Band Bass Trombone, Bassoon, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Contrabassoon, Euphonium, Flugelhorn, Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 2, Percussion, String Bass, Timpani, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, alto Saxophone, baritone Saxophone, soprano Saxophone, tenor Saxophone

SKU: PR.14540036F

Composed by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Full score. Duration 11 minutes, 30 seconds. Merion Music #145-40036F. Published by Merion Music (PR.14540036F).

ISBN 9781491137680. UPC: 680160691265.

Band Bass Trombone, Bassoon, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Contrabassoon, Euphonium, Flugelhorn, Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 2, Percussion, String Bass, Timpani, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, alto Saxophone, baritone Saxophone, soprano Saxophone, tenor Saxophone

SKU: PR.145400360

Composed by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Set of Score and Parts. Duration 11 minutes, 30 seconds. Merion Music #145-40036. Published by Merion Music (PR.145400360).

ISBN 9781491137604. UPC: 680160691050.

A major addition to the saxophone concerto repertoire, Zwilich’s three-movement work is inspired by her early experience playing in big bands, along with a love of rich textures and driving rhythms interrupted by striking silences. The centerpiece slow movement is scored for only the soloist and the ensemble’s sax section, with all other players tacet. A large-size full score, and a solo part with piano, are available separately.

Chamber Music Clarinet, Piano, Violin, Violoncello, tenor voice

SKU: PR.11442059L

A Chrestomathy of Sacred Song. Composed by Hale Smith. Large Score. Duration 18 minutes, 30 seconds. Merion Music #114-42059L. Published by Merion Music (PR.11442059L).

Chamber Music Clarinet, Piano, Violin, Violoncello, tenor voice

SKU: PR.11442059S

A Chrestomathy of Sacred Song. Composed by Hale Smith. Study Score. Duration 18 minutes, 30 seconds. Merion Music #114-42059S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11442059S).

UPC: 680160691319.

Chamber Music Cello, Piano, Viola, Violin, Violin 1, Violin 2

SKU: PR.14440757S

Composed by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Full score. 64 pages. Duration 24 minutes. Merion Music #144-40757S. Published by Merion Music (PR.14440757S).

ISBN 9781491136539. UPC: 680160689347.

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Septet is the first major work written for this combination of instruments, and the pioneering process was greatly enjoyed by the composer: “While the instrumentation of the Septet provides an almost orchestral palette, and it was interesting to explore that, I love the idea of seven artist-performers, each of whom can be a stunning virtuoso one moment and a thoughtful partner the next, and I relish the electricity that results from those shifting roles.” Septet was written for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robins on Trio and the Miami String Quartet, to whom it is dedicated. String parts available on rental. For advanced ensembles. Duration: 24’.
Writing music is a labor of love for me.  My greatest joy is writing for performers whom I can be sure will not only deliver the notes accurately, but will project the meaning behind the notes.  To have performers in the wings who will bring their own imagination and deep understanding to a performance is an inspiration to me.  So I approached the writing of my Septet for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robins on Trio and the Miami String Quartet with great anticipation and pleasure.The fact that there is no model for such a Septet made the pre-composition process a most enjoyable exploration.  I liked the idea of having two strong ensemble personalities in the mix, and I thought that there must be some sort of challenging interchange at the outset.  The first movement, “Introductions,â� � (note the plural) starts with the piano trio throwing down the gauntlet and the string quartet entering quietly, but gradually (almost one by one) joining with the trio to make a true septet with multi-faceted relations.  The second movement, “Quasi una Passacaglia,” is based on a repeated phrase pattern.  Part of the formal design is a contrast between “Baroque” style performance and modern, more romantic ways of playing.  “Games,” the third movement, involves much playful interplay and the fourth movement, “Au revoir,” offers both reminiscence and farewell – not “good-bye,” but “until we meet again.”Throughout the piece, two of my persistent fascinations are explored: firstly, my interest in designing initial material that can evolve into large-scale form, and secondly, the pleasure I take in chamber music.  While the instrumentation of the Septet provides an almost orchestral palette and it was interesting to explore that, I love the idea of 7 artist-performers, each of whom can be a stunning virtuoso one moment and a thoughtful partner the next, and I relish the electricity that results form those shifting roles.

