Chamber Music Piano SKU: CF.PL1056 Composed by Clara Wieck-Schumann, Fran...(+)
Chamber Music Piano
SKU: CF.PL1056
Composed by Clara
Wieck-Schumann, Franz
Schubert, and Robert
Schumann. Edited by
Nicholas Hopkins.
Collection. With Standard
notation. 128 pages. Carl
Fischer Music #PL1056.
Published by Carl Fischer
Music (CF.PL1056).
ISBN 9781491153390.
UPC: 680160910892.
Transcribed by Franz
Liszt.
Introduction
It is true that Schubert
himself is somewhat to
blame for the very
unsatisfactory manner in
which his admirable piano
pieces are treated. He
was too immoderately
productive, wrote
incessantly, mixing
insignificant with
important things, grand
things with mediocre
work, paid no heed to
criticism, and always
soared on his wings. Like
a bird in the air, he
lived in music and sang
in angelic fashion.
--Franz Liszt, letter to
Dr. S. Lebert (1868) Of
those compositions that
greatly interest me,
there are only Chopin's
and yours. --Franz Liszt,
letter to Robert Schumann
(1838) She [Clara
Schumann] was astounded
at hearing me. Her
compositions are really
very remarkable,
especially for a woman.
There is a hundred times
more creativity and real
feeling in them than in
all the past and present
fantasias by Thalberg.
--Franz Liszt, letter to
Marie d'Agoult (1838)
Chretien Urhan
(1790-1845) was a
Belgian-born violinist,
organist and composer who
flourished in the musical
life of Paris in the
early nineteenth century.
According to various
accounts, he was deeply
religious, harshly
ascetic and wildly
eccentric, though revered
by many important and
influential members of
the Parisian musical
community. Regrettably,
history has forgotten
Urhan's many musical
achievements, the most
important of which was
arguably his pioneering
work in promoting the
music of Franz Schubert.
He devoted much of his
energies to championing
Schubert's music, which
at the time was unknown
outside of Vienna.
Undoubtedly, Urhan was
responsible for
stimulating this
enthusiasm in Franz
Liszt; Liszt regularly
heard Urhan's organ
playing in the
St.-Vincent-de-Paul
church in Paris, and the
two became personal
acquaintances. At
eighteen years of age,
Liszt was on the verge of
establishing himself as
the foremost pianist in
Europe, and this
awakening to Schubert's
music would prove to be a
profound experience.
Liszt's first travels
outside of his native
provincial Hungary were
to Vienna in 1821-1823,
where his father enrolled
him in studies with Carl
Czerny (piano) and
Antonio Salieri (music
theory). Both men had
important involvements
with Schubert; Czerny
(like Urhan) as performer
and advocate of
Schubert's music and
Salieri as his theory and
composition teacher from
1813-1817. Curiously,
Liszt and Schubert never
met personally, despite
their geographical
proximity in Vienna
during these years.
Inevitably, legends later
arose that the two had
been personal
acquaintances, although
Liszt would dismiss these
as fallacious: I never
knew Schubert personally,
he was once quoted as
saying. Liszt's initial
exposure to Schubert's
music was the Lieder,
what Urhan prized most of
all. He accompanied the
tenor Benedict
Randhartinger in numerous
performances of
Schubert's Lieder and
then, perhaps realizing
that he could benefit the
composer more on his own
terms, transcribed a
number of the Lieder for
piano solo. Many of these
transcriptions he would
perform himself on
concert tour during the
so-called Glanzzeit, or
time of splendor from
1839-1847. This publicity
did much to promote
reception of Schubert's
music throughout Europe.
Once Liszt retired from
the concert stage and
settled in Weimar as a
conductor in the 1840s,
he continued to perform
Schubert's orchestral
music, his Symphony No. 9
being a particular
favorite, and is credited
with giving the world
premiere performance of
Schubert's opera Alfonso
und Estrella in 1854. At
this time, he
contemplated writing a
biography of the
composer, which
regrettably remained
uncompleted. Liszt's
devotion to Schubert
would never waver.
Liszt's relationship with
Robert and Clara Schumann
was far different and far
more complicated; by
contrast, they were all
personal acquaintances.
What began as a
relationship of mutual
respect and admiration
soon deteriorated into
one of jealousy and
hostility, particularly
on the Schumann's part.
Liszt's initial contact
with Robert's music
happened long before they
had met personally, when
Liszt published an
analysis of Schumann's
piano music for the
Gazette musicale in 1837,
a gesture that earned
Robert's deep
appreciation. In the
following year Clara met
Liszt during a concert
tour in Vienna and
presented him with more
of Schumann's piano
music. Clara and her
father Friedrich Wieck,
who accompanied Clara on
her concert tours, were
quite taken by Liszt: We
have heard Liszt. He can
be compared to no other
player...he arouses
fright and astonishment.
His appearance at the
piano is indescribable.
He is an original...he is
absorbed by the piano.
Liszt, too, was impressed
with Clara--at first the
energy, intelligence and
accuracy of her piano
playing and later her
compositions--to the
extent that he dedicated
to her the 1838 version
of his Etudes d'execution
transcendante d'apres
Paganini. Liszt had a
closer personal
relationship with Clara
than with Robert until
the two men finally met
in 1840. Schumann was
astounded by Liszt's
piano playing. He wrote
to Clara that Liszt had
played like a god and had
inspired indescribable
furor of applause. His
review of Liszt even
included a heroic
personification with
Napoleon. In Leipzig,
Schumann was deeply
impressed with Liszt's
interpretations of his
Noveletten, Op. 21 and
Fantasy in C Major, Op.
17 (dedicated to Liszt),
enthusiastically
observing that, I feel as
if I had known you twenty
years. Yet a variety of
events followed that
diminished Liszt's glory
in the eyes of the
Schumanns. They became
critical of the cult-like
atmosphere that arose
around his recitals, or
Lisztomania as it came to
be called; conceivably,
this could be attributed
to professional jealousy.
Clara, in particular,
came to loathe Liszt,
noting in a letter to
Joseph Joachim, I despise
Liszt from the depths of
my soul. She recorded a
stunning diary entry a
day after Liszt's death,
in which she noted, He
was an eminent keyboard
virtuoso, but a dangerous
example for the
young...As a composer he
was terrible. By
contrast, Liszt did not
share in these negative
sentiments; no evidence
suggests that he had any
ill-regard for the
Schumanns. In Weimar, he
did much to promote
Schumann's music,
conducting performances
of his Scenes from Faust
and Manfred, during a
time in which few
orchestras expressed
interest, and premiered
his opera Genoveva. He
later arranged a benefit
concert for Clara
following Robert's death,
featuring Clara as
soloist in Robert's Piano
Concerto, an event that
must have been
exhilarating to witness.
Regardless, her opinion
of him would never
change, despite his
repeated gestures of
courtesy and respect.
Liszt's relationship with
Schubert was a spiritual
one, with music being the
one and only link between
the two men. That with
the Schumanns was
personal, with music
influenced by a hero
worship that would
aggravate the
relationship over time.
Nonetheless, Liszt would
remain devoted to and
enthusiastic for the
music and achievements of
these composers. He would
be a vital force in
disseminating their music
to a wider audience, as
he would be with many
other composers
throughout his career.
His primary means for
accomplishing this was
the piano transcription.
Liszt and the
Transcription
Transcription versus
Paraphrase Transcription
and paraphrase were
popular terms in
nineteenth-century music,
although certainly not
unique to this period.
Musicians understood that
there were clear
distinctions between
these two terms, but as
is often the case these
distinctions could be
blurred. Transcription,
literally writing over,
entails reworking or
adapting a piece of music
for a performance medium
different from that of
its original; arrangement
is a possible synonym.
Adapting is a key part of
this process, for the
success of a
transcription relies on
the transcriber's ability
to adapt the piece to the
different medium. As a
result, the pre-existing
material is generally
kept intact, recognizable
and intelligible; it is
strict, literal,
objective. Contextual
meaning is maintained in
the process, as are
elements of style and
form. Paraphrase, by
contrast, implies
restating something in a
different manner, as in a
rewording of a document
for reasons of clarity.
In nineteenth-century
music, paraphrasing
indicated elaborating a
piece for purposes of
expressive virtuosity,
often as a vehicle for
showmanship. Variation is
an important element, for
the source material may
be varied as much as the
paraphraser's imagination
will allow; its purpose
is metamorphosis.
Transcription is adapting
and arranging;
paraphrasing is
transforming and
reworking. Transcription
preserves the style of
the original; paraphrase
absorbs the original into
a different style.
Transcription highlights
the original composer;
paraphrase highlights the
paraphraser.
Approximately half of
Liszt's compositional
output falls under the
category of transcription
and paraphrase; it is
noteworthy that he never
used the term
arrangement. Much of his
early compositional
activities were
transcriptions and
paraphrases of works of
other composers, such as
the symphonies of
Beethoven and Berlioz,
vocal music by Schubert,
and operas by Donizetti
and Bellini. It is
conceivable that he
focused so intently on
work of this nature early
in his career as a means
to perfect his
compositional technique,
although transcription
and paraphrase continued
well after the technique
had been mastered; this
might explain why he
drastically revised and
rewrote many of his
original compositions
from the 1830s (such as
the Transcendental Etudes
and Paganini Etudes) in
the 1850s. Charles Rosen,
a sympathetic interpreter
of Liszt's piano works,
observes, The new
revisions of the
Transcendental Etudes are
not revisions but concert
paraphrases of the old,
and their art lies in the
technique of
transformation. The
Paganini etudes are piano
transcriptions of violin
etudes, and the
Transcendental Etudes are
piano transcriptions of
piano etudes. The
principles are the same.
He concludes by noting,
Paraphrase has shaded off
into
composition...Composition
and paraphrase were not
identical for him, but
they were so closely
interwoven that
separation is impossible.
The significance of
transcription and
paraphrase for Liszt the
composer cannot be
overstated, and the
mutual influence of each
needs to be better
understood. Undoubtedly,
Liszt the composer as we
know him today would be
far different had he not
devoted so much of his
career to transcribing
and paraphrasing the
music of others. He was
perhaps one of the first
composers to contend that
transcription and
paraphrase could be
genuine art forms on
equal par with original
pieces; he even claimed
to be the first to use
these two terms to
describe these classes of
arrangements. Despite the
success that Liszt
achieved with this type
of work, others viewed it
with circumspection and
criticism. Robert
Schumann, although deeply
impressed with Liszt's
keyboard virtuosity, was
harsh in his criticisms
of the transcriptions.
Schumann interpreted them
as indicators that
Liszt's virtuosity had
hindered his
compositional development
and suggested that Liszt
transcribed the music of
others to compensate for
his own compositional
deficiencies.
Nonetheless, Liszt's
piano transcriptions,
what he sometimes called
partitions de piano (or
piano scores), were
instrumental in promoting
composers whose music was
unknown at the time or
inaccessible in areas
outside of major European
capitals, areas that
Liszt willingly toured
during his Glanzzeit. To
this end, the
transcriptions had to be
literal arrangements for
the piano; a Beethoven
symphony could not be
introduced to an
unknowing audience if its
music had been subjected
to imaginative
elaborations and
variations. The same
would be true of the 1833
transcription of
Berlioz's Symphonie
fantastique (composed
only three years
earlier), the
astonishingly novel
content of which would
necessitate a literal and
intelligible rendering.
Opera, usually more
popular and accessible
for the general public,
was a different matter,
and in this realm Liszt
could paraphrase the
original and manipulate
it as his imagination
would allow without
jeopardizing its
reception; hence, the
paraphrases on the operas
of Bellini, Donizetti,
Mozart, Meyerbeer and
Verdi. Reminiscence was
another term coined by
Liszt for the opera
paraphrases, as if the
composer were reminiscing
at the keyboard following
a memorable evening at
the opera. Illustration
(reserved on two
occasions for Meyerbeer)
and fantasy were
additional terms. The
operas of Wagner were
exceptions. His music was
less suited to paraphrase
due to its general lack
of familiarity at the
time. Transcription of
Wagner's music was thus
obligatory, as it was of
Beethoven's and Berlioz's
music; perhaps the
composer himself insisted
on this approach. Liszt's
Lieder Transcriptions
Liszt's initial
encounters with
Schubert's music, as
mentioned previously,
were with the Lieder. His
first transcription of a
Schubert Lied was Die
Rose in 1833, followed by
Lob der Tranen in 1837.
Thirty-nine additional
transcriptions appeared
at a rapid pace over the
following three years,
and in 1846, the Schubert
Lieder transcriptions
would conclude, by which
point he had completed
fifty-eight, the most of
any composer. Critical
response to these
transcriptions was highly
favorable--aside from the
view held by
Schumann--particularly
when Liszt himself played
these pieces in concert.
Some were published
immediately by Anton
Diabelli, famous for the
theme that inspired
Beethoven's variations.
