SKU: PR.11641867L

UPC: 680160683215.

Contextures: Riots -Decade '60 was commissioned by Zubin Mehta and the Southern California Symphony Association after the successful premiere of the Concerto for Four Percussion Soloists and Orchestra. It was written during the spring and summer months of 1967. Riots stemming from resentment against the racial situation in the United States and the war in Vietnam were occurring throughout the country and inevitably invaded the composer's creative subconscious. Contextures, as the title implies, was intended to exploit various and varying textures. As the work progressed the correspondence between the fabric of music and the fabric of society became apparent and the allegory grew in significance. So I found myself translating social aspects into musical techniques. Social stratification became a polymetric situation where disparate groups function together. The conflict between the forces of expansion and the forces of containment is expressed through and opposition of tonal fluidity vs. rigidity. This is epitomized in the fourth movement, where the brass is divided into two groups - a muted group, encircled by the unmuted one, which does its utmost to keep the first group within a restricted pitch area. The playful jazzy bits (one between the first and second movements and one at the end of the piece) are simply saying that somehow in this age of turmoil and anxiety ways of having fun are found even though that fun may seem inappropriate. The piece is in five movements, with an interlude between the first and second movements. It is scored for a large orchestra, supplemented by six groups of percussion, including newly created roto-toms (small tunable drums) and some original devices, such as muted gongs and muted vibraphone. There is also an offstage jazz quartet: bass, drums, soprano saxophone and trumpet. The first movement begins with a solo by the first clarinetist which is interrupted by intermittent heckling from his colleagues leading to a configuration of large disparate elements. The interlude of solo violin and snare-drum follows without pause. The second movement, Prestissimo, is a display piece of virtuosity for the entire orchestra. The third movement marks a period of repose and reflection and calls for some expressive solos, particularly by the horn and alto saxophone. The fourth movement opens with a rather lengthy oboe solo, which is threatened by large blocks of sound from the orchestra, against an underlying current of agitated energy in the piano and percussion. This leads to a section in which large orchestral forces oppose one another, ultimately bringing the work to a climax, if not to a denouement. Various thematic elements are strewn all over the orchestra, resulting in the formation of a general haze of sound. A transition leads to the fifth movement without pause. The musical haze is pierced gently by the offstage jazz group as if they were attempting to ignore and even dispel the gloom, but a legato bell sound enters and hovers over both the jazz group and the orchestra, the latter making statements of disquieting finality. Two films were conceived to accompany portions of Contextures. The first done by Herbert Kosowar, was a chemography film (painting directly into the film using dyes and various implements) with fast clips of riot photographs. The second was a film collage made by photographically abstracting details from paintings of Reginald Pollack. The purpose was to invoke a non-specific response - as in music - but at the same time to define the subject matter of the piece. The films were constructed to correspond with certain developments in the piece and in no way affect the independence and musical flow of the piece, having been made after the piece was completed. Contextures: Riots - Decade '60 is dedicated to Mehta, the Southern California Symphony Association and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The news of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King came the afternoon of the premiere, April 4, 1968. That evening's performances, and also the succeeding ones, were dedicated to him and a special dedication to Dr. King has been inserted into he score. All the music that follows the jazz group - beginning with the legato bell sound playing the first 2 notes to We shall overcome constitutes a new ending to commemorate Dr. King's death.

