| Rejoice, the Lord Is Alive Choral SATB SATB, Piano Choristers Guild
By Earlene Rentz. For SAT(B) choir and piano. Mixed Voices Series. Published by ...(+)
By Earlene Rentz. For SAT(B) choir and piano. Mixed Voices Series. Published by Chorister's Guild
$2.10 $1.995 (5% off) See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| God's Love Is Alive in Us Choral SATB Choristers Guild
Composed by Mark Patterson. Combined Choirs. Octavo. Chorister's Guild #CGA164...(+)
Composed by Mark Patterson.
Combined Choirs. Octavo.
Chorister's Guild #CGA1645.
Published by Chorister's
Guild
$2.45 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| Spirituals Alive! (Collection) Choral 2-part Hal Leonard
Arranged by Ruth Artman. (2 part). Youth Sing Out (Choral). Size 6.7x10.5 inche...(+)
Arranged by Ruth Artman. (2 part). Youth Sing Out (Choral). Size 6.7x10.5 inches. 56 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.
(1)$3.50 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 24 hours - In Stock | | |
| Overflow Piano, Voice [Sheet music] OCP
2006 Unity Award Winner Rock Album of the Year (co-winner with The Best of Tom B...(+)
2006 Unity Award Winner Rock Album of the Year (co-winner with The Best of Tom Booth). By Matt Maher. For voice and piano. (with chords). A musical testament to God's overflowing blessings, these 14 songs speak powerfully of what it means to be Christian in the third millennium. Contemporary, Youth. Songbook. Published by OCP.
$18.00 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 3 to 4 weeks | | |
| Come to the Feast - Music Collection Choral Unison GIA Publications
Choir SKU: GI.G-5691 Composed by James E. Moore Jr. Sacred. Collection. G...(+)
Choir SKU: GI.G-5691 Composed by James E. Moore Jr. Sacred. Collection. GIA Publications #5691. Published by GIA Publications (GI.G-5691). English. It's been some time since we've heard from the composer of the beloved Taste and See, but Come to the Feast is certainly worth the wait. A resident of Vienna, Austria, James Moore has made a special return visit to the United States to produce this lively new collection. Known for simple refrains perfect for assembly singing, this collection offers Let Us Go Rejoicing, featuring a delightful refrain in canon, Love Endures, a wedding song with a simple congregation response, and Praise Ye the Lord, a wonderful new hymn. I Am Special was written for use with children's choirs and may also be used with a combined choir of adults and children. Alive! is a lively song written especially for youth, while Be Still is a meditative tune ideal for after Communion. Includes one of each of the following octavos: I Will Be with You - Touch Somebody’s Life - Do You Know Me - Let Us Go to the House of the Lord - An Irish Blessing - Taste and See - Hail Mary, Gentle Woman - Come to the Feast - Welcome In - Spirit of God - Be Still - Love Endures - Litany of Thanksgiving - I Am Special - Alive - Praise Ye the Lord - Sing to the Glory of God. $18.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| 21st Century Rock Chord Songbook Slipcase Music Sales | | |
| The Hymn Fake Book - C Edition
Melody line, Lyrics and Chords [Fake Book] - Easy Hal Leonard
For voice and C instrument. Format: fakebook (spiral bound). With vocal melody, ...(+)
For voice and C instrument. Format: fakebook (spiral bound). With vocal melody, lyrics, piano accompaniment, chord names and leadsheet notation. Hymn. Series: Hal Leonard Fake Books. 494 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard.
(3)$39.99 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 24 hours - In Stock | | |
| Singapura Suite Concert band [Score and Parts] - Easy De Haske Publications
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 2.5 SKU: BT.DHP-0981357-010 Composed by Jan...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 2.5 SKU: BT.DHP-0981357-010 Composed by Jan Van der Roost. Performance Series. Concert Piece. Set (Score & Parts). Composed 1998. De Haske Publications #DHP 0981357-010. Published by De Haske Publications (BT.DHP-0981357-010). 9x12 inches. Singapura Suite was commissioned by Singapore's Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch to serve as a compulsory piece for the 1999 Singapore Youth Festival.Singapura is the original name of Singapore in Malay, the native language there. Because Singapore is one of the most important harbors in the world, this two-piece work opens with a seaman's dance. An authentic melody, Chan Mali Chan, is woven into the middle of this first part, whose ABA form becomes clear through the recapitulation of the seaman's dance in a somewhat altered form.Singapore is also a dynamic city-state alive with excitement, thus the second part begins with a fitting dance, a fastbourrée. As contrast there is a second authentic melody, Dayung Sampan, a more easygoing sailing song. This short but curious suite ends in high spirits with a recapitulation of the beginning.