Orchestra Cello, Contrabass, Harp, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2

SKU: PR.11642068L

Titled after the novel by David Mitchell. Composed by Elena Ruehr. Large Score. 35 pages. Duration 15 minutes. Merion Music #116-42068L. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642068L).

UPC: 680160690947.

Band

SKU: PR.11540394S

Composed by Steven Stucky. Arranged by Scott Boerma. Study Score. 11 pages. Duration 1:30. Merion Music #115-40394S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11540394S).

UPC: 680160621729.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Contrabassoon, Double Bass, English Horn, Flute 1, Flute 2, Flute 3, Harp, Horn 1, Horn 2, Horn 3, Horn 4, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Percussion, Piano, Piccolo, Timpani, Trombone 1, Trombone 2 and more.

SKU: PR.446413400

High Wire Act for Orchestra. Composed by Michael Boyman. Study Score. With Standard notation. Duration 8 minutes. Merion Music #446-41340. Published by Merion Music (PR.446413400).

UPC: 680160667406. 9 x 12 inches.

Tightrope Walker is my first piece for full orchestra. Given the large forces available to me, I wanted to write something exciting, colorful and visceral. I remembered back to when I was a kid going to see the Cirque du Soleil. That trip made a big impression on me, especially the high wire performers. These were artists performing super-human feats high in the air, where even the slightest mistake guaranteed a fatal ending. This idea of danger, of risking one's life to entertain an audience has stayed with me, and Tightrope Walker is my attempt at recreating that special childhood experience. The opening of the piece hints at what's to come - a steady, walking pulse interrupted by missteps in the woodwinds. These missteps increase until the entire orchestra comes crashing down - not a good sign for our Tightrope Walker. The tempo slows and the atmosphere becomes tense. The primary themes of the piece are presented in fragments, most notably the Tightrope Walker's theme in the horns. The orchestra gradually recovers from the previous fall, becoming more lively and coherent until the original, faster tempo is restored. We are now at the circus, excited and expectant, and the fragmentary themes heard previously are now presented in their full forms. The anticipation builds until we hear a solo drum roll - the main act is about to begin. The second half of the piece depicts the Tightrope Walker performing for his audience. But from the outset, as in the beginning of the piece, we hear there are problems. The pressure mounts, the audience clamoring for more, until Tightrope Walker comes to a decisive and potentially fatal end.
Tightrope Walker is my first piece for full orchestra.  Given the large forces available to me, I wanted to write something exciting, colorful and visceral.  I remembered back to when I was a kid going to see the Cirque du Soleil.  That trip made a big impression on me, especially the high wire performers.  These were artists performing super-human feats high in the air, where even the slightest mistake guaranteed a fatal ending.  This idea of danger, of risking one’s life to entertain an audience has stayed with me, and Tightrope Walker is my attempt at recreating that special childhood experience.The opening of the piece hints at what's to come - a steady, walking pulse interrupted by missteps in the woodwinds.  These missteps increase until the entire orchestra comes crashing down - not a good sign for our Tightrope Walker.  The tempo slows and the atmosphere becomes tense.  The primary themes of the piece are presented in fragments, most notably the Tightrope Walker's theme in the horns.  The orchestra gradually recovers from the previous fall, becoming more lively and coherent until the original, faster tempo is restored.We are now at the circus, excited and expectant, and the fragmentary themes heard previously are now presented in their full forms.  The anticipation builds until we hear a solo drum roll - the main act is about to begin.  The second half of the piece depicts the Tightrope Walker performing for his audience.  But from the outset, as in the beginning of the piece, we hear there are problems.  The pressure mounts, the audience clamoring for more, until Tightrope Walker comes to a decisive and potentially fatal end.

Chamber Music String Quartet

SKU: PR.14440273S

Composed by Sydney F. Hodkinson. Large Score. With Standard notation. Duration 23 minutes. Merion Music #144-40273S. Published by Merion Music (PR.14440273S).

UPC: 680160028054.

