Procession of Nations

SKU: HL.49045635

This is my first work for piano, except for studies. The 'bell' and 'cloud' in the subtitle are metaphors of motifs used in this piece. The motif representing the sound of the 'bell' in Le gibet, the second of Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel, is transferred here and tolled insistently from the beginning. The motif gradually loses its figure and transforms into tremolos which represent 'clouds'. I name the process 'Disincarnations.' The work represents the transforming process itself. -Kenji Sakai.

SKU: BP.HB526

UPC: 748769305263.

Writt en for 3 to 6 octave handbell choir and optional 3 octaves of handchimes. Level 3. With an opening set of measures that can be used as an easily-memorized processional, this joyous paean is guaranteed to delight. Bold, syncopated chords and a flowing melody give way to a more introspective section featuring chords on handchimes. Malleted bass notes lead us back to the opening material once more for a triumphant climax that ends with a return of the processional material. Perfect for any celebratory occasion.

SKU: AU.9780800654573

ISBN 9780800654573.

SKU: PR.14440757S

ISBN 9781491136539. UPC: 680160689347.

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

SKU: BR.EB-9387

ISBN 9790004188576. 0 x 0 inches.

Commissione d by the Kolner Philharmonie (KolnMusik) for the non bthvn projekt 2020 and the Cite de la musique / Philharmonie de Paris Dedicated to Arditti Quartet Each movement of this quartet explores a single state, its lights and its shadows. Each movement, you could say, is a moment . And these moments could last for more or less time without compromising their essential nature. The processes could be extended or compressed, repeated or reversed, but the core ideas - if they are ideas, but maybe they are simply experiences? - are what they are. Despite this, the precise sequence of movements matters a great deal. Heard together they do articulate some kind of linear narrative, maybe even a metaphorical journey (albeit a circular one where the arrival might, who knows, prove to be a new departure). One situation gives way to another and instrumental relationships within the quartet vary, but ultimately the imaginative impulse behind the piece preferences states of unity. Whether or not this unity is expressed texturally - sometimes literal unisons pervade, but not always - there is generally a sense that even seemingly diverse aspects relate to a fundamental condition of concord: a conscious limitation in the pitch structure to spectral emanations of the root notes E-flat and C. At the opening this is unambiguously audible in the perpetual alternation of these two notes in the low cello register. Later the two spectra are woven into a micro-tonal 'double-spectral-mode' (derived from the first 24 partials of the C and E-flat fundamentals), which defines the subtle melodic inflection of the second movement, and the never-quite-chromatic ascending scales of the third. For now this feels like a rich source of melodic possibility, so far only just glimpsed... And why the insistence on E-flat? Probably by way of historical anecdote. Apparently Karl Holz (a member of the Schuppanzigh Quartet) said to Beethoven: We performed your Quartet in E-flat Op. 127 in his [Weber's] honour; he found the Adagio too long; but I told him: Beethoven also has a longer feeling and a longer imagination than anyone standing or not standing today. - Since then, even Linke (another member of the quartet) can no longer stand him: we cannot forgive him for this. Listening again to Op. 127, in light of these comments, I was struck by the opening moment: the unfolding of an E-flat 7th chord over the course of a few bars. Every time I hear it I find myself wishing that Beethoven would have lingered longer there, without resolution or progression, just enjoying that sonority. And maybe - why not? - tune the 7th naturally. And what would it be to stretch that moment into an entire piece? What would Weber think of that?! In the end I was not so extreme in my self-limitation, and other concerns took over, but it was from these thoughts that the composition process began... Lastly, about the title: it comes from a book called 'The Clock of the Long Now' by Stewart Brand, published at the turn of the millennium. It's about the creation of a thousand-year clock to embody the aspiration to thinking in terms of longer time-spans than are presently habitual. If the music of Beethoven embodied a 'longer' feeling and imagination than some of his contemporaries were able to appreciate, what is our relation to time now? Longer or shorter? Maybe it depends who you ask... It's probably more extreme in both directions: attention spans might be diminishing in the digital world, but conversely there is an awareness of distant pasts and potential futures which would have been inconceivable at the time of Beethoven. In any case, the interesting thing is to ponder how societal conditions, assumptions and expectations might - whether consciously or unconsciously - influence the time of art, for listeners and creators alike. And what if time is running out? (Christian Mason)

World premiere: Paris, Cite de la musique, January 14, 2020.

SKU: PR.144407570

ISBN 9781491136522. UPC: 680160689330.