‘Singapura’ is de oorspronkelijke naam van Singapore in het Maleis, de originele taal van deze stadstaat. Omdat Singapore een van de belangrijkste havens ter wereld is, opent de componist met een ‘zeemansdans’. Ook de authentiekemelodie Chan Mali Chan is te herkennen. Het dynamische aspect van Singapore wordt verbeeld in een snelle bourree, gevolgd door een contrasterend authentiek en rustig bootslied: Dayung Sampan.
Das Werk Singapura Suite wurde vom ‚Singapure’s Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch‘ (Ministerium für Erziehung, Kultur und Sport, Singapur) als eines der Pflichtstücke für das Singapur Jugendfestival“ 1999 in Auftrag gegeben.Singapura“ - das ist der malaiische Name der Bewohner Singapurs, es ist die Sprache der Eingeborenen. Weil in Singapur einer der wichtigsten Häfen der Welt ist, öffnet dieses zweiteilige Werk mit einem Seemannstanz. Eine authentische Melodie, Chan Mali Chan, wird in den Mittelteil dieses ersten Teils eingeflochten, dessen A-B-A-Form durch die Wiederholung des Seemannstanzes in einer etwas veränderten Form deutlichwird.Singapur ist auch ein dynamischer und lebendiger Stadtstaat, und deshalb beginnt der zweite Teil mit einem passenden Tanz, einer schnellen Bourrée. Als Kontrast hierzu erklingt eine zweite authentische Melodie, Dayung Sampan, ein sehr leichtes, gelassenes Matrosenlied. Diese kurze, aber kuriose Suite endet sehr ausgelassen mit einer Wiederholung des Anfangs.
Singapore, la citt del leone, è uno dei più importanti crocevia dell’Asia. Singapore mischia abilmente le culture provenienti dalla Cina, dalla Malesia, dall’India a quelle occidentali. La musica tradizionale è l’immagine delle molte etnie di questa citt -stato. I due movimenti di questa composizione si ispirano a canti tradizionali della Malesia. Il primo movimento sviluppa quattro canti tradizionali di carattere contrastante e contrastato. Il secondo movimento è basato sui canti Lenggang Kangkung e Katang Lompat, che, come d’abitudine in oriente, descrivono animali e l’ambiente in cui vivono legandoli a simbolismi, e un canto tradizionale in occasione di matrimoni. I duemovimenti di questa rapsodia non sono legati tra loro, rendendo possibile eseguirli separatamente. $184.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 2 to 3 weeks | | |
| Debbie Campbell: Pepy's Show (Cassette) Piano, Vocal and Guitar Golden Apple Productions
Piano, Vocal and Guitar SKU: HL.14025344 Composed by Debbie Campbell. Mus...(+)
Piano, Vocal and Guitar SKU: HL.14025344 Composed by Debbie Campbell. Music Sales America. Education. Cassette. Composed 2013. Golden Apple Productions #GA11052. Published by Golden Apple Productions (HL.14025344). English. This Restoration musical, featuring twelve lively new songs, takes us back in history and recalls with humour the hardships and experiences during the Restoration of Charles II, the Bubonic Plague and the Great Fire of London. A superb way to make history come alive for children. If you need to license a school/youth theatre performance of this product, please use the online application form. $15.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 2 to 3 weeks | | |
| The Divine Image Choral SATB SATB, Strings [Octavo] Ione Press
By Robert Kyr. Text: William Blake and Alexander Pope. For Boy soprano and Tenor...(+)
By Robert Kyr. Text: William Blake and Alexander Pope. For Boy soprano and Tenor soli, SATB Choir [divisi], piano and optional cello. (Mixed Voices). General. Choral. Level: moderately difficult. Octavo. 20 pages. Published by Ione Press.
