Par MC NEFF STEPHEN. My research for Banished began with a small group of students during a Trinity Laban co-lab period in 2013, though the idea goes back over 30 years when I first saw Steve Gooch’s Female Transport and stored the idea of adapting it as an opera until the right opportunity arose. I have been involved in opera for a long time and it has always been a frustration for me that while there is an abundance of female talent (particularly so in conservatories and colleges) there is a noticeable lack of challenging roles available for young women. The roles most often undertaken are maids or innocent girls, compliant wives or tomboys. Not that the problem is necessarily confined exclusively to young women, but where good roles exist, the women are all too often merely passive or victims. Things happen to them rather than them making things happen. They are unable to influence their circumstances and are usually resigned to their fate. Worse still, they are often judged in some way responsible for what happens to them, culpable even because of their looks, their way of life or a streak of independence. Just think about Mimi, Carmen and Violetta (to name only three on a long list). All these characters die, and their attempts at individuality contribute to their demise in some way that they have no control over. With some exceptions female characters in opera are too often sad, mad or bad. Redressing this balance and taking advantage of the richness in vocal talent is only one reason to write an opera reflecting the reality of a group of strong women who work things out for themselves. The transportation of people to Australia at the beginning of the nineteenth century is not a particularly well understood part of history beyond a sort of folk myth. What were the circumstances, who were the people and what happened to them? Opera does not exist to completely answer these questions, but it can focus on the women as individuals and help tell their story. (All the women named in the opera actually existed.) My approach has to been to put the women’s narrative centre stage and, in the confines of an oppressive, dangerous environment go with them on their journey as they survive or sink. The demands on the women are huge. At every turn they are oppressed by their jailers, the system that brought them here and their own low expectations. They have to work out ways to overcome these odds. We discover them through their music in solos and ensembles, sometimes reflective, at other times boasting about their lives a petty criminals and trying to establish status and pecking order. Alongside this I have used references to music of the time to create another reality built on larger ensembles and choruses. This is a sort of collective consciousness aware of loss, longing and context – even of a broad political dimension to the realities of Transportation. Despite the acute awareness of their circumstances in these ensembles, there is also a resilience and strength that transcends the individual stories. Stephen McNeff / Instrumental Music / Répertoire / Voix

For SATB Chorus.Jointly commissioned by the National Chamber Choir and the Cork International Choral Festival for the seminar 'from composition to performance the seminar on choral music'.This work was premièred at the Cork International Choral Festival on 2nd May 2008 by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland conducted by Bo Holten. Text: Acallam na Senórach (12th century)After the battles of Commar Gabair and Ollarba the F an was destroyed. The survivors scatteredacross Ireland and by the time our story begins only two of the nobles of this ancient F anwerestill alive: Ois n and Ca lte. Sixteen of the F an warriors travelled with them across the wooded andflower-covered slopes of the Fews. Patrick was reciting his office. Then his priests seeing Ca lte and his men approaching wereseized with fear and horror at the sight of these warriors of an earlier age. Then Patrick apostle tothe Irish arose and sprinkled holy water on these great men for a thousand legions of demons hadbeen above their heads. The great men then sat down.?Well my friend there is something I would ask you ? said Patrick to Ca lte. ?Find us a well of purewater close by so that we might baptize the peoples.? Ca lte took Patrick by the hand and togetherthey went over the ramparts of the fortress. Just nine steps from the portal they saw a lovely crystalclearspring. Then Ca lte recited these lines:A thoibur Trágha dhá bhan laind do bhilar barrhglan.ó ro tréigedh do chnuas ortn r? léiced fás dot fochlocht Is uait dochuadar in Fianndar? marbad Coinchend coimfial dar? cuiredh ár Feinde Find.isin mhadain ós Maolghlind.A(r) marbadh chon ocus ferar n-athchuma laoch

The composer made this arrangement of the Third String Quartet for string orchestra in March 2003. The first performance was given by the Eos Orchestra New York conducted by Ken Selden in the Concert Hall Ethical CulturalSociety New York City on 24 April 2003.Quoting composer: In the summer of 1989 I composed a choral work Out of the Ruins for Agnieszka Piotrowska’s BBC2 documentary which dealt with the physical and emotional responsesof some of the inhabitants of Leninakhan to the earthquake which devastated Armenia the previous December. When he heard the recording of the work that I made with the Holy Echmiadzin Chorus under the fervent conducting of KhorenMeykhanejian Alex Balanescu suggested turning Out of the Ruins into a string quartet. There seemed no reason or opportunity to do this until I felt the need to add to the intensity of my experiences in Armenia the no lessprofound experience of witnessing the images of the Romanian revolution on television during the latter part of December 1989.Just as the structure of my Third String Quartet (1990) may connect it with the First so they alsoshare a debt to Thurston Dart (my professor at King’s College London between 1961 and 1965). It was Dart who had the inspiration to send me to Romania in 1965 ostensibly to study folk music. The volumes of transcriptions that Ibrought back with me had remained unopened until with this proposed ‘celebratory’ string quartet (though at the time it was difficult to know quite what to celebrate in postrevolutionary Romania) an occasion arose where I coulduse this material in what seemed to me was a non-exploitative manner. The compositional procedure was as follows: to take Out of the Ruins as a template on which the Romanian vocal or instrumental music would besuperimposed quite often stretched into new intervallic shapes through the demands of the completely pre-formed harmonic structure.