Others were published by
the Viennese publisher
Tobias Haslinger (one of
Beethoven's and
Schubert's publishers in
the 1820s), who sold his
reserves so quickly that
he would repeatedly plead
for more. However,
Liszt's enthusiasm for
work of this nature soon
became exhausted, as he
noted in a letter of 1839
to the publisher
Breitkopf und Hartel:
That good Haslinger
overwhelms me with
Schubert. I have just
sent him twenty-four new
songs (Schwanengesang and
Winterreise), and for the
moment I am rather tired
of this work. Haslinger
was justified in his
demands, for the Schubert
transcriptions were
received with great
enthusiasm. One Gottfried
Wilhelm Fink, then editor
of the Allgemeine
musikalische Zeitung,
observed of these
transcriptions: Nothing
in recent memory has
caused such sensation and
enjoyment in both
pianists and audiences as
these arrangements...The
demand for them has in no
way been satisfied; and
it will not be until
these arrangements are
seen on pianos
everywhere. They have
indeed made quite a
splash. Eduard Hanslick,
never a sympathetic
critic of Liszt's music,
acknowledged thirty years
after the fact that,
Liszt's transcriptions of
Schubert Lieder were
epoch-making. There was
hardly a concert in which
Liszt did not have to
play one or two of
them--even when they were
not listed on the
program. These
transcriptions quickly
became some of his most
sough-after pieces,
despite their extreme
technical demands.
Leading pianists of the
day, such as Clara Wieck
and Sigismond Thalberg,
incorporated them into
their concert programs
immediately upon
publication. Moreover,
the transcriptions would
serve as inspirations for
other composers, such as
Stephen Heller, Cesar
Franck and later Leopold
Godowsky, all of whom
produced their own
transcriptions of
Schubert's Lieder. Liszt
would transcribe the
Lieder of other composers
as well, including those
by Mendelssohn, Chopin,
Anton Rubinstein and even
himself. Robert Schumann,
of course, would not be
ignored. The first
transcription of a
Schumann Lied was the
celebrated Widmung from
Myrten in 1848, the only
Schumann transcription
that Liszt completed
during the composer's
lifetime. (Regrettably,
there is no evidence of
Schumann's regard of this
transcription, or even if
he was aware of it.) From
the years 1848-1881,
Liszt transcribed twelve
of Robert Schumann's
Lieder (including one
orchestral Lied) and
three of Clara (one from
each of her three
published Lieder cycles);
he would transcribe no
other works of these two
composers. The Schumann
Lieder transcriptions,
contrary to those of
Schubert, are literal
arrangements, posing, in
general, far fewer
demands on the pianist's
technique. They are
comparatively less
imaginative in their
treatment of the original
material. Additionally,
they seem to have been
less valued in their day
than the Schubert
transcriptions, and it is
noteworthy that none of
the Schumann
transcriptions bear
dedications, as most of
the Schubert
transcriptions do. The
greatest challenge posed
by Lieder transcriptions,
regardless of the
composer or the nature of
the transcription, was to
combine the vocal and
piano parts of the
original such that the
character of each would
be preserved, a challenge
unique to this form of
transcription. Each part
had to be intact and
aurally recognizable, the
vocal line in particular.
Complications could be
manifold in a Lied that
featured dissimilar
parts, such as Schubert's
Auf dem Wasser zu singen,
whose piano accompaniment
depicts the rocking of
the boat on the
shimmering waves while
the vocal line reflects
on the passing of time.
Similar complications
would be encountered in
Gretchen am Spinnrade, in
which the ubiquitous
sixteenth-note pattern in
the piano's right hand
epitomizes the
ever-turning spinning
wheel over which the
soprano voice expresses
feelings of longing and
heartache. The resulting
transcriptions for solo
piano would place
exceptional demands on
the pianist. The
complications would be
far less imposing in
instances in which voice
and piano were less
differentiated, as in
many of Schumann's Lieder
that Liszt transcribed.
The piano parts in these
Lieder are true
accompaniments for the
voice, providing harmonic
foundation and rhythmic
support by doubling the
vocal line throughout.
The transcriptions, thus,
are strict and literal,
with far fewer demands on
both pianist and
transcriber. In all of
Liszt's Lieder
transcriptions,
regardless of the way in
which the two parts are
combined, the melody
(i.e. the vocal line) is
invariably the focal
point; the melody should
sing on the piano, as if
it were the voice. The
piano part, although
integral to contributing
to the character of the
music, is designed to
function as
accompaniment. A singing
melody was a crucial
objective in
nineteenth-century piano
performance, which in
part might explain the
zeal in transcribing and
paraphrasing vocal music
for the piano. Friedrich
Wieck, father and teacher
of Clara Schumann,
stressed this point
repeatedly in his 1853
treatise Clavier und
Gesang (Piano and Song):
When I speak in general
of singing, I refer to
that species of singing
which is a form of
beauty, and which is a
foundation for the most
refined and most perfect
interpretation of music;
and, above all things, I
consider the culture of
beautiful tones the basis
for the finest possible
touch on the piano. In
many respects, the piano
and singing should
explain and supplement
each other. They should
mutually assist in
expressing the sublime
and the noble, in forms
of unclouded beauty. Much
of Liszt's piano music
should be interpreted
with this concept in
mind, the Lieder
transcriptions and opera
paraphrases, in
particular. To this end,
Liszt provided numerous
written instructions to
the performer to
emphasize the vocal line
in performance, with
Italian directives such
as un poco marcato il
canto, accentuato assai
il canto and ben
pronunziato il canto.
Repeated indications of
cantando,singend and
espressivo il canto
stress the significance
of the singing tone. As
an additional means of
achieving this and
providing the performer
with access to the
poetry, Liszt insisted,
at what must have been a
publishing novelty at the
time, on printing the
words of the Lied in the
music itself. Haslinger,
seemingly oblivious to
Liszt's intent, initially
printed the poems of the
early Schubert
transcriptions separately
inside the front covers.
Liszt argued that the
transcriptions must be
reprinted with the words
underlying the notes,
exactly as Schubert had
done, a request that was
honored by printing the
words above the
right-hand staff. Liszt
also incorporated a
visual scheme for
distinguishing voice and
accompaniment, influenced
perhaps by Chopin, by
notating the
accompaniment in cue
size. His transcription
of Robert Schumann's
Fruhlings Ankunft
features the vocal line
in normal size, the piano
accompaniment in reduced
size, an unmistakable
guide in a busy texture
as to which part should
be emphasized: Example 1.
Schumann-Liszt Fruhlings
Ankunft, mm. 1-2. The
same practice may be
found in the
transcription of
Schumann's An die Turen
will ich schleichen. In
this piece, the performer
must read three staves,
in which the baritone
line in the central staff
is to be shared between
the two hands based on
the stem direction of the
notes: Example 2.
Schumann-Liszt An die
Turen will ich
schleichen, mm. 1-5. This
notational practice is
extremely beneficial in
this instance, given the
challenge of reading
three staves and the
manner in which the vocal
line is performed by the
two hands. Curiously,
Liszt did not use this
practice in other
transcriptions.
Approaches in Lieder
Transcription Liszt
adopted a variety of
approaches in his Lieder
transcriptions, based on
the nature of the source
material, the ways in
which the vocal and piano
parts could be combined
and the ways in which the
vocal part could sing.
One approach, common with
strophic Lieder, in which
the vocal line would be
identical in each verse,
was to vary the register
of the vocal part. The
transcription of Lob der
Tranen, for example,
incorporates three of the
four verses of the
original Lied, with the
register of the vocal
line ascending one octave
with each verse (from low
to high), as if three
different voices were
participating. By the
conclusion, the music
encompasses the entire
range of Liszt's keyboard
to produce a stunning
climactic effect, and the
variety of register of
the vocal line provides a
welcome textural variety
in the absence of the
words. The three verses
of the transcription of
Auf dem Wasser zu singen
follow the same approach,
in which the vocal line
ascends from the tenor,
to the alto and to the
soprano registers with
each verse.
Fruhlingsglaube adopts
the opposite approach, in
which the vocal line
descends from soprano in
verse 1 to tenor in verse
2, with the second part
of verse 2 again resuming
the soprano register;
this is also the case in
Das Wandern from
Mullerlieder. Gretchen am
Spinnrade posed a unique
problem. Since the poem's
narrator is female, and
the poem represents an
expression of her longing
for her lover Faust,
variation of the vocal
line's register, strictly
speaking, would have been
impractical. For this
reason, the vocal line
remains in its original
register throughout,
relentlessly colliding
with the sixteenth-note
pattern of the
accompaniment. One
exception may be found in
the fifth and final verse
in mm. 93-112, at which
point the vocal line is
notated in a higher
register and doubled in
octaves. This sudden
textural change, one that
is readily audible, was a
strategic means to
underscore Gretchen's
mounting anxiety (My
bosom urges itself toward
him. Ah, might I grasp
and hold him! And kiss
him as I would wish, at
his kisses I should
die!). The transcription,
thus, becomes a vehicle
for maximizing the
emotional content of the
poem, an exceptional
undertaking with the
general intent of a
transcription. Registral
variation of the vocal
part also plays a crucial
role in the transcription
of Erlkonig. Goethe's
poem depicts the death of
a child who is
apprehended by a
supernatural Erlking, and
Schubert, recognizing the
dramatic nature of the
poem, carefully depicted
the characters (father,
son and Erlking) through
unique vocal writing and
accompaniment patterns:
the Lied is a dramatic
entity. Liszt, in turn,
followed Schubert's
characterization in this
literal transcription,
yet took it an additional
step by placing the
register of the father's
vocal line in the
baritone range, that of
the son in the soprano
range and that of the
Erlking in the highest
register, options that
would not have been
available in the version
for voice and piano.
Additionally, Liszt
labeled each appearance
of each character in the
score, a means for
guiding the performer in
interpreting the dramatic
qualities of the Lied. As
a result, the drama and
energy of the poem are
enhanced in this
transcription; as with
Gretchen am Spinnrade,
the transcriber has
maximized the content of
the original. Elaboration
may be found in certain
Lieder transcriptions
that expand the
performance to a level of
virtuosity not found in
the original; in such
cases, the transcription
approximates the
paraphrase. Schubert's Du
bist die Ruh, a paradigm
of musical simplicity,
features an uncomplicated
piano accompaniment that
is virtually identical in
each verse. In Liszt's
transcription, the
material is subjected to
a highly virtuosic
treatment that far
exceeds the original,
including a demanding
passage for the left hand
alone in the opening
measures and unique
textural writing in each
verse. The piece is a
transcription in
virtuosity; its art, as
Rosen noted, lies in the
technique of
transformation.
Elaboration may entail an
expansion of the musical
form, as in the extensive
introduction to Die
Forelle and a virtuosic
middle section (mm.
63-85), both of which are
not in the original. Also
unique to this
transcription are two
cadenzas that Liszt
composed in response to
the poetic content. The
first, in m. 93 on the
words und eh ich es
gedacht (and before I
could guess it), features
a twisted chromatic
passage that prolongs and
thereby heightens the
listener's suspense as to
the fate of the trout
(which is ultimately
caught). The second, in
m. 108 on the words
Betrogne an (and my blood
boiled as I saw the
betrayed one), features a
rush of
diminished-seventh
arpeggios in both hands,
epitomizing the poet's
rage at the fisherman for
catching the trout. Less
frequent are instances in
which the length of the
original Lied was
shortened in the
transcription, a tendency
that may be found with
certain strophic Lieder
(e.g., Der Leiermann,
Wasserflut and Das
Wandern). Another
transcription that
demonstrates Liszt's
readiness to modify the
original in the interests
of the poetic content is
Standchen, the seventh
transcription from
Schubert's
Schwanengesang. Adapted
from Act II of
Shakespeare's Cymbeline,
the poem represents the
repeated beckoning of a
man to his lover. Liszt
transformed the Lied into
a miniature drama by
transcribing the vocal
line of the first verse
in the soprano register,
that of the second verse
in the baritone register,
in effect, creating a
dialogue between the two
lovers. In mm. 71-102,
the dialogue becomes a
canon, with one voice
trailing the other like
an echo (as labeled in
the score) at the
distance of a beat. As in
other instances, the
transcription resembles
the paraphrase, and it is
perhaps for this reason
that Liszt provided an
ossia version that is
more in the nature of a
literal transcription.
The ossia version, six
measures shorter than
Schubert's original, is
less demanding
technically than the
original transcription,
thus representing an
ossia of transcription
and an ossia of piano
technique. The Schumann
Lieder transcriptions, in
general, display a less
imaginative treatment of
the source material.
