SKU: PR.414411630

ISBN 9781491114551. UPC: 680160089956. 9.5 x 13 inches.

EXCURSIONS is a one-movement work exploring two “characters.” A rhapsodic, descending passage is introduced by the cello, followed by a  static, chorale-like phrase for the violin and cello. Their individual developments are separated by a slow, contrasting middle section. The composer has written: “This is analogous to situations in life: we stand by a crossroad, choosing one option and forfeiting the other. But in art, the realm of the imagination, we can perhaps afford to pursue more than one route to its ultimate destination… or can we? It is symbolic that in this work both roads eventually lead to the same place.”.
Excursions for violin, cello and piano, is a one-movement work of tripartite structure in which materials explored in the first of three large sections are brought back in the last section.  The traditional statement-contrast-restatement form, which is readily suggested by such a description, is, however, not at all in the mold in which the work is cast.  Rather, my aim was to subject the essential materials of the piece (two “characters” –the rhapsodic, descending passage played by the cello in the very opening and, later, a static, slow moving, chorale-like phrase for the violin and cello) to two entirely different developments separated by a slow, contrasting middle section.  This is analogous to an exploration of the ramifications that two divergent choices made by the same person might lead to.  In life, as we stand by a crossroad, choosing one option usually means having to forfeit the other.  But in art, the realm of the imagination, we can perhaps afford to pursue more than one route to its ultimate destination…or can we?  It is, I believe, symbolic that in this work both roads eventually lead to the same place: in composing Excursions, it seemed absolutely inescapable that at the end the slow, contrasting middle sections – both more resigned and peaceful than the battling spirits of the outer parts – should return briefly to end the work. The piano trio combination (once highly favored, but to this composer still as challenging today) is approached here as a collaborative effort of three equal soloists – partners.  Of the available pairings, the two strings find themselves occasionally approached as a team pitted against the piano.  The cello-piano combination is also not uncommon here, and there is an extended violin cadenza toward the end of the piece.  The writing for the three instruments is closely and at times interlinked, but the players are all instructed to play from scores. Excursions was first performed at Brandeis University in 1982.

SKU: AP.36-60710010

ISBN 9798888521663. UPC: 676737709938. English.

Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist Béla Bartók (1881-1945) originally completed the cycle of 85 short piano pieces FOR CHILDREN in 1909. Each piece was based on a folk tune, with the first 42 being Hungarian, and the remaining 43 being Slovakian. Famed Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti (1892-1973) took six of the Hungarian folk tunes and transcribed them for violin and piano. As Bartók later removed and revised some of the songs in the collection, the following numbers included are the original numbers from the 1909 collection: No. 28 - Parlando, No. 18 - Andante con moto, No. 42 - Allegro vivace, No. 33 - Andante sostenuto, No. 6 - Allegro, No. 13 - Andante, No. 38 - Poco vivace. In addition to the original, more difficult violin part he transcribed originally, Szigeti also wrote a simplified version where only the first to fourth positions are used. Both violin versions are included in this edition.

These products are currently being prepared by a new publisher. While many items are ready and will ship on time, some others may see delays of several months.