Par L'ESTRANGE ALEXANDER. Another Christmas was inspired by the breath-taking winter scenery and the carols that composer Alexander L'Estrange had just been singing on a trip to Switzerland with co-writer Peter Gritton. Although written in a ?light? style, it has a message for all of us, particularly those that have grown weary of, or disillusioned with, Christmas! This piece is part of the Faber Choral Singles series, offering a selection of beautifully crafted arrangements in a diversity of musical styles. From Broadway, pop and folk to spirituals, gospel and original works, the series is arranged for 3 part choirs (soprano, alto and a combined male-voice part) providing flexibility for any choir. Complete with straight-forward piano accompaniments supporting the vocal lines, the Faber Choral Singles series guarantees the perfect repertoire for every occasion ? so get exploring and get singing! / Choral Music / Répertoire / Voix Mixtes SAB et Piano

Par DOBSON SIMON. Firefly was composed by award-winning composer Simon Dobson (b.1981) to provide an entertaining up-tempo concert work for community and youth bands. Composed in funk-rock style, and is based on the groove beat with which it opens. Dobson says, 'Firefly was written as a break from my more serious music and as a 'hat tip' to the various types of beat orientated music I listen to.” It was first performed by Oslofjord Brass in Norway and in its wind version by Harmonie Shostakovich, Switzerland. Duration: 5-6 minutes. INSTRUMENTATION: Pic, fl1 (2), fl.2 (2), ob, bsn, Eflat cl., cl. 1 (2), cl.2 (2), cl. 3(2), bass cl. - alto sax (2), tenor sax, bar. Sax - 5 tpts in B flat (5), 4 horns in F (2 optional) (4), 3 tbns, euph (2), tuba)2) - double bass - timp and kit / Répertoire / Conducteur

Par DOBSON SIMON. Firefly was composed by award-winning composer Simon Dobson (b.1981) to provide an entertaining uptempo concert work for community and youth bands. Composed in funk-rock style, and is based on the groove beat with which it opens. Dobson says, 'Firefly was written as a break from my more serious music and as a 'hat tip' to the various types of beat orientated music I listen to.” It was first performed by Oslofjord Brass in Norway and in its wind version by Harmonie Shostakovich, Switzerland. Duration: 5-6 minutes. INSTRUMENTATION: 1 Eflat Sop. Cornet, Solo Cornets (4), Bflat Rep. Cornet (1), 2nd Bflat, Cornets (2), 3rd Bflat Cornets (2) - Flugel horn, Solo Eflat Horn, 1st Eflat Horn, 2nd Eflat Horn - 1st Bflat Bar., 1 2nd Bflat Bar., 1st Trombone, 2nd Trombone, Bass Trombone - Bflat Euphoniums (2) - Eflat Tubas (2) - Bflat Tubas (2) - 2 percussion/ Répertoire / Conducteur

Par SPARKE PHILIP. MASQUERADE was commissioned by Stadtmusik Willisau from Switzerland (Reto Güdel, conductor) to celebrate their 175th anniversary in 2003 and first performed by them in November that year. 1. OvertureThe first movement opens with a fanfare-like figure, featuring the brass, before the main them is introduced over staccato chords. After a short, syncopated interlude a legato theme is introduced in the tenor register and material is developed until the music slows temporarily. The opening theme returns and the ‘tenor’ tune is taken up by the whole band until the opening fanfare returns to close the movement. 2. ElegyThe slow movement opens intensely with a bare two-part theme, whichleads to a passionate chorale-style melody. A second theme is introduced and leads to a climax, a return of the chorale theme and a pianissimo repeat which again leads to a full-band climax. The two-part theme returns quietly to create a peaceful close. 3 InterludeA short movement which changes the mood to introduce:- 4 FinaleThree violent chords preface a lively syncopated opening theme. The trumpets introduce a second idea, which is treated fugally, and this in turn leads to the main melodic idea of the movement, over staccato chords. A contrasting subject is then introduced in the middle of the band, followed by echoes of the first movement fanfare. The opening theme returns and material is revisited until the opening fanfare returns in full to end the work triumphantly. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par TCHAIKOVSKI PIOTR ILITCH. Souvenir d'un Lieu Cher (Memories of a Dear Place) is a collection of three pieces for violin and piano. The first - Méditation - was written in Clarens in Switzerland in March 1878. Tchaikovsky originally intended it to be the slow movement of his violin concerto, but later replaced it with the more substantial Canzonetta and recast it for violin and piano. The other two movements were composed in May of the same year on the estate of his benefactress, Nadeja von Meck at Brailovo in Ukraine which is the 'dear place' of the title. It was published in in May 1879. The work is very characteristic of Tchaikovsky's style. It is built on beautiful melodies, with a Russian folk inflection, and contains a variety of contrasting sections. The outer movements are written in a gentle lyrical style, whereas the scherzo is fast and furious creating a mood of stormy anger. The trio section is based on a simple melody with a tinge of sadness about it. The solo part exemplifies Tchaikovsky's mastery of violin writing, using as it does a wide range of timbres and effects. / Répertoire / Violon et Piano

Five Variations on the 'Brugg Song'. Par SPARKE PHILIP. Kaleidoscope is a set of five variations of on the ‘Brugger Lied’ (Brugg Song) which is the traditional song of the town of Brugg. The lyrics tell of the geography, people and traditions of this charming and historic town, which is situated in the north of Switzerland, near to the German border, about halfway between Basel and Zurich. Each variation is based on tiny extracts of the theme, the whole piece therefore resembling the effect of a kaleidoscope, which juxtaposes small fragments of colour in a constantly changing pattern. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Brass Band

