SKU: PR.114419280

ISBN 9781491132357. UPC: 680160676125.

Inspired by Chinese tradition, this concerto-like dance suite includes: 1. Lion Dance, 2. YangKo, and 3. Muqam. Each movement draws from melodies and rhythms characteristic of various regions of China many centuries ago. CHINESE FOLK DANCE SUITE is available for violin with full orchestra, or as a recital work with piano.
Supported by a major commissioning award from the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, Chinese Folk Dance Suite is written for solo violin and orchestra; it was premiered by The Women’s Philharmonic with violin soloist Terrie Baune, conducted by Apo Hsu, on March 10, 2001, at Yerba Buena Center For the Arts Theater in San Francisco.Inspired by various Chinese traditional folk dances, the suite has three movements:I. Lion Dance. Traditionally, people dance with richly decorated hand-made lions, accompanied by percussion ensemble, to celebrate happy occasions and major festivals throughout the country. In this composition, I use Chinese drum and other percussion instruments in the background, to form a dynamic and rhythmic texture responding to the solo part, which imitates the tunes played on the suona (traditional Chinese trumpet). The pitch materials came from the traditional Guangdong tune “Dragon Boat Racing,” and the Chaozhou tune “Lion Playing Ball.”II. YangKo. Originating in northern China, this is a major folk dance form in mass performance popularized in the country. In YangKo performance, people play rhythmic patterns on the drums hung around their waists while singing and dancing. In the second movement, I imagined a warm scene of YangKo dancing in distance. The solo violin plays a sweet and gracious melodic line while all members of the orchestra sing non-pitched syllables in different layers as the soft background, to imitate the percussion sound which produces the ever-going pulse.III. Muqam. This large-scale music and dance form, from the Uygur nationality in Xinjiang province, originated in the 15th century. My third movement use a 7/8 meter and the melodic style of Muqam music. The fiery dancing gesture culminates in the sustained climax section at the end of the work, after a colorful violin cadenza in both improvisational singing style and polyphonic writing with woven lines.

SKU: PR.114422690

UPC: 680160684809. 9 x 12 inches.

In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,
Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists the
gift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided with
studio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I have
been in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previous
experiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a
20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 people
living within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up for
abundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcards
from Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects of
my residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,
was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lights
dimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.
This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020
COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made for
colleagues and friends.
In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont, Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists the gift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided with studio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I have been in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previous experiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a 20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 people living within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up for abundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcards from Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects of my residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet, was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lights dimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie. This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made for colleagues and friends.
In 2014, I enjoyed a wonderful residence at the Ucross Foundation in Clearmont,Wyoming. Ucross is an artist colony that gives writers, composers, and visual artists thegift of time, space, and support to follow their artistic pursuits; we are provided withstudio space, housing, and meals so that we can work continuously on our projects. I havebeen in residence at numerous artist colonies; however, nothing in my previousexperiences prepared me for living in such isolated, wild country. Ucross is situated on a20,000-acre cattle ranch at nearly 4,000 feet in elevation with fewer than 150 peopleliving within the town. But what Clearmont lacks in population, it makes up forabundantly and spectacularly in wilderness and wildlife. I composed the sextet Postcardsfrom Wyoming to offer three glimpses of what I found to be the most striking aspects ofmy residence. The Solitude of Stars, the third and final movement of the original sextet,was inspired by the stunning nightly display of the heavens above. Without city lightsdimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie.This edition is part of The Solitude of Stars Project that I undertook during the 2020COVID-19 pandemic, which consists of a series of arrangements that I made forcolleagues and friends.

SKU: BO.B.3673

It is a work for violin and piano inspired directly by Paganini's Capriccio No. 13, known as La risata del diavolo and one of the most renowned capriccios from the series of twenty-four composed by the celebrated Genovese violinist and composer. In my version for violin and piano, I have singled out the two essential features of the work: the third notes on a double string that emulate the devil's laughter, and the quick eighth notes that follow, all of it within a light and humorous chromaticism.

Il diavolo begins with a slow and fragmented but suggestive violin cadenza. It then follows the Allegro deciso, built on the two features mentioned above. In the central part, yet another violin cadenza of a similar character but which recalls the devil's laughter more evidently. The Allegro deciso goes on up to a carefree and virtuosic finale.

The work is dedicated to violinist Jesus Reina.

SKU: CF.MXE71

ISBN 9781491144749. UPC: 680160902248. 9 x 12 inches.

The day that Australian and New Zealand forces joined the Allies for an invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula of Turkey in World War I, with disastrous consequences, is celebrated in Australia as Anzac Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). To honor this special day, Bresnick takes inspiration from two selected poems by Bertolt Brecht (And I Always Thought and Legend of the Unknown Soldier Beneath the Triumphal Arch). Commissioned to commemorate Australia’s Anzac Day, similar to Memorial Day, and inspired by two Brecht poems…The somber opening violin and clarinet lines unfolded to haunting effect before eventually reaching a fervent climax. --Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times.

SKU: SU.28040010

An improvisatory recitative is followed by a plaintive arabesque and a final movement inspired by several of the composer's piano students, featuring a continual interplay between brusque and lyrical gestures… a play? child’s play, just play? Audio and score previews are available at the composer's web site: johnnewellmusic.com/works/instrumental-solo/ Violin, Piano Duration: 12' Composed: 2014 Published by: Abierto Music.