$2.85 $2.7075 (5% off) See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| Cabaret Songbook Piano, Vocal and Guitar [Sheet music] - Intermediate Hal Leonard
Piano/Vocal/Chords Mixed Folio (Arrangements for piano and voice with guitar cho...(+)
Piano/Vocal/Chords Mixed Folio (Arrangements for piano and voice with guitar chords). Size 9x12 inches. 232 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.
$19.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 24 hours - In Stock | | |
| Singapura Suite Concert band [Score] - Easy De Haske Publications
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 2.5 SKU: BT.DHP-0981357-140 Composed by Jan...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 2.5 SKU: BT.DHP-0981357-140 Composed by Jan Van der Roost. Performance Series. Concert Piece. Score Only. Composed 1998. 76 pages. De Haske Publications #DHP 0981357-140. Published by De Haske Publications (BT.DHP-0981357-140). 9x12 inches. Singapura Suite was commissioned by Singapore's Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch to serve as a compulsory piece for the 1999 Singapore Youth Festival.Singapura is the original name of Singapore in Malay, the native language there. Because Singapore is one of the most important harbors in the world, this two-piece work opens with a seaman's dance. An authentic melody, Chan Mali Chan, is woven into the middle of this first part, whose ABA form becomes clear through the recapitulation of the seaman's dance in a somewhat altered form.Singapore is also a dynamic city-state alive with excitement, thus the second part begins with a fitting dance, a fastbourrée. As contrast there is a second authentic melody, Dayung Sampan, a more easygoing sailing song. This short but curious suite ends in high spirits with a recapitulation of the beginning.
‘Singapura’ is de oorspronkelijke naam van Singapore in het Maleis, de originele taal van deze stadstaat. Omdat Singapore een van de belangrijkste havens ter wereld is, opent de componist met een ‘zeemansdans’. Ook de authentiekemelodie Chan Mali Chan is te herkennen. Het dynamische aspect van Singapore wordt verbeeld in een snelle bourree, gevolgd door een contrasterend authentiek en rustig bootslied: Dayung Sampan.
Das Werk Singapura Suite wurde vom ‚Singapure’s Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch‘ (Ministerium für Erziehung, Kultur und Sport, Singapur) als eines der Pflichtstücke für das Singapur Jugendfestival“ 1999 in Auftrag gegeben.Singapura“ - das ist der malaiische Name der Bewohner Singapurs, es ist die Sprache der Eingeborenen. Weil in Singapur einer der wichtigsten Häfen der Welt ist, öffnet dieses zweiteilige Werk mit einem Seemannstanz. Eine authentische Melodie, Chan Mali Chan, wird in den Mittelteil dieses ersten Teils eingeflochten, dessen A-B-A-Form durch die Wiederholung des Seemannstanzes in einer etwas veränderten Form deutlichwird.Singapur ist auch ein dynamischer und lebendiger Stadtstaat, und deshalb beginnt der zweite Teil mit einem passenden Tanz, einer schnellen Bourrée. Als Kontrast hierzu erklingt eine zweite authentische Melodie, Dayung Sampan, ein sehr leichtes, gelassenes Matrosenlied. Diese kurze, aber kuriose Suite endet sehr ausgelassen mit einer Wiederholung des Anfangs.
Singapore, la citt del leone, è uno dei più importanti crocevia dell’Asia. Singapore mischia abilmente le culture provenienti dalla Cina, dalla Malesia, dall’India a quelle occidentali. La musica tradizionale è l’immagine delle molte etnie di questa citt -stato. I due movimenti di questa composizione si ispirano a canti tradizionali della Malesia. Il primo movimento sviluppa quattro canti tradizionali di carattere contrastante e contrastato. Il secondo movimento è basato sui canti Lenggang Kangkung e Katang Lompat, che, come d’abitudine in oriente, descrivono animali e l’ambiente in cui vivono legandoli a simbolismi, e un canto tradizionale in occasione di matrimoni. I duemovimenti di questa rapsodia non sono legati tra loro, rendendo possibile eseguirli separatamente. $38.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 2 to 3 weeks | | |
| Inspirational New Hymns for Choir and Home - Vol 1 Choral SATB [Sheet music] - Intermediate Jackman Music Corporation
By Janice Kapp Perry. Text: John V. Pearson / Rodney Turner / Janice Kapp Perry ...(+)
By Janice Kapp Perry. Text: John V. Pearson / Rodney Turner / Janice Kapp Perry / Neal A. Maxwell / Orrin G. Hatch / David B. Larsen / Olga S. Whitaker / Ruth S. Kapp. For SATB Choir. Level: Medium. Published by Jackman Music Corporation.