The Second and Third Quartets were conceived at the same time; indeed, their composition intermingled, over half of No. 3 being sketched before No. 2 was completed. Accordingly, they share similar material but, like the intertwining blood of cousins, their natures differ: No. 2 being somewhat acerbic and declamatory, No. 3 more lyric and gentler.
The Second and Third Quartets were conceived at the same time; indeed, their composition intermingled, over half of No. 3 being sketched before No. 2 was completed.  Accordingly, they share similar material but, like the intertwining blood of cousins, their natures differ: No. 2 being somewhat acerbic and declamatory, No. 3 more lyric and gentler.

Orchestra Cello, Contrabass, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2

SKU: PR.11642160S

Composed by Elena Ruehr. Study Score. 13 pages. Merion Music #116-42160S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642160S).

UPC: 680160690954.

In March 2023 I heard a concert by the Boston Symphony Orchestra of Gorecki’s Sorrowful Songs, and it reminded me of Barber’s famous Adagio for Strings. At the time I was writing a string quartet, and it moved me to write a string orchestra piece inspired by these two emotional and lyrical works. Entitled Long Night because the pandemic felt like it was finally coming to an end, I was also thinking forward to the many challenges that still lie ahead of us.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Contrabass, English Horn, Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 2, Horn 3, Horn 4, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Percussion, Piano, Timpani, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Trombone 3, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Tuba and more.

SKU: PR.44641341L

Composed by Michael Boyman. Large Score. With Standard notation. Duration 30 minutes. Merion Music #446-41341L. Published by Merion Music (PR.44641341L).

UPC: 680160667437. 11 x 17 inches.

I wrote this piece with a darker sonority and an emphasis on lyricism, qualities that I associate with the viola. In the first movement, titled Fantasia, the viola begins with a quiet and free cadenza, becoming more passionate until the woodwinds join in dialogue with the soloist. Gradually the rest of the orchestra enters, exploring ideas from the solo cadenza while introducing a new theme that reappears in the last movement. The second movement is a scherzo, mischievous in mood with the orchestra and viola trading barbed jokes. The antics are interrupted by a brass chorale with embellishment from the viola. The scherzo then resumes with prominent contributions from the bassoons. The last movement, titled Nocturne, plays with different kinds of music associated with the night. A sensual and romantic atmosphere gives way to something more menacing and ultimately violent. After a climax from the full orchestra, soft strings and solo viola lead us into the coda, taking an ambiguous idea from the first movement and transforming it into a lyrical and heartfelt prayer. The concerto ends with the solo viola ascending on the crest of an orchestral wave of sound.

Orchestra Cello, Piano, String Bass, Viola, Violin, soprano Saxophone

SKU: PR.11642054L

Composed by Elena Ruehr. Large Score. 27 pages. Merion Music #116-42054L. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642054L).

UPC: 680160690756.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Cello, Chimes, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Clarinet 3, Double Bass, Flute 1, Flute 2, Glockenspiel, Horn 1, Horn 2, Horn 3, Horn 4, Marimba, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Percussion 1, Percussion 2, Piccolo, Suspended Cymbal and more.

SKU: PR.11642062L

Version 2. Composed by Elena Ruehr. Large Score. 161 pages. Duration 25 minutes. Merion Music #116-42062L. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642062L).

UPC: 680160690831.

Dedic ated to the memory of my mother, Ruthann Richwine Ruehr, who was both an environmentalist and a film maker, this piece channels the things she loved: the beauty of the natural world and the glorious sound of great film music. Although a complex comment on our relationship to the natural world, it begins with a simple tenet: that to preserve the earth we must first love and appreciate it.

Chamber Music flute, piano

SKU: PR.144407330

Composed by Samuel Zyman. Sws. Set of Score and Parts. 24+12 pages. Duration 18 minutes. Merion Music #144-40733. Published by Merion Music (PR.144407330).

ISBN 9781491134290. UPC: 680160684663. 9 x 12 inches.

Zyman� ��s first major work for flute, CONCERTO NO. 1 is scored for a chamber orchestra of 5 winds, timpani, and strings. With this publication, the concerto is now available in print with a performance-ready piano reduction. Maria Canales premiered the work in 1991 with the Conjunto de Cámara de la Ciudad de México, which commissioned the 18-minute work.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bass Drum, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Celesta, Chimes, Clarinet, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Claves, Contrabass, Contrabassoon, Cowbell, Crotales, English Horn, Glockenspiel, Harp, Horn 1, Horn 2, Horn 3, Horn 4, Maracas, Marimba, Oboe 1 and more.

