SKU: HL.49018099

ISBN 9790001158428. UPC: 884088567347. 8.25x11.75x0.457 inches. Latin - German.

On letting go(Concerning the selection of the texts) In the selection of the texts, I have allowed myself to be motivated and inspired by the concept of 'letting go'. This appears to me to be one of the essential aspects of dying, but also of life itself. We humans cling far too strongly to successful achievements, whether they have to do with material or ideal values, or relationships of all kinds. We cannot and do not want to let go, almost as if our life depended on it. As we will have to practise the art of letting go at the latest during our hour of death, perhaps we could already make a start on this while we are still alive. Tagore describes this farewell with very simple but strikingly vivid imagery: 'I will return the key of my door'. I have set this text for tenor solo. Here I imagine, and have correspondingly noted in a certain passage of the score, that the protagonist finds himself as though 'in an ocean' of voices in which he is however not drowning, but immersing himself in complete relaxation. The phenomenon of letting go is described even more simply and tersely in Psalm 90, verse 12: 'So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom'. This cannot be expressed more plainly.I have begun the requiem with a solo boy's voice singing the beginning of this psalm on a single note, the note A. This in effect says it all. The work comes full circle at the culmination with a repeat of the psalm which subsequently leads into a resplendent 'lux aeterna'. The intermediate texts of the Requiem which highlight the phenomenon of letting go in the widest spectrum of colours originate on the one hand from the Latin liturgy of the Messa da Requiem (In Paradisum, Libera me, Requiem aeternam, Mors stupebit) and on the other hand from poems by Joseph von Eichendorff, Hermann Hesse, Rabindranath Tagore and Rainer Maria Rilke.All texts have a distinctive positive element in common and view death as being an organic process within the great system of the universe, for example when Hermann Hesse writes: 'Entreiss dich, Seele, nun der Zeit, entreiss dich deinen Sorgen und mache dich zum Flug bereit in den ersehnten Morgen' ['Tear yourself way , o soul, from time, tear yourself away from your sorrows and prepare yourself to fly away into the long-awaited morning'] and later: 'Und die Seele unbewacht will in freien Flugen schweben, um im Zauberkreis der Nacht tief und tausendfach zu leben' ['And the unfettered soul strives to soar in free flight to live in the magic sphere of the night, deep and thousandfold']. Or Joseph von Eichendorff whose text evokes a distant song in his lines: 'Und meine Seele spannte weit ihre Flugel aus. Flog durch die stillen Lande, als floge sie nach Haus' ['And my soul spread its wings wide. Flew through the still country as if homeward bound.']Here a strong romantically tinged occidental resonance can be detected which is however also accompanied by a universal spirit going far beyond all cultures and religions. In the beginning was the sound Long before any sort of word or meaningful phrase was uttered by vocal chords, sounds, vibrations and tones already existed. This brings us back to the music. Both during my years of study and at subsequent periods, I had been an active participant in the world of contemporary music, both as percussionist and also as conductor and composer. My early scores had a somewhat adventurous appearance, filled with an abundance of small black dots: no rhythm could be too complicated, no register too extreme and no harmony too dissonant. I devoted myself intensely to the handling of different parameters which in serial music coexist in total equality: I also studied aleatory principles and so-called minimal music.I subsequently emigrated and took up residence in Spain from where I embarked on numerous travels over the years to India, Africa and South America. I spent repeated periods during this time as a resident in non-European countries. This meant that the currents of contemporary music swept past me vaguely and at a great distance. What I instead absorbed during this period were other completely new cultures in which I attempted to immerse myself as intensively as possible.I learned foreign languages and came into contact with musicians of all classes and styles who had a different cultural heritage than my own: I was intoxicated with the diversity of artistic potential.Nevertheless, the further I distanced myself from my own Western musical heritage, the more this returned insistently in my consciousness.The scene can be imagined of sitting somewhere in the middle of the Brazilian jungle surrounded by the wailing of Indians and out of the blue being provided with the opportunity to hear Beethoven's late string quartets: this can be a heart-wrenching experience, akin to an identity crisis. This type of experience can also be described as cathartic. Whatever the circumstances, my 'renewed' occupation with the 'old' country would not permit me to return to the point at which I as an audacious young student had maltreated the musical parameters of so-called contemporary music. A completely different approach would be necessary: an extremely careful approach, inching my way gradually back into the Western world: an approach which would welcome tradition back into the fold, attempt to unfurl the petals and gently infuse this tradition with a breath of contemporary life.Although I am aware that I will not unleash a revolution or scandal with this approach, I am nevertheless confident as, with the musical vocabulary of this Requiem, I am travelling in an orbit in which no ballast or complex structures will be transported or intimated: on the contrary, I have attempted to form the message of the texts in music with the naivety of a 'homecomer'. Harald WeissColonia de San PedroMarch 2009.

SKU: HL.14032192

ISBN 9788759858394. 12.0x16.5x0.78 inches. International (more than one language).