$6.98 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| Debbie Campbell: Pepy's Show (Pupil's Book) Piano, Vocal and Guitar Music Sales
Piano, Vocal and Guitar SKU: HL.14025345 Composed by Debbie Campbell. Mus...(+)
Piano, Vocal and Guitar SKU: HL.14025345 Composed by Debbie Campbell. Music Sales America. Musical Education. Book [Softcover]. Composed 2015. 24 pages. Music Sales #GA11051. Published by Music Sales (HL.14025345). ISBN 9780711964488. English. This Restoration musical, featuring twelve lively new songs, takes us back in history and recalls with humour the hardships and experiences during the Restoration of Charles II, the Bubonic Plague and the Great Fire of London. A superb way to make history come alive for children. Duration: 50 mins. If you need to license a school/youth theatre performance of this product, please use the online application form. $7.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 2 to 3 weeks | | |
| The Rock Slinger and His Greatest Hit Hope Publishing Company
Voices, orchestration & rhythm (horns 1 & 2, trumpets 1, 2 & 3, alto & tenor sax...(+)
Voices, orchestration & rhythm (horns 1 & 2, trumpets 1, 2 & 3, alto & tenor saxophone, trombones 1, violins 1 & 2, viola, cello & rhythm) SKU: HP.1969 Composed by Allen Pote. Musicals, Collection. Youth Musicals. General Worship, Sacred. Set of Instrumental Parts. Hope Publishing Company #1969. Published by Hope Publishing Company (HP.1969). UPC: 763628119690. Tom S. Long. Musical for Young Voices The story of David and Goliath comes alive in a fresh new way in this exciting, humorous and powerful new musical.
The Rhythm Parts are suitable for Guitar, Bass & Keyboard. The Orchestration contains a Conductor's Score and parts for Horns 1 & 2, Trumpets 1, 2 & 3, Alto & Tenor Saxophone, Trombones 1, 2 & 3, Violins 1 & 2, Viola, Cello & Rhythm.
Minimal staging is required and the performance notes include a delightfully simple way to realize the nine-foot giant. Performance time is 45 minutes. $275.00 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 4 to 6 business days | | |
| Come to the Feast GIA Publications
SKU: GI.G-CD-514 Composed by James E. Moore. Sacred. CD. GIA Publications...(+)
SKU: GI.G-CD-514 Composed by James E. Moore. Sacred. CD. GIA Publications #514. Published by GIA Publications (GI.G-CD-514). It's been some time since we've heard from the composer of the beloved Taste and See, but Come to the Feast is certainly worth the wait. A resident of Vienna, Austria, James Moore has made a special return visit to the United States to record this lively new collection. Along with favorites never before available on CD, this collection also includes new material Jim has written in the past several years. Known for simple refrains perfect for assembly singing, this collection offers Let Us Go Rejoicing, featuring a delightful refrain in canon, Love Endures, a wedding song with a simple congregation response, and Praise Ye the Lord, a wonderful new hymn. I Am Special was written for use with children's choirs and may also be used with a combined choir of adults and children. Alive! is a lively song written especially for youth, while Be Still is a meditative tune ideal for after Communion. Taste and See, I Will Be with You, and An Irish Blessing, previously recorded on cassette, are also available here for the first time on CD! Â . $16.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| Carolan: The Life Times And Music Of An Irish Harper Harp [Sheet music] Ossian Publications
By Turlough O Carolan ; Donal O'sullivan. For Harp. Irish, Folk, Celtic. 380 pag...(+)
By Turlough O Carolan ; Donal O'sullivan. For Harp. Irish, Folk, Celtic. 380 pages. Published by Ossian Publications.
