(Words and Chords to Nearly 1200 Songs 9x12 Spiral Bound). Edited by Annie Patterson and Peter Blood. For Vocal. Vocal. Softcover. 304 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

(Words and Chords to Nearly 1200 Songs Spiral-Bound). Edited by Annie Patterson and Peter Blood. For Vocal. Vocal. Softcover. 304 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

(Over 850 Classical Themes and Melodies in the Original Keys) For C instrument. Format: fakebook (spiral bound). With vocal melody (excerpts) and chord names. Lassical. Series: Hal Leonard Fake Books. 646 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard.

(B-flat Edition). By Various. By Various. For Bb Instruments. Fake Book. Softcover. 512 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

(Bass Clef Edition). By Various. By Various. For Bass Clef Instruments. Fake Book. Softcover. 464 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

(E-flat Edition). By Various. By Various. For Eb Instruments. Fake Book. Softcover. 464 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

(C Edition). By Various. By Various. Fake Book. Softcover. 464 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

By Richard Matteson, Jr. For Fretted. Tune book. Bluegrass. Level: Beginning. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 248 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

The Best Step-by-Step Guide to Start Playing. Do It Yourself. Instruction, Method. Softcover Media Online. 128 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

Guitar solo - Advanced

SKU: DZ.DZ-4308

Composed by Giorgio Mirto. Score. Les Productions d'OZ #DZ 4308. Published by Les Productions d'OZ (DZ.DZ-4308).

ISBN 9782898522253.

Foll owing a recent experience on the jury of a guitar competition, I noted with great pleasure that Giorgio Mirto, with whom I had shared the role of juror, wanted to celebrate the experience of the competition - during from which we discovered that we had had a great affinity of thought - with something which could endure over time and not evaporate as often happens in short and occasional meetings between musicians. He did it as a true composer, which he is, and dedicated to me a very beautifully crafted Suite to which I allowed myself to collaborate at least formally, by suggesting titles for the four movements. This is how Suite n.1 was born, a piece that does not strictly respect the formal rules of the Baroque era, but reinterprets and reuses them in a new key. The work's obvious late Baroque inspiration led me to find titles that invited the performer to delve deeper into the work's aesthetic inspiration. So I suggested to Giorgio that he title the four movements with something that linked their content to four greats of the 18th century. German masters. The prelude has thus become from Eisenach because of its sometimes improvised Bach-like atmosphere, the second movement, vaguely toccata, speaks an organ language in the manner of Buxtehude (who lived in Lübeck), the slow movement has a Handelian quality - and Handel was born in Halle - and the last movement, far from being a true Chaconne, undoubtedly has the latter's taste for variation and ostinato, typical traits of Telemann who lived in Magdeburg. The cities that appear in the titles are therefore indelible to the authors cited. Furthermore, one should not think that the style of the work is in any way German, given that Giorgio Mirto expresses himself in a very joyful language that synthesizes modality with minimalism, all seasoned with a a nod to Pink's progressive rock Floyd. or a Mike Oldfield... The result of this mixture of ideas, inspirations and styles is a work that personally I never tire of reading and rereading, for the freshness that emanates from it and for the climate expressive which rises, nourishing itself with full efficiency. We ultimately cannot ignore that the note B, the one which marks in a minor way some of the most expressive works of the guitar repertoire, from the study of Sor which made generations of students fall in love with the guitar, until to that of Frank Martin's Four Pieces via La Catedral di Barrios, is the modal fulcrum of the entire Suite: it is true that the Prelude begins with a clear chord in E minor and lingers on an open ending in A minor , but it almost seems that the initial E serves as a launching pad for a continuation of the work in which the dominant, that is to say the B, is the true musical North, the pole star which guides us in the other three movements until the end of the Chaconne de Magdebourg. I wish Giorgio and our Suite great longevity and a favorable destiny in the complex and complex world of contemporary guitar composition. And I thank him again, flattered by his very kind dedication.

