Pre-Reading Set 2 - Folk Songs

SKU: HL.14023265

ISBN 9788759810866. Danish.

From the preface:

The aim of the publication of these four-handed piano compositions is to fill a void within the sphere of sight-reading
(and almost sight-reading) at the beginner and intermediate level. These three volumes together contain 36 Nordic folk songs from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the
Faroe Islands. The selection is based first and foremost on their being well suited to the instrumental expressive
possibilit ies of the piano, and being good representatives of the rich and atmospheric Nordic musical heritage.
When one practises sight-reading on one’s own it is tempting to stop as onegoes along, because the desire to play
the correct notes is often given priority at the expense of the rhythm and expression.
Music without an organic pulse will leave the player with an unsatisfactory feeling of stress and failure, and the
stream of thought will not form part of a natural flow. Good sight-reading training is therefore ensemble playing,
where the teacher supports the pulse and rhythm.
In many other publications of four-handed duets the secundo part is written in two bass clefs, and the primo part in two
treble clefs. Reading this untrained combination of clefs, along with the stressful fact that the music has never been
seen nor heard before, can confuse the pupil.
In volumes 1 and 2 the secundo part, which is intended for the pupil, is therefore notated in a treble clef and bass
clef, as piano music for two hands is usually notated. In volume 3 the degree of difficulty is more varied, but in most
of the pieces improvisation is an interposed element in the primo part, being therefore a good challenge for the pupil.
In the improvisatory sections a chord or a scale is notated. These can form the tonal starting point, but here too the
pupil is encouraged to experiment with, for example, the shift between major and minor thirds, and between the high and
low sixth and seventh.

SKU: 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,”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.”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,”constantly 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 praise” melody bursts out in a surprising compound meter. This, as it turns out, was the “mystery tune”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 “Amen” 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 sight”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.

SKU: 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,”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.”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,”constantly 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 praise” melody bursts out in a surprising compound meter. This, as it turns out, was the “mystery tune”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 “Amen” 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 sight”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.

SKU: GI.G-9815

ISBN 9781622773688.

Habi ts of a Successful Choral Musician is a resource for both choir directors and choral singers that builds music fundamentals (sight-singing and ear training) and vocal functions (from posture to tone). This book has provided a clear and well-organized pedagogy that is helping my students to improve in all facets of being a choral musician. — Alan Davis, Director of Choirs, Hemet High School, Hemet, CA Habits of a Successful Choral Musician by Eric Wilkinson and Scott Rush is a fantastic resource for choir directors who seek to develop all levels of singers. The book provides a pedagogical approach to teaching voice building, rhythm work, tuning exercises, sight-reading, theory exercises, and suggestions to nurture the entire musician. I love how this one method book covers multiple aspects of musicianship, rather than having to use multiple books to build each individual skill. — Emily Chandler, Director of Choirs, Seven Lakes High School, Katy, TX Habits of a Successful Choral Musician is a field-tested, vital, and—most important—musical collection of more than 200 sequenced exercises for building fundamentals and artistry. Perfect for use by an entire choir or soloist, this book contains carefully sequenced warm-ups, vocalises, chorales, rhythm work, tonal patterns, sight-singing etudes, and much more. In one place, this book presents everything an aspiring singer needs to build fundamental musicianship skills and then be able to transfer those skills directly into the performance of great literature. Habits of a Successful Choral Musician: Provides material for use during fundamentals time that promotes a comprehensive approach to developing skills necessary to fill the musical toolbox. Includes a sequential format that leads to the mastery of reading rhythms and, ultimately, to musical sight-singing. Provides chorales and other ensemble exercises for the development of tone quality, ensemble sonority, and musicianship. Includes partner songs, folk songs, and rounds to develop harmony skills. Combines pedagogy, literacy, fundamentals development, sight-singing, and musicianship into one book under one cover. Promotes the idea that technique and artistry are not taught in silos but are simultaneously taught as students build capacity in both areas. Habits of a Successful Choral Musician is the answer to the question, What should I be learning during fundamentals time? Eric Wilkinson is the Director of Choral Studies at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Scott Rush is the Director of Fine and Performing Arts in Dorchester District Two (SC) and is the lead writer for the Habits series published by GIA. Preview the contents with Erik Wilkinson in this video...

SKU: GI.G-9815T

ISBN 9781622773671.