Elaborations are less
frequently encountered,
and virtuosity is more
restricted, as if the
passage of time had
somewhat tamed the
composer's approach to
transcriptions;
alternatively, Liszt was
eager to distance himself
from the fierce
virtuosity of his early
years. In most instances,
these transcriptions are
literal arrangements of
the source material, with
the vocal line in its
original form combined
with the accompaniment,
which often doubles the
vocal line in the
original Lied. Widmung,
the first of the Schumann
transcriptions, is one
exception in the way it
recalls the virtuosity of
the Schubert
transcriptions of the
1830s. Particularly
striking is the closing
section (mm. 58-73), in
which material of the
opening verse (right
hand) is combined with
the triplet quarter notes
(left hand) from the
second section of the
Lied (mm. 32-43), as if
the transcriber were
attempting to reconcile
the different material of
these two sections.
Fruhlingsnacht resembles
a paraphrase by
presenting each of the
two verses in differing
registers (alto for verse
1, mm. 3-19, and soprano
for verse 2, mm. 20-31)
and by concluding with a
virtuosic section that
considerably extends the
length of the original
Lied. The original
tonalities of the Lieder
were generally retained
in the transcriptions,
showing that the tonality
was an important part of
the transcription
process. The infrequent
instances of
transposition were done
for specific reasons. In
1861, Liszt transcribed
two of Schumann's Lieder,
one from Op. 36 (An den
Sonnenschein), another
from Op. 27 (Dem roten
Roslein), and merged
these two pieces in the
collection 2 Lieder; they
share only the common
tonality of A major. His
choice for combining
these two Lieder remains
unknown, but he clearly
recognized that some
tonal variety would be
needed, for which reason
Dem roten Roslein was
transposed to C>= major.
The collection features
An den Sonnenschein in A
major (with a transition
to the new tonality),
followed by Dem roten
Roslein in C>= major
(without a change of key
signature), and
concluding with a reprise
of An den Sonnenschein in
A major. A three-part
form was thus established
with tonal variety
provided by keys in third
relations (A-C>=-A); in
effect, two of Schumann's
Lieder were transcribed
into an archetypal song
without words. In other
instances, Liszt treated
tonality and tonal
organization as important
structural ingredients,
particularly in the
transcriptions of
Schubert's Lieder cycles,
i.e. Schwanengesang,
Winterreise a...
(Over 850 Classical Themes and Melodies in the Original Keys) For C instrument. ...(+)
(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.
Chamber Music English Horn, Oboe SKU: CF.WF229 15 Pieces for Oboe and ...(+)
Chamber Music English
Horn, Oboe
SKU:
CF.WF229
15 Pieces
for Oboe and English
Horn. Composed by
Gustave Vogt. Edited by
Kristin Jean Leitterman.
Collection - Performance.
32+8 pages. Carl Fischer
Music #WF229. Published
by Carl Fischer Music
(CF.WF229).
Score and Parts.
Composed by Mohammed
Fairouz. Sws. Score and
parts. With Standard
notation. 68 pages.
Duration 25 minutes.
Theodore Presser Company
#114-41903. Published by
Theodore Presser Company
(PR.114419030).
ISBN
9781491114124. UPC:
680160669851. 9 x 12
inches.
A
fascination with
polycultural synergy
between diverse literary
textsdrives the
inspiration for much of
Mohammed Fairouz’s
prodigiouscreative
output, including
instrumental music as
well as vocal. Inhis
profound and extensive
essay preceding the
score, Fairouz shedslight
on how Edgar Allen
Poe’s “Israfel”
relates to the
prophetsand prophesies of
the Quran, Old Testament,
and New Testament.The
eight-movement quartet
may be heard as a
dramatic galleryof
portraits and of
story-telling,
flourishing in a
post-traditionallanguage
that is at once
vernacular and spiritual,
Middle Easternand
Western. The complete set
of score and parts is
included in
thispublication. (See
pages 2-3 of score for
clear distinction of
paragraphs,
etc.)Prophesies, by
Mohammed FairouzEdgar
Allen Poe’s rendition
of Israfel was the point
of departure for the
final movement of my
previous stringquartet
which is titled The Named
Angels. At the opening of
his poem, Poe evokes the
Quran:“And the angel
Israfel, whose
heartstrings are a lute,
and who has the sweetest
voice of all God’s
creatures.”This informs
the first lines of the
poem that, in turn, gave
me the title for the
final movement of The
Named
Angels,“Israfel’s
Spell”:In Heaven a
spirit doth dwell“Whose
heartstrings are a
lute”None sing so
wildly wellAs the angel
Israfel,And the giddy
stars (so legends
tell),Ceasing their
hymns, attend the spellOf
his voice, all mute.It is
the end of that poem,
however, that is the
starting point for the
current quartet,
Prophesies, which
concernsitself with
mortal prophets rather
than eternal Angelic
spirits.If I could
dwellWhere IsrafelHath
dwelt, and he where I,He
might not sing so wildly
wellA mortal melody,While
a bolder note than this
might swellFrom my lyre
within the sky.Islamic
thought has asked us to
look at the example of
the prophets. That’s
significant because of
the fact thatJoseph and
all the prophets were
human beings with the
flaws of human beings. No
prophet was perfect,
andIslamic tradition has
never asked its followers
to aspire to the example
of the Angels, the
perfected ones. Instead
weare given the gift of
our prophets. While The
Named Angels drew on the
motion and energy of
everlasting
spirits,Prophesies is a
depiction of the
movements within our own
mortal coil.This quartet
is a continuation of a
long tradition of Muslim
artists telling their
stories and singing their
songs.Many of these
renditions are, in fact,
figurative and (contrary
to popular belief) the
Quran contains no
“Islamicedict”
prohibiting figurative
renditions of the figures
described in the Old
Testament, New Testament,
or Quran.The majority of
artists, however, have
preferred eternal and
abstract forms such as
words and their
calligraphicrepresentatio
ns, poems (Yusuf and
Zuleikha or the
Conference of Birds come
immediately to mind),
architecture,and many
other non-figurative art
forms to the
representation of man.
These cold, ancient, and
everlasting shapesof
unending time flourished,
and the divine infinity
of representing geometric
forms gained favor over
the placementof the
explicit representation
of mankind and our own
likeness at the center of
the universes.Adding the
string quartet to these
forms which express the
recursive spheres of
heavens and earth
abstractly shouldexplain
why I have chosen to
render higher things
through the use of music
without the addition of
words or anyother
art-form. It is the
abstract art of pure
form, in which all is
form and all is content,
which compels me.
Thisquartet should be
seen as no more
programmatic than the
arches of the Great
Mosque at Cordoba.The
first movement, Yāqub
(Jacob), is slow, quiet
and prayerful. It evokes
the patient sorrow of a
slow choraledeveloping
over time as it coaxes
our pulse out of the
ticking of a clock-like
meter that defines our
day-to-day livesand into
a divine eternity.The
second, Saleh, imagines
the spirit of that
desert-prophet through
the use of a Liwa; the
dance-sequence that
hasbeen such a prevalent
form of expression in the
Arabian Peninsula for
much of our recorded
history.The third
movement is titled
Dawoōd, and it is
emblematic of the beloved
Prophet, King, and
Psalmist, David.Though it
has no lyrics, the
movement functions as a
dabkeh (an ancient dance
native to the Levant) and
also “sets”the
opening of Psalm 100
(Make a joyful noise unto
the Lord, all ye lands).
This line is never set to
music or sung inthe
quartet but is evoked
through the rhythmic
shape of the violin part
which imitates the
phonology and rhythmof my
speaking the opening line
in the Hebrew and
develops the contours of
that line incessantly
throughout
themovement.3The fourth
movement is an ode to
Yousef (Joseph) and
relates to the first
movement in tempo and
tone just as
Josephrelates to Jacob,
his father. Together, the
first and fourth
movements provide a sort
of Lamentation and
relief.Joseph had the
appearance of a noble
angel, but he was very
much a human being. And
the story of this
particularprophet had
tragic beginnings many
years before he found
himself in a position of
power in Egypt. Back in
his youth,still among the
Israelites, Joseph
experienced a series of
revelations through his
dreams that spoke of his
impendingcareer in
prophecy. He confided his
dreams to his father, the
Prophet Jacob, who told
his son of the greatness
thatawaited him in his
future only to have his
brothers throw him into a
well and leave him for
dead. Joseph
eventuallyfound his way
from Israel to Egypt and
rose out of slavery into
a position of power.
Meanwhile, famine engulfs
Israel.Forty years pass,
and back in the land of
Jacob and Rachel, of
Joseph’s brothers and
Abraham’s tribe, Israel
wasnot spared the effects
of the famine. They
sorely lacked Joseph’s
prophecy and his vision.
The Qur’an then tells
usthat Jacob, sensing
Joseph, sends the other
brothers to Egypt
instructing them to come
back with food and
grain.Arriving in Egypt,
they unwittingly appear
before Joseph. They
don’t recognize their
little brother who has
risen toa position of
might, dressed in his
Egyptian regalia. They
ask for the food and the
grain.After some
conversation, Joseph is
no longer able to contain
his emotion. Overcome, he
reveals himself to his
nowterrified brothers. He
embraces them. He asks
them eagerly, “How is
our father?” Joseph
gives them the gift of
thefood and the grain
that they came in search
of. He relieves them from
hunger and alleviates
their fear. He sendsthem
back with proof that he
is alive, and it is this
joyful proof from the
miraculous hands of a
prophet that bringsback
the ancient Jacob’s
vision after 40 years of
blindness.In this story,
I am struck by the fact
that Joseph may not have
made the decision to
forgive his brothers on
thespot, but that
something inside the
prophet’s soul found
forgiveness and peace for
the brothers who had so
gravelywronged him at
some point along his
journey. I would suspect
this point to have been
present at Joseph’s
inception,even before he
had ever been
wronged.This is proof, if
we needed it, that
Joseph’s angel-like
beauty was not only
physical and external,
but also internalas well:
Joseph possessed a
profound loveliness of
spirit that bound his
appearance and his soul.
In Joseph, formand soul
are one.Time is to
musicians what light is
to a painter. In this
way, the story of Joseph
also shows us that time
can affectour perception
of even the most tragic
wounds. In fact, the most
common Arabic word for
“human being” is
insaan,which shares its
roots with the word
insaa, “to forget.”
While our ability to
remember is essential to
how we learnabout
ourselves, our capacity
to “forgive and
forget” may also be one
of our great gifts as
human beings.The fifth
movement follows my ode
to Joseph with a
structural memory of
Mūsa (Moses). The
movement consistsentirely
of descending motifs
which I constructed as an
indication of Moses’
descending movement as he
emergedto his people from
the heights of Mt. Sinai.
The music is constructed
in five phrases which
function as a
formalreference to the
five books of Moses, the
Pentateuch. The movement
is placed as the fifth of
the quartet for the
samereason.While Joseph
is always evoked as
supremely beautiful in
the Books of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam,
Suleiman(Solomon) is
described as surpassing
in his quicksilver
intelligence. This
movement is composed of a
seven-partriddle which
passes by in an instant
but can be caught by the
attentive listener. From
Solomon, we work our
wayback to Yishak (Isaac)
in a seventh movement
that evokes Isaac’s
literal meaning in Arabic
and Hebrew: laughter.The
eighth and final movement
of this quartet is named
for the Patriarch of the
entire Book: Ibrahim
(Abraham). Itrelates to
Isaac just as Joseph
relates to Jacob; they
are father and son. The
lines are prayerful and
contemplative;the form of
the music evolves from a
fugue joining together
many different forms of
prayer into a single
tapestry ofcounterpoint,
to the cyclical form of
this entire quartet which
is rendered through the
motion of pilgrims
circling theKaaba (cube)
in Mecca — a structure
which was built by
Abraham for Hagaar and
their son Ismail.These
are just some of the
figures that are
cherished by all three of
the Middle Eastern
monotheisms
(Judaism,Christianity,
and Islam) that the
Qur’an refers to
collectively as Ahl
Al-Kitab. This Arabic
phrase is most
commonlytranslated as
“The People of the
Book,” but here the
most common translation
is a flawed one: the
Arabic word“ahl”
means “family” and
not just “people.” A
better translation would
be “Family of the
Book.” Each of the
eightmovements of
Prophesies grows from a
single musical cell.This
quartet is a family
album.—Mohammed Fairouz
(2018.
