century. By the time the Mormons reached Utah, they had been driven all the way from New York State through Ohio and, with tragic losses, through Missouri. They saw Utah in general as a place nobody wanted, but they were nonetheless determined to keep it to themselves. Although Zion Canyon was never a Mormon Stronghold, the people who reached it and claimed it (and gave it its present name) had been through extreme trials. It is the religious fervor of these persecuted people that I was able to draw upon in creating Zion as a piece of music. There are two quoted hymns in the work: Zion's Walls (which Aaron Copland adapted to his own purposes in both is Old American Songs and the opera The Tender Land) and Zion's Security, which I found in the same volume in which Copland found Zion's Walls -- that inexhaustible storehouse of 19th-century hymnody called The Sacred Harp. My work opens with a three-verse setting of Zion's Security, a stern tune in F-sharp minor which is full of resolve. (The words of this hymn are resolute and strong, rallying the faithful to be firm, and describing the city of our God they hope to establish). This melody alternates with a fanfare tune, whose origins will be revealed in later music, until the second half of the piece begins: a driving rhythmic ostinato based on a 3/4-4/4 alternating meter scheme. This pauses at its height to restate Zion's Security one more time, in a rather obscure setting surrounded by freely shifting patterns in the flutes, clarinets, and percussion -- until the sun warms the ground sufficiently for the second hymn to appear. Zion's Walls is set in 7/8, unlike Copland's 9/8-6/8 meters (the original is quite strange, and doesn't really fit any constant meter), and is introduced by a warm horn solo. The two hymns vie for attention from here to the end of the piece, with the glowingly optimistic Zion's Walls finally achieving prominence. The work ends with a sense of triumph and unbreakable spirit. Zion was commissioned in 1994 by the wind ensembles of the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Oklahoma. It is dedicated to the memory of Aaron Copland.

SKU: BT.AMP-028-140

English-German-French-Dutch.

The piece reflects the composer's fascination with the origins of the universe and deep space in general. The title comes from a theory, formulated by Pythagoras, that the cosmos was ruled by the same laws he had discovered that govern the ratios of note frequencies of the musical scale. (‘Harmonia’ in Ancient Greek, which means scale or tuning rather than harmony - Greek music was monophonic). He also believed that these ratios corresponded to the distances of the six known planets from the sun and that the planets each produced a musical note which combined to weave a continuous heavenly melody (which, unfortunately, we humans cannot hear). In this work, these six notesform the basis of the sections MUSIC OF THE SPHERES and HARMONIA. The pieces opens with a horn solo called t = 0, a name given by some scientists to the moment of the Big Bang when time and space were created, and this is followed by a depiction of the BIG BANG itself, as the entire universe bursts out from a single point. A slower section follows called THE LONELY PLANET which is a meditation on the incredible and unlikely set of circumstances which led to the creation of the Earth as a planet that can support life, and the constant search for other civilisations elsewhere in the universe. ASTEROIDS AND SHOOTING STARS depicts both the benign and dangerous objects that are flying through space and which constantly threaten our planet, and the piece ends with THE UNKNOWN, leaving in question whether our continually expanding exploration of the universe will eventually lead to enlightenment or destruction.

Dit werk weerspiegelt de fascinatie van de componist voor het heelal. Het begint met een hoornsolo met de naam t = 0, waarmee sommige wetenschappers de oerknal aanduiden. Dan volgt een weergave van de oerknal zelf. Het volgendegedeelte, The Lonely Planet, is een meditatie over het ongelooflijke samenspel van omstandigheden dat leidde tot het ontstaan van de Aarde. Asteroids and Shooting Stars beschrijft objecten in de ruimte. Het werkeindigt met The Unknown, waarmee we in het ongewisse blijven over de gevolgen van onze verdere verkenning van het universum. In 2005 won Philip Sparke met Music of the Spheres de National Band Association/William D.Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest.