$49.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 24 hours - In Stock | | |
| Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow Choral Unison Unison/2-part, Piano Shawnee Press
Unison/opt. 2-Part Children's Choir (UNIS/2PT TRB) SKU: HL.1218069 Arrang...(+)
Unison/opt. 2-Part Children's Choir (UNIS/2PT TRB) SKU: HL.1218069 Arranged by Audrey Snyder. Harold Flammer WorshipSongs Jr. Children, Children'S Choir, Christmas, Concert, Festival, General Worship, Sacred, Spiritual, Youth Choir. Octavo. Duration 126 seconds. Published by Shawnee Press (HL.1218069). ISBN 9781705195451. UPC: 196288141280. 6.75x10.5x0.029 inches. Luke 2:1-20. This energetic arrangement of the popular Christmas spiritual highlights the invitation to follow the star and find the newborn King. The familiar melody comes alive with a supportive piano accompaniment and jubilant hand claps that enhance the celebratory mood. Optional solos give young singers a chance to shine! $2.35 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 24 hours - In Stock | | |
| The Clown of God-Video GIA Publications
SKU: GI.G-008181 Sacred. GIA Publications #008181. Published by GIA Publi...(+)
SKU: GI.G-008181 Sacred. GIA Publications #008181. Published by GIA Publications (GI.G-008181). UPC: 641151081816. World Library Publications' presentation of The Clown of God is a contemporary retelling of the French legend of a juggler who offers the Christ Child the only gift he has‚Äîhis talent. The engaging performance presented here was filmed on location at St. William Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, as part of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians convention in July 2003. Set to an original score by Peter Fisher Hesed and Thomas Kavanaugh, with narrator text by Tomie dePaola, The Clown of God is the story of the adventures of Giovanni, a poor boy whose ability to entertain brings him renown. Through the use of mime, simple settings and costumes, and an orchestra and chorus, the people he meets on his journey through the years come alive. The message is that God‚ love is simple, straightforward, and more powerful than we ever expect. Rarely is a presentation as deeply moving as this simple fable of a clown who gives the best of himself. The Clown of God is ideal viewing for religious education classes, youth groups, music and drama programs, and parish gatherings. Or, use this video presentation and the companion orchestral or small ensemble score to inspire a live performance in your own community. Any audience would want to share this touching story of a simple soul who reaches the heart of God. VHS, 40 minutes. $29.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
| Suite On English Folk Songs [Score and Parts] Forton Music
Picc. (g treb). 4 Fl. Afl. Bfl. (CaFl.) (Cb fl.) (Dcb Fl.) - Intermediate-Advanc...(+)
Picc. (g treb). 4 Fl. Afl. Bfl. (CaFl.) (Cb fl.) (Dcb Fl.) - Intermediate-Advanced SKU: FT.FM516 Composed by John Rutter. Arranged by Robert Rainford. Flute Ensemble. Score and Parts. Forton Music #FM516. Published by Forton Music (FT.FM516). ISBN 9790570484157. Whilst John Rutter is extremely well known for his religious choral music, he has also written a few orchestral pieces that are every bit the equal of his better known works. This Suite is indeed one of these. Originally written in 1973, and following the tradition of earlier English composers like Vaughn Williams and Percy Grainger, this suite explores various English folk tunes. The opening movement has a kind of hornpipe feeling to it that uses the jaunty tune 'A rovin' yet this is balanced with the more reflective counter melody 'I sowed the seed of love.' Of course the 'racy' tune wins the day! The second movement - 'I Have A Bonnet Trimmed In Blue' is a perfect evocation of an elegant young lady who is keen to display her new bonnet to the local swains! Yet perhaps she is a little shy and is apprehensive about possible comments. From the last section I believe she found her hearts desire… The slow movement is based on the folksong 'O Waly Waly', a tune that will forever be associated with the late Kathleen Ferrier. This version gives the tune a sense of regret and sometimes intensity that matches the words:- O love is handsome and love is fine, And love is charming when it is true; As it grows older it groweth colder And fades away like the morning dew. The mood is lifted for the last movement, with an almost Handelian rendition of 'Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron'. However, this tune doesn't have everything it's own way, for the 'Bailiff's Daughter' makes an appearance as well for a triumphant ending:- O stay, O stay thou goodly youth! She's alive, she is not dead; Here she standeth by thy side, And is ready to be thy bride... (and hopefully they both do the ironing!). $48.95 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 4 to 6 weeks | | |
| Prophesies [Score and Parts] Theodore Presser Co.