FRANCE SCO BIRAGHI

Au lendemain d'une récente expérience au sein du jury d'un concours de guitare, j'ai constaté avec grand plaisir que Giorgio Mirto, avec qui j'avais partagé le rôle de juré, souhaitait célébrer l'expérience du concours - au cours de laquelle nous avons découvert que nous avions eu un grand affinité de pensée - avec quelque chose qui pourrait perdurer dans le temps et ne pas s'évaporer comme cela arrive souvent lors de rencontres courtes et occasionnelles entre musiciens. Il l'a fait en véritable compositeur, ce qu'il est, et m'a dédié une Suite d'une très belle facture à laquelle je me suis permis de collaborer au moins formellement, en suggérant des titres pour les quatre mouvements. C'est ainsi qu'est née la Suite n.1, une pièce qui ne respecte pas strictement les règles formelles de l'époque baroque, mais les réinterprèt e et les réutilise dans une nouvelle tonalité. L'inspiration évidente du baroque tardif de l'œuvre m'a amené à trouver des titres qui invitaient l'interprète à approfondir l'inspiration esthétique de l'œuvre. J'ai donc suggéré à Giorgio de titrer les quatre mouvements avec quelque chose qui reliait leur contenu à quatre grands du XVIIIe siècle. Maîtres allemands. Le prélude est ainsi devenu d'Eisenach en raison de son atmosphère parfois improvisée à la Bach, le deuxième mouvement, vaguement toccata, parle un langage d'orgue à la manière de Buxtehude (qui vivait à Lübeck), le mouvement lent a un Qualité haendélienne - et Haendel est né à Halle - et le dernier mouvement, loin d'être une véritable Chaconne, a sans doute le goût de cette dernière pour la variation et l'ostinato, traits typiques de Telemann qui vivait à Magdebourg. Les villes qui apparaissent dans les titres sont donc indélébiles aux auteurs cités. De plus, il ne faut pas penser que le style de l'œuvre soit en aucune façon allemand, étant donné que Giorgio Mirto s'exprime dans un langage très joyeux qui synthétise la modalité avec le minimalisme, le tout assaisonné d'un clin d'œil au rock progressif Floyd de Pink. ou un Mike Oldfield... Le résultat de ce mélange d'idées, d'inspirations et de styles est un ouvrage que personnellement je ne me lasse pas de lire et de relire, pour la fraîcheur qui s'en dégage et pour le climat expressif qui monte, se nourrissant de plein efficacité. On ne peut finalement pas ignorer que la note B, celle qui marque de manière mineure certaines des œuvres les plus expressives du répertoire de guitare, depuis l'étude de Sor qui a fait tomber amoureux de la guitare des générations d'étudiants, jusqu'à celle de Frank Martin Quatre Pièces via La Catedral di Barrios, est le point d'appui modal de toute la Suite : il est vrai que le Prélude commence par un accord clair en mi mineur et s'attarde sur une fin ouverte en la mineur, mais il semble presque que le mi initial sert de une rampe de lancement pour une suite de l'œuvre dans laquelle la dominante, c'est-à-dire le B, est le véritable Nord musical, l'étoile polaire qui nous guide dans les trois autres mouvements jusqu'à la fin de la Chaconne de Magdebourg. Je souhaite à Giorgio et à « notre » Suite une grande longévité et un destin favorable dans le monde complexe et complexe de la composition contemporaine pour guitare. Et je le remercie encore, flatté de son très aimable dévouement.

FRANCESCO BIRAGHI.

by William Bay. For all guitars. All styles, class. Level: Intermediate. Book. Method. Size 8.75x11.75. 200 pages. Published by Mel Bay Pub., Inc.

Choral Cello, Contrabass voice, Piano, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, SATB chorus

SKU: CF.CM9734

Composed by Basque Carol. Arranged by Christopher Thomas. 12 pages. Duration 2 minutes, 37 seconds. Carl Fischer Music #CM9734. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.CM9734).

ISBN 9781491161142. UPC: 680160919734. Key: A minor. English. Basque Carol.

A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel's Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .. Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song's lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol's continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame. I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I've added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you're a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!.
A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel’s Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales:  “Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .”.Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song’s lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol’s continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as “his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.”I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I’ve added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino.I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you’re a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!

Chamber Music Violin

SKU: CF.BF131

Composed by Roland Vamos. With Standard notation. 168 pages. Carl Fischer Music #BF131. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.BF131).

ISBN 9781491153765. UPC: 680160911264. 9 x 12 inches.

