SKU: PR.465000130

ISBN 9781598064070. UPC: 680160600144. 9x12 inches.

Following a celebrated series of wind ensemble tone poems about national parks in the American West, Dan Welcher’s Upriver celebrates the Lewis & Clark Expedition from the Missouri River to Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, following the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Welcher’s imaginative textures and inventiveness are freshly modern, evoking our American heritage, including references to Shenandoah and other folk songs known to have been sung on the expedition. For advanced players. Duration: 14’.
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific and explore the uncharted West. He believed woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and mountains of pure salt awaited them. What they found was no less mind-boggling: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies.Ihave been a student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which Thomas Jefferson called the “Voyage of Discovery,” for as long as I can remember. This astonishing journey, lasting more than two-and-a-half years, began and ended in St. Louis, Missouri — and took the travelers up more than a few rivers in their quest to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. In an age without speedy communication, this was akin to space travel out of radio range in our own time: no one knew if, indeed, the party had even survived the voyage for more than a year. Most of them were soldiers. A few were French-Canadian voyageurs — hired trappers and explorers, who were fluent in French (spoken extensively in the region, due to earlier explorers from France) and in some of the Indian languages they might encounter. One of the voyageurs, a man named Pierre Cruzatte, also happened to be a better-than-average fiddle player. In many respects, the travelers were completely on their own for supplies and survival, yet, incredibly, only one of them died during the voyage. Jefferson had outfitted them with food, weapons, medicine, and clothing — and along with other trinkets, a box of 200 jaw harps to be used in trading with the Indians. Their trip was long, perilous to the point of near catastrophe, and arduous. The dream of a Northwest Passage proved ephemeral, but the northwestern quarter of the continent had finally been explored, mapped, and described to an anxious world. When the party returned to St. Louis in 1806, and with the Louisiana Purchase now part of the United States, they were greeted as national heroes.Ihave written a sizeable number of works for wind ensemble that draw their inspiration from the monumental spaces found in the American West. Four of them (Arches, The Yellowstone Fires, Glacier, and Zion) take their names, and in large part their being, from actual national parks in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. But Upriver, although it found its voice (and its finale) in the magnificent Columbia Gorge in Oregon, is about a much larger region. This piece, like its brother works about the national parks, doesn’t try to tell a story. Instead, it captures the flavor of a certain time, and of a grand adventure. Cast in one continuous movement and lasting close to fourteen minutes, the piece falls into several subsections, each with its own heading: The Dream (in which Jefferson’s vision of a vast expanse of western land is opened); The Promise, a chorale that re-appears several times in the course of the piece and represents the seriousness of the presidential mission; The River; The Voyageurs; The River II ; Death and Disappointment; Return to the Voyage; and The River III .The music includes several quoted melodies, one of which is familiar to everyone as the ultimate “river song,” and which becomes the through-stream of the work. All of the quoted tunes were either sung by the men on the voyage, or played by Cruzatte’s fiddle. From various journals and diaries, we know the men found enjoyment and solace in music, and almost every night encampment had at least a bit of music in it. In addition to Cruzatte, there were two other members of the party who played the fiddle, and others made do with singing, or playing upon sticks, bones, the ever-present jaw harps, and boat horns. From Lewis’ journals, I found all the tunes used in Upriver: Shenandoah (still popular after more than 200 years), V’la bon vent, Soldier’s Joy, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (a hymn sung to the tune “Beech Spring”) and Fisher’s Hornpipe. The work follows an emotional journey: not necessarily step-by-step with the Voyage of Discovery heroes, but a kind of grand arch. Beginning in the mists of history and myth, traversing peaks and valleys both real and emotional (and a solemn funeral scene), finding help from native people, and recalling their zeal upon finding the one great river that will, in fact, take them to the Pacific. When the men finally roar through the Columbia Gorge in their boats (a feat that even the Indians had not attempted), the magnificent river combines its theme with the chorale of Jefferson’s Promise. The Dream is fulfilled: not quite the one Jefferson had imagined (there is no navigable water passage from the Missouri to the Pacific), but the dream of a continental destiny.

SKU: PR.11641963SP

UPC: 680160684496.