Chamber Music Cello, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2 SKU: PR.114419030 Score...(+)
Chamber Music Cello, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2 SKU: PR.114419030 Score and Parts. Composed by Mohammed Fairouz. Sws. Score and parts. With Standard notation. 68 pages. Duration 25 minutes. Theodore Presser Company #114-41903. Published by Theodore Presser Company (PR.114419030). ISBN 9781491114124. UPC: 680160669851. 9 x 12 inches. A fascination with polycultural synergy between diverse literary textsdrives the inspiration for much of Mohammed Fairouz’s prodigiouscreative output, including instrumental music as well as vocal. Inhis profound and extensive essay preceding the score, Fairouz shedslight on how Edgar Allen Poe’s “Israfel” relates to the prophetsand prophesies of the Quran, Old Testament, and New Testament.The eight-movement quartet may be heard as a dramatic galleryof portraits and of story-telling, flourishing in a post-traditionallanguage that is at once vernacular and spiritual, Middle Easternand Western. The complete set of score and parts is included in thispublication. (See pages 2-3 of score for clear distinction of paragraphs, etc.)Prophesies, by Mohammed FairouzEdgar Allen Poe’s rendition of Israfel was the point of departure for the final movement of my previous stringquartet which is titled The Named Angels. At the opening of his poem, Poe evokes the Quran:“And the angel Israfel, whose heartstrings are a lute, and who has the sweetest voice of all God’s creatures.”This informs the first lines of the poem that, in turn, gave me the title for the final movement of The Named Angels,“Israfel’s Spell”:In Heaven a spirit doth dwell“Whose heartstrings are a lute”None sing so wildly wellAs the angel Israfel,And the giddy stars (so legends tell),Ceasing their hymns, attend the spellOf his voice, all mute.It is the end of that poem, however, that is the starting point for the current quartet, Prophesies, which concernsitself with mortal prophets rather than eternal Angelic spirits.If I could dwellWhere IsrafelHath dwelt, and he where I,He might not sing so wildly wellA mortal melody,While a bolder note than this might swellFrom my lyre within the sky.Islamic thought has asked us to look at the example of the prophets. That’s significant because of the fact thatJoseph and all the prophets were human beings with the flaws of human beings. No prophet was perfect, andIslamic tradition has never asked its followers to aspire to the example of the Angels, the perfected ones. Instead weare given the gift of our prophets. While The Named Angels drew on the motion and energy of everlasting spirits,Prophesies is a depiction of the movements within our own mortal coil.This quartet is a continuation of a long tradition of Muslim artists telling their stories and singing their songs.Many of these renditions are, in fact, figurative and (contrary to popular belief) the Quran contains no “Islamicedict” prohibiting figurative renditions of the figures described in the Old Testament, New Testament, or Quran.The majority of artists, however, have preferred eternal and abstract forms such as words and their calligraphicrepresentations, poems (Yusuf and Zuleikha or the Conference of Birds come immediately to mind), architecture,and many other non-figurative art forms to the representation of man. These cold, ancient, and everlasting shapesof unending time flourished, and the divine infinity of representing geometric forms gained favor over the placementof the explicit representation of mankind and our own likeness at the center of the universes.Adding the string quartet to these forms which express the recursive spheres of heavens and earth abstractly shouldexplain why I have chosen to render higher things through the use of music without the addition of words or anyother art-form. It is the abstract art of pure form, in which all is form and all is content, which compels me. Thisquartet should be seen as no more programmatic than the arches of the Great Mosque at Cordoba.The first movement, Yāqub (Jacob), is slow, quiet and prayerful. It evokes the patient sorrow of a slow choraledeveloping over time as it coaxes our pulse out of the ticking of a clock-like meter that defines our day-to-day livesand into a divine eternity.The second, Saleh, imagines the spirit of that desert-prophet through the use of a Liwa; the dance-sequence that hasbeen such a prevalent form of expression in the Arabian Peninsula for much of our recorded history.The third movement is titled Dawoōd, and it is emblematic of the beloved Prophet, King, and Psalmist, David.Though it has no lyrics, the movement functions as a dabkeh (an ancient dance native to the Levant) and also “sets”the opening of Psalm 100 (Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands). This line is never set to music or sung inthe quartet but is evoked through the rhythmic shape of the violin part which imitates the phonology and rhythmof my speaking the opening line in the Hebrew and develops the contours of that line incessantly throughout themovement.3The fourth movement is an ode to Yousef (Joseph) and