Beethoven’s York’scher Marsch is one of a collection of three tattoos (WoO 18-20) and has had a chequered history to say the least. There are several autograph copies for different instrumentations dedicated to different archdukes who were commanders of various regiments of the army including the Prussian regiment called Marsch des Yorkschen Corps which is how its current title arose. Philip Sparke’s arrangement enables a march by this major classical composer to be enjoyed by concert bands.

In the second half of the 18th century the forteiano emerged as the popular Keyboard instrument and the demand for books of instruction arose. The Introduction To The Piano created by Johann Christian Bach and Francesco Pasquale Ricci was one of the earliest. It focused on a sense of style rather than technical expertise. ‘Without taste one may do great things but only taste makes them interesting ’ the authors write.J C Bach was the youngest son of J S Bach and received his earliest musical education from his father and from C P E Bach making this Piano method book the work of a musician who was taught by Bach himself. Most of the exercises come from J C Bach’s pen and theyare a microcosm of musical styles of the era. The book includes among other things discussion of tone or tonality mode key measure ‘and its different species’ accidentals forms of composition regulated practice and more.

Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen?s (1964) way of composing can be described as: uncompromising wilful and contemporary. It is not surprising therefore that this occasionally causes a stir. In the middle of the Seventies a trend arose in youth culture which was characterized by provocation distrust of the great ideologies and the autonomy of the individual. Punk is playful aggressive often humorous and anti-everything which inevitably leads to self-irony. The first part of Aagaard-Nielsen?s composition (Introduction) is a texture based mainly on one short theme. This pompous theme breathes a spirit of cold empty plains where icy winds sigh around yourhead. In the vehement Punk (Presto barbaro!) there is no longer any question of a theme. The basis for this part is formed by a repetitive motif (a descending minor third). This motif is alternated with very powerful percussion beats and later on shrill harmonies. De wijze van componeren van Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen (1964) laat zich omschrijven als: compromisloos eigenzinnig en eigentijds. Niet verwonderlijk dat dit af en toe wat stof doet opwaaien. Midden zeventiger jaren ontstaat er een stroming binnen de jongerencultuur die provocatie wantrouwen tegen de grote ideologieën en de autonomie van het individu centraal stelt. Punk is speels agressief veelal humoristisch en anti-alles wat onvermijdelijk leidt tot zelfspot. Het eerste deel (Introduction) is een weefsel gebaseerd op voornamelijk één kort thema. Het pompeuze thema ademt de sfeer van kille lege vlakten waar de ijzige wind je om de oren suist. Tijdens de ?heftige? Punk (Presto barbaro!) is van een thema geen sprake meer. De basis voor dit deel is een steeds herhalend motief (dalende kleine terts). Dit motief wordt afgewisseld met zeer krachtige percussie slagen en later schrille samenklanken. Dit alles zorgt voor een bombastisch geheel. Aan het slot van de Punk horen we het intoductie-thema tussen het punkgeweld door terugkomen.

for two Clarinets two Horns and two Bassoons-The Serenade in E-flat K.375 exists in two versions one for two clarinets two horns and two bassoons and another for the same forces plus two oboes forming an octet.From Mozart himself we know a fair amount about the occasion that led to the first six-instrument version of this work and about its early performances. Written for the sister-in-law of the court painter Hickl it probably originated toward the end of September or the beginning of October in 1781 and was first performed on 15 October the name-day of St. Theresa.The octet version probably arose in the summer of the following year. It is far more than a mechanical expansion of the sextetwith the oboes merely reinforcing the clarinets colla parte. Not only did Mozart take advantage of the occasion to make changes in the articulation and the dynamics he also altered the work’s melodic substance and formal design. The two additional high-register instruments allowed him to achieve more subtle distinctions and gradations of timbre thereby enabling him for example to vary the timbral homogeneity of the two clarinets. The opportunity arose to divide melodic phrases among the clarinets and oboes or to make them more brilliant and incisive by doubling them at the unison or octave.- scored for Clarinet (in B-flat) (2) Horn (2) Bassoon (2)- Urtext of the New Mozart Edition- Parts (BA5334) and study score both versions format 22.5 x 16.5cm (TP315) available for sale