SKU: PR.11641737S

Composed by Steven Stucky. Study Score. 68 pages. Duration 9 minutes. Merion Music #116-41737S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11641737S).

ISBN 9781491136133. UPC: 680160688432.

Son et lumière (“sound and light,” a kind of show staged for tourists at historic sites or famous buildings) is an orchestral entertainment whose subject is the play of colors, bright surfaces, and shimmery textures. I have tried in this music to recapture the élan and immediacy that regular meters and repetitive rhythms make possible—something forbidden during the modernist regime but recently restored in the post-modern work of composers like John Adams, Steve Reich, and others. Throughout its brief nine-minute span, then, the piece is built almost exclusively of short, busy ostinato figures—my attempt, I suppose, to achieve the rhythmic vitality of minimalism, but without giving in to the over-simple harmonic language that usually comes with it.Surprisingly, the musical materials seemed determined to shape themselves into an approximation of nineteenth-century sonata form. We hear an introduction, a first theme (based on triadic broken chords), a second theme (beginning with the flute solo), and a closing theme (led by two piccolos). In a sort of development section, these materials are recombined in new ways; in a recapitulation, both the first and second themes are recalled more or less intact (part of the second is actually repeated quite literally).Then, in the coda, a second surprise: as if another, different music has been lurking all the while behind the shiny surface, the strings now unexpectedly split off from the rest of the orchestra to assert a new, more passionate, more “serious” voice, transcending the external show of sound and light.Son et lumière, commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was composed between June and December 1988 in Ithaca (N.Y.), in Los Angeles, and at the artists’ colony Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs (N.Y.). David Zinman conducted the first performance in Baltimore on 18 May 1989; André Previn gave the West Coast premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on 18 January, 1990.
Son et lumière (“sound and light,” a kind of show staged for tourists at historic sites or famous buildings) is an orchestral entertainment whose subject is the play of colors, bright surfaces, and shimmery textures. I have tried in this music to recapture the élan and immediacy that regular meters and repetitive rhythms make possible—something forbidden during the modernist regime but recently restored in the post-modern work of composers like John Adams, Steve Reich, and others. Throughout its brief nine-minute span, then, the piece is built almost exclusively of short, busy ostinato figures—my attempt, I suppose, to achieve the rhythmic vitality of minimalism, but without giving in to the over-simple harmonic language that usually comes with it.Surprisingly, the musical materials seemed determined to shape themselves into an approximation of nineteenth-century sonata form. We hear an introduction, a first theme (based on triadic broken chords), a second theme (beginning with the flute solo), and a closing theme (led by two piccolos). In a sort of development section, these materials are recombined in new ways; in a recapitulation, both the first and second themes are recalled more or less intact (part of the second is actually repeated quite literally).Then, in the coda, a second surprise: as if another, different music has been lurking all the while behind the shiny surface, the strings now unexpectedly split off from the rest of the orchestra to assert a new, more passionate, more “serious” voice, transcending the external show of sound and light.Son et lumière, commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was composed between June and December 1988 in Ithaca (N.Y.), in Los Angeles, and at the artists’ colony Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs (N.Y.). David Zinman conducted the first performance in Baltimore on 18 May 1989; André Previn gave the West Coast premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on 18 January, 1990.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Cello, Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Double Bass, Flugelhorn 1, Flugelhorn 2, Flute, Horn 1, Horn 2, Mezzo-soprano voice, Oboe, Percussion, Piano, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2

SKU: PR.11642057L

Composed by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Large Score. 64 pages. Duration 16 minutes. Merion Music #116-42057L. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642057L).

UPC: 680160685455.

Orchestra Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Bassoon 3, Bassoon 4, Celesta, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Clarinet 3, Clarinet 4, Contrabass, Flute 1, Flute 2, Flute 3, Flute 4, Harp 1, Harp 2, Horn 1, Horn 2, Horn 3, Horn 4, Horn 5, Horn 6, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Oboe 3, Oboe 4 and more.

SKU: PR.11640813S

Composed by Henri Lazarof. Study Score. 72 pages. Duration 21 minutes. Merion Music #116-40813S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11640813S).

