SKU: CF.CM9740

ISBN 9781491161203. UPC: 680160919789. Key: Bb major. English. Siegfried Sasson.

Everyone suddenly burst out singing; And I was filled with such delight As prisoned birds must find in freedom... These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the Great War finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he was feeling dull-minded and depressed. Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent. One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to.   The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality. The appearance of suddenly in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush. There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet's bold choices of action words - burst, winging, and shaken. Then there's alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance. Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11) Find/freedom (measure 21-22) Winging/wildly (measure 23) Setting/sun (measures 47-49) Was/wordless (measures 65-75) Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text.   And just as O is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting - in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder - ...O, but Everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will Never be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about. May the singing never be done.
Everyone suddenly burst out singingAnd I was filled with such delightAs prisoned birds must find in freedom…These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the “Great War” finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he “was feeling dull-minded and depressed.” Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent.One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to. The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality.The appearance of “suddenly” in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush.There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet’s bold choices of action words – burst, winging, and shaken.Then there’s alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance.Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11)Find/freedom (measure 21-22)Winging/wildly (measure 23)Setting/sun (measures 47-49)Was/wordless (measures 65-75)Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text. And just as “O” is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting – in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder –…O, but EveryoneWas a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing willNever be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about.May the singing never be done.

SKU: PR.11441998S

UPC: 680160681730. 9 x 12 inches.

The ancient Egyptian empire began around 3100 B.C. and continued for over 3000 years until Alexander the Great conquered the country in 332 B.C. Over the centuries, the Egyptian empire grew and flourished into a highly developed society. They invented hieroglyphics, built towering pyramids (including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World), and the created many household items we still use today, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, eyeliner, black ink, and the forerunner of modern-day paper. Included among their achievements were a series of highly developed funerary practices and beliefs in the Afterlife. As the average lifespan of an Egyptian hovered around 30 years, living past the death of oneAs physical body was a legitimate concern. Egyptians believed that upon death, their souls would undertake a harrowing journey through the Netherworld. If they survived the horrific creatures and arduous trials that awaited them, then their souls would be reunified with their bodies (hence the need to preserve the body through mummification) and live forever in a perfect version of the life they had lived in Egypt. To achieve this, Egyptians devised around 200 magical spells and incantations to aid souls on the path to the Afterlife. These spells are collectively called The Book of the Dead. Particular spells would be chosen by the family of the deceased and inscribed on the tombAs walls and scrolls of papyrus, as well as on a stone scarab placed over the deceasedAs heart. Subsequent collections of spells and mortuary texts, such as The Book of Gates, assisted a soul in navigating the twelve stages of the Netherworld. Not only did these spells protect and guide the soul on this dangerous path, but they also served as a safeguard against any unbecoming behavior an Egyptian did while alive. For instance, if a person had robbed another while alive, there was a spell that would prevent the soulAs heart from revealing the truth when in the Hall of Judgment. Rites for the Afterlife follows the path of a soul to the Afterlife. In Inscriptions from the Book of the Dead (movement 1), the soul leaves the body and begins the journey, protected by spells and incantations written on the tombAs walls. In Passage though the Netherworld (movement 2), the soul is now on a funerary barque, being towed through the Netherworld by four of the regionAs inhabitants. We hear the soul slowly chanting incantations as the barque encounters demons, serpents, crocodiles, lakes of fire, and other terrors. The soul arrives at The Hall of Judgment in movement 3. Standing before forty-two divine judges, the soul addresses each by name and gives a A!negative confessionA(r) connected to each judge (i.e. A!I did not rob,A(r) A!I did not do violence,A(r) and so on). Afterwards, the soulAs heart is put on a scale to be weighed against a feather of MaAat, the goddess of truth. If the heart weighs more than the feather, it will be eaten by Ammut, a hideous creature that lies in wait below the scale, and the soul will die a second and permanent death (this was the worst fear of the Egyptians). But if the heart is in balance with the feather, the soul proceeds onward. The final stage of the journey is the arrival at The Field of Reeds (movement 4), which is a perfect mirror image of the soulAs life in ancient Egypt. The soul reunites with deceased family members, makes sacrifices to the Egyptian gods and goddess, harvests crops from plentiful fields of wheat under a brilliant blue sky, and lives forever next to the abundant and nourishing waters of the Nile. Rites for the Afterlife was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment on behalf of the Akropolis Reed Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Brigham Young University Reed Quintet. -S.G.

SKU: CF.SPS82F

ISBN 9781491153277. UPC: 680160910779.

Resignation was composed in memory of one of Ed Kiefer's best friends. Evoking the struggle of coming to grips with the loss of a dear friend, the piece is based on the hymn, My Shepherd Will Supply My Need. It is dramatic, heartfelt, and overwhelmingly beautiful. As Hans Christian Andersen once said, When words fail, music speaks..
Dr. David S. Kirby Commission Consortium Phillip Riggs, Commission CoordinatorNorthwest District Bandmasters AssociationRodney Workman, Past-Chair Andrew Jimeson, ChairWestern North Carolina Bandmasters AssociationAllen Klaes, ChairNorth Carolina School of Science and MathPhillip Riggs, DirectorA.C. Reynolds High School BandSean Smith, DirectorSouth Caldwell High School BandJason Childers, DirectorJay M. Robinson Symphonic BandAndrew Carter, DirectorApex High School BandDaniel Jarvis, DirectorPanther Creek High School BandDavid Robinson, DirectorEastern Randolph High School BandCarolina Perez, DirectorStanley County Concert Band/Pfeiffer University Concert BandCarmella Hedrick, Tim Hedrick and Frank Poolos, DirectorsLenoir Rhyne University Wind SymphonyDr. Daniel Kiser, ConductorDr. Christopher NegrelliNumerous colleagues, fellow teachers, and former studentsProgram NotesThere is no possible way I could compose a piece of music worthy of the memory of my close friend, Dr. David Kirby, who died very suddenly at an early age. Neither could I write a piece that could come close to reflecting his kind spirit, wit, personality or talent. In fact, it was almost impossible for me to write anything at all. My own grief and the stages of my grief kept getting in the way. I ended up with a setting of the hymn-tune, Resignation. Resigned.  To the fact that he is no longer with us. I know he is in a better place, but we are not. We miss him very much. And so, My Shepherd Will Supply My Need seems to speak to those of us he left behind. I apologize if this piece does not reflect your special feelings for him or help you celebrate his moving on. Unfortunately, I could only put down what I have come to accept and hope in some way it may speak to any of you that knew him or to others of you who have also lost a close friend. My Shepherd Will Supply My Need. That is my hope and my hope for you.Although technically very easy, this composition requires a maturity of musicianship to be performed properly. The Bb contrabass clarinet part is integral to the composition, but there are cues in the tuba part if you need them.  Make sure you bring horns to the fore at m. 53 and the low brass at m. 59 so the melody can be heard without effort. Exaggerate dynamics to bring more emotion to the piece. Be careful not to diminuendo too soon near the end or it will be difficult to diminish even further at the very end, where the lone clarinetist holds over a couple of measures, fading into nothing. I hope your students will enjoy this piece and take from it a greater appreciation for the way making music can express feelings.

SKU: LP.765762182905

UPC: 765762182905.

Beautiful and thought-provoking this moving anthem pays homage to the tremendous sacrifice made by men and women of our armed forces reminding us all that so much more than love has grown when a hero's coming home. For solo voice with choir this piece is perfect for Memorial Day Veteran's Day 4th of July or any service of recognition. DVD accompaniment is available.