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

SKU: WD.080689266997

UPC: 080689266997.

In a work of this magnitude, hundreds of decisions, from the significant to the seemingly insignificant, determine the quality of the final result. An uncompromising commitment to excellence has guided every step of the creation of The Celebration Hymnal.

The first step was to put together a leadership team with a vision for making The Celebration Hymnal truly innovative and exceptional. Tom Fettke, Senior Editor of The Celebration Hymnal, has been a composer, editor, arranger and producer of music for the church for over three decades, and served as Senior Editor of the highly regarded The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration. His love for music of the church, his desire to equip worship leaders, and his determination for excellence made him uniquely qualified for the ambitious undertaking of creating The Celebration Hymnal. Tom studied closely the needs of worship leaders, monitoring carefully the songs being used widely in today's evangelical church, and thoroughly researching new hymns and songs that will be sung by congregations in the years to come.

Camp Kirkland, Instrumental Editor for The Celebration Hymnal has been a major force in the development of instrumental music in the church over the last two decades, and is considered one of the foremost arrangers and orchestrators of our day. He has served as consultant and orchestrator on three previous hymnal projects. For two years, he and a team of twenty orchestrators have invested themselves in perfecting the orchestrations created for The Celebration Hymnal.

The involvement of a distinguished group of musicians, pastors, worship leaders, editors, and Bible scholars combining their experience, expertise, and enthusiasm has resulted in an exceptional hymnal of unsurpassed quality. A diverse group of consultants and advisors from a broad range of denominations participated in a rigorous process of design and song selection surveys, assuring that The Celebration Hymnal will provide the most beneficial features and the most usable collection of hymns, gospel songs and contemporary praise & worship songs.

Dr. Kenneth Barker, former Executive Director of the NIV Translation Center, served as Scripture Editor, ensuring the utmost integrity in the use of Scripture throughout The Celebration Hymnal.

The nearly 700 songs included in The Celebration Hymnal were chosen on the basis of textual integrity, musical interest, and universal usage by today's evangelical church. As a non-denominational hymnal, the compilation was developed with the sole purpose of providing the strongest possible collection of songs and hymns for today's congregations. Hundreds of songs were evaluated carefully by this broad spectrum of advisors and consultants.

SKU: WD.080689321078

UPC: 080689321078.

In a work of this magnitude, hundreds of decisions, from the significant to the seemingly insignificant, determine the quality of the final result. An uncompromising commitment to excellence has guided every step of the creation of The Celebration Hymnal.

The first step was to put together a leadership team with a vision for making The Celebration Hymnal truly innovative and exceptional. Tom Fettke, Senior Editor of The Celebration Hymnal, has been a composer, editor, arranger and producer of music for the church for over three decades, and served as Senior Editor of the highly regarded The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration. His love for music of the church, his desire to equip worship leaders, and his determination for excellence made him uniquely qualified for the ambitious undertaking of creating The Celebration Hymnal. Tom studied closely the needs of worship leaders, monitoring carefully the songs being used widely in today's evangelical church, and thoroughly researching new hymns and songs that will be sung by congregations in the years to come.

Camp Kirkland, Instrumental Editor for The Celebration Hymnal has been a major force in the development of instrumental music in the church over the last two decades, and is considered one of the foremost arrangers and orchestrators of our day. He has served as consultant and orchestrator on three previous hymnal projects. For two years, he and a team of twenty orchestrators have invested themselves in perfecting the orchestrations created for The Celebration Hymnal.

The involvement of a distinguished group of musicians, pastors, worship leaders, editors, and Bible scholars combining their experience, expertise, and enthusiasm has resulted in an exceptional hymnal of unsurpassed quality. A diverse group of consultants and advisors from a broad range of denominations participated in a rigorous process of design and song selection surveys, assuring that The Celebration Hymnal will provide the most beneficial features and the most usable collection of hymns, gospel songs and contemporary praise & worship songs.

Dr. Kenneth Barker, former Executive Director of the NIV Translation Center, served as Scripture Editor, ensuring the utmost integrity in the use of Scripture throughout The Celebration Hymnal.

The nearly 700 songs included in The Celebration Hymnal were chosen on the basis of textual integrity, musical interest, and universal usage by today's evangelical church. As a non-denominational hymnal, the compilation was developed with the sole purpose of providing the strongest possible collection of songs and hymns for today's congregations. Hundreds of songs were evaluated carefully by this broad spectrum of advisors and consultants.