This is an updated edition of Francis Poulenc's 1957 work Sonata For Flute And Piano, edited by Carl Schmidt. Featuring the full score and separate Clarinet part, this exclusive edition also includes a download card, giving you instant online access to demonstration and accompaniment tracks.After having begun a Sonata for Flute as early as 1952, questions arose over whether Poulenc would be able to complete this work on top of his various other compositions at the time. The piece was, thankfully, finally finished after being commissioned by Harold Spivacke, the Chief of the Music Division of the Library of Congress, for a festival in honour of Elizabeth Coolidge. The world premiere, at Poulenc's request, took place at the Strasbourg Music Festival, performed by renowned flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, while the American premiere took place in the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress. This new edition includes an extensive introduction to the piece, a detailing of the different sources that were used, and the inherent difficulty of compiling such an edition as this, all in English, French and German. Furthermore, an in-depth discussion of the problems of authority, as well as a vast number of critical notes is included, giving a true sense of the care and attention that has gone into producing this new edition of Poulenc's Sonata For Flute And Piano. At all points, Schmidt has aimed to reproduce an authoritative and accurate score that is at once playable and a reflection of what Poulenc himself may have intended.What makes this edition of Sonata For Flute And Piano really special is the unique download card that provides exclusive online access to demonstration and accompaniment audio tracks. Professionally-recorded by renowned flautist Michael Cox and pianist Huw Watkins, the demonstration track allows you to hear exactly how the piece as a whole should sound, before the independent Piano-only track lets you take the place of the flautist in your very own performance. This is a unique opportunity for flautists to learn from an authoritative score, and play along to a special backing track, with a work that, since its premiere, has become one of the most frequently-performed and well-loved works in the Flute repertoire.For flautist fans of Francis Poulenc, lovers of Les Six, or just players with a proclivity for stunning music, this edition of Sonata For Flute And Piano has been a long-time coming, and now it's available in this unique edition with accompanying download card. / Flûte Et Piano

Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen’s (1964) way of composing can be described as: uncompromising wilful and contemporary. It is not surprising therefore that this occasionally causes a stir. In the middle of the Seventies a trend arose in youth culture which was characterized by provocation distrust of the great ideologies and the autonomy of the individual. Punk is playful aggressive often humorous and anti-everything which inevitably leads to self-irony. The first part of Aagaard-Nielsen’s composition (Introduction) is a texture based mainly on one short theme. This pompous theme breathes a spirit of cold empty plains where icy winds sigh around yourhead. In the vehement Punk (Presto barbaro!) there is no longer any question of a theme. The basis for this part is formed by a repetitive motif (a descending minor third). This motif is alternated with very powerful percussion beats and later on shrill harmonies.

The Sunday Singer is a choral publication for smaller-sized church choirs that consists of several accessible anthems representing original works and arrangements of hymns and contemporary favorites. For each title specialattention has been given to voice leading limited vocal ranges and carefully crafted piano accompaniments. Published two times a year The Sunday Singer will serve as a valuable resource for your choir throughout thechurch year.The Spring/Easter 2010 issue includes six titles: Thank You Lord (arr. Marty Parks) • God of Grace and God of Glory (arr. Keith Christopher) • Easter Morning Medley (Christ the Lord Is RisenToday; Christ Arose) (arr. Gary Lanier) • The Cross Says Come (arr. Camp Kirkland) • Out of Love He Broke the Bread (John Parker/Benjamin Harlan) • House of the Lord (Keith Wilkerson). Available separately: ChoralBook Preview CD ChoirTrax CD (Split-Trax Instruments Only) Kit (10 Choral Books 1 ChoirTrax CD 1 Preview CD) Preview Pak (1 Choral Book 1 Preview CD) Choral Book 10-Pak Preview CD 10-Pak.

This is the Vocal Score for composer Patrick Hawes' beautiful work The Angel Of Mons featuring all six movements. This work is arranged for solo Soprano and SATB Chorus with a Piano reduction and was composed in memory of the British soldiers who supposedly witnessed an apparition of an angel during World War I. The premiere of The Angel Of Mons was on 23rd August 2014 in St Michael and All Angels Church Edenham Lincolnshire and conducted by Patrick Hawes himself on the exact centenary of the apparition of the angel. The inspiration comes from a mythical story around theBattle of Mons during World War One where a group of soldiers supposedly received divine help from 'angels'. The story arose from a fictional short story by a writer that came to be known as fact despite the author's desperate pleas otherwise. The work lasts approximately 25 minutes and therefore would make for a hugely enjoyable concert especially a World War I memorial concert.  The Full Score can also be purchased separately  here.

Everest is the name of a restaurant on the 40th floor of a skyscraper in Chicago. In 2003 the composer Jacob de Haan had dinner there together with his publishers and other fellow composers. The idea of composing a march to honour the excellent cuisine the magnificent view of the skyline and the pleasant atmosphere in the restaurant arose during the visit. The results can be heard in this delightful and unusual work.

This is the Full Score for composer Patrick Hawes' beautiful work The Angel Of Mons featuring all six movements. This work is arranged for solo Soprano SATB Chorus Harp and Strings and was composed in memory of the British soldiers who supposedly witnessed an apparition of an angel during World War I. The premiere of The Angel Of Mons was on 23rd August 2014 in St Michael and All Angels Church Edenham Lincolnshire and conducted by Patrick Hawes himself on the exact centenary of the apparition of the angel. The inspiration comes from a mythical story around the Battle of Monsduring World War One where a group of soldiers supposedly received divine help from 'angels'. The story arose from a fictional short story by a writer that came to be known as fact despite the author's desperate pleas otherwise. The work lasts approximately 25 minutes and therefore would make for a hugely enjoyable concert especially a World War I memorial concert.  The Vocal Score can also be purchased separately  here.