relates to the first movement in tempo and tone just as Josephrelates to Jacob, his father. Together, the first and fourth movements provide a sort of Lamentation and relief.Joseph had the appearance of a noble angel, but he was very much a human being. And the story of this particularprophet had tragic beginnings many years before he found himself in a position of power in Egypt. Back in his youth,still among the Israelites, Joseph experienced a series of revelations through his dreams that spoke of his impendingcareer in prophecy. He confided his dreams to his father, the Prophet Jacob, who told his son of the greatness thatawaited him in his future only to have his brothers throw him into a well and leave him for dead. Joseph eventuallyfound his way from Israel to Egypt and rose out of slavery into a position of power. Meanwhile, famine engulfs Israel.Forty years pass, and back in the land of Jacob and Rachel, of Joseph’s brothers and Abraham’s tribe, Israel wasnot spared the effects of the famine. They sorely lacked Joseph’s prophecy and his vision. The Qur’an then tells usthat Jacob, sensing Joseph, sends the other brothers to Egypt instructing them to come back with food and grain.Arriving in Egypt, they unwittingly appear before Joseph. They don’t recognize their little brother who has risen toa position of might, dressed in his Egyptian regalia. They ask for the food and the grain.After some conversation, Joseph is no longer able to contain his emotion. Overcome, he reveals himself to his nowterrified brothers. He embraces them. He asks them eagerly, “How is our father?” Joseph gives them the gift of thefood and the grain that they came in search of. He relieves them from hunger and alleviates their fear. He sendsthem back with proof that he is alive, and it is this joyful proof from the miraculous hands of a prophet that bringsback the ancient Jacob’s vision after 40 years of blindness.In this story, I am struck by the fact that Joseph may not have made the decision to forgive his brothers on thespot, but that something inside the prophet’s soul found forgiveness and peace for the brothers who had so gravelywronged him at some point along his journey. I would suspect this point to have been present at Joseph’s inception,even before he had ever been wronged.This is proof, if we needed it, that Joseph’s angel-like beauty was not only physical and external, but also internalas well: Joseph possessed a profound loveliness of spirit that bound his appearance and his soul. In Joseph, formand soul are one.Time is to musicians what light is to a painter. In this way, the story of Joseph also shows us that time can affectour perception of even the most tragic wounds. In fact, the most common Arabic word for “human being” is insaan,which shares its roots with the word insaa, “to forget.” While our ability to remember is essential to how we learnabout ourselves, our capacity to “forgive and forget” may also be one of our great gifts as human beings.The fifth movement follows my ode to Joseph with a structural memory of Mūsa (Moses). The movement consistsentirely of descending motifs which I constructed as an indication of Moses’ descending movement as he emergedto his people from the heights of Mt. Sinai. The music is constructed in five phrases which function as a formalreference to the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch. The movement is placed as the fifth of the quartet for the samereason.While Joseph is always evoked as supremely beautiful in the Books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Suleiman(Solomon) is described as surpassing in his quicksilver intelligence. This movement is composed of a seven-partriddle which passes by in an instant but can be caught by the attentive listener. From Solomon, we work our wayback to Yishak (Isaac) in a seventh movement that evokes Isaac’s literal meaning in Arabic and Hebrew: laughter.The eighth and final movement of this quartet is named for the Patriarch of the entire Book: Ibrahim (Abraham). Itrelates to Isaac just as Joseph relates to Jacob; they are father and son. The lines are prayerful and contemplative;the form of the music evolves from a fugue joining together many different forms of prayer into a single tapestry ofcounterpoint, to the cyclical form of this entire quartet which is rendered through the motion of pilgrims circling theKaaba (cube) in Mecca — a structure which was built by Abraham for Hagaar and their son Ismail.These are just some of the figures that are cherished by all three of the Middle Eastern monotheisms (Judaism,Christianity, and Islam) that the Qur’an refers to collectively as Ahl Al-Kitab. This Arabic phrase is most commonlytranslated as “The People of the Book,” but here the most common translation is a flawed one: the Arabic word“ahl” means “family” and not just “people.” A better translation would be “Family of the Book.” Each of the eightmovements of Prophesies grows from a single musical cell.This quartet is a family album.—Mohammed Fairouz (2018. $45.00 - See more - Buy onlinePre-shipment lead time: 1 to 2 weeks | | |
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