Habi ts of a Successful Choral Musician is a resource for both choir directors and choral singers that builds music fundamentals (sight-singing and ear training) and vocal functions (from posture to tone). This book has provided a clear and well-organized pedagogy that is helping my students to improve in all facets of being a choral musician. — Alan Davis, Director of Choirs, Hemet High School, Hemet, CA Habits of a Successful Choral Musician by Eric Wilkinson and Scott Rush is a fantastic resource for choir directors who seek to develop all levels of singers. The book provides a pedagogical approach to teaching voice building, rhythm work, tuning exercises, sight-reading, theory exercises, and suggestions to nurture the entire musician. I love how this one method book covers multiple aspects of musicianship, rather than having to use multiple books to build each individual skill. — Emily Chandler, Director of Choirs, Seven Lakes High School, Katy, TX Habits of a Successful Choral Musician is a field-tested, vital, and—most important—musical collection of more than 200 sequenced exercises for building fundamentals and artistry. Perfect for use by an entire choir or soloist, this book contains carefully sequenced warm-ups, vocalises, chorales, rhythm work, tonal patterns, sight-singing etudes, and much more. In one place, this book presents everything an aspiring singer needs to build fundamental musicianship skills and then be able to transfer those skills directly into the performance of great literature. Habits of a Successful Choral Musician: Provides material for use during fundamentals time that promotes a comprehensive approach to developing skills necessary to fill the musical toolbox. Includes a sequential format that leads to the mastery of reading rhythms and, ultimately, to musical sight-singing. Provides chorales and other ensemble exercises for the development of tone quality, ensemble sonority, and musicianship. Includes partner songs, folk songs, and rounds to develop harmony skills. Combines pedagogy, literacy, fundamentals development, sight-singing, and musicianship into one book under one cover. Promotes the idea that technique and artistry are not taught in silos but are simultaneously taught as students build capacity in both areas. Habits of a Successful Choral Musician is the answer to the question, What should I be learning during fundamentals time? Eric Wilkinson is the Director of Choral Studies at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Scott Rush is the Director of Fine and Performing Arts in Dorchester District Two (SC) and is the lead writer for the Habits series published by GIA. Preview the contents with Erik Wilkinson in this video...

SKU: GI.G-9247

ISBN 9781622772599. English. Text by John L. Bell.

Most of the tunes found in Known Unknowns will be well known to people who have some familiarity with hymns and folk songs. The unknown factor is the texts. Some have appeared in previous Iona publications to known tunes, some to dedicated, original tunes. Almost fifty percent of the texts in Known Unknowns have never appeared in a hymnal or song book. The texts represent a wide gamut of subject matter, from psalm paraphrases to songs about ecology, abuse, money, depression, and delight. They are intended for churches where there is no musician, churches where there is a reticence to sing new songs, or churches where the praise of God has been kept separate from the concerns of the world. Several indexes are provided, including by tune and by topic, the vast majority of the tunes can be found in any hymnal, while the topical index should be helpful when looking for songs to suit a particular theme in the readings or liturgy.

SKU: HL.645108

ISBN 9781495082054. UPC: 008148001545. 9.0x12.0x0.145 inches.

The Schaum Piano for Adults series feature lessons that are much more gradual than other adult methods with an emphasis on music appreciation. It teaches piano mastery tailored for busy teens and adults featuring an array of music from orchestra, opera, ballet, vocal, choral literature and folk songs. Includes music appreciation stories and musical exploration through creative directions and explanations. Progress is easily adapted to each student's needs and may be used for children as young as age 10. Level Four presents detailed ideas to help in memorizing and making practice more effective; introduces 9/8 and 3/2 time, double sharps/flats, polyphonic music, three-staff reading; suite form is explained and illustrated.

SKU: HL.645105

ISBN 9781629060347. UPC: 008148001514. 9.0x12.0x0.126 inches.

The Schaum Piano for Adults series feature lessons that are much more gradual than other adult methods with an emphasis on music appreciation. It teaches piano mastery tailored for busy teens and adults featuring an array of music from orchestra, opera, ballet, vocal, choral literature and folk songs. Includes music appreciation stories and musical exploration through creative directions and explanations. Progress is easily adapted to each student's needs and may be used for children as young as age 10. Level One features recognition of intervals and repeated patterns in melody and chords; analysis of simple musical form; and more. The knowledge acquired in Level One will provide significant help in reading music, learning pieces, and memorizing.