SKU: CF.YAS186

ISBN 9781491151518. UPC: 680160909018. 9 x 12 inches. Key: D minor.

A stunning and heart-wrenching composition based on the Jewish folk son Shlof, Mayn Kind. You can hear the emotional content pour out of this piece written in memory of an outstanding orchestra director. The piece beginnings with original material to set the tone, followed by a violin solo on the song. It them develops through a variety of different harmonic presentation before building to a nice key change and climatic moment. The piece ends as it began, but with a more hopeful tone. An amazing piece.
Sleep, My Child was commissioned by the Madison Middle School Band and Orchestra in Tampa, Florida, and is dedicated to the memory of their Director of Orchestras Kevin Frye. Director of Bands Chris Shultz championed the commissioning of this piece to honor Kevin after he passed away in December 2016. Mr. Frye was a beloved member of the staff at Madison Middle as well as the music community of Tampa and the state of Florida. I was a personal friend of Kevin’s. We were in several musical groups together when we were young that were formative to both of our musical careers. I also guest-conducted his Madison Middle School Orchestra several times over the past four years. His musicianship, teaching skills and love for his students were exemplary.When taking on the challenge of writing a piece to honor Kevin’s legacy, Mr. Shultz and I decided to try and include several important aspects of Kevin’s life into the piece. Kevin was proudly Jewish, a fantastic trumpet player and loved Jazz. With that in mind, and after a lot of research, a Jewish folk song Shlof, Mayn Kind was selected as the basis for the piece, not to be religious, but to honor his faith and heritage. Plus it is a beautiful song and I felt the title reflected the sentiment I was looking to express, which is of someone taking rest after a long battle with illness, so a lullaby seemed appropriate.I also wanted to incorporate Jazz into the piece, but in a concert setting, so you will hear as the piece develops, the harmonies of the folk song expand into ones found more commonly in Jazz compositions.  Not in a far out way, but in a subtle way to again honor this part of his life. For example the climactic moment of the piece at the fermata in m. 57 is a Dbmaj9#11 chord. It appropriately give the piece the angst that I was looking for at this moment in the piece, while honoring the importance of Jazz in Kevin’s musical life.The piece was also conceived to include both the Madison band and orchestra in the performance at the premiere. I wanted the pieces to work separately by the band and separately by the orchestra, but I also wanted them to be able to play the piece together to honor Kevin.The piece begins with original material designed to set the mood of the piece with a tempo/style marking of pensive, but also as material that I used as connective musical tissue between statements of the folk song.  After this introduction, the folk song is presented by a solo violin (or clarinet) with orchestral accompaniment in a simple straight forward presentation of the song. This is followed by a woodwind section statement of the folk song accompanied by muted trumpets. During this presentation the harmony starts to expand with more color notes in the chords. The low brass are added half way through this statement to add depth and lushness.The introductory material returns, but with some angry hits in the lower voices. This leads to a full ensemble state of new material that is used to transition to the climax of the piece, and to build tension. After the build, the piece modulates to a shortened statement of the folk song with more advanced harmonies and an active counter line in the violas, horns, saxes and first clarinets to further build the tension.  This tension is released at the fermata in m. 57 as mentioned above. After a thoughtful pause, the piece concludes with a completion of the folk song again with a solo violin (or clarinet) followed by a return of the introductory material to tie the piece together. The piece ends hopeful, with a solo trumpet (Kevin’s instrument) that is dissonant at first, but then resolves as if to say, Everything will be OK! It has been my distinct honor to have been asked to write this piece in Kevin’s memory! I hope that in some small way the piece helps to bring comfort to his family, students, colleagues and to all those that knew him!–Larry ClarkLakeland, FL  2017.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels

SKU: BR.EB-8031

ISBN 9790004174340. 9 x 12 inches.

This series of easy piano music for teaching purposes presents pupils in the lower and lower middle grades with a carefully chosen selection of well-known and lesserknown compositions by important masters. The volumes are deliberately kept small in extent, since it is more stimulating for children to change the teaching material frequently. When the aspiring pianist has dealt successfully with the works of Frederic Chopin for the first time, he will have left the elementary level of instruction behind. The following selection of easy pieces also requires security of technique and capability of musical expression in order to enable the florid sound of Chopin's piano music to unfold. As much as works like the Prelude in D flat major or the Walz in A minor may tempt one to premature endeavours, a study of Chopin's music should not be attempted too early. In the following five Preludes, the two Valses and the Nocturne in G minor (six Mazurkas have been published in a separate folio), the editor has made a selection of pieces, which can be mastered by the pupil (with the exception of opus 28/15 and opus 28/20), even if a limited facility and finger stretch is present. Because of the finger stretch required for some chords, a different distribution of the hands has been indicated or simplifications have been suggested. An introduction to the Tempo rubato, taking style into consideration, is a task lying within teacher's responsibility. Indications for pedal use were added by the editor. Heinz Walter, Salzburg, Fall 1979.