The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer. Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimes lyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three note motive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minor seventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for the cadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments. The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty. Happy Rain on a Spring Night by Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty) Happy rain comes in time, When spring is in its prime. With night breeze it will fall, And quietly moisten all. Clouds darken wild roads, Light brightens a little boat. Saturated at dawn, With flowers blooming the town. (English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese) The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction on the structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden. It's like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our new society is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and the expression according to the meaning of the poem when it's being unfolded line by line. Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, never slow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, to the sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures 39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to the rustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokes produced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in Rehearsal C and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a little light in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on the flutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The cello glissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. The music in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led by the marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G, the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music without cadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), which stands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short, yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high string harmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound of wonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully. The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1: xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings. Duration is about 20 minutes.
The violin concerto is commissioned by Friends of Dresden Music Foundation for American soloist Mira Wang and the New York Philharmonic and Staatskapelle Dresden as an American commemoration of the reconstruction of the Dresden Frauenkirche, 60 years after its destruction in World War II by American and British Forces. The world premiere is given at the Semperoper in Dresden, Germany, on October 9, 10 & 11, 2005, conducted by Ivan Fischer.Full of excitement and inner power, the musical image is vivid, energetic, sometimeslyrical and sometimes dramatic. The major angular thematic material (a three notemotive) consists of big leaps in interval (a perfect fourth downward and then a minorseventh upward, first introduced by the violin solo in measures 27-29). Except for thecadenzas which stand at the middle (Rehearsal E, measure 127) and the two ends of the piece as a frame, the virtuosic violin solo line is always accompanied by the ever moving and growing textures in the background. The rests between long and short phrases symbolize the space in Chinese paintings. The Beijing Opera reciting tune, and the fingerings to produce sliding tones in the performance of the Chinese fiddle erhu are also borrowed in the writing and the performing of the western instruments.The musical imagination of the violin concerto came from an ancient Chinese poem with the same title, written by Du Fu (712-770) in Tang Dynasty.Happy Rain on a Spring Nightby Du Fu (712-770 in Tang Dynasty)Happy rain comes in time,When spring is in its prime.With night breeze it will fall,And quietly moisten all.Clouds darken wild roads,Light brightens a little boat.Saturated at dawn,With flowers blooming the town.(English translation by Chen Yi from the original poem in Chinese)The following is the poem in its original Chinese form, and the detailed introduction onthe structural plan of the violin concerto Spring in Dresden.It’s like the welcome rain on a quiet spring night that nurtures the budding seeds, our newsociety is pushing us forward to the new future. The music reflects the scenes and theexpression according to the meaning of the poem when it’s being unfolded line by line.Although the tempo is set 63 quarter notes per minute throughout (played vividly, neverslow down), the tension is being built up from the quiet background in the beginning, tothe sustained climax towards the end. The musical image in Rehearsal A and B (measures39-80) represents the first four lines of the poem. The wind instruments response to therustling of fast moving notes on muted string triplets, decorated by occasional strokesproduced by metallic string sound and high woodwind gestures. The music in RehearsalC and D (measures 81-126) represents the next two lines of the poem. It's so dark, a littlelight in the boat is shimmering on the lake... The breathy sound and key slaps on theflutes create a mysterious atmosphere, in a dialogue with other instruments. The celloglissandi recite the poem in the tone of Mandarin, echoed by the string harmonics. Themusic in Rehearsal F, G and H (m 129-202) is a toccata, starting in the orchestra (led bythe marimba), which builds up a big shape, to reach the climax in m. 157 (Rehearsal G,the location of the Golden Section, according to the length of the music withoutcadenzas), and keeps the vivid scene towards the coda (from Rehearsal I, m. 203), whichstands on the energetic peak until the clear cutoff on measure 239, followed by the short,yet powerful solo conclusion with the lingering echo produced by the high stringharmonics. On the top, there is a recall of the three note motive in the sound ofwonderland, touched by the motor-on vibraphone meaningfully.The music is written for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb), 2 bassoons, 4 French horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in Bb), 3 trombones, tuba, harp, 3 percussion players (Perc. 1:xylophone; Perc. 2: suspended cymbal, Japanese high woodblock, snare drum, bass drum and vibraphone; Perc. 3: marimba and tam-tam), solo violin, and strings.Duration is about 20 minutes.

