SKU: BR.DV-8173

ISBN 9790200480832. 9 x 12 inches.

World premiere Leipzig, 1980

Tschaikowskys letzte Oper - auf ein Libretto seines Bruders Modest nach der Dramenvorlage des danischen Schriftstellers Henrik Hertz - lebt von den poetischen Momenten und den symbolbeladenen Charakterportrats der Hauptfiguren: Die junge blinde Jolanthe wird von ihrem Vater aus Sorge um ihren Makel und zum Schutz ihrer Jungfraulichkeit und vor den Widrigkeiten der Welt in einen paradiesischen Garten gesperrt. Er befielt zu ihrem Schutz sie um ihre Blindheit unwissend zu lassen. Ein Arzt warnt sehen werde sie nur konnen wenn sie es selbst wolle gleich welche Angste aus der vollstandigen Erkenntnis der Welt erwachsen. Als der junge Vaudemont in ihre Abgeschiedenheit einbricht und sich beide ineinander verlieben befreit er sie von ihrer Unwissenheit erklart was Farbe und Licht bedeuten. Erst die Liebe zu ihm macht sie sehend.

Die dunkle Welt der Jolanthe zeichnet Tschaikowsky zu Beginn musikalisch durch eine Introduktion ausschliesslich fur Blaser. Erst mit dem Eintritt in die unbekannte Welt der Liebe und des Sehens verwendet Tschaikowsky einen warmen Streicherklang. Gerade dadurch stiess die Oper wohl bei Zeitgenossen auf Verstorung. Tschaikowskys ,,Jolanthe nimmt in seinem Opernschaffen eine Sonderstellung ein: neben dem glucklichen Ende einer Apotheose des Lichts und der Liebe mit einem religios gepragten Schlusschoral ist es eines der wenigen Buhnenwerke Tschaikowskys ohne Bezug zur russischen Geschichte. Der ausgepragte Lyrismus des Werks verweist stattdessen auf Tschaikowskys Nahe zur franzosischen Kultur die im 19. Jahrhundert einen starken Einfluss auf Russland hatte. Die Oper wurde 1892 am Mariinsky-Theater in Sankt Petersburg als Auftragswerk zusammen mit seinem Ballett ,,Der Nussknacker uraufgefuhrt.

Neben der Produktion des Munchner Rundfunkorchesters wurde ,,Jolanthe szenisch erfolgreich bei den Festspielen Baden-Baden mit Anna Netrebko und Piotr Beczala als Liebespaar rehabilitiert. Ausserhalb Deutschlands lief die Opernraritat in Toulouse Tokyo San Sebastian und Monte Carlo. Zuletzt erneut die ,,Suddeutsche Zeitung: ,,Jolanthe ist eine Opernausgrabung die ,,wirklich zu Unrecht vergessen ist. Tchaikovsky's last opera - on a libretto by the composer's brother Modest based on the drama by the Danish author Henrik Hertz - derives its life-blood from its poetic moments and the symbol-laden portraits of the leading characters: the blind young Yolanta is kept prisoner in a paradisiacal garden by her father who fears for her purity and her virginity and seeks to protect her from the adversities of the world. To do so he orders everyone to keep her ignorant of the fact that she is blind. A doctor warns that she will only be able to see when she is ready to do so herself no matter what fears might result from a complete experience of the world. When the young Vaudemont breaks into her secluded world and the two fall in love he frees her from her ignorance and explains the significance of color and light. It is through her love for him that she is finally able to see. At the beginning of the work Tchaikovsky depicts Yolanta's dark world with an introduction scored exclusively for winds. It is not until her discovery of the unknown world of love and sight that Tchaikovsky uses a warm string sound. This is what many of the composer's contemporaries found disturbing about the opera.

Tchaikovsky's Yolanta occupies a special place in the composer's operatic oeuvre: for one it has a happy ending an apotheosis of light and love with a religiously stamped closing chorale; for another it is one of Tchaikovsky's few stage works without any reference to Russian history. Instead the work's pronounced lyricism points to the composer's closeness to French culture. which exerted a strong influence on Russia in the 19th century.

The opera was given its world premiere at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg in 1892. It had been commissioned along with the ballet The Nutcracker. Next to the production by the Munchner Rundfunkorchester Yolanta was also successfully rehabilitated in a recent staged production at the Baden-Baden Festival with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala as the lovers. Outside of Germany the operatic rarity was performed in Toulouse Tokyo San Sebastian and Monte Carlo.

In closing another quote from the Suddeutsche Zeitung: 'Yolanta' is an operatic rediscovery of a work that was truly 'wrongly forgotten'.

SKU: BT.MUSM570364459

English.