Symphony No. 6 for orchestra, 1997-99. Preface / Program Note:... with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day(New Testament, 2 Peter 3:8)My SYMPHONY NO. 6 was commissioned by the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Gteborg Symphony Orchestra and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, to be premiered at the millenium 2000.The subtitle AT THE END OF THE DAY can be understood literally or it can mean when all is added up. However, in my opinion, nothing ever quite adds up, there is always something missing, any ending will be provisional ...This symphony appears to end only a few minutes into the first movement, the first passage, as the music fades away to almost-silence, after a start of flying colours. But then there is still something, a small motive (first heard in the initial sound-waves) which reappears, hesitant, but persistent, and this embryo is what leads on the musical progression. An agitated section of many instrumental voices comes next, until all the voices become obsessed with the same phrase, a see-saw motive based on thirds. This section evolves into almost martial ferocity, when broken off by a tutti descent into an extreme bass-world (a bass-world which actually permeates the whole symphony, emplyoing instruments that I have never used before: double-bass tuba, double-bass trombone, double-bass clarinet, and bass flute).The second movement, the second passage, apparently takes off where the first passage ended, but now the events are more ambiguous, and the same music may be perceived as fast-moving one moment and slow-moving the next. This section is a kind of passacaglia, the characteristic baroque bass-variation.Without a break follows the third and last passage, in a contrasting high register. The music is rhythmically knotty as well as freely flowing. As in the beginning of the symphony, a never-ending descent or fall breaks off the events, and at the very end a delta of new beginnings, of other worlds, is revealed ....The symphony is dedicated to Helle, my wife. - Per Norgard.

SKU: LO.30-3733L

UPC: 000308154610.

CD with Printable Parts for 65/2106L Joel Raney calls on Celtic musical traditions and instrumentation to deliver a refreshing sound for Christmas! The orchestration by Ed Hogan incorporates Irish flutes, drums, acoustic guitar, and fiddle to paint vivid imagery of a beautifully lush and green Irish countryside. Familiar Christmas carols appear, as do some familiar Christmas texts set to beloved Irish and Welsh folk songs. An ethereal opening sets the stage before breaking into an exuberant rendition of I Saw Three Ships. Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus; Away in a Manger; Gentle Mary Laid Her Child; and the beloved Angels We Have Heard on High all make appearances as the work progresses, culminating with a rhythmic re-imagining of O Come, All Ye Faithful set to the traditional Scottish melody Loch Lomond. One of the highlights of this musical is O Holy Night, written for soloist and choir and set to the timeless tune, LONDONDERRY AIR. Present the Christmas story in a uniquely captivating way with this imaginative work!

SKU: KJ.JO2002C

It was with great pleasure that received a commission from my good friends at the Johnstown (Pennsylvania) Symphony Orchestra, Istvan Jaray, music director and conductor, to write a work for the opening of their 1996-1997 season. My intention was to write a lively work which highlighted the strengths of this musical organization while being accessible and appealing to their loyal audience members. In trying to tie something unique about Johnstown to the work, came up with the title, Iridium, which is a term that deals with the production of metal. During the writing of the work, my friend, colleague, and former teacher, Hugh Johnson passed away. Dr. Johnson, faculty emeritus at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was a terrific musician who was always enthusiastic about orchestral music! It is this enthusiasm and energy that have tried to capture in this new work, which is dedicated to Dr. Johnson's memory. Finally, would like to thank Maestro Jaray and Tony Blackner for their interest in my work. With Iridium comes my best wishes to Maestro Jaray and the orchestra for a fantastic new season of music-making. -Jack Stamp (August, 1996).

SKU: AP.45835S

UPC: 038081524375. English.

This is the other version of Away in a Manger, the beloved Christmas carol, written by William J. Kirkpatrick. Arranged by Jeffrey E. Turner, it features a string quartet within the orchestra and its haunting beauty is mesmerizing. This is sure to become one of your holiday favorites. (3:00).

SKU: LO.30-3732L

UPC: 000308154603.

Set of Parts for 65/2106L Joel Raney calls on Celtic musical traditions and instrumentation to deliver a refreshing sound for Christmas! The orchestration by Ed Hogan incorporates Irish flutes, drums, acoustic guitar, and fiddle to paint vivid imagery of a beautifully lush and green Irish countryside. Familiar Christmas carols appear, as do some familiar Christmas texts set to beloved Irish and Welsh folk songs. An ethereal opening sets the stage before breaking into an exuberant rendition of I Saw Three Ships. Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus; Away in a Manger; Gentle Mary Laid Her Child; and the beloved Angels We Have Heard on High all make appearances as the work progresses, culminating with a rhythmic re-imagining of O Come, All Ye Faithful set to the traditional Scottish melody Loch Lomond. One of the highlights of this musical is O Holy Night, written for soloist and choir and set to the timeless tune, LONDONDERRY AIR. Present the Christmas story in a uniquely captivating way with this imaginative work!