ISBN 9781491135679. UPC: 680160687763.

Orchestra Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Cello, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Clarinet 3, Double Bass, Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 3, Horn 4, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Percussion, Piano, Piccolo, Timpani, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Trumpet 3 and more.

SKU: PR.11642056S

Version 1. Composed by Elena Ruehr. Study Score. 161 pages. Merion Music #116-42056S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642056S).

UPC: 680160690787.

Dedic ated to the memory of my mother, Ruthann Richwine Ruehr, who was both an environmentalist and a film maker, this piece channels the things she loved: the beauty of the natural world and the glorious sound of great film music. Although a complex comment on our relationship to the natural world, it begins with a simple tenet: that to preserve the earth we must first love and appreciate it.

Chamber Music Bass Trombone 1, Bass Trombone 2, Castanets, Slap Stick, Tambourine, Triangle, alto Trombone, tenor Trombone 1, tenor Trombone 2, tenor Trombone 3, tenor Trombone 4, tenor Trombone 5, tenor Trombone 6, tenor Trombone 7

SKU: PR.14440746S

Composed by Charles Ives. Arranged by Joshua Kearney William Schuman. Full score. 16 pages. Duration 7 minutes. Merion Music #144-40746S. Published by Merion Music (PR.14440746S).

UPC: 680160685042.

This arrangement of Charles Ives' VARIATIONS ON AMERICAN was originally created for Dr. Bradley Palmer and the 2008 Schwob Trombone Ensemble. It was subsequently edited for the 2021 Southeast Trombone Symposium Professors Choir International Trombone Festival performance. - Joshua Kearney.

Chamber Music Double Bass, English Horn, Oboe, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violoncello

SKU: PR.44641339L

Composed by Michael Boyman. Large Score. With Standard notation. Duration 9 minutes. Merion Music #446-41339L. Published by Merion Music (PR.44641339L).

UPC: 680160667390. 11 x 14 inches.

Concertino is about relationships and how they change over time. My first goal in writing the piece was to create two distinct characters, in this case the Oboe and English Horn. The Oboe begins with a berceuse-like melody, while the English Horn's entrance is more ambiguous and rhythmically jagged. Over the course of the piece, these two characters interact through a variety of musical settings, their material or personalities continually developing. The strings, more than mere accompaniment, provide commentary on the dramatic action, much like a Greek chorus. They establish each musical scene, interact with the two woodwinds, and further develop the musical material. And while there is a strong concertante element in the piece, it is essentially chamber music. There is a conversational quality, a sense of give-and-take between everyone involved that makes the two woodwinds first among equals as opposed to featured concert soloists. Each of the eight instruments has something unique and important to say.
Concertino is about relationships and how they change over time.  My first goal in writing the piece was to create two distinct characters, in this case the Oboe and English Horn.  The Oboe begins with a berceuse-like melody, while the English Horn’s entrance is more ambiguous and rhythmically jagged.  Over the course of the piece, these two characters interact through a variety of musical settings, their material or personalities continually developing.The strings, more than mere accompaniment, provide commentary on the dramatic action, much like a Greek chorus.  They establish each musical scene, interact with the two woodwinds, and further develop the musical material.  And while there is a strong concertante element in the piece, it is essentially chamber music.  There is a conversational quality, a sense of give-and-take between everyone involved that makes the two woodwinds first among equals as opposed to featured concert soloists.  Each of the eight instruments has something unique and important to say.

Orchestra Concert Band

SKU: PR.11640976S

For Soprano and Orchestra. Composed by James Primosch. Full score. Duration 18 minutes. Merion Music #116-40976S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11640976S).

UPC: 680160682768. Das Stundenbuch.

This cycle of orchestral songs sets four poems from an early collection by Rilke entitled Das Stundenbuch, or in English, Book of Hours. Although the title refers to a medieval book of prayers for the various times of day and seasons of the liturgical year, Rilke's texts occupy a position some distance from conventional piety. There is a melancholy to the spirituality expressed here, which speaks of an experience of God that is fragmentary, imperfect, and unattainable. The solitude evoked in the second song (as layers of busy activity are gradually peeled away) offers some solace, but the third song is very dark and fierce, filled with a desperate, even manic desire for God. The last song returns to the mood of the first, but now in a global rather than individual context. This song, like the set as a whole, speaks of our world's brokenness, yet strives to stammer fragments of God's name.