Robert Saxton 's Hortus Musicae , Book 1 was commissioned by Ian Richie for the 2013 City of London Festival with funds provided by the John S. Cohen Foundation. The first performance was given by Clare Hammond on June 24th 2013 at the church of St Mary Le Bow. The title, less 'literal' in Latin than in the vernacular, refers to the idea of an allegorical/metaphysical garden (reference to a 'real', or existing, garden might be implied by Hortus Musicus) with various facets. The titles of the individual pieces/movements, with their respective garden image, are as follows: 1) Hortus Somniorum: a fleeting vision of a 'magical' garden 2) Hortus Temporis: a reflection of/on the floralclock described by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) in his [metaphysical] poem The Garden: How well the skilful gardener drew Of flowers and herbs this dial new Where from above the milder sun Does through a fragrant zodiac run; And, as it works, the industrious bee Computes its time as well as we. How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers! 3) Hortus Cantus: A garden in which nature 'sings' (praises), in the manner of a 'chorale prelude' and ending with the cantus firmus transformed into bells. 4) Hortus Infinitatis: A meditative/formal garden representing Time suspended, in the form of a palindromic prolation canon combined with a harmonic ground (chaconne). 5) Saltatio Hortensis: A (summer) garden of dancing, celebratory nature. Its essence (and that of the entire cycle, both metaphorically and structurally/formally) is summed up in words spoken by Miranda in WH Auden's 1944 Tempest [Shakespeare]-inspired poem The Sea And The Mirror; So, to remember our changing garden, we Are linked as children in a circle dancing. Duration: 15 minutes.

SKU: HL.35000606

UPC: 884088643829. 8.5x11.0x0.33 inches.

Always distinctive. Always unique. The music of Rene Clausen always leaves a lasting impression upon those who listen and those who perform. All This Night pairs the contrasting poetry of William Austin (1587-1634) and Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1834) with contrasting musical styles. Both texts are poems of praise, referring to the wonders of creation and the power of the Almighty. Clausen very cleverly sets the medieval text with a contemporary feel-syncopation, some dissonance, modern harmonies - while the contemporary text is set in a more traditional, chorale-like, homophonic style.

SKU: GI.G-CD-474

A thousand ages in your sight, a line from Issac Watt's hymn paraphrase of Psalm 90, provides the inspiration for this celebration of hope with the St. Olaf Cantorei, under the direction of John Ferguson. This gorgeous live recording features impeccable choral singing and festive instrumentation, bringing life to tunes and texts from around the world. Come, All You People, an African hymn, is full of exciting rhythms and beautiful harmonies. The celebration continues with the classic German chorale Lobe den Herren. Versions of O God, Our Help in Ages Past, All Creatures of Our God and King, and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel are just a sample of the many beautiful, innovative arrangements of traditional hymns by John Ferguson on this recording. Music and arrangements by William McKie, Alexander Gondo, William Byrd, Egil Hovland, Joseph W. Clokey, Mark Hayes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Edward Tyler are also featured. In the spirit of the new millennium, reflections on God and the passing of time are included, as well as a reading of the story of Creation from the Book of Genesis. The CD booklet includes the text of all reflections as well as the text of all songs on the recording. Listening to this recording, you'll want to follow along in the spirit of this joyous hymn festival...you may even want to join the choir in song!

SKU: FG.55011-574-3

ISBN 9790550115743.

Kalevi Aho (b.1949) was only 18 years old when he completed his String Quartet no. 1 in g minor (1967). Nonetheless it was already the second one of its kind: the earlier string quartet in a minor got christened String Quartet No. 0 and banned from performing. The g minor quartet was heard the first time only 50 years after it was born, when the Kamus Quartet premiered it at the Musica Kalevi Aho Festival in Forssa on June 28, 2019. In Aho's home town, Forssa, it was not possible to study composition with a teacher: My model in this and the other works I composed while I was at school was all the mostly tonal music I had personally played on the violin or heard on the radio. The first movement, Moderato, begins in variation form, until followed by a fugue based on the variation theme. The initially lyrical second movement has a quick, virtuosic and light middle section. The third movement is a very quick scherzo that becomes dramatic, and the work ends with a chorale-like finale. The composer tells: When I got to study composition at the Sibelius Academy in autumn 1968 and showed the quartet to my teacher, Einojuhani Rautavaara, he said there was no point my studying tonal harmony and tonal formal constructions any longer; that I could do the exams in them straight away and start the courses in modern music resources there and then..

SKU: SU.80101113

This work is an extensive fantasy on Abide With Me, in the style of 19th century composers. It is dramatic, highly expressive, and very powerful. Suitable for festival service or recital. The American Organist (Nov 2001) provides the following review of the work: ...a rather robust chorale prelude on Abide With Me that eschews sentimentality and casts this old warhorse of a hymn in a more positive light. It's a piece many organists might like to look into.
20 pages
Published by: Zimbel Press.