The Book of Urizen is Jacob de Haan his first Symphony for concert band, ...(+)
The Book of Urizen
is Jacob de Haan his
first Symphony for
concert band, solo
soprano, and a male
narrator in which sound
collages of expressions
are used. The piece is
inspired by the
compelling visionary poem
of the samename (which
the poet illustrated
himself) by the
Englishman William Blake
(1757-1827). The
Vision, first
movement and The
Creation, second
movement of The Book
of Urizen are
available by following
editionnumber: DHP
1043551. The Web,
the third movement of
The Book of Urizen
is available by the
following edition number:
DHP 1125252. Download the
audio samples here: track
1, track 2, track
3
In The Book
of Urizen - Jacob de
Haan zijn eerste symfonie
voor harmonieorkest,
zangstem (sopraan) en een
mannelijke spreekstem -
wordt gebruik gemaakt van
geluidscollages. De
compositie is ge
nspireerd op het
gelijknamigegedicht van
William Blake
(1757-1827). The
Vision, het eerste
deel en The
Creation, het tweede
deel van The Book of
Urizen zijn
beschikbaar via volgend
editienummer: DHP
1043551. The Web,
het derdedeel van The
Book of Urizen is
verkrijgbaar via
editienummer: DHP
1125252. Download
audiofragmenten hier:
track 1, track 2, track
3
The Book of
Urizen ist Jacob de
Haan seine erste
Symphonie für
Blasorchester, Gesang
(Sopran) und
(männliche)
Sprechstimme, in welcher
Botschaften durch
Geräuschcollagen
wiedergegeben werden. Als
Inspirationsquelle
dienteder gleichnamige
Gedichtzyklus des
großen englischen
Dichters und Malers
William Blake
(1757-1827). The
Vision, erster Satz
und The Creation,
zweiter Satz von The
Book of Urizen sind
unter der
folgendenEditionsnummer
erhältlich: DHP
1043551. The Web,
der dritte Satz von
The Book of Urizen , ist
unter der folgenden
Editionsnummer
erhältlich: DHP
1125252. Laden Sie hier
die Audiosamples
herunter: track 1, track
2,track 3
The Book of
Urizen is a work for
concert band, solo
soprano, and a male
narrator in which sound
collages of religious
expressions are used. The
piece is inspired by the
compelling visionary poem
of the same name (which
the poet
illustratedhimself) by
the Englishman William
Blake (1757-1827), who
occupies a unique
position in western
literature and the visual
arts. He was not just a
poet and a writer, but he
was also a graphic
artist, a painter, an
illustrator, a
spiritualist, areligious
visionary, and a mystic
philosopher. For the
performance of this work,
a professional sound
system, including two
microphones and a CD
player, is needed. The
three sound collages are
three separate tracks on
the enclosed CD and can
beplayed easily at the
right moment. The Book
of Urizen bears
resemblance to Genesis
and Exodus, of which the
contents form the basis
of the Christian, Jewish,
and Islamic faith. Blake
adhered to the principle
that all religions are in
fact one,and that deities
reside in human beings.
In The Book of
Urizen this is
represented in “The
Net of Religion,â€
which is spanned over the
earth by Urizen. The
sound collages, compiled
by Jacob de Haan in the
studio, find their origin
inJerusalem, the Holy
City, where the
afore-mentioned faiths
“come
together.†In the
first movement of
this composition, The
Vision, Urizen
prepares his vision of
the world, and he
presents this to the
“Eternals.â€
His vision is
rejected,and Urizen locks
himself up in his own
abstract world. When he
does emerge again, he is
confronted with rage by
the gathered Eternals.
Urizen flees the wrath of
the Eternals, “the
flames of eternal
fury,†and enwombs
himself in his own world.
Whenthe Eternals see
Urizen in his
“stony
sleep,†they wonder
if this is death. The
blacksmith Los is torn by
grief because of the
isolation of Urizen. It
brings him to rouse his
fires, prepare his forge,
and to give
Urizen’s world
concrete form. In
thesecond
movement, The
Creation,
Urizen’s world,
but also man, woman, and
child are created. Los is
horrified with the
appearance of
Urizen’s body. He
mourns and pities Urizen,
and from his blood a
female form comes into
being, with thename
Enitharmon. The Eternals,
fearful of the female
form, decide to erect a
tent to obstruct their
view to eternity.
Enitharmon and Los beget
a son, called Orc. Los
baptizes him as a child
of the “fallen
world.†Orc is fed
at Enitharmon’s
breast,which makes a
girdle of jealousy
restrict Los’
chest. He takes the child
to the top of the
mountain and chains him
down. The cries of Orc
awaken Urizen, who
explores his world
creating instruments of
scientific measurement to
do so. Los encircles
theface of Enitharmon
from the sight of Urizen
and Orc. She then
populates the earth by
giving birth to an
enormous race.The
Web, third movement
of The Book of
Urizen is now
available: DHP 1125252
Hymns
for Wind Ensemble.
Composed by Dan Welcher.
Folio. Set of Score and
Parts.
4+24+24+16+8+4+4+24+12+12
+8+4+4+4+4+8+8+8+8+4+4+4+
4+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+4+16+4+
8+4+8+8+4+4+4+48 pages.
Duration 10 minutes, 41
seconds. Theodore Presser
Company #165-00100.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.165001000).
ISBN
9781491129241. UPC:
680160669776. 9 x 12
inches.
Commissione
d for a consortium of
high school and college
bands in the north Dallas
region, FOR THEMYSTIC
HARMONY is a 10-minute
inspirational work in
homage to Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon,patrons
of the Fort Worth
Symphony and the Van
Cliburn Competition.
Welcher draws melodic
flavorfrom five American
hymns, spirituals, and
folk tunes of the 19th
century. The last of
these sources toappear is
the hymn tune For the
Beauty of the Earth,
whose third stanza is the
quatrain: “For the
joy of earand eye, For
the heart and
mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to sound
and sight,â€giving
rise to the work’s
title. This work,
commissioned for a
consortium of high school
bands in the north Dallas
area, is my fifteenth
maturework for wind
ensemble (not counting
transcriptions). When I
asked Todd Dixon, the
band director
whospearheaded this
project, what kind of a
work he most wanted, he
first said
“something
that’s basically
slow,†butwanted to
leave the details to me.
During a long subsequent
conversation, he
mentioned that his
grandparents,Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon, were
prime supporters of the
Fort Worth Symphony,
going so far as to
purchase anumber of high
quality instruments for
that orchestra. This
intrigued me, so I asked
more about his
grandparentsand was
provided an 80-page
biographical sketch.
Reading that article,
including a long section
about theirdevotion to
supporting a young man
through the rigors of the
Van Cliburn International
Piano Competition fora
number of years, moved me
very much. Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon
weren’t just
supporters of the arts;
theywere passionate
lovers of music and
musicians. I determined
to make this work a
testament to that love,
and tothe religious faith
that sustained them both.
The idea of using extant
hymns was also suggested
by Todd Dixon,and this
10-minute work is the
result.I have employed
existing melodies in
several works, delving
into certain kinds of
religious music more than
a fewtimes. In seeking
new sounds, new ways of
harmonizing old tunes,
and the contrapuntal
overlaying of one
tunewith another, I was
able to make works like
ZION (using 19th-century
Revivalist hymns) and
LABORING SONGS(using
Shaker melodies) reflect
the spirit of the
composers who created
these melodies, without
sounding likepastiches or
medleys. I determined to
do the same with this new
work, with the added
problem of
employingmelodies that
were more familiar. I
chose five tunes from the
19th century: hymns,
spirituals, and
folk-tunes.Some of these
are known by differing
titles, but they all
appear in hymnals of
various Christian
denominations(with
various titles and
texts). My idea was to
employ the tunes without
altering their notes,
instead using aconstantly
modulating sense of
harmony —
sometimes leading to
polytonal harmonizations
of what are
normallysimple four-chord
hymns.The work begins and
ends with a repeated
chime on the note C: a
reminder of steeples,
white clapboard
churchesin the country,
and small church organs.
Beginning with a
Mixolydian folk tune of
Caribbean origin
presentedtwice with
layered entrances, the
work starts with a
feeling of mystery and
gentle sorrow. It
proceeds, after along
transition, into a second
hymn that is sometimes
connected to the sea
(hence the sensation of
water andwaves throughout
it). This tune, by John
B. Dykes (1823-1876), is
a bit more chromatic and
“shifty†than
mosthymn-tunes, so I
chose to play with the
constant sensation of
modulation even more than
the original does. Atthe
climax, the familiar
spiritual “Were you
there?†takes over,
with a double-time
polytonal feeling
propelling itforward at
“Sometimes it
causes me to
tremble.â€Trumpets
in counterpoint raise the
temperature, and the
tempo as well, leading
the music into a third
tune (ofunknown
provenance, though it
appears with different
texts in various hymnals)
that is presented in a
sprightlymanner. Bassoons
introduce the melody, but
it is quickly taken up by
other instruments over
three
“verses,â€cons
tantly growing in
orchestration and volume.
A mysterious second tune,
unrelated to this one,
interrupts it inall three
verses, sending the
melody into unknown
regions.The final melody
is “For the Beauty
of the Earth.†This
tune by Conrad Kocher
(1786-1872) is commonly
sung atThanksgiving
— the perfect
choice to end this work
celebrating two people
known for their
generosity.Keeping the
sense of constant
modulation that has been
present throughout, I
chose to present this
hymn in threegrowing
verses, but with a twist:
every four bars, the
“key†of the
hymn seems to shift
— until the
“Lord of all,
toThee we praiseâ€
melody bursts out in a
surprising compound
meter. This, as it turns
out, was the
“mystery
tuneâ€heard earlier
in the piece. After an
Ivesian, almost polytonal
climax, the Coda begins
over a long B( pedal. At
first,it seems to be a
restatement of the first
two phrases of “For
the Beauty†with
long spaces between them,
but it soonchanges to a
series of
“Amenâ€
cadences, widely
separated by range and
color. These, too, do not
conform to anykey, but
instead overlay each
other in ways that are
unpredictable but
strangely comforting.The
third verse of “For
the Beauty of the
Earth†contains
this quatrain:“For
the joy of ear and eye,
–For the heart and
mind’s delightFor
the mystic harmonyLinking
sense to sound and
sightâ€and it was
from this poetry that I
drew the title for the
present work. It is my
hope that audiences and
performerswill find
within it a sense of
grace: more than a little
familiar, but also quite
new and unexpected.
Band Bass Clarinet, Bass
Drum, Bassoon 1, Bassoon
2, Bongos, Castanets,
Celesta, Clarinet,
Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2,
Clarinet 3, Contrabass
Clarinet, Contrabassoon,
English Horn, Euphonium,
Euphonium T.C., Flute 1,
Flute 2, Horn 1, Horn 2,
Horn 3 and more.
SKU:
PR.16500100F
Hymns
for Wind Ensemble.
Composed by Dan Welcher.
Sws. Full score. 48
pages. Duration 10
minutes, 41 seconds.
Theodore Presser Company
#165-00100F. Published by
Theodore Presser Company
(PR.16500100F).
ISBN
9781491114421. UPC:
680160669783. 9 x 12
inches.
Commissione
d for a consortium of
high school and college
bands in the north Dallas
region, FOR THEMYSTIC
HARMONY is a 10-minute
inspirational work in
homage to Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon,patrons
of the Fort Worth
Symphony and the Van
Cliburn Competition.
Welcher draws melodic
flavorfrom five American
hymns, spirituals, and
folk tunes of the 19th
century. The last of
these sources toappear is
the hymn tune For the
Beauty of the Earth,
whose third stanza is the
quatrain: “For the
joy of earand eye, For
the heart and
mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to sound
and sight,â€giving
rise to the work’s
title. This work,
commissioned for a
consortium of high school
bands in the north Dallas
area, is my fifteenth
maturework for wind
ensemble (not counting
transcriptions). When I
asked Todd Dixon, the
band director
whospearheaded this
project, what kind of a
work he most wanted, he
first said
“something
that’s basically
slow,†butwanted to
leave the details to me.
During a long subsequent
conversation, he
mentioned that his
grandparents,Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon, were
prime supporters of the
Fort Worth Symphony,
going so far as to
purchase anumber of high
quality instruments for
that orchestra. This
intrigued me, so I asked
more about his
grandparentsand was
provided an 80-page
biographical sketch.
Reading that article,
including a long section
about theirdevotion to
supporting a young man
through the rigors of the
Van Cliburn International
Piano Competition fora
number of years, moved me
very much. Norwood and
Elizabeth Dixon
weren’t just
supporters of the arts;
theywere passionate
lovers of music and
musicians. I determined
to make this work a
testament to that love,
and tothe religious faith
that sustained them both.
The idea of using extant
hymns was also suggested
by Todd Dixon,and this
10-minute work is the
result.I have employed
existing melodies in
several works, delving
into certain kinds of
religious music more than
a fewtimes. In seeking
new sounds, new ways of
harmonizing old tunes,
and the contrapuntal
overlaying of one
tunewith another, I was
able to make works like
ZION (using 19th-century
Revivalist hymns) and
LABORING SONGS(using
Shaker melodies) reflect
the spirit of the
composers who created
these melodies, without
sounding likepastiches or
medleys. I determined to
do the same with this new
work, with the added
problem of
employingmelodies that
were more familiar. I
chose five tunes from the
19th century: hymns,
spirituals, and
folk-tunes.Some of these
are known by differing
titles, but they all
appear in hymnals of
various Christian
denominations(with
various titles and
texts). My idea was to
employ the tunes without
altering their notes,
instead using aconstantly
modulating sense of
harmony —
sometimes leading to
polytonal harmonizations
of what are
normallysimple four-chord
hymns.The work begins and
ends with a repeated
chime on the note C: a
reminder of steeples,
white clapboard
churchesin the country,
and small church organs.
