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: PR.416415760

UPC: 680160636532. 9 x 12 inches.

The 1712 Overture stands out in P.D.Q. Bach's oeuvre for two reasons, among others: it is by far the most programmatic instrumental piece among those by the minimeister of Wein-am-Rhein so far unearthed, and 2) its discovery has led to a revelation about the composer's father, Johann Sebastian Bach, that has exploded like a bombshell on the usually serene musicological landscape. The overture is based on an anecdote told to P.D.Q. Bach by a cousin, Peter Ulrich. Since P.U. Bach lived in Dudeldorf, only a few miles down the road from Wein-am-Rhein, he was P.D.Q.'s closest relative, and he was, in fact, one of the few members of the family who was on speaking terms with P.D.Q. The story, related to P.D.Q. (fortunately for us posterity types) in a letter, may be summarized thus: The town of Dudeldorf was founded by two brothers, Rudi and Dieter Dudel, early in the 18th century. Rudi remained mayor of the newborn burg for the rest of his long life, but Dieter had a dream of starting a musicians' colony, an entire city devoted to music, which dream, he finally decided, could be realized only in the New World. In 1712, he and several other bagpipers sailed to Boston, never to return to Germany. (Henceforth, Rudi became known as der deutscher Dudel and Dieter as the Yankee Dudel). Unfortunately, the head of the Boston Musicians' Guild had gotten wind of Dudel's plans, and Wilhelm Wiesel (pron. VEE-zle), known none too affectionately around town as Wiesel the Weasel, was not about to share what few gigs there were in colonial America with more foreigners and outside agitators. He and his cronies were on hand to meet Dudel's boat when it pulled into Boston Harbor; they intended to prevent the newcomers' disembarkation, but Dudel and his companions managed to escape to the other side of the bay in a dinghy, landing with just enough time to rent a carriage and horses before hearing the sound of The Weasel and his men, who had had to come around the long way. The Germans headed West, with the Bostonians in furious pursuit. soon the city had been left far behind, and by midnight so had the pursuers; Dieter Dudel decided that it was safe for him and his men to stop and sleep until daybreak. When they awoke, they found that they were in a beautiful landscape of low, forested mountains and pleasant fields, warmed by the brilliant morning sun and serenaded by an entrancing variety of birds. Here, Dudel thought, her is where I will build my colony. The immigrants continued down the road at a leisurely pace until they came upon a little church, all by itself in the countryside, from which there suddenly emanated the sounds of a pipe organ. At this point, the temptation to quote from P.U. Bach's letter to P.D.Q. cannot be resisted: They went inside and, after listening to the glorious music for a while, introduced themselves to the organist. And who do you think it was? Are you ready for this -- it was your old man! Hey, no kidding -- you know, I'm sure, that your father was the guy to get when it came to testing new organs, and whoever had that one in Massachusetts built offered old Sebastian a tidy sum to go over there and check it out. The unexpected meeting with J.S. Bach and his sponsors was interrupted by the sound of horse hooves, as the dreaded Wiesel and his men thundered on to the scene. They had been riding all night, however, and they were no spring chickens to start with, and as soon as they reached the church they all dropped, exhausted, to the ground. The elated Germans rang the church bells and offered to buy everyone a beer at the nearest tavern. There they were taught, and joined in singing, what might be called the national anthem of the New World. The melody of this pre-revolutionary patriotic song is still remembered (P.D.Q. Bach quotes it, in the bass instruments, near the end of the overture), but is words are now all but forgotten: Freedom, of thee we sing, Freedom e'er is our goal; Death to the English King, Long live Rock and Ross. The striking paucity of biographical references to Johann Sebastian Bah during the year 1712 can now be explained: he was abroad for a significant part of that year, testing organs in the British Colonies. That this revelation has not been accepted as fact by the musicological establishment is no surprise, since it means that a lot of books would have to be rewritten. The members of that establishment haven't even accepted the existence of P.D.Q. Bach, one of whose major works the 1712 Overture certainly is. It is also a work that shows Tchaikowsky up as the shameless plagiarizer that some of us have always known he was. The discovery of this awesome opus was made possible by a Boston Pops Centennial Research Commission; the first modern performance took place at the opening concert of the 100th anniversary season of that orchestra, under the exciting but authentic direction of John Williams.

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: SU.32040140

2222; 4331; timp, 2 perc, pno; stgs Duration: 13'30 Composed: 2016 Published by: Amy Mills Music, LLC Like a modern Pictures at an Exhibition…. Ha Shamayim is an original piece for orchestra that was inspired by photographs taken by the Hubble space telescope. Each section is inspired by one photo; the title of each section is the title that NASA gave to the photograph. The words Ha Shamayim are Hebrew for The Heavens. They are written in Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The words are also seen in Psalm 19. Section I: Warped Edge-On Galaxy ESO 510-G13 The piece begins in outer space with its glistening stars. Glissandi are used to depict the strange but beautiful warp seen in the photograph. Section II: Galaxy Fires at Neighboring Galaxy Suddenly the piece erupts as one galaxy fires blue gas at its neighbor. They engage in a cosmic battle. Section III: Youthful-looking Galaxy May Be an Adult The adolescent galaxy is personified by a humorous, gawky melody reminiscent of teenage boys who walk on feet that are still too big. Occasionally there is an argument with an authority figure, but the joy of exploring the universe quickly returns. Section IV: Star Birth in Galaxy M83 The dramatic photograph looks like a womb with veins. The music begins on one note, then it begins to explore the initial swelling and stretching. It morphs into an energetic fast theme, still growing. Ultimately it becomes glorious and expansive, like the new star. Section V: String of ‘Cosmic Pearls’ Surrounds an Exploding Star The first theme is a happy circle dance inspired by the circle of white dots in the photograph. The second theme is noble and joyful. It is reminiscent of the melody in the famous chorus in Haydn’s The Creation with the words from Psalm 19, The heavens are telling the glory of God. The music then has flashbacks to the earlier sections, and ends in triumph. The five sections in Ha Shamayim are continuous with no breaks. Difficulty Level: 5 (Advanced/Professional) See composer website for audio sample. Performance materials available on rental only:.