Chamber Music Clarinet, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violoncello

SKU: PR.144407500

Composed by Fredrick Kaufman. Set of Score and Parts. 26+8+8+8+8+8 pages. Duration 14 minutes. Merion Music #144-40750. Published by Merion Music (PR.144407500).

UPC: 680160685288.

Orchestra Cello, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Flute 1, Flute 2, Organ, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Trumpet 3, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, baritone voice Double bass voice, bassoon, choir, soprano voice

SKU: PR.11642059S

Composed by Elena Ruehr. Study Score. 49 pages. Duration 13 minutes. Merion Music #116-42059S. Published by Merion Music (PR.11642059S).

UPC: 680160690800.

Chamber Music Cello, Piano, Viola, Violin, Violin 1, Violin 2

SKU: PR.144407570

Composed by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Set of Score and Parts. 64+12+12+12+12+12+12 pages. Duration 24 minutes. Merion Music #144-40757. Published by Merion Music (PR.144407570).

ISBN 9781491136522. UPC: 680160689330.

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Septet is the first major work written for this combination of instruments, and the pioneering process was greatly enjoyed by the composer: “While the instrumentation of the Septet provides an almost orchestral palette, and it was interesting to explore that, I love the idea of seven artist-performers, each of whom can be a stunning virtuoso one moment and a thoughtful partner the next, and I relish the electricity that results from those shifting roles.” Septet was written for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robins on Trio and the Miami String Quartet, to whom it is dedicated. String parts available on rental. For advanced ensembles. Duration: 24’.
Writing music is a labor of love for me.  My greatest joy is writing for performers whom I can be sure will not only deliver the notes accurately, but will project the meaning behind the notes.  To have performers in the wings who will bring their own imagination and deep understanding to a performance is an inspiration to me.  So I approached the writing of my Septet for the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robins on Trio and the Miami String Quartet with great anticipation and pleasure.The fact that there is no model for such a Septet made the pre-composition process a most enjoyable exploration.  I liked the idea of having two strong ensemble personalities in the mix, and I thought that there must be some sort of challenging interchange at the outset.  The first movement, “Introductions,â� � (note the plural) starts with the piano trio throwing down the gauntlet and the string quartet entering quietly, but gradually (almost one by one) joining with the trio to make a true septet with multi-faceted relations.  The second movement, “Quasi una Passacaglia,” is based on a repeated phrase pattern.  Part of the formal design is a contrast between “Baroque” style performance and modern, more romantic ways of playing.  “Games,” the third movement, involves much playful interplay and the fourth movement, “Au revoir,” offers both reminiscence and farewell – not “good-bye,” but “until we meet again.”Throughout the piece, two of my persistent fascinations are explored: firstly, my interest in designing initial material that can evolve into large-scale form, and secondly, the pleasure I take in chamber music.  While the instrumentation of the Septet provides an almost orchestral palette and it was interesting to explore that, I love the idea of 7 artist-performers, each of whom can be a stunning virtuoso one moment and a thoughtful partner the next, and I relish the electricity that results form those shifting roles.

Orchestra Double Bass, Viola 1, Viola 2, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violoncello 1, Violoncello 2

SKU: PR.446413420

Therapy for String Orchestra. Composed by Michael Boyman. Study Score. With Standard notation. 30 pages. Duration 7 minutes. Merion Music #446-41342. Published by Merion Music (PR.446413420).

UPC: 680160667444. 9 x 12 inches.

Anger Management is a study in aggression and heartbreak. Its inspiration comes from a particularly nasty breakup and Tennysons maxim, Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. The piece considers and ultimately rejects this notion. My goal was to combine the narrative of romantic loss - with its elements of anger, nostalgia, despair and ultimately defiance - with a strict compositional technique and economy of material. The piece is based on two motives: the gruff, ascending three notes of the first bar and a descending half-step sigh, which is eventually transformed and intensified into a glissando ascending major-7th. Anger Management was premiered and recorded on April 1st, 2013 by Derek Cooper and the Manhattan School of Music String Ensemble.