Beginning with a
Mixolydian folk tune of
Caribbean origin
presentedtwice with
layered entrances, the
work starts with a
feeling of mystery and
gentle sorrow. It
proceeds, after along
transition, into a second
hymn that is sometimes
connected to the sea
(hence the sensation of
water andwaves throughout
it). This tune, by John
B. Dykes (1823-1876), is
a bit more chromatic and
“shifty†than
mosthymn-tunes, so I
chose to play with the
constant sensation of
modulation even more than
the original does. Atthe
climax, the familiar
spiritual “Were you
there?†takes over,
with a double-time
polytonal feeling
propelling itforward at
“Sometimes it
causes me to
tremble.â€Trumpets
in counterpoint raise the
temperature, and the
tempo as well, leading
the music into a third
tune (ofunknown
provenance, though it
appears with different
texts in various hymnals)
that is presented in a
sprightlymanner. Bassoons
introduce the melody, but
it is quickly taken up by
other instruments over
three
“verses,â€cons
tantly growing in
orchestration and volume.
A mysterious second tune,
unrelated to this one,
interrupts it inall three
verses, sending the
melody into unknown
regions.The final melody
is “For the Beauty
of the Earth.†This
tune by Conrad Kocher
(1786-1872) is commonly
sung atThanksgiving
— the perfect
choice to end this work
celebrating two people
known for their
generosity.Keeping the
sense of constant
modulation that has been
present throughout, I
chose to present this
hymn in threegrowing
verses, but with a twist:
every four bars, the
“key†of the
hymn seems to shift
— until the
“Lord of all,
toThee we praiseâ€
melody bursts out in a
surprising compound
meter. This, as it turns
out, was the
“mystery
tuneâ€heard earlier
in the piece. After an
Ivesian, almost polytonal
climax, the Coda begins
over a long B( pedal. At
first,it seems to be a
restatement of the first
two phrases of “For
the Beauty†with
long spaces between them,
but it soonchanges to a
series of
“Amenâ€
cadences, widely
separated by range and
color. These, too, do not
conform to anykey, but
instead overlay each
other in ways that are
unpredictable but
strangely comforting.The
third verse of “For
the Beauty of the
Earth†contains
this quatrain:“For
the joy of ear and eye,
–For the heart and
mind’s delightFor
the mystic harmonyLinking
sense to sound and
sightâ€and it was
from this poetry that I
drew the title for the
present work. It is my
hope that audiences and
performerswill find
within it a sense of
grace: more than a little
familiar, but also quite
new and unexpected.
Guitar - Beginning SKU: MB.31103M Third Edition. Bluegrass, Wire b...(+)
Guitar - Beginning
SKU: MB.31103M
Third Edition.
Bluegrass, Wire bound.
World. Book and online
audio. 236 pages. Mel Bay
Publications, Inc
#31103M. Published by Mel
Bay Publications, Inc
(MB.31103M).
ISBN
9781513468792. 8.75x11.75
inches.
Adam Granger
self-published the first
edition of
Grangerâ??s Fiddle
Tunes for Guitar in
1979. A second edition
was published in 1994.
Now Mel Bay Publications
presents the third
edition of the
book.
This 236-page book
is the most extensive and
best-documented
collection of fiddle
tunes for the flatpicking
guitar player in
existence, and includes
reels, hoedowns,
hornpipes, rags,
breakdowns, jigs and
slip-jigs, presented in
Southern, Northern,
Irish, Canadian, Texas
and Old-time
styles.
There are 508
fiddle tunes referenced
under 2500 titles and
alternate titles. The
titles are fully indexed,
making the book doubly
valuable as a reference
book and a source
book.
In this new
edition, all tunes are
typeset, instead of being
handwritten as they were
in the previous editions,
making the tabs easier to
read.
The tunes in
Grangerâ??s Fiddle
Tunes for Guitar are
presented in Easytab, a
streamlined tablature
notation system designed
by Adam specifically for
fiddle
tunes.
The book comes
with a link which gives
access to mp3 recordings
by Adam of all 508 tunes,
each played once at a
moderate tempo, with
rhythm on one channel and
lead on the
other.
Also included in
Grangerâ??s Fiddle
Tunes for Guitar are
instructions for reading
Easytab, descriptions of
tune types presented in
the book, and primers on
traditional flatpicking
and rhythm guitar.
Additionally, there are
sections on timing,
ornamentation, technique,
and fingering, as well as
information on tune
sources and a history of
the
collection.
Mel Bay also
offers The Granger
Collection, by Bill
Nicholson, the same 508
tunes in standard music
notation.
String Quartet No.
3. Composed by
Shulamit Ran. Sws.
Contemporary. Full score.
With Standard notation.
Composed March 9 2013. 32
pages. Duration 23
minutes. Theodore Presser
Company #114-41690S.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.11441690S).
UPC:
680160626021. 9 x 12
inches.
Ran's third
string quartet was
written for the Pacifica
Quartet, who are
featuring it in numerous
performances from May
2014 through February
2016, across the country
and abroad. Their blog
page dedicated to the
work also features the
composer's notes, for
more indepth insight.
...impassioned solos
emerge from ominous
quiet, and high arpeggios
in the violins quiver
alongside the earthy
cello. Ms. Ran skillfully
deploys these extremes of
color, volume and pitch,
yet the overall somewhat
chilly impression is one
of poise. -- Zachary
Woolfe, The New York
Times. My third string
quartet was composed at
the invitation of the
Pacifica
Quartet, whose
music-making I have come
to know closely and
admire hugely as resident
artists at the University
of Chicago. Already
in our early
conversations Pacifica
proposed that this
quartet might, in some
manner, refer to the
visual arts as a point of
germination. Probing
further, I found out that
the quartet members had
special interest in art
created during the
earlier part of the 20th
century, perhaps between
the two world wars.Â
It was my good fortune to
have met, a short while
later, while in residence
at the American Academy
in Rome in the fall of
2011, art conservationist
Albert Albano who steered
me to the work of Felix
Nussbaum (1904-1944), a
German-Jewish painter
who, like so many others,
perished in the Holocaust
at a young age, and who
left some powerful,
deeply moving art that
spoke to the life that
was unraveling around
him. The title of my
string quartet takes its
inspiration from a major
exhibit devoted to art by
German artists of the
period of the Weimar
Republic (1919-1933)
titled “Glitter and
Doom: German Portraits
from the 1920sâ€,
first shown at New
York’s
Metropolitan Museum of
Art in 2006-07.Â
Nussbaum would have been
a bit too young to be
included in this
exhibit. His most
noteworthy art was
created in the last very
few years of his short
life. The
exhibit’s
evocative title, however,
suggested to me the idea
of “Glitter, Doom,
Shards, Memory†as
a way of framing a
possible musical
composition that would be
an homage to his life and
art, and to that of so
many others like him
during that era.
 Knowing that their
days were numbered, yet
intent on leaving a mark,
a legacy, a memory, their
art is triumph of the
human spirit over
annihilation. Parallel
to my wish to compose a
string quartet that,
typically for this genre,
would exist as
“pure musicâ€,
independent of a
narrative, was my desire
to effect an awareness in
my listener of matters
which are, to me, of
great human concern.
 To my mind there is
no contradiction between
the two goals. Â As in
several other works
composed since 1969, this
is my way of saying
‘do not
forget’, something
that, I believe, can be
done through music with
special power and
poignancy. Â Â The
individual titles of the
quartet’s four
movements give an
indication of some of the
emotional strands this
work explores. 1)
“That which
happened†(das was
geschah) – is how
the poet Paul Celan
referred to the Shoah
– the Holocaust.
 These simple words
served for me, in the
first movement, as a
metaphor for the way in
which an
“ordinaryâ€
life, with its daily flow
and its sense of sweet
normalcy, was shockingly,
inhumanely, inexplicably
shattered. 2)
“Menace†is a
shorter movement,
mimicking a Scherzo.
 It is also
machine-like, incessant,
with an occasional,
recurring, waltz-like
little tune –
perhaps the chilling
grimace we recognize from
the executioner’s
guillotine mask. Â Like
the death machine it
alludes to, it gathers
momentum as it goes, and
is
unstoppable. 3) â
If I must perish - do
not let my paintings
dieâ€; these words
are by Felix Nussbaum
who, knowing what was
ahead, nonetheless
continued painting till
his death in Auschwitz in
1944. Â If the heart of
the first movement is the
shuddering interruption
of life as we know it,
the third movement tries
to capture something of
what I can only imagine
to be the conflicting
states of mind that would
have made it possible,
and essential, to
continue to live and
practice one’s art
– bearing witness
to the events.
 Creating must have
been, for Nussbaum and
for so many others, a way
of maintaining sanity,
both a struggle and a
catharsis – an act
of defiance and salvation
all at the same
time. 4)
“Shards,
Memory†is a direct
reference to my
quartet’s title.
 Only shards are left.
 And memory.  The
memory is of things large
and small, of unspeakable
tragedy, but also of the
song and the dance, the
smile, the hopes. All
things human. Â As we
remember, in the face of
death’s silence,
we restore dignity to
those who are
gone.—Shulamit
Ran .
Guitar SKU: BT.MUSAM996996 Arranged by Russ Shipton. The Complete Guitar ...(+)
Guitar
SKU:
BT.MUSAM996996
Arranged by Russ Shipton.
The Complete Guitar
Player. Pop & Rock. Book
with CD. Wise
Publications
#MUSAM996996. Published
by Wise Publications
(BT.MUSAM996996).
ISBN
9781849380140.
English.
Th
e Complete Guitar
Player series
has taught hundreds of
thousands how to play and
the accompanying
songbooks have featured
hits by Paul Simon, Elvis
Presley, The Beatles,
John Denver and many
othertopartists.
N
ow these songbooks are
available in super value
omnibus editions like
this one. The songs are
still graded by ease of
playing and everything is
there... standard
notation, Guitar chord
boxes, full lyrics
andevenstrumming
patterns!
Over 180
great songs! Perfect for
all players and
singers!
The bonus
CD contains backing
tracks to 16 of the songs
in the book.
Piano and orchestra - difficult SKU: HL.49046544 For piano and orchest...(+)
Piano and orchestra -
difficult
SKU:
HL.49046544
For
piano and orchestra.
Composed by Gyorgy
Ligeti. This edition:
Saddle stitching. Sheet
music. Edition Schott.
Softcover. Composed
1985-1988. Duration 24'.
Schott Music #ED23178.
Published by Schott Music
(HL.49046544).
ISBN
9781705122655. UPC:
842819108726.
9.0x12.0x0.224
inches.
I composed
the Piano Concerto in two
stages: the first three
movements during the
years 1985-86, the next
two in 1987, the final
autograph of the last
movement was ready by
January, 1988. The
concerto is dedicated to
the American conductor
Mario di Bonaventura. The
markings of the movements
are the following: 1.
Vivace molto ritmico e
preciso 2. Lento e
deserto 3. Vivace
cantabile 4. Allegro
risoluto 5. Presto
luminoso.The first
performance of the
three-movement Concerto
was on October 23rd, 1986
in Graz. Mario di
Bonaventura conducted
while his brother,
Anthony di Bonaventura,
was the soloist. Two days
later the performance was
repeated in the Vienna
Konzerthaus. After
hearing the work twice, I
came to the conclusion
that the third movement
is not an adequate
finale; my feeling of
form demanded
continuation, a
supplement. That led to
the composing of the next
two movements. The
premiere of the whole
cycle took place on
February 29th, 1988, in
the Vienna Konzerthaus
with the same conductor
and the same pianist. The
orchestra consisted of
the following: flute,
oboe, clarinet, bassoon,
horn, trumpet, tenor
trombone, percussion and
strings. The flautist
also plays the piccoIo,
the clarinetist, the alto
ocarina. The percussion
is made up of diverse
instruments, which one
musician-virtuoso can
play. It is more
practical, however, if
two or three musicians
share the instruments.
Besides traditional
instruments the
percussion part calls
also for two simple wind
instruments: the swanee
whistle and the
harmonica. The string
instrument parts (two
violins, viola, cello and
doubles bass) can be
performed soloistic since
they do not contain
divisi. For balance,
however, the ensemble
playing is recommended,
for example 6-8 first
violins, 6-8 second, 4-6
violas, 4-6 cellos, 3-4
double basses. In the
Piano Concerto I realized
new concepts of harmony
and rhythm. The first
movement is entirely
written in bimetry:
simultaneously 12/8 and
4/4 (8/8). This relates
to the known triplet on a
doule relation and in
itself is nothing new.