SKU: PR.41641530L

UPC: 680160625925.

The Respiration of the Earth is inspired by the breathing motion. The music focuses on the tension of the air of breathing. There are many different types of breathing such as slow breath, long breath, short breath, holding breath, uneven breath, etc. The shape of the music is created by the inhale and exhale motion. The piece starts with a long holding breath, gradually create a tension until one can't hold that breath and release the air out. The Suona is acting as the motion of the air so the orchestra has to follow. This piece ends with the chaotic motion so the audiences can feel the tension as if they are running out of breath. It's a main concern about the environment of the Earth so this piece is a message to people to keep the environment clean so the Earth can breath for a longer time. Respiration of the Earth is commissioned and dedicated to Mr. Shi Haibin with the gracious support from John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.
The Respiration of the Earth is inspired by the breathing motion. The music focuses on the tension of the air of breathing. There are many different types of breathing such as slow breath, long breath, short breath, holding breath, uneven breath, etc. The shape of the music is created by the inhale and exhale motion. The piece starts with a long holding breath, gradually create a tension until one can’t hold that breath and release the air out. The Suona is acting as the motion of the air so the orchestra has to follow. This piece ends with the chaotic motion so the audiences can feel the tension as if they are running out of breath. It’s a main concern about the environment of the Earth so this piece is a message to people to keep the environment clean so the Earth can breath for a longer time.Respiration of the Earth is commissioned and dedicated to Mr. Shi Haibin with the gracious support from John SimonGuggenheim Foundation.

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: KJ.O1082C

UPC: 8402701226.

South of the Border is a colorful five-movement suite featuring a Bossa Nova, Samba, Tango and other musical treats inherent of Latin American dances. This original work is designed to be played in its entirety, though single movements can be performed, with success, as well. The woodwind and brass parts are more challenging than the string parts.

SKU: BT.MUSM570366712

English.

Le Voyage Dans La Lune is a continuous orchestral score of approximately 14 minutes comprising two outer fast sections and a slower inner section of a dream-like character. The work is directly inspired by the film Le Voyage Dans La Lune (1902), written and directed by the pioneering French film-maker, Georges Méliès. Méliès was influenced by 19th century interests in science and discoveries, as well as the science fiction of Jules Verne. At the same time his work seems fantastic, surreal and satirical. Some critics point out an underlying critique of colonial adventuring. The plot centres on a group of astronomers who decide to launch a rocket to the moon containing a handful of their number. They reach the moon (famously landing on the moon’s face) and then encounter a strange race of aliens, whom they battle and destroy. The return to earth involves a dramatic descent, a plunge into the ocean and then celebratory dancing. The film inhabits a surreal and dream-like space, and uses an idiosyncratic visual language which transforms reality. This inspired an active musical response in my own score, which is by turns abrupt, smooth, lyrical and violent, and expresses something of the strange shifting surfaces and multiple and layered tempos evident in the film. The canons in the horns in the first scene reflect the intense arguments of the astronomers as they consider the project. The slower inner section is inspired by the scenes of the industrial City viewed from its rooftops by the astronomers. It also expresses the wonder of the astronomers as they see the earth rise from the perspective of the moon after their arrival there. The music of the final section is in places conflicted, reflecting the violent encounters with the moon’s inhabitants. It moves into a more harmonious phase at the close to match the celebrations upon the astronomers’ return from their adventuring. The music could be considered to be a surreal mini-opera without voices, voicing instead the characters of the silent screen. - Ed Hughes.

SKU: PR.416415720

UPC: 680160636150.

Illuminating Journey is composed to celebrate Maestro Carl St. Clair's 25th Anniversary season with Pacific Symphony. Maestro St. Clair is one of the few conductors who has dedicated his time to new music and support for living composers. I first encountered Maestro St. Clair in 2004 when I was one of the finalists for the Young Composers Competition. After I won that competition, I had an opportunity to work with Maestro St. Clair on the piece that he commissioned for the Pacific Symphony in 2005. That's the beginning of the journey of our friendship. Illuminating Journey is inspired by Maestro St. Clair's personality and the music he loved. The piece is mainly based on the pitch material from Maestro St. Clair's name CARL which can be translated as C = C, A = A, R = Re, and L = La. That pitch material already has the character of Illuminating sound for the open 5th and octave. The piece also incorporates some musical references that have some meaning for Maestro St. Clair, such as the hopefulness of the melodic intervals from West Side Story, There's a Place for Us, composed by Leonard Bernstein, who was also Maestro St. Clair's mentor. Illuminating Journey starts with the rhythmic motion of the pitch C and moves on to create a set of pitches. The note C functions as a center for the endless energy of this piece and creates a triumphant ending. I would personally like to thank Maestro St. Clair for his dedication on my music and his friendship throughout the past 10 years. The work with Maestro St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony was an early step in my career as a composer. I often mentioned that I may not be able to come this far without that part of my life. Thank you very much, Maestro St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony. Let's celebrate our Illuminating Journey together.