Dieses Werk handelt vom Weltall und unserem Platz im Universum, auf dem Weltbild von Pythagoras basierend. Am einfachsten lässt sich diese außergewöhnliche Komposition wohl als Filmmusik ähnliches Stück beschreiben ? Musik zu einem Science-Fiction-Film eines Ripley Scott oder Steven Spielberg oder auch Musik, wie sie ein John Williams oder Danny Elfman schreiben würde: absolut stimmungsvoll, brillant instrumentiert mit Klangfarben, Strukturen, Effekten und Timbres, gemischt mit fließenden musikalischen Linien, die die Substanz des Themas auf den Punkt treffen. Dieses atemberaubende neue Stück hebt Ihr Blasorchester auf ein höheres Niveau, sowohl im technischen als auchmusikalischen Sinn.

La fresque Music of the Spheres (“La musique des sphères”) souligne la fascination qu’éprouve le compositeur pour les origines de l’univers. L’orchestration est proche de la musique de film. Le climat musical est ample, sonore et contrasté.

Music of the Spheres evidenza il fascino che le origini dell’universo esercitano su Philip Sparke. Il titolo proviene da una teoria del matematico greco Pitagora, secondo la quale il cosmo è retto dalle stesse leggi che governano i rapporti di frequenza tra le note della scala musicale. Questa composizione inizia con un assolo di corno chiamato t = 0, nozione che definisce il momento del big-bang. The Lonely Planet (Il pianeta solitario) è una meditazione sulle circostanze che hanno portato alla creazione della terra. Asteroids and Shooting Stars (Asteroidi e Stelle cadenti) descrive i molteplici oggetti che si muovono nello spazio e che rappresentano unrischio per il nostro pianeta. Le battute finali portano verso l’ignoto (The Unknown) sollevando una domanda la cui risposta resta in sospeso: la nostra continua avanzata nell’esplorazione dell’Universo porter un giorno alla scoperta o alla distruzione?

SKU: CF.CFD16

ISBN 9780825860164. UPC: 798408060169.

Since the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, hymns have been the tie binding the hearts and spirits of Christians together. With their beautiful melodies and poetically penned words, hymns are the universal language of Christian worship, the bond that draws believers together from all walks of life and across the world. With texts of faith and inspiration, hymns speak to present time with words of assurance of hope, and help direct us toward the future in glory. Next to the Bible, they have endured as the timeless voice of the Christian faith, teaching and inspiring believers throughout generations. In this collection of “favorites” we offer listeners a compilation of the genre’s most beloved and inspirational hymns of faith. Arranged by some of today’s most distinguished church music icons, the hymns in this collection will thrill and comfort the faithful listener. Drawing upon the words and melodies of some of the world’s greatest hymn writers, including Fanny Crosby, Charles Wesley, and Martin Luther, the arrangers in this collection maintain each work’s original integrity while beautifully transporting each hymn into the realm of today’s modern worship world. From the stirring strains of “Amazing Grace” to the majestic power of “Holy, Holy, Holy,” this collection will inspire Christian worshipers.

SKU: PR.16500077F

UPC: 680160039272. Key: Bb major. English.

ABOUT THE MUSIC: From the moment that the woodwinds introduce the spritely theme to the concluding statement, the theme undergoes a variety of treatments with constantly changing instrumental textures. This work was written for Kenneth Snapp and the Arizona State University Symphonic Winds. ABOUT THE COMPOSER: David Cohen was born in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1927. He was educated at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and The Julliard School where he received the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. He continued his education at the Paris Conservatory and the University of Southern California where he received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition in 1966. Cohen has taught at the University of Alabama and Arizona State University and is presently Director of the Arizona State University Electronic Music Studio. He has been the recipient of the Coolidge Chamber Music Prize, a Fulbright Scholarship, University of Alabama Research Grant and a Research Grand from the IBM Corporation.
ABOUT THE MUSIC: From the moment that the woodwinds introduce the spritely theme to the concluding statement, the theme undergoes a variety of treatments with constantly changing instrumental textures.This work was written for Kenneth Snapp and the Arizona State University Symphonic Winds.ABOUT THE COMPOSER: David Cohen was born in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1927. He was educated at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and The Julliard School where he received the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. He continued his education at the Paris Conservatory and the University of Southern California where he received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition in 1966.Cohen has taught at the University of Alabama and Arizona State University and is presently Director of the Arizona State University Electronic Music Studio.He has been the recipient of the Coolidge Chamber Music Prize, a Fulbright Scholarship, University of Alabama Research Grant and a Research Grand from the IBM Corporation.