Because, however, I
articulate 12 triola and
8 duola pulses, an
entangled, up till now
unheard kind of polymetry
is created. The rhythm is
additionally complicated
because of asymmetric
groupings inside two
speed layers, which means
accents are
asymmetrically
distributed. These
groups, as in the talea
technique, have a fixed,
continuously repeating
rhythmic structures of
varying lengths in speed
layers of 12/8 and 4/4.
This means that the
repeating pattern in the
12/8 level and the
pattern in the 4/4 level
do not coincide and
continuously give a
kaleidoscope of renewing
combinations. In our
perception we quickly
resign from following
particular rhythmical
successions and that what
is going on in time
appears for us as
something static,
resting. This music, if
it is played properly, in
the right tempo and with
the right accents inside
particular layers, after
a certain time 'rises, as
it were, as a plane after
taking off: the rhythmic
action, too complex to be
able to follow in detail,
begins flying. This
diffusion of individual
structures into a
different global
structure is one of my
basic compositional
concepts: from the end of
the fifties, from the
orchestral works
Apparitions and
Atmospheres I
continuously have been
looking for new ways of
resolving this basic
question. The harmony of
the first movement is
based on mixtures, hence
on the parallel leading
of voices. This technique
is used here in a rather
simple form; later in the
fourth movement it will
be considerably
developed. The second
movement (the only slow
one amongst five
movements) also has a
talea type of structure,
it is however much
simpler rhythmically,
because it contains only
one speed layer. The
melody is consisted in
the development of a
rigorous interval mode in
which two minor seconds
and one major second
alternate therefore nine
notes inside an octave.
This mode is transposed
into different degrees
and it also determines
the harmony of the
movement; however, in
closing episode in the
piano part there is a
combination of diatonics
(white keys) and
pentatonics (black keys)
led in brilliant,
sparkling quasimixtures,
while the orchestra
continues to play in the
nine tone mode. In this
movement I used isolated
sounds and extreme
registers (piccolo in a
very low register,
bassoon in a very high
register, canons played
by the swanee whistle,
the alto ocarina and
brass with a harmon-mute'
damper, cutting sound
combinations of the
piccolo, clarinet and
oboe in an extremely high
register, also
alternating of a
whistle-siren and
xylophone). The third
movement also has one
speed layer and because
of this it appears as
simpler than the first,
but actually the rhythm
is very complicated in a
different way here. Above
the uninterrupted, fast
and regular basic pulse,
thanks to the asymmetric
distribution of accents,
different types of
hemiolas and inherent
melodical patterns appear
(the term was coined by
Gerhard Kubik in relation
to central African
music). If this movement
is played with the
adequate speed and with
very clear accentuation,
illusory
rhythmic-melodical
figures appear. These
figures are not played
directly; they do not
appear in the score, but
exist only in our
perception as a result of
co-operation of different
voices. Already earlier I
had experimented with
illusory rhythmics,
namely in Poeme
symphonique for 100
metronomes (1962), in
Continuum for harpsichord
(1968), in Monument for
two pianos (1976), and
especially in the first
and sixth piano etude
Desordre and Automne a
Varsovie (1985). The
third movement of the
Piano Concerto is up to
now the clearest example
of illusory rhythmics and
illusory melody. In
intervallic and chordal
structure this movement
is based on alternation,
and also inter-relation
of various modal and
quasi-equidistant harmony
spaces. The tempered
twelve-part division of
the octave allows for
diatonical and other
modal interval
successions, which are
not equidistant, but are
based on the alternation
of major and minor
seconds in different
groups. The tempered
system also allows for
the use of the
anhemitonic pentatonic
scale (the black keys of
the piano). From
equidistant scales,
therefore interval
formations which are
based on the division of
an octave in equal
distances, the
twelve-tone tempered
system allows only
chromatics (only minor
seconds) and the six-tone
scale (the whole-tone:
only major seconds).
Moreover, the division of
the octave into four
parts only minor thirds)
and three parts (three
major thirds) is
possible. In several
music cultures different
equidistant divisions of
an octave are accepted,
for example, in the
Javanese slendro into
five parts, in Melanesia
into seven parts, popular
also in southeastern
Asia, and apart from
this, in southern Africa.
This does not mean an
exact equidistance: there
is a certain tolerance
for the inaccurateness of
the interval tuning.
These exotic for us,
Europeans, harmony and
melody have attracted me
for several years.
However I did not want to
re-tune the piano
(microtone deviations
appear in the concerto
only in a few places in
the horn and trombone
parts led in natural
tones). After the period
of experimenting, I got
to pseudo- or
quasiequidistant
intervals, which is
neither whole-tone nor
chromatic: in the
twelve-tone system, two
whole-tone scales are
possible, shifted a minor
second apart from each
other. Therefore, I
connect these two scales
(or sound resources), and
for example, places occur
where the melodies and
figurations in the piano
part are created from
both whole tone scales;
in one band one six-tone
sound resource is
utilized, and in the
other hand, the
complementary. In this
way whole-tonality and
chromaticism mutually
reduce themselves: a type
of deformed
equidistancism is formed,
strangely brilliant and
at the same time
slanting; illusory
harmony, indeed being
created inside the
tempered twelve-tone
system, but in sound
quality not belonging to
it anymore. The
appearance of such
slantedequidistant
harmony fields
alternating with modal
fields and based on
chords built on fifths
(mainly in the piano
part), complemented with
mixtures built on fifths
in the orchestra, gives
this movement an
individual, soft-metallic
colour (a metallic sound
resulting from
harmonics). The fourth
movement was meant to be
the central movement of
the Concerto. Its
melodc-rhythmic elements
(embryos or fragments of
motives) in themselves
are simple. The movement
also begins simply, with
a succession of
overlapping of these
elements in the mixture
type structures. Also
here a kaleidoscope is
created, due to a limited
number of these elements
- of these pebbles in the
kaleidoscope - which
continuously return in
augmentations and
diminutions. Step by
step, however, so that in
the beginning we cannot
hear it, a compiled
rhythmic organization of
the talea type gradually
comes into daylight,
based on the simultaneity
of two mutually shifted
to each other speed
layers (also triplet and
duoles, however, with
different asymmetric
structures than in the
first movement). While
longer rests are
gradually filled in with
motive fragments, we
slowly come to the
conclusion that we have
found ourselves inside a
rhythmic-melodical whirl:
without change in tempo,
only through increasing
the density of the
musical events, a
rotation is created in
the stream of successive
and compiled, augmented
and diminished motive
fragments, and increasing
the density suggests
acceleration. Thanks to
the periodical structure
of the composition,
always new but however of
the same (all the motivic
cells are similar to
earlier ones but none of
them are exactly
repeated; the general
structure is therefore
self-similar), an
impression is created of
a gigantic, indissoluble
network. Also, rhythmic
structures at first
hidden gradually begin to
emerge, two independent
speed layers with their
various internal
accentuations. This
great, self-similar whirl
in a very indirect way
relates to musical
associations, which came
to my mind while watching
the graphic projection of
the mathematical sets of
Julia and of Mandelbrot
made with the help of a
computer. I saw these
wonderful pictures of
fractal creations, made
by scientists from Brema,
Peitgen and Richter, for
the first time in 1984.
From that time they have
played a great role in my
musical concepts. This
does not mean, however,
that composing the fourth
movement I used
mathematical methods or
iterative calculus;
indeed, I did use
constructions which,
however, are not based on
mathematical thinking,
but are rather craftman's
constructions (in this
respect, my attitude
towards mathematics is
similar to that of the
graphic artist Maurits
Escher). I am concerned
rather with intuitional,
poetic, synesthetic
correspondence, not on
the scientific, but on
the poetic level of
thinking. The fifth, very
short Presto movement is
harmonically very simple,
but all the more
complicated in its
rhythmic structure: it is
based on the further
development of ''inherent
patterns of the third
movement. The
quasi-equidistance system
dominates harmonically
and melodically in this
movement, as in the
third, alternating with
harmonic fields, which
are based on the division
of the chromatic whole
into diatonics and
anhemitonic pentatonics.
Polyrhythms and harmonic
mixtures reach their
greatest density, and at
the same time this
movement is strikingly
light, enlightened with
very bright colours: at
first it seems chaotic,
but after listening to it
for a few times it is
easy to grasp its
content: many autonomous
but self-similar figures
which crossing
themselves. I present my
artistic credo in the
Piano Concerto: I
demonstrate my
independence from
criteria of the
traditional avantgarde,
as well as the
fashionable
postmodernism. Musical
illusions which I
consider to be also so
important are not a goal
in itself for me, but a
foundation for my
aesthetical attitude. I
prefer musical forms
which have a more
object-like than
processual character.
Music as frozen time, as
an object in imaginary
space evoked by music in
our imagination, as a
creation which really
develops in time, but in
imagination it exists
simultaneously in all its
moments. The spell of
time, the enduring its
passing by, closing it in
a moment of the present
is my main intention as a
composer. (Gyorgy
Ligeti).
The Third Man Theme Orchestre d'harmonie [Conducteur] - Intermédiaire De Haske Publications
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 4 SKU: BT.DHP-1094726-140 Composed by Anton...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie -
Grade 4
SKU:
BT.DHP-1094726-140
Composed by Anton Karas.
Arranged by Toshio
Mashima. New Sounds for
Concert Band. Score Only.
Composed 2009. 32 pages.
De Haske Publications
#DHP 1094726-140.
Published by De Haske
Publications
(BT.DHP-1094726-140).
9x12
inches.
Anton Karas
grew up in a modest
household in Vienna and
became a self taught
zither vituoso. He wrote
the legendary Harry
Lime Theme for the
1949 British film noir
The Third Man. The
melody became so popular,
many people began calling
The Third Man
“The Zither
Movieâ€! Toshio
Mashima carefully turns
this typically Viennese
melody into a creative
piece for concert band.
Anton Karas, der
aus einfachen Wiener
Verhältnissen stammte
und es als Autodidakt zu
großer Virtuosität
an der Zither brachte,
schrieb das legendäre
Harry-Lime-Thema“
für den Agentenfilm
Der dritte Mann.
Die Melodie war so
populär, dass manche
den Film gar The Zither
Film“ nannten.
Toshio Mashima setzte die
stimmungsvolle, typisch
wienerische Melodie
geschickt für
Blasorchester um.
Il film
Il Terzo Uomo
(1949) è ricordato
anche per
l’affascinante
colonna sonora che fu una
vera e propria
rivelazione. Anton Karas
(1906-1985), compositore
ed interprete,
attraversò il mondo
dello spettacolo come una
meteora. La colonna
sonora originale,
eseguita alla cetra, gli
portò gloria e
ricchezza. Il tema del
film fu in vetta alle
classifi che delle
vendite di dischi negli
Stati Uniti tra aprile e
giugno 1950 e il film
ottenne il massimo
riconoscimento a Cannes
(Grand Prix du Festival)
nel 1949.
The Third Man Theme Orchestre d'harmonie [Conducteur et Parties séparées] - Intermédiaire De Haske Publications
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 4 SKU: BT.DHP-1094726-010 Composed by Anton...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie -
Grade 4
SKU:
BT.DHP-1094726-010
Composed by Anton Karas.
Arranged by Toshio
Mashima. New Sounds for
Concert Band. Set (Score
& Parts). Composed 2009.
De Haske Publications
#DHP 1094726-010.
Published by De Haske
Publications
(BT.DHP-1094726-010).
9x12
inches.
Anton Karas
grew up in a modest
household in Vienna and
became a self taught
zither vituoso. He wrote
the legendary Harry
Lime Theme for the
1949 British film noir
The Third Man. The
melody became so popular,
many people began calling
The Third Man
“The Zither
Movieâ€! Toshio
Mashima carefully turns
this typically Viennese
melody into a creative
piece for concert band.
Anton Karas, der
aus einfachen Wiener
Verhältnissen stammte
und es als Autodidakt zu
großer Virtuosität
an der Zither brachte,
schrieb das legendäre
Harry-Lime-Thema“
für den Agentenfilm
Der dritte Mann.
Die Melodie war so
populär, dass manche
den Film gar The Zither
Film“ nannten.
Toshio Mashima setzte die
stimmungsvolle, typisch
wienerische Melodie
geschickt für
Blasorchester um.
Il film
Il Terzo Uomo
(1949) è ricordato
anche per
l’affascinante
colonna sonora che fu una
vera e propria
rivelazione. Anton Karas
(1906-1985), compositore
ed interprete,
attraversò il mondo
dello spettacolo come una
meteora. La colonna
sonora originale,
eseguita alla cetra, gli
portò gloria e
ricchezza. Il tema del
film fu in vetta alle
classifi che delle
vendite di dischi negli
Stati Uniti tra aprile e
giugno 1950 e il film
ottenne il massimo
riconoscimento a Cannes
(Grand Prix du Festival)
nel 1949.