Inspired by Clarence Cameron White’s book The Violinist’s Daily Dozen, The Violinist’s Daily Sixteen is a collection of daily exercises compiled by Roland Vamos. Intended for student and professional violinists, the collection provides the performer with a variety of exercises for daily warm-ups. Mr. Vamos also focuses on developing dexterity and flexibility in the fingers and joints, the first and fourth fingers in particular. Each of the sixteen exercises is notated for each of the four strings, and Vamos recommends that the exercises be practiced as warm-ups, choosing a different string for each day of practice.Also included with the Daily Sixteen is a comprehensive set of studies for developing fluency with scales and arpeggios. Mr. Vamos’ unique methodology is to begin with major scales and arpeggios, followed by minor scales and arpeggios, all of which are notated in two, three and four octaves. Alternate fingers are provided, as well as a variety of slurred and mixed bowings using the three parts of the bow whenever feasible. It is a remarkably systematic approach to performing scales and arpeggios on the violin and will surely benefit students and professionals alike.
ForewordThis short hand-setting set of exercises was inspired by a book entitled The Violinist’s Daily Dozen, conceived by Clarence Cameron White, a prominent African-American violinist, composer and arranger who enjoyed the bulk of his career in the first half of the twentieth century.I have practiced this set of exercises since I was twelve years old. It has served me as a superb warm-up and hand setting tool. Over the years, I have found that there are some aspects of this warm-up routine that were not given sufficient attention or not addressed at all. Consequently, I have expanded the Daily Dozen to create a new work entitled The Violinist’s Daily Sixteen.I have also paid particular attention in this work as to how these exercises are to be practiced. In exercises one and two, I have indicated some notes to be played before the actual written exercises. This is to ensure that the fourth finger will be over the string in a position ready to strike even though it is not being used. Before playing exercises three, four, nine, ten, eleven and twelve, I have indicated silent fingers to be placed on the notes they would be playing if they were being used.I have replaced Mr. White’s grace notes with notes of specific value and have slowed down the exercises so that the first joint (the joint nearest the string) of each finger can move with flexibility and strength. At no time should the first joint buckle.In Mr. White’s version, the last exercise gave the first finger some very valuable backward extensions. In this exercise (number 14 in this book), I caution the student not to move the hand along with the first finger. The hand should remain in position while the first finger independently moves back and forth.It became obvious to me that if the first finger were given the opportunity to develop the dexterity that Mr. White’s twelfth exercise emphasizes, the fourth finger could benefit from an exercise that gives it a forward extension. Consequently, I added another exercise to create a Baker’s Dozen (thirteen).Several years later, I felt that the second and third fingers should also have an exercise to further develop their dexterity…hence exercise fourteen was added to create a “Vamos Dozen.”Because the first finger did not have sufficient practice in the development of the first joint in the original version, I have added two exercises to precede White’s fifth exercise. After re-working and re-numbering these exercises, I have come up with a total of sixteen exercises. It is my suggestion that these be practiced as a warm-up, choosing a different string each day.—Roland VamosEvanston, Illinois 2017 PrefaceScales are a means of teaching a person the fingerboard on his or her instrument. The fingers move across the strings and are required to make shifts, all in highly organized patterns. Scales and arpeggios are the foundation upon which our repertoire is built. Many scale books have been written; each one being organized in its own specific way. The Flesch Scale System has been a standard for many decades. It is very comprehensive and systematic. From the point of view of establishing similar patterns, it has one drawback: it is organized by starting with a major key, followed by its relative minor, going through the circle of fifths. I believe that it is more profitable to do only major scales with their arpeggios first, going up chromatically, and then follow them in a similar way with the minor scales. In using this approach, the similarities in fingerings between the various scales are more apparent. It is also profitable to have alternate fingerings whenever possible. My approach to scales and arpeggios includes a variety of slurred and mixed bowings using the three parts of the bow whenever feasible. These bowings are not all-inclusive. Whenever a particularly awkward bowing pattern is encountered in the repertoire, it can be practiced as an additional bowing variation in the scales and arpeggios.    I have chosen to introduce the three and four octave scales by teaching two octave scales across the strings in one position going up chromatically through seven positions; starting on the first, second, third, and finally fourth fingers in major and melodic minor.—Roland VamosEvanston, Illinois 2017.

Celtic / Irish, Perfect binding, World. Sacred. Book and online audio. 108 pages. Mel Bay Publications, Inc #31036M. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc

Band Bass Clarinet, Bass Drum, Bassoon, Bongos, Brake Drum, Chimes, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Euphonium, Euphonium T.C., Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn, Mallet Percussion 1, Mallet Percussion 2, Oboe, Percussion 1, Percussion 2, Percussion 3, Snare Drum and more. - Grade 2.5

SKU: CF.YPS217F

Composed by Zachary Cairns. Sws. Yps. Full score. 24 pages. Duration 4 minutes, 48 seconds. Carl Fischer Music #YPS217F. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.YPS217F).

