SKU: PR.114418900

ISBN 9781491129517. UPC: 680160668632.

A welcome addition to the bass flute repertoire, Dorff’s 14-minute sonata is designed as two pairs of slow-fast movements. While composed as a complete 4-movement sonata, either half may be performed alone as a 7-minute recital work. The movement titles are: I. Sprawling, burbling; II. Sparkling, glistening; III. Under Winter; and IV. Spring Spirits.
When Peter Sheridan commissioned me to write a piece for bass flute and piano, his only requests were a sonata-like multi-movement work, and some kind of reference to New York, where we both grew up. Just the thought of a bass flute, with its broad and mighty airstream, already reminded me of the mighty Hudson River: from the dense woods of upstate New York, through the beautiful landscapes of New Paltz and Poughkeepsie, down through the celebrated Manhattan waterway.As I daydreamed how to build a sonata inspired by the Hudson, I thought of its deep primal nature carved by the Ice Age, and the life within the river and on its shores long before humans arrived. I thought of how the river’s magnetism drew Native Americans who honored and built their lives around it. I thought of beautiful trees and wildlife, the annual cycles of ecosystems, and the natural symbiosis between the river itself, the life within, and the life on land spawned by the river’s resources.I wondered what if Thoreau had sat by the Hudson rather than by Walden Pond; I wondered what if Hesse had set Siddhartha in the Hudson Valley with this river as his metaphor for the flow of life and time.I wondered whether the sonata should flow from north to south, or have chronological references. I wondered if I should allude to the many poets and painters who have drawn inspiration from the mighty Hudson. Every thought led to the river’s essence, its own spirit and life — flowing through raw nature, from skinny trickles to mightiness spawning cities; supporting subtle life, and becoming a central commons for human societies.The subtitle Spirit of the Hudson brings it all together.* * *The sonata is built in 4 movements, with formal inspiration from the Baroque: A slow Mvt. 1 “Sprawling, burbling” leads directly to the rapid Mvt. 2 “Sparkling, glistening,” followed by another slow-fast pair: Mvt. 3 “Under Winter” which leads directly into Mvt. 4 “Spring Spirits.” In addition to performances of the complete sonata, either pair of movements may be performed on its own for a shorter concert segment.SONATA (SPIRIT OF THE HUDSON) was premiered at the International Low Flutes Festival in April 2018 by its commissioner, bass flutist Peter Sheridan, with Hyeeun Hahm as pianist.

SKU: GI.G-1064

UPC: 785147006428.

From the music of the Buena Vista Social Club to Gloria Estefan, the lyrical melodies and infectious rhythms of Cuban music have become embedded in U.S. culture. With Caminemos con Jesús / Let Us Walk with Jesus, composer Tony Alonso presents a groundbreaking collection of liturgical music that calls on his own Cuban musical heritage to provide new ways of singing the liturgy in Spanish, English or bilingually. The first project of its kind, Caminemos con Jesús not only utilizes rich Cuban idioms but also explores what style and musical form can teach us about praying together across cultural and linguistic boundaries. The dynamic call-and-response form that is a hallmark of traditional Cuban music makes these songs especially compelling choices for bilingual worship, allowing assemblies to learn, internalize, and pray easily in both Spanish and English. “Qué Alegría Cuando Me Dijeron / I Rejoiced When I Heard Them Say” uses the words of the psalm as a rhythmic mantra, creating a fresh and engaging way to gather as the Body of Christ. “Letanía a la Madre de las Américas / Litany of Mary of The Americas,” invokes the Mary of many names and nations with a simple yet strong response that will enliven Marian feasts throughout the year. The gentle simplicity of “Tres Guajiros / Three Peasants” re-imagines the story of the Magi as humble peasants bringing gifts of the land to honor the newborn Jesus. Also, in this collection and for the first time in published form, is Gloria Estefan’s “Caridad,” a powerful and poetic prayer to Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Cuba. All of the pieces of this collection focus on the importance of bringing the voices of the assembly to the forefront while the arrangements are skillfully crafted to be accessible to musicians of all abilities. In addition to the spiral-bound edition, individual octavos, and flute and brass parts, Caminemos con Jesús offers a special edition featuring parts for guitar, percussion and other instruments central to Cuban music. The studio recording is a stunning source of prayer and inspiration, produced in Miami by Grammy Award winner Juan Delgado and featuring some of the finest Cuban-American musicians today.  GIA Publications, Inc. is committed to responding to the rich diversity of the contemporary Church. With Caminemos con Jesús, we offer you our very best bilingual music for the liturgical year.  “The music of my father’s Cuban homeland has been the language of my heart for as long as I can remember. These songs infuse that rich tradition with the unique sabor of my own experience as a Cuban-American in a distinctly liturgical shape that I hope will inspire others in their daily camino con Jesús.” –Tony Alonso Featuring “Live Mercy, Be Holy / Vive la Misericordia, Vive la Santidad,” the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress theme song! Desde la música de Buena Vista Social Club hasta la de Gloria Estefan, las melodías líricas y ritmos contagiosos de la música cubana son incrustados en la cultura estadounidense. Con Caminemos con Jesús / Let Us Walk with Jesus, el compositor Tony Alonso presenta una colección innovadora de música litúrgica que incorpora su herencia musical cubana para producir una manera nueva de cantar la liturgia — en español, inglés o bilingüemente. El primer proyecto de este tipo, Caminemos con Jesús no sólo utiliza modismos ricos de Cuba sino también explora lo que el estilo y la forma musical nos pueden enseñar con respeto a rezar juntos a través de los límites culturales y lingüísticos.  La forma dinámica de llamada-y-respuesta que es un sello distintivo de la música cubana tradicional crea opciones cautivadoras para los rituales bilingües donde la asamblea puede aprender, interiorizar y rezar facilmente tanto en español como en inglés. “Qué Alegría Cuando Me Dijeron” incorpora la letra del salmo como una mantra rítmica, creando una manera original para congregar al Cuerpo de Cristo. La “Letanía a la Madre de las Américas,” la cual invoca a la María de muchos nombres y naciones utilizando una respuesta sencilla y fuerte, enriquecerá a las fiestas marianas de muchos pueblos durante todo el año. La sencillez suave de “Tres Guajiros” reimagina la historia de los Reyes Magos como guajiros humildes, trayendo regalos de la tierra para honrar al recién nacido Jesús. También se encuentra en esta colección, por la primera vez en forma publicada, el tema musical “Caridad” por Gloria Estefan, que es una oración poderosa y poética a Nuestra Madre de Caridad, la patrona de Cuba. Todas las piezas en esta colección se enfocan en la importancia de las voces de la asamblea mientras los arreglos son accesibles para los músicos de todas habilidades. Además de la edición con espiral, las partituras corales individuales, y las ediciones para flauta y instrumentos de metal, Caminemos con Jesús también ofrece una edición para guitarra con partituras adicionales para percusión y otros instrumentos centrales en la música cubana. La grabación del estudio es espectacular, una fuente de oración y inspiración. Producido en Miami por el ganador de Grammy Juan Delgado, el álbum destaca los talentos de unos de los mejores músicos cubano-americanos de hoy día.  GIA Publications, Inc. está comprometido a responder a la diversidad rica de la Iglesia actual. En Caminemos con Jesús, les ofrecemos nuestra mejor música bilingüe para todo el año litúrgico. “La música de la tierra cubana de mi padre ha sido el lenguaje de mi corazón desde que yo tengo memoria. Estas canciones infunden esa rica tradición del sabor único de mi propia experiencia como cubanoamericano con una forma claramente litúrgica. Es mi deseo que esta obra inspire a los demás en su propio camino diario con Jesús”. –Tony Alonso  Incluye el canto tema, “Vive la Misericordia, Vive la Santidad / Live Mercy, Be Holy,” compuesto para el Congreso de Educación Religiosa de Los Angeles del 2020. CONTENTS / CONTENIDO: Arriba los Corazones / We Lift Up Our Hearts • Caminemos con Jesús / Let Us Walk with Jesus • Cántico de Daniel / Canticle of Daniel • Caridad / Our Lady of Charity • Letanía del Santo Nombre de Jesús / Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus • Letanía a la Madre de las Américas / Litany to the Mother of the Americas • Qué Alegría Cuando Me Dijeron / I Rejoiced When I Heard them Say • Una Gran Nube de Testigos / A Wondrous Cloud of Witnesses • Tres Guajiros / Three Peasants • Vayan Por el Mundo Entero / Go Out to All the World • Vive la Misericordia, Vive la Santidad / Live Mercy, Be Holy.  .

SKU: HL.327506

ISBN 9781540081520. UPC: 888680989743. 9.0x12.0x0.416 inches.

If you're anxious to put those piano lessons to work, here are 50 calming pieces to play while you continue your studies! Songs are arranged for easy piano with lyrics and include: Bella's Lullaby • Blowin' in the Wind • Brian's Song • Chariots of Fire • (They Long to Be) Close to You • Dawn • Fields of Gold • Gabriel's Oboe • Imagine • Longer • Mia & Sebastian's Theme • New York State of Mind • Over the Rainbow • Tears in Heaven • Time After Time • The Wind Beneath My Wings • Yesterday • You've Got a Friend • and more!

About First 50

You've been taking lessons, you've got a few chords under your belt, and you're ready to buy a songbook. Now what? Hal Leonard has the answers in its First 50 series. The First 50 series steers new players in the right direction. These books contain easy to intermediate arrangements for must-know songs. Each arrangement is simple and streamlined, yet still captures the essence of the tune.

SKU: BT.AMP-028-140

English-German-French-Dutch.

The piece reflects the composer's fascination with the origins of the universe and deep space in general. The title comes from a theory, formulated by Pythagoras, that the cosmos was ruled by the same laws he had discovered that govern the ratios of note frequencies of the musical scale. (‘Harmonia’ in Ancient Greek, which means scale or tuning rather than harmony - Greek music was monophonic). He also believed that these ratios corresponded to the distances of the six known planets from the sun and that the planets each produced a musical note which combined to weave a continuous heavenly melody (which, unfortunately, we humans cannot hear). In this work, these six notesform the basis of the sections MUSIC OF THE SPHERES and HARMONIA. The pieces opens with a horn solo called t = 0, a name given by some scientists to the moment of the Big Bang when time and space were created, and this is followed by a depiction of the BIG BANG itself, as the entire universe bursts out from a single point. A slower section follows called THE LONELY PLANET which is a meditation on the incredible and unlikely set of circumstances which led to the creation of the Earth as a planet that can support life, and the constant search for other civilisations elsewhere in the universe. ASTEROIDS AND SHOOTING STARS depicts both the benign and dangerous objects that are flying through space and which constantly threaten our planet, and the piece ends with THE UNKNOWN, leaving in question whether our continually expanding exploration of the universe will eventually lead to enlightenment or destruction.

Dit werk weerspiegelt de fascinatie van de componist voor het heelal. Het begint met een hoornsolo met de naam t = 0, waarmee sommige wetenschappers de oerknal aanduiden. Dan volgt een weergave van de oerknal zelf. Het volgendegedeelte, The Lonely Planet, is een meditatie over het ongelooflijke samenspel van omstandigheden dat leidde tot het ontstaan van de Aarde. Asteroids and Shooting Stars beschrijft objecten in de ruimte. Het werkeindigt met The Unknown, waarmee we in het ongewisse blijven over de gevolgen van onze verdere verkenning van het universum. In 2005 won Philip Sparke met Music of the Spheres de National Band Association/William D.Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest.

Dieses Werk handelt vom Weltall und unserem Platz im Universum, auf dem Weltbild von Pythagoras basierend. Am einfachsten lässt sich diese außergewöhnliche Komposition wohl als Filmmusik ähnliches Stück beschreiben ? Musik zu einem Science-Fiction-Film eines Ripley Scott oder Steven Spielberg oder auch Musik, wie sie ein John Williams oder Danny Elfman schreiben würde: absolut stimmungsvoll, brillant instrumentiert mit Klangfarben, Strukturen, Effekten und Timbres, gemischt mit fließenden musikalischen Linien, die die Substanz des Themas auf den Punkt treffen. Dieses atemberaubende neue Stück hebt Ihr Blasorchester auf ein höheres Niveau, sowohl im technischen als auchmusikalischen Sinn.

La fresque Music of the Spheres (“La musique des sphères”) souligne la fascination qu’éprouve le compositeur pour les origines de l’univers. L’orchestration est proche de la musique de film. Le climat musical est ample, sonore et contrasté.

Music of the Spheres evidenza il fascino che le origini dell’universo esercitano su Philip Sparke. Il titolo proviene da una teoria del matematico greco Pitagora, secondo la quale il cosmo è retto dalle stesse leggi che governano i rapporti di frequenza tra le note della scala musicale. Questa composizione inizia con un assolo di corno chiamato t = 0, nozione che definisce il momento del big-bang. The Lonely Planet (Il pianeta solitario) è una meditazione sulle circostanze che hanno portato alla creazione della terra. Asteroids and Shooting Stars (Asteroidi e Stelle cadenti) descrive i molteplici oggetti che si muovono nello spazio e che rappresentano unrischio per il nostro pianeta. Le battute finali portano verso l’ignoto (The Unknown) sollevando una domanda la cui risposta resta in sospeso: la nostra continua avanzata nell’esplorazione dell’Universo porter un giorno alla scoperta o alla distruzione?

SKU: PR.11641867S

UPC: 680160683208.

Contextures: Riots -Decade '60 was commissioned by Zubin Mehta and the Southern California Symphony Association after the successful premiere of the Concerto for Four Percussion Soloists and Orchestra. It was written during the spring and summer months of 1967. Riots stemming from resentment against the racial situation in the United States and the war in Vietnam were occurring throughout the country and inevitably invaded the composer's creative subconscious. Contextures, as the title implies, was intended to exploit various and varying textures. As the work progressed the correspondence between the fabric of music and the fabric of society became apparent and the allegory grew in significance. So I found myself translating social aspects into musical techniques. Social stratification became a polymetric situation where disparate groups function together. The conflict between the forces of expansion and the forces of containment is expressed through and opposition of tonal fluidity vs. rigidity. This is epitomized in the fourth movement, where the brass is divided into two groups - a muted group, encircled by the unmuted one, which does its utmost to keep the first group within a restricted pitch area. The playful jazzy bits (one between the first and second movements and one at the end of the piece) are simply saying that somehow in this age of turmoil and anxiety ways of having fun are found even though that fun may seem inappropriate. The piece is in five movements, with an interlude between the first and second movements. It is scored for a large orchestra, supplemented by six groups of percussion, including newly created roto-toms (small tunable drums) and some original devices, such as muted gongs and muted vibraphone. There is also an offstage jazz quartet: bass, drums, soprano saxophone and trumpet. The first movement begins with a solo by the first clarinetist which is interrupted by intermittent heckling from his colleagues leading to a configuration of large disparate elements. The interlude of solo violin and snare-drum follows without pause. The second movement, Prestissimo, is a display piece of virtuosity for the entire orchestra. The third movement marks a period of repose and reflection and calls for some expressive solos, particularly by the horn and alto saxophone. The fourth movement opens with a rather lengthy oboe solo, which is threatened by large blocks of sound from the orchestra, against an underlying current of agitated energy in the piano and percussion. This leads to a section in which large orchestral forces oppose one another, ultimately bringing the work to a climax, if not to a denouement. Various thematic elements are strewn all over the orchestra, resulting in the formation of a general haze of sound. A transition leads to the fifth movement without pause. The musical haze is pierced gently by the offstage jazz group as if they were attempting to ignore and even dispel the gloom, but a legato bell sound enters and hovers over both the jazz group and the orchestra, the latter making statements of disquieting finality. Two films were conceived to accompany portions of Contextures. The first done by Herbert Kosowar, was a chemography film (painting directly into the film using dyes and various implements) with fast clips of riot photographs. The second was a film collage made by photographically abstracting details from paintings of Reginald Pollack. The purpose was to invoke a non-specific response - as in music - but at the same time to define the subject matter of the piece. The films were constructed to correspond with certain developments in the piece and in no way affect the independence and musical flow of the piece, having been made after the piece was completed. Contextures: Riots - Decade '60 is dedicated to Mehta, the Southern California Symphony Association and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The news of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King came the afternoon of the premiere, April 4, 1968. That evening's performances, and also the succeeding ones, were dedicated to him and a special dedication to Dr. King has been inserted into he score. All the music that follows the jazz group - beginning with the legato bell sound playing the first 2 notes to We shall overcome constitutes a new ending to commemorate Dr. King's death.

SKU: GI.G-7400

ISBN 9781579999698.

Intended especially for the growing number of multicultural, bilingual (Latino/Anglo) parishes and communities in the United States, Oramos Cantando / We Pray in Song is a hymnal and service book that is comprehensive enough to satisfy the liturgical needs of such communities, when they are worshipping in Spanish, in English, or bilingually. Bilingual from the first page to the last. Organized to reflect the liturgical life of the Church: morning, evening and night prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, the sacramental rites of Christian initiation of adults, baptism of children, holy communion outside Mass, eucharistic exposition and benediction, reconciliation of penitents, anointing of the sick, marriage, and funerals, the Order of Mass, service music, hymns and songs, lectionary responsorial psalms. All ritual texts are from the English- and Spanish-language liturgical books approved for use in the dioceses of the United States of America Seventy settings of psalms and biblical canticles in a variety of styles, for use in the Liturgy of the Hours, at Mass, and in other liturgical rites. Many employ Gelineau, Guimont, or Conception Abbey tones. Standards from the “Celebration-style” repertoire by Haugen, Joncas, Haas, and others. All with Spanish and English texts ICEL chants for the Order of Mass, accompanied by the complementary plainsong chants in Spanish. Five bilingual settings of the ordinary of the Mass, along with one Latin and two English-only Mass settings, plus a number of additional service music items to serve the liturgical needs of Anglo/Latino parishes for many years to come A broad and stylistically diverse collection of nearly 550 hymns, psalms, and inspired songs, containing the best and most beloved traditional and contemporary music of Latino and Anglo communities, with more than 300 items newly translated according to guidelines for preserving meaning, rhyme, and meter Music from around the world, encompassing plainsong chants, classical hymnody, contemporary scripture-based songs, Taizé chants, and world music from Asia and Africa. Settings originally with Spanish texts are from the United States, Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Lectionary psalms with USCCB-approved refrains in both English and Spanish and verses from The Revised Grail Psalms and the salterio of Spain’s Conferencia Episcopal Española (CEE). These bilingual lectionary psalms have been included in the Sacred Song missalette program of The Liturgical Press since 2005 Eleven indexes: liturgical, topical, psalms and canticles, service music, scripture references in hymns, hymn tunes, tune meters, musical settings using languages other than Spanish and English, psalm refrains set to music, common titles and first lines, and hymnal contributors (composers, authors, translators, sources) A hymnal which not only addresses the liturgical experience of today, but also opens the door to new possibilities in the future. Fulfilling the statement of the American bishops: Liturgical music today must reflect the multicultural diversity and intercultural relationships of the members of the gathered liturgical assembly. The varied use of musical forms such as ostinato refrains, call and response, song translations, and bilingual or multilingual repertoire can assist in weaving the diverse languages and ethnicities of the liturgical assembly into a tapestry of sung praise. Sing to the Lord, 60 Destinado especialmente para el creciente número de parroquias y comunidades multiculturales, bilingües (Latinas/Anglas) en los Estados Unidos, Oramos Cantando / We Pray in Song es un himnario y ceremonial lo suficientemente completo para satisfacer las necesidades litúrgicas de tales comunidades, cuando oran en español, en inglés, o de una manera bilingüe. Bilingüe desde la primera página hasta la última. Organizado para reflejar la vida litúrgica de la Iglesia: oración matutina, vespertina y nocturna tomada de la Liturgia de las Horas, los ritos sacramentales de la iniciación cristiana de adultos, del bautismo de niños, para la sagrada comunión fuera de la Misa, para la exposición y bendición eucarística, para la reconciliación de varios penitentes, para la unción de los enfermos, el matrimonio, y las exequias, el Ordinario de la Misa, música para las ceremonias, himnos y cantos, salmos responsoriales del leccionario. Todos los textos de los ritos están tomados de los libros litúrgicos en inglés y en español aprobados para su uso en las diócesis de los Estados Unidos de América. Setenta arreglos de salmos y cánticos en una variedad de estilos, para usarlos en la Liturgia de las Horas, en la Misa, y en otros ritos litúrgicos. Muchos emplean los tonos de Gelineau, Guimont, o Conception Abbey. Normas del repertorio del “estilo-de-celebración” por Haugen, Joncas, Haas, y otros. Todos con el texto en español y en inglés. Cantos de ICEL para el Ordinario de la Misa, acompañados por los cantos llanos complementarios en español. Cinco arreglos bilingües para el ordinario de la Misa, junto con uno en latín y dos arreglos para la Misa sólo en inglés, además de un número de cantos adicionales para responder a las necesidades litúrgicas de las parroquias anglas/latinas por muchos años en el futuro Una colección amplia y de diversos estilos de casi 550 himnos, salmos y cantos inspirados, que contienen lo mejor y lo más apreciado de la música tradicional y contemporánea de las comunidades latinas y anglas, con más de 300 composiciones recientemente traducidas según las normas para la preservación del significado, del ritmo, y del metro Música de todo el mundo, incluyendo cantos llanos, himnos clásicos, cantos contemporáneos basados en la biblia, cantos de Taizé, y música mundial de Asia y África. Arreglos originales con textos en español que vienen de los Estados Unidos, de España, de México, de Centro y Sud América, y del Caribe. Salmos del Leccionario con estribillos aprobados por la Conferencia Episcopal de Estados Unidos (USCCB) tanto en inglés como en español y versos del salterio: The Revised Grail Psalms y del salterio de la Conferencia Episcopal Española (CEE) de España. Estos salmos bilingües del leccionario se han incluido en el programa del misalito Sacred Song de la editorial: The Liturgical Press desde 2005 Once índices: litúrgico, temático, salmos y cánticos, música para celebraciones, referencias bíblicas en himnos, tonadas de himnos, metros de himnos, arreglos con idiomas además de español e inglés, antífonas musicalizadas para los salmos, títulos comunes y primeras frases, y contribuyentes al himnario (compositores, autores, traductores, fuentes) Un himnario que no sólo responde a la experiencia litúrgica de hoy, sino también abre la puerta a nuevas posibilidades en el futuro. Cumple la declaración de los obispos americanos: “La música litúrgica de hoy debe reflejar la diversidad multicultural y las relaciones interculturales de los miembros de la asamblea litúrgica reunida. El uso variado de formas musicales como estribillos en ostinato, llamado y respuesta, traducción de cantos, y el repertorio bilingüe o multilingüe puede ayudar a entretejer los diferentes idiomas y etnias de la asamblea litúrgica en un tapiz de alabanza cantada.” Cantemos al Señor, 60 There is no doubt that the goal of singing each other's liturgical music as an expression of the catholicity of our faith embodied in this volume, does in fact allow bilingual and multicultural parishes through the United States—and beyond—to respond to the liturgical needs of today while opening the door to new possibilities. — Becca Whitla The Hymn Society Journal. Volume 66, No. 4.

SKU: MB.31088

ISBN 9781513473413. 8.75X11.75 inches.

Whether you already play old-time music, or you are just getting started, this is the book for you.áDan Levenson�s Master Collection of Old-Time Tunesápresents more than 300 tunes in standard notation with suggested chords for you to explore and enjoy. All but a few are traditional or older tunes and are easily searched online to discover their pedigree as well as several recorded versions of them.Some might call this a complete repertoire in a book in the following sense: It is a large though not encyclopedic collection of old-time fiddle tunes played in today�s sessions.Learning the tunes in this book will give you a solid old-time repertoire that would allow you to join in jams in the many communities playing old-time music today.

SKU: PR.114419810

ISBN 9781491136638. UPC: 680160681921.

Stacy Garrop’s ROAD WARRIOR is music of real-life tragedy, expressed through the power of a trumpet/organ duo. Drawing inspiration from Neil Peart’s autobiographical book, “Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road,” Garrop’s work grieves the loss of a friend’s young son and the journey to healing. ROAD WARRIOR’s evocative movement titles are drawn from passages in Peart’s book:1. I Am the Ghost Rider2. My Little Baby Soul3. Are You With Me Here?.
When Clarion members Keith Benjamin (trumpet), Melody Steed (organ), and I initially discussed possible topics for a new piece, Keith brought up his son Cameron, who had passed away at the age of seven from leukemia. While Cameron’s life ended too soon, he left an indelible and lasting mark on his those surrounding him. Keith asked if I could commemorate Cameron musically.In talking over possible ways to do this, Keith mentioned the book Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. The book was written by Neil Peart, who is well-known as the longtime drummer and lyricist of the band Rush. Peart suffered the heartbreaking loss of his daughter in 1997, followed by his wife 10 months later. In an effort to work through the grieving process, Peart did what his wife suggested before she passed: he got onto his motorcycle and hit the open road. Ghost Rider chronicles a year of Peart’s life in which he drove for 55,000 miles, zigzagging his way across Canada, the western portion of the United States, Mexico, and Belize. Peart’s powerful story illustrates how he coped with immense loss and eventually emerged on the other side to once again embrace life. Keith had found Peart’s book helpful in dealing with Cameron’s death; moreover, Mr. Peart sent Cameron a signed cymbal while he was in the hospital undergoing treatment. This unexpected gesture of compassion and generosity meant the world to both Cameron and Keith.I chose three phrases from Peart’s book to serve as the inspiration for the movements in Road Warrior. In the first movement, I am the ghost rider, I imagined the performers to be howling phantoms that are haunting drivers on a nearly deserted highway. Peart often mentioned that he felt haunted by ghosts from the past while on his journey, and sometimes felt like a ghost himself, moving through an immaterial world as he rode from town to town. The second movement, My little baby soul, references Peart’s wording to define his own inner essence that he was trying to protect and nurture while on his journey. In this gentle movement, I capture the innocence and simplicity of a newborn soul. The piece concludes with Are you with me here? In this movement, I depict the performers as they search to find connections to those they have lost, and to those still living.Over the course of his travels, Peart kept up a steady letter correspondence with his close friend Brutus. In one of his first letters, he repeatedly asks Brutus if he is with him in spirit. I found it to be very poignant that while in his self-imposed exile, Peart discovered that he still needed connections to humanity.I wish to thank Mr. Peart for granting me permission to use his phrases as the movement titles, and for serving as the inspiration for Road Warrior. Rarely do any of us make it through our lives without being touched by the loss of someone dear to us. I found Peart’s insights into his grieving and recovery process to be insightful, eloquent, and surprisingly comforting. His journey is a touching reminder that with enough fortitude and time, we can work through what fate deals us and continue down our own road of life.

SKU: FP.FBS03

ISBN 9790570500192.

Sarah Baker is Vocal Composer in Residence at Education Music Services, an ABRSM examiner and a well known composer of songs and musicals for primary schools and massed-choral events.

All this experience has come together in the creation of this album of piano pieces, inspired by growing up in the Chiltern Hills. Suitable for players of around grade 4-5 standard, her evocative sound pieces describe a crash-landing hot air balloon, garden invading cows and a even a snake in a pond!

Air Balloon!: One vivid memory I have as a child is of the day that a hot air balloon passed over our house and made an emergency landing on the road in front! The sound of the gas being blown into the balloon to try to keep it high enough to pass the house sounded so loud and intimidating, and then there was the bustle of the neighbours as we all went out into the street to watch. It was both terrifying and exhilarating to watch the balloon float past and then land so near by.

Buzzards Circling: There is something so calming and restful about watching birds of prey circling in the thermal currents of a summer sky. Growing up in the Chilterns gave me plenty of opportunity to watch buzzards and red kites. This piano solo captures the beauty of their flight as they glide so effortlessly through the air.

There’s A Cow In The Garden Eating The Flowers: Inspired by the memory of seeing an unexpected cow in the garden! This surreal image is captured in a quirky waltz, as I portray both the absurdity of the moment and the sense of wonder I felt as a child, looking out of the window and seeing the cow walking round and eating the flowers. The final phrase articulates my longing: ‘I wish it would come again’.

Watching The World Go By: A short, reflective piece, remembering what it was like to have time to just sit and watch the world go by from my bedroom window.

Autumn Skies: A miniature about the beauty of Autumn skies and the poignant sense of loss for a summer gone. Friends I was fortunate to have several children of my own age living close by. We seemed to be forever making dens, playing out in the street and generally enjoying each other’s company. This piece reflects that sense of well-being.

Snake In The Pond: One hot summer I was astonished and scared to see a grass snake cooling off in our garden pond! I watched, both horrified and fascinated, as it rose up from the depths and then disappeared again. Here I portray the sense of the hazy summer afternoon as I peacefully watched the tiny movements of fish in the pond, contrasted with the fear and excitement of seeing the snake appear.

Morning Commute: I recollect many mornings stuck in traffic as my Dad took me to school on his way to work. There is one main road out of the village where I grew up, and that got more and more congested the closer we got to the town. We may not have chatted a lot, but it was always good to be together with my Dad, lost in our own thoughts.

The Witch’s Cottage: My siblings and I had a fascination with a small cottage nearby. It was set back from the road in a dark part of the woods and we called it 'the witch's cottage’. Every time we passed, I imagined I heard the distant cackle of the witch and wished I could catch a glimpse of her.

These pieces are written to complement my other collection, Night Time Impressions, which also draw on childhood recollections, particularly of the woods behind the house where I grew up. - Sarah Baker 2023.