Five Variations on the 'Brugg Song'. Par SPARKE PHILIP. Kaleidoscope is a set of five variations of on the ‘Brugger Lied’ (Brugg Song) which is the traditional song of the town of Brugg. The lyrics tell of the geography, people and traditions of this charming and historic town, which is situated in the north of Switzerland, near to the German border, about halfway between Basel and Zurich. Each variation is based on tiny extracts of the theme, the whole piece therefore resembling the effect of a kaleidoscope, which juxtaposes small fragments of colour in a constantly changing pattern. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Cette Méthode de Luth Baroque peut vous donner les bases techniques et musicales nécessaires à l?obtention d?une structure assez solide et complète du jeu du luth baroque. Et c?est là tout l?enjeu et le défi de l?écriture de cet ouvrage : donner, au plus grand nombre de passionnés, l?opportunité de s?exprimer à travers le luth baroque, et ce, indépendamment de leur niveau d?apprentissage. Notre livre est destiné non seulement à celui qui n?a jamais joué d?un instrument de musique, mais aussi au guitariste avisé qui veut s?initier aux mystères du luth baroque !

Mode d?emploi

Notre Méthode de Luth Baroque est divisée en trois parties.

La première partie, plutôt théorique, aidera à mieux comprendre la façon de jouer la musique écrite pour le luth baroque. Nous avons jugé indispensable d?avoir des connaissances élémentaires de solfège occidental mais aussi de la tablature (forme de notation musicale spécifique au luth). Ces connaissances, insuffisantes si étudiées de manière isolée, ont été enrichies d?un lexique des pièces instrumentales ainsi que de biographies de la plupart des compositeurs de musique pour luth baroque à 11 et 13 ch?urs.

En deuxième partie, nous avons dédié tout un chapitre à l?étude de la technique et de la production sonore du luth. Riche en photos et détails de toutes les étapes techniques que nous devrons franchir, ce chapitre est, sans aucun doute, le plus important de toute notre Méthode pour bien comprendre l?univers sonore du luth baroque ! Ensuite, nous vous proposons 21 exercices, tous d?un niveau élémentaire, mais progressifs, accompagnés de plusieurs pièces de musique. Vous allez d?abord jouer des mélodies pour ensuite ajouter les basses, et seulement après commencer à jouer les ornements.

En troisième partie, nous avons choisi près de 250 pièces pour luth baroque à 11 et 13 ch?urs. Ces pièces, divisées en trois niveaux, sont d?un degré de difficulté qui s?échelonne du niveau « débutant », « moyen » à « avancé ». Nous avons, tout comme à l?époque baroque, séparé ces pièces selon leurs tonalités et leur nom. Aussi, nous n?avons choisi que très peu de tonalités différentes, afin que le luthiste débutant puisse travailler l?essentiel de son instrument, au lieu de perdre son temps à essayer de s?accorder tout le temps et de jouer des morceaux bien trop complexes pour son niveau. Il n?y a pas de mauvaise musique mais, parfois, il y a de mauvais musiciens ! Faire de la musique n?est simplement pas jouer des notes et réaliser quelques acrobaties, souvent sans intérêt. Un musicien « mûr » se plaît le plus souvent à jouer une simple mélodie et à jouir des merveilles sonores de son instrument !

Nous espérons que cette méthode pourra aider ceux qui n?ont pas accès à un professeur (même si nous leur conseillons d?aller en voir un le plus régulièrement possible), mais aussi tous les professeurs n?ayant pas suffisamment de matériel pour faire travailler, d?une manière systématique, leurs élèves.
Bon courage à tous !
Miguel Yisrael - formerly Miguel Serdoura, now carrying the surname of his mother - was born in Lisbon, where he began his musical and artistic career, earning his Diploma in Classical Guitar in 1994. In 1995, he moved to Paris, where he studied the lute with Claire Antonini in the Early Music Department of the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris - CNR. He also took part in several master classes in his discipline, with Rolf Lislevand and other prestigious artists. From 1999 to 2004, he completed his musical education at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland with the grand maestro Hopkinson Smith.
As a soloist, Miguel Yisrael has given recitals in France, Portugal, United-Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, China and USA. In 2000, he took part in a television documentary devoted to the lutenist Hopkinson Smith, broadcast by Arte, Mezzo, Classica, RTBF and TSR. He currently lives and teaches baroque and renaissance lute in Paris, where he gives frequent concerts/lectures in the framework of the ?Musicien au Musée? program of the Musée de la Musique - Cité de la Musique in Paris.
Miguel Yisrael performs on lutes built by Cezar Mateus, Princeton, USA, and with strings from Mimmo Peruffo, Vicenza, Italy.
He recorded his first solo CD for the Dutch Label Brilliant Classics in 2008.

Première Année – Suisse (S160) - Trois Morceaux suisses (S156b). Par LISZT FRANZ. The three volumes of Années de pèlerinage ('Pilgrim Years') are among Liszt's most important compositions for piano solo. From dramatic-virtuoso to pensive-romantic music, the 29 'travel pieces' represent the complete range of Liszt's compositional expression. For the first time, this first volume of the trilogy, Suisse (Switzerland) is published together with the Trois Morceaux suisses, in line with the composer's original intention to combine all his Swiss-inspired character pieces into a single volume. The musical journey is supported by the inclusion of historical illustrations of the scenes and landscapes that inspired the composer. Edited by world-renowned Liszt expert and concert pianist Leslie Howard, the edition also contains Liszt's original fingerings./ Répertoire / Piano

Band 2: Österreich A, Belgien B, Schweiz CH, Deutschland D, Dänemark DK, Spanien E. / Recueil / Livre