Composed by Various. For Piano/Keyboard. Hal Leonard Fake Books. Classical. Diff...(+)
Composed by Various. For
Piano/Keyboard. Hal
Leonard Fake Books.
Classical. Difficulty:
medium to
medium-difficult.
Fakebook. Melody line,
chord names and lyrics
(on some songs). 413
pages. Published by Hal
Leonard
Partita No. 2 Piccolo [Conducteur] Theodore Presser Co.
Chamber Music Piccolo SKU: PR.114422450 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach...(+)
Chamber Music Piccolo
SKU: PR.114422450
Composed by Johann
Sebastian Bach. Arranged
by Nicola Mazzanti. Sws.
Full score. 20 pages.
Duration 17 minutes.
Theodore Presser Company
#114-42245. Published by
Theodore Presser Company
(PR.114422450).
ISBN
9781491134986. UPC:
680160685974. 9 x 12
inches.
Bachâs
colossal Partita No. 2
for Solo Violin has been
crowned by many masters
as one of musicâs
greatest achievements,
and even its famous
Chaconne movement alone
is a mountain many
performers dare not
scale. While the
literature of several
other instruments has
been enriched by
transcriptions of the
Chaconne, Mazzantiâs
heroic adaptation of the
complete Partita is the
culmination of many
yearsâ work, and the
only transcription
specifically for the
piccoloâs unique
range. THE
INSPIRATIONEver since my
childhood, Johann
Sebastian Bachâs
solo violin music (like
his works for solo cello)
has always held a charm
and mystery for me.
Thereâs something
about this repertoire
that sparks an
inextinguishable
questioning in my musical
and human soul.It is
music without spatial
limits or temporal cages,
a music as essential as
it is masterfully
complex, in which the
solitary voice of man
meets the
all-encompassing voice of
God. It is a music whose
vertical and horizontal
dimensions, already
admirably fused, are
faceted into new and
mysterious realities. For
every violinist, the
study of these
compositions is at the
apex of tenacious
technical study and
interpretative
effort.Violinist Joshua
Bell has said the
Ciaccona (Bach did write
the Partitaâs
movement titles in
Italian) is ânot
just one of the greatest
pieces of music ever
written, but one of the
greatest achievements of
any man in history.
Itâs a spiritually
powerful piece,
emotionally powerful,
structurally
perfect.âTranscribin
g and performing
Bachâs PARTITA NO.
2, BWV 1004 on piccolo
was a feat that took
years of work. The famous
Ciaccona movement is, of
course, the piece that
alone occupied most of
this time. How does one
honor and elevate such
high music with such a
âsmallâ
instrument, devoid of the
enormous expressive
potential of the violin,
devoid of its chords and
its polyphony? How might
I transform the piccolo
into an instrument with,
like the violin,
full-bodied low notes and
subtle high notes? Above
all, why undertake such a
demanding and
extraordinary journey?The
first reason is obvious:
by transcribing,
studying, and performing
such an admirable piece,
we assimilate it, it
becomes part of us, it
enormously enriches our
musical interior.In
addition, it forces us
technically to expand the
colors, agility, and
flexibility of the
instrument; it makes us
think in a polyphonic
way.Finally, the daily
study, especially of the
Ciaccona, is an
extraordinary gymnasium
in which to consolidate
and strengthen our
general technique.THE
TRANSCRIPTIONThe whole
Partita was transcribed
in the key of A minor, a
fifth above the original
in D minor. This was
necessary for the lowest
note of the violin (G) to
correspond to the lowest
note of the piccolo (D).
This version exploits the
full range of the
piccolo, from the D of
the first octave to the B
of the third octave.
However some octave
adjustments were
needed.The chords,
particularly in the
Sarabanda and the
Ciaccona, have been left
with the same notational
system used by Bach in
his version for violin. I
chose to respect
Bachâs presentation
and did not transcribe
these into grace notes
breaking the chords. I
advocate that we must at
least try to think of
this music in its
vertical dimension,
trying to make the notes
resonate as if they were
being played together,
deciding the speed of the
arpeggio based on musical
needs.While some woodwind
editions of Bachâs
string solos do indicate
broken chords as grace
notes, this implies that
the most important note
is necessarily the
highest one, while
sometimes it is precisely
in the lower pitches that
the theme is voiced.In
this piccolo adaptation,
many of Bachâs
original articulations
have been respected. Some
have been changed, when
needing to adapt them to
the specific needs of
flute playing.The two
passages in the Ciaccona
where Bach indicates
âarpeggioâ were
rendered trying to
respect the most
consolidated and virtuous
violin traditions, and at
the same time the
possibilities that the
piccolo offers us. For
this purpose, in some
cases, different
revoicings of the chords
have been used.I thank
all those who patiently
listened to me and were
close to me during this
period, for their
observations and advice.
In particular, I thank my
daughter Sara for her
assistance and skill in
entering this edition
into music writing
software.
Concert Band; Orchestra
2.1+EH.2+BCl.2: Asax:
4.0.3.0: Timp: Hp: Str
(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo
Tenor
SKU:
AP.36-A289701
Composed by Georges
Hartmann (pseudonym Henri
Grémont) after Die
Leiden des jungen
Werthers by Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe,
Jules Massenet/ Libretto
by Édouard Blau, and
Paul Milliet. Serious
Opera, Orchestra
Accompaniment, Conductor
Score. Kalmus Opera
Library. Score.
LudwigMasters
Publications #36-A289701.
Published by
LudwigMasters
Publications
(AP.36-A289701).
ISBN
9798892702232. UPC:
659359552748.
English.
WERTHER,
an opera in four acts by
Jules Massenet
(1842-1912), found its
inspiration in a novel by
Goethe, The Sorrows of
Young Werther, which in
turn based its story on
the actual suicide of a
young man haunted with
adoration for a married
woman. First performed on
February 16, 1892 in
Vienna, it quickly
reached the stage of the
Theatre Lyrique in Paris
but faltered due to its
serious subject matter.
The growing success of
Massenet's opera Manon
allowed it to be
introduced to Germany.
From there, it achieved
fame in opera houses
across the world. In the
third act, Werther sings
Pourquoi me réveiller?
(Why do you awaken me, oh
breath of spring?),
contrasting his blissful
realization that
Charlotte has accepted
his love with the
impending realization
that their happiness
cannot last. Reprint
edition. Instrumentation:
2.1+EH.2+BCl.2: Asax:
4.0.3.0: Timp: Hp: Str
(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo
Tenor.
These products
are currently being
prepared by a new
publisher. While many
items are ready and will
ship on time, some others
may see delays of several
months.
Concert Band; Orchestra
2.1+EH.2+BCl.2: Asax:
4.0.3.0: Timp: Hp: Str
(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo
Tenor
SKU:
AP.36-A289702
Composed by Georges
Hartmann (pseudonym Henri
Grémont) after Die
Leiden des jungen
Werthers by Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe,
Jules Massenet/ Libretto
by Édouard Blau, and
Paul Milliet. Serious
Opera, Orchestra
Accompaniment, Conductor
Score & Parts. Kalmus
Opera Library. Score and
Part(s). LudwigMasters
Publications #36-A289702.
Published by
LudwigMasters
Publications
(AP.36-A289702).
UPC:
659359961236.
English.
WERTHER,
an opera in four acts by
Jules Massenet
(1842-1912), found its
inspiration in a novel by
Goethe, The Sorrows of
Young Werther, which in
turn based its story on
the actual suicide of a
young man haunted with
adoration for a married
woman. First performed on
February 16, 1892 in
Vienna, it quickly
reached the stage of the
Theatre Lyrique in Paris
but faltered due to its
serious subject matter.
The growing success of
Massenet's opera Manon
allowed it to be
introduced to Germany.
From there, it achieved
fame in opera houses
across the world. In the
third act, Werther sings
Pourquoi me réveiller?
(Why do you awaken me, oh
breath of spring?),
contrasting his blissful
realization that
Charlotte has accepted
his love with the
impending realization
that their happiness
cannot last. Reprint
edition. Instrumentation:
2.1+EH.2+BCl.2: Asax:
4.0.3.0: Timp: Hp: Str
(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo
Tenor.
These products
are currently being
prepared by a new
publisher. While many
items are ready and will
ship on time, some others
may see delays of several
months.
Band Concert Band - Grade 2 SKU: CF.YPS105 Warm-Ups and Fundamentals(+)
Band Concert Band - Grade
2
SKU: CF.YPS105
Warm-Ups and
Fundamentals.
Composed by Larry Clark.
Collate - FS SWS - spine:
3/4 or .75. Young
Performance Series. Set
of Score and Parts. With
Standard notation.
16+4+8+8+4+10+4+4+8+8+8+1
2+4+6+2+2+4+2+20 pages.
Duration 2 minutes, 53
seconds. Carl Fischer
Music #YPS105. Published
by Carl Fischer Music
(CF.YPS105).
ISBN
9780825884870. UPC:
798408084875. 9 x 12
inches. Key: Bb
major.
Based on our
popular New Bennett Band
Book series, we have
compiled march-style
warm-ups in a separate
publication so they may
be used by all bands
wishing to learn from
them. These innovative
warm-ups and fundamental
drills are the ultimate
method of teaching and
reinforcing the March
style. How To Use the
March Warm-upsPlaying in
a march style can present
difficulties for young
students. The most
prevalent problem is that
students have a tendency
to play every note too
short. Conversely,
accented notes are
usually played
incorrectly with too much
tongue. Do marches
contain short notes?
Absolutely, but these
shortest of notes should
be reserved for notes
that precede an accent or
notes that are
specifically marked with
a staccato. Think of
unmarked notes as being
separated, but not short
and certainly not clipped
or stopped with the
tongue. Accented notes
should be played with
more weight using air and
more length, and not just
a harder tongue. Accents
are given to show
emphasis to a note and
should be thought of in
this manner.The warm-up
exercises provided in
this collection should
give you many
opportunities to stress
the above-mentioned
comments on march
performance style. The
following gives an
explanation on the
purpose and use of each
of these exercises.No. 1
– Basic Chords and
ModulationsOne of the
challenges of playing
marches with young
students is successfully
performing the key change
at the Trio. This
exercise presents the
three basic chords
(tonic, subdominant and
dominant) in each of the
three keys in this
collection of marches.
You can also use this
exercise to teach and
reinforce the style of
accented notes. You may
want to have your band
play major scales in
succession by fourths to
reinforce the concept of
modulation to the
subdominant that occurs
at the Trio (i.e. the
B≤-major scale,
then the E≤-major
scale, then the
A≤-major scale). I
might suggest getting the
students to try
continuing the pattern
all the way around the
circle of fourths.No. 2
– March Style in
B≤ MajorThis
exercise contains many
opportunities to teach
and reinforce the
difference between
staccato and accented
notes. The melody voices
move up and down the
B≤-major scale,
while other instruments
play chords commonly
found in the marches in
this collection. These
include diminished
chords, secondary
dominant chords (i.e. the
V of the V) and other
common chromatic chords
that Fillmore often
used.No. 3 –
Cakewalk Rhythm in
B≤ MajorThe simple
syncopated rhythm in this
exercise is common to
many marches. This drill
gives you the opportunity
to teach/ reinforce the
standard ar-ticulation
and natural accent of
this rhythmic pattern.
Again, this exercise uses
an ascending and
descending major-scale
pattern as the melodic
basis, accompanied by
chords commonly found in
American- style
marches.No. 4 –
The March Scale in
B≤ MajorI call this
exercise “The March
Scale,†because
often in marches (and
especially in these
marches) the descending
half-step is part of the
melodic material. These
chromatic figures give
the melodies of many
marches their charm and
flow. Thus, I devised
this exercise and others
like it in E≤ major
and A≤ major to
familiarize students with
these patterns. I would
suggest playing the
pattern in a variety of
ways different from what
is written. Here are some
other
possibilities:•
Tongue one, slur
three• Slur two,
tongue two• Tongue
two, slur two•
Tongue one, slur two,
tongue oneGradually
increase the tempo to the
march tempo and the
articulation style will
fall right into
place.Another important
consideration is the
performance of the bass
line and the bass-drum
part. Too often, the bass
drum and bass instruments
play their parts with
equal emphasis on both
beats in the measure.
This is incorrect, and
frequently makes the
marchNo. 5 – March
Style in E≤
MajorThis is a similar to
exercise No. 2, but with
a different rhythmic
pattern. Emphasize the
difference between
accented and unaccented
notes. Also, play the
exercise with line
direction moving the
musical line forward.
Experiment and play the
exercise with different
dynamic choices and with
hairpins up and down in
different ways.No. 6
– More March Style
in E≤ MajorExercise
No. 6 comprises more
rhythmic patterns and
harmonic materials in
E≤ major to teach
and reinforce the march
style. This exercise
em-phasizes the
sixteenth-note rhythm, as
notated in the third
measure of the exercise.