ISBN 9781491156551. UPC: 680160915095. 9 x 12 inches.

Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn't exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora. As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn't attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus's brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, jar seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call Pandora's box) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope. The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn't it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place? I'm not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I've tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed. Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope's beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin's work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key. Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece's slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn't resist.).
Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora.As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn’t attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, “jar” seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call “Pandora’s box”) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope.The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn’t it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place?I’m not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I’ve tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed.Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope’s beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin’s work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key.Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece’s slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn’t resist.).

Band Bass Clarinet, Bass Drum, Bassoon, Bongos, Brake Drum, Chimes, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Euphonium, Euphonium T.C., Flute 1, Flute 2, Horn, Mallet Percussion 1, Mallet Percussion 2, Oboe, Percussion 1, Percussion 2, Percussion 3, Snare Drum and more. - Grade 2.5

SKU: CF.YPS217

Composed by Zachary Cairns. Folio. Yps. Set of Score and Parts. 8+8+4+8+8+4+2+6+4+4+4+8+8 +8+8+6+6+6+4+6+4+2+2+4+6+ 10+24 pages. Duration 4 minutes, 48 seconds. Carl Fischer Music #YPS217. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.YPS217).

ISBN 9781491156544. UPC: 680160915088. 9 x 12 inches.

Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn't exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora. As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn't attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus's brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, jar seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call Pandora's box) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope. The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn't it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place? I'm not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I've tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed. Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope's beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin's work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key. Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece's slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn't resist.).
Hope Remains Within was commissioned by and composed for the Mount Nittany Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands. Having heard the students of Mount Nittany perform another work of mine, I was very excited when their director, Johanna Steinbacher, approached me about writing a piece specifically for them. I knew right away that I wanted to write something that would tie in with their non-music curriculum in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how, or what. Johanna talked to some of her students and learned that, in 7th grade, the students spend a good deal of time studying mythology in their English class. In particular, two clarinet students mentioned how much they enjoyed the story of Pandora.As such, I decided to use that story as the basis of this composition. Hope Remains Within doesn’t attempt to re-tell the story, event by event, in musical terms. Instead, my goal was to address what seems to be one of the central issues of the Pandora myth. Though there are some variations, we probably all know the basics as told by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Zeus decides to punish Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to humans. He and the other gods create Pandora, a beautiful and deceitful woman, and they give her to Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus as a bride. Pandora is herself given a jar (according to many sources, “jar” seems to be a more accurate translation for what we commonly call “Pandora’s box”) which contained numerous evils, diseases, and other pains. Out of curiosity, Pandora opens the jar and releases all of these evils into the world. But one thing remains in the jar: hope.The issue of hope seems to be one of the big interpretive questions of the Pandora myth. Why does hope remain within the jar? Why doesn’t it come out of the jar to help humanity? Is hope being held on a pedestal of some sort? Is hope deliberately withheld from humanity? Why was hope in the jar with all those evils in the first place?I’m not enough of a mythological scholar to claim to have definitive answers to those questions, but these are the questions that I’ve tried to engage from a musical perspective in Hope Remains Within. I encourage the students and listeners to consider their own ideas of what hope is, and where you can find your own hope when needed.Musically, Hope Remains Within draws one of its main themes from the Prometheus Symphony by Alexander Skryabin (Scriabin). The note sequence F-D-Gb -F, heard near Hope’s beginning played by alto saxophones and chimes, comes from the opening measures of Skyrabin’s work. Given the important role that Prometheus plays in the Pandora myth, this seemed like an appropriate musical gesture to quote. This Prometheus motive is varied throughout the course of the piece, and even provides closure at the end, recast in a major key.Additionally, I have tried to involve a manageable amount of chromaticism in this piece. I have worked from the key of Bb major, no doubt familiar to every student who has ever played an instrument in a band. But I have added three extra notes: Db, Gb, and Ab, which are drawn from the key of Bb minor. During the piece’s slow opening, I have allowed these minor key pitches to mingle freely within the Bb major tonality, adding extra color and (I hope!) beauty. As the piece progresses, though, the tempo increases, and we lose sense of the Bb major key entirely, and these extra notes play a more important role. But finally, Bb major returns triumphantly and all the extra notes are gone, except for a brief memory near the very end. (Ok, there are a couple of E-naturals that sneak in there along the way. I couldn’t resist.).

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