Par BLEZZARD JUDITH. Judith Blezzard This book looks at English church music from a new standpoint. It examines the relationship between English church music and the various types of other music that have influenced its development, revealing a vigorous tradition of interplay with extraneous musical material that is seldom apparent from the ways in which music is presented for church use. The borrowing of music from churches outside England is explored, and a large section is devoted to the often surprisingly ingenious ways in which secular music has, since the beginnings of the English church, been appropriated as music for worship - often with controversial results. From madrigal tomusic-hall, from plainsong to popular styles: these and many other kinds of music have lent both styles and material to sacred music with English texts. By examining these musical transformations, this book demonstrates that English church music is far from being an exclusively insular and retrospective repertory, as is often presumed to be the case. Although the book, with its use of musical examples, is designed primarily for the general musical reader - both amateur and professional, its broadly historical approach will appeal to those interested in English cultural heritage, the church, and its worship. ISBN 0 85249 784 9 Judith Blezzard This book looks at English church music from a new standpoint. It examines the relationship between English church music and the various types of other music that have influenced its development, revealing a vigorous tradition of interplay with extraneous musical material that is seldom apparent from the ways in which music is presented for church use. The borrowing of music from churches outside England is explored, and a large section is devoted to the often surprisingly ingenious ways in which secular music has, since the beginnings of the English church, been appropriated as music for worship - often with controversial results. From madrigal tomusic-hall, from plainsong to popular styles: these and many other kinds of music have lent both styles and material to sacred music with English texts. By examining these musical transformations, this book demonstrates that English church music is far from being an exclusively insular and retrospective repertory, as is often presumed to be the case. Although the book, with its use of musical examples, is designed primarily for the general musical reader - both amateur and professional, its broadly historical approach will appeal to those interested in English cultural heritage, the church, and its worship. ISBN 0 85249 784 9/ Livre / Livre

Par CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO MARIO. Born into a family that had lived in Florence since the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) entertained only a distant relationship with the music he heard at synagogue: a Renaissance church held more appeal for the Florentine artist than the Oriental décor of his forefathers' place of worship. It was only when he discovered Schelemo, a rhapsody for cello and orchestra written in 1916 by Ernest Bloch, that he began to understand what ' Jewish music” could be. It would take until the death of his maternal grandfather, and the discovery of a collection of prayers set to music among his papers, for the young Castelnuovo-Tedesco to begin to explore Jewish music. In 1928, two years after publishing the Dances of King David, he wrote this Vocalise-E tude for medium voice and piano at the request of vocal teacher Amédée-Landély Hettich, who wanted to include it in the Répertoire moderne de Vocalises-E tudes published by Leduc. The piece became so popular that it led to several adaptations, and the composer asked his close friend Gioacchino Maglioni (1891-1966) to transcribe it for violin and piano. Divided into three sections, the work opens with a poignant lamento that grieves the tragic fate of the Jewish people. Countering what he felt to be a tendency of Jewish music to transform into a ' Wailing Wall”, Castelnuovo-Tedesco follows the lamento with a folk dance whose brisk, ' lively and stubborn” movement has great panache. The third section returns to the initial poignant theme before briefly reiterating the dance motif, allowing the piece to conclude on a hopeful note./ Répertoire / Violon et Piano

Regarded as the greatest Spanish composer of the 20th century, Manuel De Falla (1876-1946) had a distinctively nationalistic style. His Andalusian influences are clearly seen in his 1915 ballet El Amor Brujo , which is often praised for its originality, while at the same time preserving the beauty of the Andalusian folk themes. The most famous movement of the ballet is Danza Rituel Del Fuego (The Ritual Fire Dance), inspired by the traditional ceremony where people would worship the Fire-God by dancing around and leaping through a fire. Renowned for its exciting trills and ornaments, it has been arranged here for Violin and Piano. / Violon