Young stu- dents have a
tendency to
“crush†the
sixteenths; consequently,
they lack clarity. It
would be a good idea to
work this rhythmic figure
on a scale pattern with
all of the instruments in
the band as an additional
warm-up exercise.No. 7
– The March Scale
in E≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 4 and
apply it to this
exercise. Use all of the
various articulations
described above as
well.No. 8 – March
Style in A≤
MajorSee the information
for No. 2 and apply it to
this exercise.No. 9
– Cakewalk Rhythm
in A≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 3 and
apply it to this
exercise.No. 10 –
The March Scale in
A≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 4 and
apply it to this
exercise.Other Ideas for
March PerformanceA
rehearsal practice that
has worked very well for
me is to start out by
having the band play the
march very slowly at
about Å’ = 60 in a
chorale/legato style. The
slow tempo is a fine
opportunity to work on
clarity of harmonic move-
ment and to work on the
balance and blend of the
tutti band sound. This
will pay great dividends
toward improving the
sound of your band.
Gradually increase the
tempo to the march tempo
and the articulation
style will fall right
into place.Another
important consideration
is the performance of the
bass line and the
bass-drum part. Too
often, the bass drum and
bass instruments play
their parts with equal
emphasis on both beats in
the measure. This is
incorrect, and frequently
makes the march.
Edited by Amy Appleby. Collection and examples CD for easy solo piano. Over 200 ...(+)
Edited by Amy Appleby.
Collection and examples
CD for easy solo piano.
Over 200 great
masterpieces from the
baroque, classical,
romantic and modern eras.
Series: Piano Treasury
Series. 399 pages.
Published by Music Sales.
Chamber Music Cello,
Flute, Viola 1, Viola 2,
Violin
SKU:
CF.MXE219
Composed by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Arranged by Robert
Stallman. Sws.
56+16+16+16+16+12 pages.
Carl Fischer Music
#MXE219. Published by
Carl Fischer Music
(CF.MXE219).
ISBN
9781491157794. UPC:
680160916399. 9 x 12
inches.
Chamber Music Cornet SKU: CF.O88X Composed by Narcisse Bousquet. Edited b...(+)
Chamber Music Cornet
SKU: CF.O88X
Composed by Narcisse
Bousquet. Edited by Joey
Tartell Edwin Franko
Goldman. SWS. Softcover.
With Standard notation.
44 pages. Carl Fischer
Music #O88X. Published by
Carl Fischer Music
(CF.O88X).
ISBN
9781491153406. UPC:
680160910908. 9 X 12
inches.
These
studies are a staple of
the advanced trumpet
method repertoire. Each
etude is an exploration
of a wide variety of
registers, articulations
and tonalities. While
going through these 36
etudes the trumpeter will
develop an even sound in
all registers while
tackling the musical and
melodic challenges that
lie
within. IntroductionTi
ps on Musical
PracticeStarting a new
study can be
overwhelming. Using Etude
No. 1, here’s an
example of how to
approach working on these
etudes with both
musicality and technique
in mind.Bousquet’s
first study can be broken
down into three large
musical sections:Section
1: from the beginning to
the downbeat of m.
26.Section 2: from the
upbeat of 2 in m. 26 to
the downbeat of m.
51.Section 3: from the
downbeat of m. 51 to the
end.Each one of those
sections can be broken
down into two smaller
sections:Section 1a: from
the beginning to the
downbeat of m. 16.Section
1b: from the downbeat of
m. 16 to the downbeat of
m. 26.Section 2a: from
the upbeat of 2 in m. 26
to the end of m.
35.Section 2b: from m. 36
to the downbeat of m.
51.Section 3a: from the
downbeat of m. 51 to the
downbeat of m. 59.Section
3b: from the downbeat of
m. 59 to the end.To get
started playing, choose a
slow tempo that allows
you to play Section 1 all
the way through without
stopping. If that is
problematic, just play
through 1a.Remember to
focus on the music.
Section 1a is light,
moving in four-measure
phrases to the ninth
measure, where it
cadences in G. From
there, retain the
lightness through the
arpeggiation that
concludes with the trill
that brings an arrival
point at Section 1b. Here
the style changes
completely, alternating
two measures of fluid,
connected sixteenth notes
with two measures of
scalar staccato
sixteenths before finally
cadencing on the downbeat
of m. 26.Section 2 begins
with a melodic line of
eighth notes, punctuated
by sixteenths in the
third full measure before
returning to the original
line for only a measure
before driving forward
with a flourish to finish
Section 2a. Section 2b
starts back in C with
four-measure phrases in
which the line moves up
for two measures, then
down for two measures,
ending in G. The last
seven measures of Section
2 stay light as they work
their way back to
C.Section 3 is very
exciting, starting with a
fiery cornet solo-like
passage in 3a. 3b brings
the piece to a dramatic
conclusion outlining C
major for the first four
measures before
arpeggiating C major and
G dominant for two
measures, finally
finishing with the
C-major scale.The next
step is to isolate any of
the parts that proved
troublesome. Examples
could include missed
notes or figuring out
where to breathe. Once
you have practiced the
troublesome sections in
isolation, play the
section all the way
through without stopping
again. Even if there are
still problems, you are
now practicing in a way
that is preparing you to
perform musically.The
next day, play through
Section 1 again, at a
tempo that allows you to
do this without stopping.
Now go on to Section 2,
and follow the same three
steps:Play all the way
through, at a tempo that
allows you to do so
without stopping,Isolate
and practice the
troublesome passages,
thenPlay all the way
through, at a tempo that
allows you to do so
without stopping.Now play
from the beginning to the
end of Section 2.The next
day, play Section 1. Now
play Section 2. Then play
Section 3 and apply the
same three steps outlined
above.Now play the whole
study. At this point you
have spent time on each
section, making musical
decisions and correcting
mistakes. Increase the
tempo as you gain
confidence and control of
the material. As you work
towards performing the
entire study as a piece
of music, record yourself
playing the entire study
as a performance each
day. Review the
recordings to reveal what
still needs work. Be
honest with yourself!
When you are happy with
the recording of your
performance, it’s
time to move on to the
next study.About the
Goldman PrefaceThese
studies will be an
excellent practice,
especially for the lower
register of the Cornet,
which is somewhat
neglected in other
instruction books. It is
recommended that the
pupil should practice one
of this series of Studies
now and then to repose
his lips, and acquire
facility in difficult
fingering.— Edwin
Franko GoldmanIn his
original preface, Edwin
Franko Goldman is
absolutely correct that
these studies are
excellent practice and
will help with the
dexterity demanded of
today’s player.
Although the low register
is certainly explored
throughout the book, it
does not appear to be the
focus of these studies.
There are many books
available now that
concentrate on the low
register. The suggested
fingerings have been
removed. Using alternate
fingerings was more
common to cornet players
to aid in the fluidity of
a passage. This practice
is not nearly as common
today, especially with
trumpet players, as the
difference in timbre
caused by the alternate
fingerings is disruptive
to the musical line.
Published for cornet, as
it was the solo
instrument of choice in
the 1920s, these etudes
are just as useful to
today’s trumpet
player. When playing
these studies on trumpet,
the performer should
strive for a fluid line
while maintaining a full
and clear sound. Because
of the musicianship and
technique demanded, this
book remains as useful
today as it has ever
been.— Joey
TartellAbout Narcisse
Bousquet and the 36
EtudesNarcisse Bousquet
(c. 1800–1869) was
French by birth, active
as a composer, editor and
arranger in both France
and England in the early
nineteenth century.
Bousquet was respected as
an accomplished performer
of the French flageolet,
a high-pitched woodwind
instrument much like a
recorder, although later
outfitted with the Boehm
key system like the
modern flute. Although
obsolete in modern times,
the instrument once
enjoyed great popularity
with a variety of
composers and performers,
both amateur and
professional. Purcell and
Handel composed for the
instrument, and Berlioz
was purportedly an
accomplished amateur
performer of the
flageolet. The Scottish
author Robert Louis
Stevenson, likewise, was
a proficient performer of
the instrument and
composed a number of
pieces for it.Little is
known today of
Bousquet’s life.
He composed a large
variety of music,
including works
specifically for the
flageolet, which were
widely appreciated in
their day. The 36 Etudes
for flageolet are
undoubtedly the most well
known of his works.
Published in 1851, the
Etudes explore a variety
of techniques, such as
scales, arpeggios,
ornamentation, breath
control and expressive
playing, and their
technically demanding
writing confirms
Bousquet’s prowess
as a flageolet performer.
However, the date of the
arrangement of the etudes
for cornet and their
arranger remain
speculative. Edwin Franko
Goldman is credited as
the arranger of the 1890
publication by Carl
Fischer, although Goldman
would have been only
twelve years old at the
time; his work on these
pieces surely came at a
later time. Bousquet
himself may have arranged
these pieces for cornet
at the request of an
accomplished cornet
player at some point
after their
publication.
Quicksilver Saxophone Alto et Piano Theodore Presser Co.
Chamber Music Piano, alto Saxophone SKU: PR.114419850 Composed by Stacy G...(+)
Chamber Music Piano, alto
Saxophone
SKU:
PR.114419850
Composed
by Stacy Garrop. Sws. See
lengthy program note on
prefatory page. Set of
Score and Parts. 44+24
pages. Duration 23
minutes. Theodore Presser
Company #114-41985.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.114419850).
ISBN
9781491135808. UPC:
680160681044. 9 x 12
inches.
Both a
spectacular concerto for
saxophone, and a dramatic
tone poem on Roman
mythology, QUICKSILVER is
a 23-minute concerto for
Alto Saxophone and Wind
Ensemble by one of the
sax literature’s
most commissioned and
admired composers.Through
worded captions as well
as gorgeously expressive
tone painting, Movement 1
depicts the birth and
childhood pranks of
Mercury, Movement 2 shows
him escorting souls to
the gates of the
Underworld, and Movement
3 is a phantasmagoric
finale portraying Mercury
as messenger amid the
conflicts of other
mythological figures.
There are many YouTube
performances available,
both in the original
version with Wind
Ensemble, and with
Piano. In addition to
being another name for
the element mercury,
“quicksilverâ€
is used to describe
something that changes
quickly or is difficult
to contain. My concerto
of the same name was
inspired by the Roman god
Mercury, as well as the
mercurial nature of the
saxophone: unpredictable,
very lively, and
volatile. Mercury (known
as Hermes in Greek
mythology) is best known
for his winged shoes,
which allowed him to fly
swiftly as the messenger
of his fellow Olympians.
Mercury had other duties
too, including serving as
the god of merchants,
travelers, and
tricksters; he also
ushered souls of the
departed to the
Underworld.Quicksilver
tells three tales of the
Roman god. The first
movement (Antics of a
Newborn God) opens with
the birth of Mercury;
after he takes his first
steps, he toddles around,
gleefully looking for
mischief. He stumbles
across a herd of cows
that belong to his
brother Apollo; Mercury
slyly lets the cows out
of their pen before
toddling onward with his
mischief-making.In the
second movement (Guiding
Souls to the Underworld),
Pluto, god of the
Underworld, bids Mercury
to bring him fresh souls.
The movement begins with
death-knells tolling for
humans who are about to
die; Mercury picks up
these souls and leads
them down to the gates of
the Underworld.The third
and final movement
(Messenger of Olympus)
depicts Mercury as he is
busily running errands
for various gods and
goddesses. We first
encounter him mid-flight
as he dashes to earth to
find Aeneas, a Trojan
lieutenant who had been
run out of Troy by the
invading Greeks. Aeneas
is on a quest to find
land on which to
establish a new city that
would eventually become
Rome. While traveling, he
is distracted from his
quest when he meets the
beautiful queen Dido.
They live together for
many years before Mercury
intervenes; he chastises
Aeneas for giving up on
his quest and persuades
him to pick it up again.
As Aeneas mournfully
resumes his journey, we
hear Dido perish of a
broken heart. Mercury
then takes to the skies
to seek out Perseus, who
is preparing to kill
Medusa, the hideous
gorgon who has snakes for
hair and a gaze that
turns those who catch her
glance into stone.
Mercury advises Perseus
on how to slay Medusa and
lends Perseus his sword
to do the deed. We hear
Perseus victorious in the
beheading of Medusa,
after which Mercury takes
to the skies once more to
fly home to Olympus.
A cello method for children age four and older. Composed by Egon Saßmannshaus...(+)
A cello method for
children
age four and older.
Composed
by Egon Saßmannshaus and
Kurt
Sassmannshaus. Stapled.
With a
Chinese text booklet.
Performance score.
Baerenreiter Verlag
#BA10756.
Published by Baerenreiter
Verlag
by Stacy Phillips. For fiddle. All styles, fiddle tunes. Level: Multiple Levels....(+)
by Stacy Phillips. For
fiddle. All styles,
fiddle tunes. Level:
Multiple Levels. Book.
Solos. Size 8.75x11.75.
268 pages. Published by
Mel Bay Pub., Inc.