SKU: CF.CM9716

ISBN 9781491160954. UPC: 680160919550. Key: D minor. Latin. Early Latin Text.

This text is taken from the Dies Irae Sequence from the Requiem Mass. It is a contemplation of the arrival of judgment day. The A-sections, mm. 1-29 & mm. 43-end, are a manic depiction of the fierce wrath of judgment day. They should be sung with fire, crisp consonants while always enunciating the accents in order to realize the full effect of this powerful text. The entire demeanor of the tone and facial expressions should change for the B-section, mm. 30-42 as it is a plea for mercy. The audience should realize the change in this contrasting section. Translation Dies irae, dies illa: Day of wrath, that day Solvet saeclum in favilla: shall dissolve the world into embers Teste David cum Sibylla: As David prophesied with the Sibyl. Voca me cum benedictis :Call me to be with the blessed. Salva me fons pietatis : Save me, fount of pity. The Sibyl is a reference from a Greek word, which means Prophetess. In this context, the word appears in plural, referring to many prophetesses. David, or King David, has long been considered prophetic among biblical scholars. About the Arranger D. Farrell Smith is the Director of Choirs at Hilldale Middle School, and Hilldale High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He holds a B.A. in Music Education and the M.A. in Theological Studies. Currently the Minister of Music at Eastern Heights Baptist Church, he has been a Music educator and Minister for 20 years. Mr. Smith studied with Dr. Gary Foster and Dr. Donald Studebaker and has performed under such notables as R. Evan Copley, Daniel Pinkham, Lloyd Pfautsch, and Bev Henson.
This text is taken from the Dies Irae Sequence from the Requiem Mass. It is a contemplation of the arrival of judgment day. The A-sections, mm. 1-29 & mm. 43-end, are a manic depiction of the fierce wrath of judgment day. They should be sung with fire, crisp consonants while always enunciating the accents in order to realize the full effect of this powerful text. The entire demeanor of the tone and facial expressions should change for the B-section, mm. 30-42 as it is a plea for mercy. The audience should realize the change in this contrasting section.TranslationDies irae, dies illa: Day of wrath, that daySolvet saeclum in favilla: shall dissolve the world into embersTeste David cum Sibylla: As David prophesied with the Sibyl.Voca me cum benedictis :Call me to be with the blessed.Salva me fons pietatis : Save me, fount of pity.The “Sibyl” is a reference from a Greek word, which means Prophetess. In this context, the word appears in plural, referring to many prophetesses. David, or King David, has long been considered prophetic among biblical scholars.About the ArrangerD. Farrell Smith is the Director of Choirs at Hilldale Middle School,  and Hilldale High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma.   He holds a B.A. in Music Education and the M.A. in Theological Studies. Currently the  Minister of Music at Eastern Heights Baptist Church, he has been a Music educator and Minister for 20 years. Mr. Smith studied with Dr. Gary Foster and Dr. Donald Studebaker and has performed under such notables as R. Evan Copley, Daniel Pinkham, Lloyd Pfautsch, and Bev Henson.

SKU: CF.YAS211F

ISBN 9781491160718. UPC: 680160919314.

This grade 2 original work was inspired by the tender poem of the same name by Sara Teasdale. Gentle phrases capture the wistful hope the poet felt as she contemplated the steadfast stars that burn steadily as long ago even as the world changed below. The lyrical melody provides developing players opportunities to work on tone, slurs, and expressive playing with one easy key change from D major to G major. A shift from major to minor tonality reflects the bittersweet stanzas that lament the loss of youthful dreams amidst the turmoil of life, even while admiring the faithful beauty of the celestial constellations. The dreamy piece evokes images of shimmering stars in the cold December night, with shadows shaken on the snow, offering a tranquil winter concert selection.
This grade 2 original work was inspired by the tender poem of the same name by Sara Teasdale. Gentle phrases capture the wistful hope the poet felt as she contemplated the steadfast stars that “burn steadily as long ago” even as the world changed below. The lyrical melody provides developing players opportunities to work on tone, slurs, and expressive playing with one easy key change from D major to G major. A shift from major to minor tonality reflects the bittersweet stanzas that lament the loss of youthful dreams amidst the turmoil of life, even while admiring the “faithful beauty” of the celestial constellations. The dreamy piece evokes images of shimmering stars in the cold December night, with “shadows shaken on the snow,” offering a tranquil winter concert selection.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels