SKU: PR.110418160

ISBN 9781491114049. UPC: 680160640393. 9 x 12 inches.

Stacy Garrop began hiking in northern Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park in her early 20s. From the start, she was drawn to a jagged stretch of rock formations linking Longs Peak to Pagoda Mountain, at over 13,000 feet. These formations are called the “Keyboard of the Winds,” as their thin, spindly peaks suggest splintered keys of an old, broken piano. Inspired by one particular journey the composer took through the Keyboard of the Winds en route to Pagoda’s summit, this work is a tribute to the Keyboard of the Winds. Its fast, whirling gestures depict swirling clouds above, and the musical high points represent a hiker reaching the peak of Pagoda Mountain. These sections are set in contrast with quiet, introspective material embodying the hiker quietly surveying the grandeur and beauty of the valley below, as well as the soaring pinnacle of Longs Peak overhead.
I began hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado when I was in my early twenties. RMNP is home to some of the most gorgeous mountains in North America, encompassing 265,000 acres of wilderness, flora, and fauna. Among the park’s numerous summits is Longs Peak, a mountain that is 14,259 feet high (the highest in the region). From my earliest days of hiking, I was drawn to Longs Peak, as well as to a jagged stretch of rock formations that link Longs Peak to Pagoda Mountain (which stands at 13,497 feet). These formations are called the Keyboard of the Winds, as their thin, spindly peaks loosely suggest the splintered keys of an old, broken piano.One summer, I made the ascent to Pagoda Mountain using a route that took me along the right side of the Keyboard of the Winds. My hiking partner and I started up the trail in the pre-dawn hours, and the weather was stormy. Dawn had broken by the time we reached the base of the Keyboard, but its peaks were still surrounded by clouds. As we climbed higher and higher, the Keyboard’s thin spires became visible, along with the top of Pagoda Mountain. We reached the summit of Pagoda, admired the view (what we could see through the clouds), and made our descent.My piece is a tribute to the Keyboard of the Winds. The fast, whirling gestures depict swirling clouds, and the musical high points represent a hiker reaching the peaks of the Keyboard. I have contrasted these sections with quiet, introspective material; these embody the hiker quietly surveying the grandeur and beauty of the valley below (on a cloudless day), as well as the soaring pinnacles of Longs Peak and Pagoda Mountain overhead.

SKU: PR.41641613L

UPC: 680160642199. 11 x 17 inches.

On the island of Elba, off the coast of Italy, I composed this work as the sun was rising over the ocean in the mornings and gently sifting through the clouds against the lingering fog. As the piece developed, it took on a shape of its own and gradually became centered around diminished chords and the interval of a tri-tone (diminished 5th). I love these chords for their angst and for their sadness, but also for their flexibility. My piece is very textural in nature; and yes, it does have a melody of sorts, and yet, this melody comes and goes, and is never quite grasped until the end. Portions of it are repeated and spun out creating layers of sound without the heaviness of form. It is indeed a depiction of mist, where one minute you see things and the next they are gone. As you move through the piece, you find that the trumpet is also an antagonist, creeping in with a haunting cry; a reminder of things unsettled. Throughout the piece, we are quietly searching. We search for a tonal center for stability, and also for a melody that will make us feel fulfilled. Once found, we hold them for an instant, and then like the clouds and like life itself, they are gone. We are warmed by their presence and saddened by their loss. I hope that you will reflect upon your own memories of life's quiet moments as we enjoy the world premiere of this new work together. Mist is not a piece to be analyzed, but rather a piece to be experienced and absorbed. As you listen, release your mind, embrace your emotions, close your eyes, and allow the mist to creep in.

SKU: PR.416414460

ISBN 9781598064766. UPC: 680160610631. 9x12 inches.

Roger Zare is living every young composer's dream. At a tender age, he has already been lauded by the best, and his compositions continue to earn awards. Green Flash, his first publication with Theodore Presser Company, was written in 2007 for the USC Thornton Symphony, received a BMI Student Composer award in 2007, was chosen to be read at the 2008 American Composers Orchestra Underwood New Music Readings, won the ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Prize in 2009, and has now won the 2012 Symphony in C Young Composers' Competition. For more about Green Flash and a YouTube video of the premiere performance, see the composer's website (www.rogerzare.com/greenflash.htm).
A “green flash” is a rare atmospheric phenomenon that occurs as a sunset reaches its end. If conditions are just right, then a spark of green will hover on the horizon for a fleeting moment as the sun disappears. I first witnessed this subtle effect in Florida in 2005. Seeing the mythical event for the first time inspiredthis composition. Green Flash is a musical journey from daybreak to sunset. It focuses on the manipulation of colors and textures throughout its five sections. The musical events are designed to paint a picture of various scenes during the day. The piece begins with the heartbeat of the world emerging from the silentdarkness of the night. As night transitions to dawn, waves of color propagate from the repeating low C, building up through the harmonic series to become the vibrant colors of sunrise. Eventually all twelve notes of the chromatic scale are sounding together. Abruptly, a morning fog engulfs the scene. Out of the mist rises the only melodic theme in the work, played by a solo English horn, and later taken up by other solo winds. Once the fog dissipates, the sky fills with the playful dance of wispy cirrus clouds. A rainbow-like halo surrounds the sun, adding a burst of color to the scene. This carefree, optimistic cloud dance is invaded by a menacing front of cumulonimbus clouds. A storm rages at a frantic pace, but in its dying breath yields the most glorious of sunsets. Only as the last glint of sunlight disappears below the horizon, a faint sparkle of green lingers in the atmosphere.