SKU: AP.36-60710008

ISBN 9798888522028. UPC: 676737624248. English.

Ralph Vaughan Williams, ever fond of poetry, found creative impetus for his beautiful romance The Lark Ascending, IRV 39, in an 1881 poem by George Meredith. Marie Pauline Hall, to whom the work was dedicated, gave the first performance of the original violin and piano version, here presented in a Masters reprint edition, at Shirehampton Public Hall on December 15, 1920, beside pianist Geoffrey Mendham. After World War I, the composer expanded the work for soloist and full orchestra. This has become the version most familiar to listeners. The violin, lifting its silvery tones above the stage, captures the soaring nature of Meredith's couplet: Till lost on his aerial rings/In light, and then the fancy sings. Reprint 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.

SKU: HL.14004213

9.0x12.0x0.175 inches.

Five Pieces for Violin and Orchestra was commissioned by Frederick Grinke and completed on 20 December 1961. The BBC Symphony Orchestra with Frederick Grinke (violin) and conducted by the composer, gave the first performance on 31 July 1962 at the Royal Albert Hall, London during the BBC Proms season. This work is so constructed that each piece is complete in itself and can be played separately, while at the same time the whole set of five constitutes a structural unit. A basic motif consisting of a rising semitone followed by a falling tone, and its inversion plays an important part in every piece. Thus the first piece, which is of a slow and meditative character, begins with this theme in the bass. It is also heard in the first entry of the solo part, and thereafter every episode is in some way derived from it. The next piece, a vigorous and strongly marked 'allegro', uses the semitone of the original figure as its starting point. A second theme appears, first on the horns and is later taken up by the solo violin, while a third section has the initial idea as its accompaniment. Next comes an extended scherzo in free form very closely based on initial motif. The fourth is a purely melodic piece containing allusions in its middle section to the basic figure. Here the strings only are used for accompaniment. In the first section, violas and cellos are divided in the middle section, and all the strings are used in the last, which is otherwise an almost exact repetition of the opening. The Finale is a lighter movement than the others, concerned mainly with giving the soloist material for display, but not unconnected with what has gone before.

SKU: AP.36-60710009

ISBN 9798888521786. UPC: 676737764432. English.

Unlike Bach and Chopin, Claude Debussy (1862-1918) wrote his twenty-four Préludes for solo piano without a clearly organized pattern of key relationships. They were written from December 1909 to April 1913, in two sets, with twelve preludes to each volume. Jane Mortier delivered the premiere of the first volume on May 3, 1911, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. Walter Morse Rummel gave the first complete performance of the second volume on June 12, 1913, at the Aeolian Hall in London. Prelude No. 5 from Book 2, subtitled Bruyéres, bears similarity to another of his works for piano, La Fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair). The pianist Marguerite Long, a friend of the composer, suggested that it sounded reminiscent of the mingling scent of sea mist and pines. French composer and arranger Lucien Garban completed this transcription of No. 5 from Book 2 (Bruyères) for violin and piano in 1926. Reprint 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.

SKU: AP.36-60710006

ISBN 9798888521649. UPC: 676737848804. English.

Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) wrote his suite España (Espagna), Op. 165, also known as Seis Hojas de Album (Six Album Leaves) for piano in 1889, with the first performance taking place on June 7th of the following year, at the Steinway Hall in London. Each of the six movements recreates a traditional Spanish dance or evokes Spanish folk music. Famed American violinist, composer, and pedagogue Samuel Dushkin completed this arrangement for violin and piano that included three of the movements: 1. Malagueña, 2. Canción Catalan (or Capricho Catalan), 3. Tango. The middle movement is here presented alone. Reprint 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.

SKU: BR.EB-9168

World premiere: Halle, February 16, 2002

ISBN 9790004184806. 9 x 12 inches.

Waldschrats Nachtlied is a concert piece that is practically guaranteed to make a major impact. In the dark of night, a hobgoblin and his companion are whisking about the forest. The tempo is brisk, and the permanent change of meter ensures productive turbulence. At the beginning, the roles of the two instruments are distributed rather traditionally; then the violins and the pianos upper part are briefly led in genuine parallel motion in the monolithic section. Afterwards, the virtuoso chase through the woods continues as before.

World premiere: Halle, February 16, 2002.

SKU: PR.414411550

UPC: 680160089871.

SKU: HL.48181014

For violin and piano.