SKU: PR.46500013L

UPC: 680160600151. 11 x 14 inches.

I n 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clarks Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific and explore the uncharted West. He believed woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and mountains of pure salt awaited them. What they found was no less mind-boggling: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies. I have been a student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which Thomas Jefferson called the Voyage of Discovery, for as long as I can remember. This astonishing journey, lasting more than two-and-a-half years, began and ended in St. Louis, Missouri and took the travelers up more than a few rivers in their quest to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. In an age without speedy communication, this was akin to space travel out of radio range in our own time: no one knew if, indeed, the party had even survived the voyage for more than a year. Most of them were soldiers. A few were French-Canadian voyageurs hired trappers and explorers, who were fluent in French (spoken extensively in the region, due to earlier explorers from France) and in some of the Indian languages they might encounter. One of the voyageurs, a man named Pierre Cruzatte, also happened to be a better-than-average fiddle player. In many respects, the travelers were completely on their own for supplies and survival, yet, incredibly, only one of them died during the voyage. Jefferson had outfitted them with food, weapons, medicine, and clothing and along with other trinkets, a box of 200 jaw harps to be used in trading with the Indians. Their trip was long, perilous to the point of near catastrophe, and arduous. The dream of a Northwest Passage proved ephemeral, but the northwestern quarter of the continent had finally been explored, mapped, and described to an anxious world. When the party returned to St. Louis in 1806, and with the Louisiana Purchase now part of the United States, they were greeted as national heroes. I have written a sizeable number of works for wind ensemble that draw their inspiration from the monumental spaces found in the American West. Four of them (Arches, The Yellowstone Fires, Glacier, and Zion) take their names, and in large part their being, from actual national parks in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. But Upriver, although it found its voice (and its finale) in the magnificent Columbia Gorge in Oregon, is about a much larger region. This piece, like its brother works about the national parks, doesnt try to tell a story. Instead, it captures the flavor of a certain time, and of a grand adventure. Cast in one continuous movement and lasting close to fourteen minutes, the piece falls into several subsections, each with its own heading: The Dream (in which Jeffersons vision of a vast expanse of western land is opened); The Promise, a chorale that re-appears several times in the course of the piece and represents the seriousness of the presidential mission; The River; The Voyageurs; The River II ; Death and Disappointment; Return to the Voyage; and The River III . The music includes several quoted melodies, one of which is familiar to everyone as the ultimate river song, and which becomes the through-stream of the work. All of the quoted tunes were either sung by the men on the voyage, or played by Cruzattes fiddle. From various journals and diaries, we know the men found enjoyment and solace in music, and almost every night encampment had at least a bit of music in it. In addition to Cruzatte, there were two other members of the party who played the fiddle, and others made do with singing, or playing upon sticks, bones, the ever-present jaw harps, and boat horns. From Lewis journals, I found all the tunes used in Upriver: Shenandoah (still popular after more than 200 years), Vla bon vent, Soldiers Joy, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (a hymn sung to the tune Beech Spring) and Fishers Hornpipe. The work follows an emotional journey: not necessarily step-by-step with the Voyage of Discovery heroes, but a kind of grand arch. Beginning in the mists of history and myth, traversing peaks and valleys both real and emotional (and a solemn funeral scene), finding help from native people, and recalling their zeal upon finding the one great river that will, in fact, take them to the Pacific. When the men finally roar through the Columbia Gorge in their boats (a feat that even the Indians had not attempted), the magnificent river combines its theme with the chorale of Jeffersons Promise. The Dream is fulfilled: not quite the one Jefferson had imagined (there is no navigable water passage from the Missouri to the Pacific), but the dream of a continental destiny.

SKU: AP.44800

UPC: 038081517339. English. Traditional.

Ever ask your intermediate students to sing their parts? This one's for you! This American fiddling song is arranged by Renata Bratt so that every section gets a chance to sing the song as well as play the tune with idiomatic fiddle breaks based on the tune. Sounds great without the singing as well! The fast driving rhythmic power of offbeat accents in cut time is emphasized in this accessible D major arrangement. This tune calls for fast left hand fingers and some quick bow-crossings, though it stays in the first position. Great fun! (1:40).

