SKU: CY.CC3053
ISBN 9790530110287. 8.5 x 11 in inches.
Prelude and Fugue in C BWV is taken from the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, a collection of works for keyboard that were most likely used as teaching pieces for beginners. There has been back and forth about the attribution of these works, but most scholars agree that they are by Bach, just simplified for his students. Matthew McCrady has beautifully arranged this 4-5 minute work for Brass Quintet and included parts in C and B-flat for the Trumpets.
SKU: CY.CC3020
ISBN 9781774310601. 8.5 x 11 in inches.
About the Taiwan Fantasia, van Deursen states: After having lived in Taipei for a number of years, I learned many of the local folk and popular songs. Some of the melodies are exceptionally beautiful, and my idea was to somehow combine all the elements that have made up my musical experiences over these years - Chinese melodies, western orchestral music and jazz; I wanted to see if these songs could survive with a totally different harmonic structure and concept. My original goal was to write a simple arrangement of the two songs, but quickly I discovered more melodies building upon the original ones and thus the Variations were born. Composed in 1995, this work of about 10 minutes in length is in one continuous movement, but is divided into seven short sections of contrasting moods including two cadenzas, for Trumpet and Trombone. The music is appropriate for advanced performers. Parts in C and B-flat are supplied for the Trumpets. A recording of Taiwan Fantasia can be purchased on iTunes from the album by the Yeh Shu Han Brass Quintet.
SKU: PR.11441123S
UPC: 680160016303. 8.5 x 11 inches.
The Quintet for Piano and String Quartet was written for the American String Quartet in the summer of 2000. It is in one movement but has two distinct parts. The first is a slow movement characterized by dotted rhythms. It is a fantasy with some long flowing lines interrupted by short fragments usually in the piano. After a rather agitated section in 6/8 time, this section comes to a quiet close on a G-sharp major chord. The second section of this thirteen-minute work is marked Fast and Energetic. It begins with chords that recur throughout the movement and after two measures a long main theme is introduced which is developed and altered during the rest of the fast portion of the work. One could call this second part a sort of rondo form since this long lyrical theme returns always after contrasts. When it does return, it is treated often by means of imitation, but at the climax returns played in unison by the strings while the piano renders an energetic sixteenth note background. The work ends on an E-flat major chord though the piece is certainly not in any one key, but rather features quick modulations. One might call this non-tonal music which nevertheless always feels like it has a tonal center. --Samuel Adler.