SKU: BT.YKM570369270

A Hymn to the Thames was commissioned by James Turnbull and the Music Director of the St Paul’s Sinfonia, Andrew Morley. It was begun in 2019 and completed early in 2020. There are four movements played without a break, which follow the Thames from its Cotswold source to the North Sea. As the first performance took place in St ALfege’s Church, Greenwich, this seemed appropriate. The solo oboe represents both a wanderer along the river path and the spirit of the river. The pitch centres of the movements spell out the musical letters of the river (tHAmES—B natural, A, E and E flat) so that the river’s name is projected across the whole work. In addition, the musical letters found in James Turnbull, Andrew Morley and my wife, Teresa Cahill ( who was born in Maidenhead and brought up by the river in Rotherhithe) are entwined in various guises. The first movement grows from the depths, the soloist entering with fanfare-like gestures, followed by lyrical music and breaks into a dance as the river gathers momentum. The third movement is slow and sustained and geographically the Thames flows through Oxford. The music is based on the well-known In Nomine ‘head motif’ from the Gloria tibi Trinitas Mass by the early Tudor composer, John Taverner, who was the first Director of Music at Christ Church, Oxford. The orchestra provides a screen or veil above which the solo oboe dreams and ruminates. This leads directly into the fourth and final movement which begins in the depths once more, interrupting the oboe’s held note from the end of the third movement. The waters’ increasing intensity and power are represented throughout by a moto perpetuo of quick, steady semiquavers. Near the close, the woodwind play O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis, the great Tudor composer who, with his wife Joan, is buried in St Alfege’s. Beneath this, the lower strings continue the fast semiquaver movement of the river and, above, the violins are heard as a halo of harmonics. At the close, the oboe rises, opening out to the future, and celebrating its voyage, while the orchestra fades as the river meets the sea. A Hymn to the Thames lasts approximately 17 minutes.

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.30-3489MD

UPC: 000308147704.

And It Came to Pass, Emmanuel: A compelling musical triumph that invites the listener on a journey that ultimately leads to worship of the Christ Child. The text of the Christmas story blends seamlessly with original narrative and exquisite lyric writing from Rose Aspinall, and Jay Rouse's incredible ability to fashion original melodies and arrange Christmas favorites with nuance and passion is on full display. The musical opens with an ethereal underscore that leads effortlessly into a 6/8 interpretation of Adeste Fideles, followed directly by the theme song and anchor ballad for the musical, And It Came to Pass. Also included are a song written specifically for this work that gives voice to Joseph's fears and longings; a traditional gospel setting of the all-time favorite Jesus, What a Wonderful Child; a syncopated, upbeat angel and shepherd announcement song titled Fire in the Sky; and a tender worship moment at the manger called Jesus, Prince of Peace. With a little something for everyone, this creative work is sure to be an important part of your Christmas season.

SKU: BR.SON-509

ISBN 9790004803318. 10 x 12.5 inches.

Editorial BoardThomas Phleps (Music), Georg Witte (Writings)Editorial MembersMusic: Oliver Dahin / Johannes C. Gall, Writings: Maren KosterEditorial CommitteeMusic: Hartmut Fladt, Werner Grunzweig, Elmar Juchem, Roland Kluttig, Giselher SchubertWritings: Albrecht Betz, Albrecht Riethmuller, Jurgen Schebera, Friederike WissmannThe editorial works are supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.Special volumes are made possible with the support of the following foundations:Klockner-Stiftung, Lotto-Stiftung, Hanns und Steffy Eisler StiftungThe goal of the Hanns Eisler Complete Edition (HEGA) is to present to the public all available compositions, writings and letters in an appropriately scholarly form. It takes a historico-critical approach and seeks to document the history of the works and writings by shedding light on their transformations, thus identifying the various versions as witnesses of evolving aesthetic and historical positions. Eislers complete oeuvre (only a limited number of his works had penetrated the publics awareness up until the 1990s) first became the object of an editorial undertaking when the Eisler - Gesammelte Werke (EGW) was founded by Nathan Notowicz. It was later placed under the direction of Manfred Grabs and Eberhardt Klemm, and began issuing its publications in 1968 through the intermediary of the Deutscher Verlag fur Musik in Leipzig. However, only four volumes of music and five volumes of writings were published. The Hanns Eisler Complete Edition pursues the work begun at that time, although it has had to fundamentally revise its editorial principles. In this respect, the Hanns Eisler Complete Edition can be considered as a completely new editorial undertaking. It became necessary to reconceive the organization of the volumes and series as well as the editorial guidelines in order to adapt the standards of historico-critical editing generally applicable today to the specific and sometimes singular circumstances of Eislers works.The Critical Commentaries pertaining to the main volumes follow the music section or, whenever they are too extensive, appear in a special volume.Series I: Choral MusicSeries II: Music for Voice and Instrumental Ensemble or OrchestraSeries III: Music for Voice and PianoSeries IV: Instrumental MusicSeries V: Incidental MusicSeries VI: Film MusicSeries VII: Sketches and FragmentsSeries VIII: Arrangements of works by other composersSeries IX: Writings, Letters and InterviewsSON 501 has been awarded the German Music Edition Prize 2003.SON 502 has been awarded the German Music Edition Prize 2007.