SKU: HL.35028867

UPC: 884088888633. 5.25x7.5 inches.

From the composer of Festival of Carols and The Winter Rose comes a cantata that celebrates the legacy of early American carols and hymnody. Composed in the spirit of folk music, the cantata combines traditional sounds with more rustic elements creating a blend that is fresh and pleasing. Popular American carols like Away In a Manger and O Little Town of Bethlehem dance with traditional spirituals such as Children, Go Where I Send Thee and Go, Tell It on the Mountain. Sacred Harp tunes are re-tooled for Advent and stand alongside new versions of Shaker hymns and Appalachian melodies. Thoughtful narration weaves the movements together in a meaningful tapestry of song and Scripture. Two orchestral options are available allowing maximum flexibility in performance. A full line of support products is also available. Available separately: SATB, CD-ROM Full Orchestration (Score & Parts for Flute 1 & 2, alto recorder, Oboe/English Horn, Clarinet 1 & 2, Bassoon, Horn 1 & 2, Trumpet 1-3, Trombone 1 & 2, Bass Trombone/Tuba, Timpani, Percussion, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Harp, Piano, Synth, Solo fiddle, Violin 1 & 2, Viola, Cello, Double Bass), Printed Full Orchestration, Appalachian Consort Orchestration (Score & parts for Flute, Violin, Cello, Mandolin, Guitar, Percussion and Piano), StudioTrax CD (accompaniment only), SplitTrax CD, Listening CD, 10-Pack Listening CDs, Preview Pack (Book/CD combo), RehearsalTrax CDs (part predominant, reproducible), Digital Resource Kit (PowerPoint, Choir Devotionals, Poster, Program, Flyers, Children's Program PDFs). Duration: approx. 40 min.

SKU: AP.47435S

UPC: 038081542119. English.

This arrangement of lovely ballads, vigorous fiddle songs, and simple shaped-note tunes is deeply rooted in early-American folk traditions. The three Christmas tunes The Babe of Bethlehem, Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head, and Star in the East will carry you to the wind-swept, snow-covered Appalachian Mountains. Beautiful orchestral scoring will provide a full sound for any ensemble.

SKU: FH.VA3

ISBN 978-1-55440-565-7.

This groundbreaking series for viola offers a sound and progressive collection of Repertoire, Recordings, Etudes, Technique, and Orchestral Excerpts for the aspiring virtuoso. Representing all major style periods and a variety of genres, Viola Series, 2013 Edition offers all the music and tools needed to support a comprehensive course of study from the beginner to advanced levels. A rich and varied selection of music in each of these nine progressive volumes of repertoire appeals to violists of all ages. From the Preparatory Level through Level 8, students will be exposed to quality selections originally written for viola, fun arrangements of traditional fiddle and folk tunes, as well as contemporary pieces by notable composers such as Violet Archer, Carey Cheney, and Fritz Kriesler.
Concertinos, Airs Varies, and Divertimentos:
Divertimento in D Major - Haydn, Franz Joseph arr. Gregor Piatigorsky
- Third Movement
Air varie (Air with Variations), op 23, no. 3 - Rieding, Oskar
Concertino NO. 5 in D Major -Breval, Jean-Baptiste arr. Pierre Ruyssen
- First Movement
Sonatas:
Sonata in D Minor, op. 5, no. 8 - Corelli, Arcangelo arr. Jason Noble
- First Movement: Prelude
- Second Movement: Allemanda
Sonata in A Major, TWV 41:E1 - Telemann, Georg Philipp arr. Kathleen Wood
- First Movement
- Fourth Movement
Concert Repertoire:
Three Miniatures (complete) - Miller, Michael
Waltz, op. 12, no. 2 - Grieg, Edvard
Toy Soldiers' March - Kreisler, Fritz
Abracadabra - Duke, David
Musette and Air de ballet - Gluck, Christoph Willibald arr. Kathleen Wood
Boston Fancy - American folk dance arr. Harold Birston
Ave Verum Corpus, K 618 - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus arr. Jason Gray
Conte serieux (Solemn Story), op. 62, no. 6 - Mendelssohn, Ludwig
Alla Greco - Baxter, Timothy.