SKU: BT.PMC3932

A grim commentary on the contemporary Middle East, Lamentation and Satire is, in the composer's words, born out of a reaction to a part of the world that is over the edge. Advanced Level.

SKU: FG.55011-679-5

Anyone who believes traditional tonality to be no longer capable of expressing anything more than timeworn cliches should listen to Kerem's work. (Robert Maxham / Fanfare) Lament for violoncello and strings was written as a commission from Camerata Nordica and its principal cello, Per Nystrom, in 2008. At Per's request the solo part in this piece was composed to represent a lone human voice in a world of disappointment. The composer tells: I used the violins and violas as an operatic choir: they support and comment on the lament of the lone human being. The bass line is one long drone throughout the piece, representing destiny or unwanted reality. It disappears only when the solo voice with the chorus of violins and violas intensifies in their disagreement with life. At the climax of the piece the solo voice is momentarily swallowed by the chorus, only to return with an angry statement of the opening phrase. Thereafter the chorus calms down in acceptance that the world won't change. The bass drone returns to haunt the dying lament of the lone voice. The very last phrase is the only one in a major key and echoes as a prayer for hope. Duration c. 9 minutes. Score (all three versions), separate solo parts for violoncello / viola / violin and orchestral parts (33221).

SKU: PR.14440727S

UPC: 680160681907. 9 x 12 inches.

My Eighth and Ninth String Quartets, begun in late 2017, are sonic cousins. Akin to real cousins, each piece exhibits differing natures. They were requested by two ensembles that have become asecond familiesa to me: The Jupiter Quartet of Urbana, Illinois and the Amernet Quartet based in Miami, Florida. Their collective dedication to, and care for, our art remains a personal and constant are-fuelinga for me. The quartets were commissioned by, and dedicated to, Margaret and Philip Verleger of Denver, Colorado. Additional financial support was provided by the School of Music at Stetson University, Timothy Peter, Dean. Quartet No.8 is laid out in a classical four-movement design. The work does break somewhat from conventional tradition by often placing quartet members into soloistic roles as the movement titles note. individual The opening piece presents at the outset a three-note motto which is turned over, tumbled, and energetically discussed, primarily by a violin duet. It is a duel. The two players part company only infrequently during the movement's progress, pausing briefly for other commentary by their alower cohortsa, the Viola and Cello do not argue, but abet their friends' aeffortsa. The piece's overall character is fairly bright and dancelike, closing in an unresolvedastandoffa. not Two principal asound-objectsa stitch the second movement scherzo together: sliding hands (glissandos) and a plucked ashufflea (pizzicato) - both instigated by the (solo) cellist. The others are influenced - or are not - by their aleadera, and follow - or interrupt - the cello throughout their four-voiced conversation. The third movement (longest of the set) is an elegy dedicated to the memory of a close personal friend, the American composer David Maslanka (1943 - 2017). Its' genesis is a simple 5-note melody derived from my own name (SaC/DaC/EaC/H). This line commences in the (solo) viola and is obsessively uttered without relief during the movement's lamentations. The closing movement revisits much of that opening three-note material, but now dressed up for the full quartet to view. It is a slowly accelerating romp which - twice - cannot avoid a nod to the Amernet and Jupiter performers by offering a humble bow to the 4th movement of Gustav Holst's PLANETS - Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity. My quartet serves as an honouring salute of thanks for the talent, respect, and friendship of these two young quartets. STRING QUARTET No. 8 is roughly 22 minutes in duration. It was written as an homage to Franz Joseph Haydn, my adesert-island-composera, and completed in Holly Hill, Florida in early April of 2019. S.H.