The major upheavals that transformed society and musical aesthetics during the first half of the 20th century also profoundly affected the life of Hanns Eisler, as well as his compositions and writings. The importance and scope of Eislers oeuvre are reason enough to make his works accessible to musical scholarship and practice in a comprehensive fashion. Price reduction for a subscription.

SKU: HL.48024880

ISBN 9781784545154. UPC: 840126918670. 7.25x10.25x0.319 inches.

This publication presents under one cover various short works for sundry orchestral scorings. Larghetto for Orchestra is MacMillan's orchestration (2017) of his celebrated Miserere for a cappella mixed choir (2009), a setting in Latin of Psalm 51, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy', the penitential text famously set in the 17th century by Gregorio Allegri. The Larghetto orchestration was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in celebration of Manfred Honeck's 10th Anniversary as Music Director. Memoire imperiale is one of a number of variations on General John Reids march tune Old Gaul commissioned from Scottish composers to mark the centenary in 1994 of the Faculty of Music at Edinburgh University. The Faculty was established following a bequest by General Reid (1721-1807), a former law student at the University and a renowned flute player and composer of marches for the BritishArmy, and he asked that an annual concert be organised at which one or more of his compositions be played. Composed in 2012 for the Britten Sinfonia, One is a monody in which a single line is passed around the instruments, painting it with different colours as it emerges and develops. Lasting only a few minutes, its singularity is maintained until blossoming in the lastfew bars. For Sonny (2011, orch 2013) and Ein Lamplein verlosch (2018, orch 2019) are short, private memorial tributes originally for string quartet and here rescored for string orchestra. Hirta was composed in 2016 as part of Deccas The Lost Songs of St Kilda project. Nearly a century ago, the last 36 residents were evacuated from the most remote part of the British Isles, St Kilda, an isolated archipelago off the beautiful and rugged western coast of Scotland. After 86 years, the music of St Kilda was rediscovered, recorded in a Scottish care home by Trevor Morrison, an elderly man who had been taught piano by an inhabitant of St Kilda. The songs were 'reimagined' for the Decca album by various.

SKU: PE.EP72565B

ISBN 9790577008219. English.

Commissioned by The Bach Choir in memory of Leopold de Rothschild (1927-2012), a singing member of the Choir for 50 years and Chairman for 23 years. Following his resignation as a singer Leo became the Choir's President, a position he held until his death; over this extraordinary period of devotion to the Choir he became a friend to vast numbers of his fellow singers, and gave unstintingly of his time and wisdom

First performance 10 June 2014 in the Royal Festival Hall, London, by The Bach Choir, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and The Young Singers, a choir formed by The Bach Choir in partnership with the Tri-borough Music Hub, conducted by David Hill.

SKU: BR.DV-4253

Editorial Board: Christian Martin Schmidt (chairman), Peter Ward Jones, Friedhelm Krummacher, R. Larry Todd, Ralf Wehner; research associates: Ralf Wehner, Clemens Harasim, Birgit Muller

ISBN 9790200440041. 9 x 12 inches.

The Leipziger Ausgabe der Werke von Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy pursues the goal of making accessible to the public in an adequately scholarly form all of Mendelssohn's accessible compositions, letters and writings, along with all other documents of his artistic oeuvre. A considerable number of Mendelssohn's works are still waiting to be published; many others have been published in an unsatisfactory manner.Though the new Mendelssohn Complete Edition follows the ten volumes of the Leipziger Mendelssohn Ausgabe (LMA) published by the Deutscher Verlag fur Musik (DVfM) in Leipzig since 1961, it sees itself as a fundamentally new conception which reflects the present-day standard of scholarly editions.The first volumes of the new Complete Edition were presented in Leipzig on 3 November 1997 at Mendelssohn Festtage in Leipzig.SON 411 - 413 have been awarded the German Music Edition Prize 2006.

Editorial Board: Christian Martin Schmidt (chairman), Peter Ward Jones, Friedhelm Krummacher, R. Larry Todd, Ralf Wehner; research associates: Ralf Wehner, Clemens Harasim, Birgit Muller Price reduction for a subscription.