SKU: FJ.B1808

UPC: 241444418574. English.

Joy. Wonder. The infinite backdrop of space and the stars... These thoughts inspire a bold rhythmic fanfare and the uplifting themes found throughout this formative work. A beautiful, ethereal section uses extended percussion techniques to portray the expanse of the universe, allowing the listener to slow down and reset. Having emerged renewed, we dance our hearts out one final time.

About FJH Concert Band

Designed for high school groups and upper-level middle school groups. Independence is encouraged, but many lines are cross-cued. Usually includes an expanded percussion section. Grades 3 - 3.5

SKU: CL.024-4978-00

The universe in in peril, and it’s the trombone section to the rescue! The clever theme features the trombones at their finest, a strong and powerful statement with characteristic glissandi included, while the rest of the band gets plenty of opportunities to shine. Providing a great change-of-pace moment for your concert, this fun and novel piece will be a hit with students and audience alike!

SKU: CF.FPS151F

ISBN 9781491152799. UPC: 680160910298.

Everyone remembers the first time that they saw a snake. Though fascinating to some and terrifying to others, few animals are as universally mesmerizing. Composer Tyler Arcari has crafted a very fun piece making use of auxiliary percussion instruments to emulate a snake's hiss or ominous rattle. With very strong and interesting melodic material, and scored to make a developing band sound great, this piece is sure to be a favorite among students.
Everyone remembers the first time that they saw a snake. The majority of people have a base fear of them, while others have a “heebie-jeebies” experience. We all know how the great explorer Dr. Indiana Jones felt about snakes, especially when he famously fell into a snake pit during Raiders of the Lost Ark. However you feel about snakes, a pit of them certainly sounds like an adventure.About the work:Snake Pit uses a lot of auxiliary percussion instruments. Some of these sounds are intended to subtly mimic the sounds that snakes make. The maraca in m. 4, of course, is a rattler’s call! The Chinese cymbal is intended to sound like the “hiss” of a not-so-friendly serpent. The eighth-note pattern at m. 9 is used throughout as a “creepy” effect using dynamic contrast so take care to emphasize this when present.I enjoy the gong as a “color” instrument in the band. I try to balance it with the low brass. Take care that at m. 42 the gong is not “front-and center” but more of a support for the nice accented chords in the low brass. Also, the trumpets can become spaced too much here. The accents are more for emphasis and less space.

SKU: HL.44002062

UPC: 073999558821. 8.25x11.75x0.648 inches.

The Universal Band Collection ist eine Sammlung von funf kurzen Werken im Popstil. Die einzelnen Teile konnen als zusammenhangende Suite aufgefuhrt oder als eigenstandige Titel gespielt werden. Eine vielseitig einsetzbare, unterhaltsame Bereicherung fur Ihr Repertoire.

SKU: BT.DHP-0930493-215

The Universal Band Collection ist eine Sammlung von fünf kurzen Werken im Popstil. Die einzelnen Teile können als zusammenhängende Suite aufgeführt oder als eigenständige Titel gespielt werden. Eine vielseitig einsetzbare, unterhaltsame Bereicherung für Ihr Repertoire.

SKU: HL.44010886

UPC: 884088585150. 9x12 inches.

Commissioned for the University of Massachusetts Lowell New England Youth Wind Ensemble, this significant composition by James Curnow is a pure delight. Interesting percussion and a wide range of expectations from every wind player lets all the musicians have the joy of being challenged. The creative exploration and development of these interesting old melodies rewards the entire ensemble in ways that shorter, more condensed pieces cannot. Duration: c. 9:00.