SKU: HL.14008406
ISBN 9780711948716.
A work for solo violin and orchestra, commissioned by Donald McDonald for the 21st birthday of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the 60th birthday of the composer. It was first performed in November 1993 in Glasgow, by James Clark and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Maxwell Davies. The spell is one quoted by George Mackay Brown in his book An Orkney Tapestry: 'Let not plough be put to acre except a fiddle cross first the furrow.' Davies's dancing concerto imagines the fiddler following a route from field to field, from dance to dance, accompanied by a bunch of companions in the form of an orchestra. As the music goes on, so it gets brighter and livelier, moving from the dark colouring of clarinets, bassoons and strings to full ensemble with prominent brass and (solo) tuned percussion, as if the dancers as much as the fields were beginning to glow with new life. Score (miniature). Duration c. 20mins.
SKU: HL.49045997
ISBN 9781540033918. UPC: 888680787004. 9.5x12.0x0.681 inches.
Wind Dances is in seven short contrasting movements, each containing dance-like rhythms, both slow and fast. Having two sons who both play the clarinet, I've heard many a woodwind quintet, so I've been wanting to write for the medium for quite a while. In this instance, I also added my own instrument, the piano.The work opens with a fast movement containing driving rhythms in the winds, which are then answered by the piano. The second movement features colorful effects in the winds and piano (slap tongue, air sounds, muted tones) leading to a long extended lyrical line, gradually orchestrated to involve all the winds. The third movement is a dynamic scherzo, with a separate middle section similar to a traditional Trio section. The slowly unfolding fourth movement is the longest of the piece and anchors the middle of the work. The fifth movement is a kind of echo of the third movement, though this time the dynamic scherzo is high and light, rather than low and dark. The sixth movement is related to the second movement, and is basically a solo cadenza for the clarinet, with a few accompanimental gestures in the piano. The seventh and final movement reprises material from the first movement, this time with new and driving dance-like gestures added.- Pierre Jalbert.
SKU: FG.042-07982-9
ISBN 979-0-042-07982-9.
Songs of Dances and Death arranged for bass voice and orchestra by Kalevi Aho. This orchestral adaptation of Mussorgsky's brilliant song cycle was made in 1984 for the late Martti Talvela. The songs represent variations on the same storyline: Death arrives to take a life before its normal course has run. In all four Aho uses the instrumentation to highlight the movement towards Death's triumph and emphasise the cycle's dark psychological character.
SKU: AP.6-420698
ISBN 9780486420691. English.
In addition to their intrinsic entertainment value, these authentic regional singings and sayings offer significant insights into African lives and customs. Recorded in the early twentieth century, this compilation features folklore from the Ndau tribe of Portuguese East Africa and the Zulus of South Africa: songs celebrating the rain, labor chants, dances and laments, as well as songs of war, meditation, and love. Extensive commentary, metrical and literal translations, and notes on pronunciation provided by the editor, one of the world's foremost ethnomusicologists. A splendid introduction to the rich and varied musical and folkloric tradition of Africa, this volume offers a fine resource for music students and all enthusiasts of African culture. Unabridged reprint of the classic 1921 edition. 10 black-and-white illustrations.
SKU: HL.4002390
UPC: 073999979886. 9.0x12.0x0.08 inches.
Our sky is never the same – from day to day or even hour to hour. It holds the brightest and darkest things we will ever see, and in addition is capable of displaying every imaginable color and mood. Through this expressive work, Samuel Hazo has translated the many qualities of the sky into musical moods. The opening section features flowing melodies beautifully developed between soloistic and full ensemble playing. The “sinister†fast section features driving rhythms, mixed meters and a crescendo that evolves into a powerful setting of the original melody. Sam's sense of timing and emotional pacing is strongly evident in this effective work. (5:45).
SKU: FG.55011-071-7
ISBN 9790550110717.
Completed in Karstula, Finland during late July 2010, this carefully structured, but also free-ranging work is drawn from ideas for a much earlier work in four movements, Fantasy dating from the 1980s. Kai Nieminen has been for a long time an admirer of the work of artist Paul Klee (1879-1940), and the solo presented in its final form here is influenced by the painting Dances caused by Fear or as it is often refered to Dancing from Fear painted towards the end of Klee's life in Bern, 1938. Having left Germany for Switzerland in December 1933, Klee's later works were often full of signs and lines, very often represented in black, depicting human figures or various objects against a variety of coloured backgrounds, in the case of this painting of a brownish hue. This development in his painting style and technique is felt by some to be an effect perhaps of his long-term illness, systemic sclerosis, but in the case of Dances caused by Fear there is suggested an atmosphere of panic and terror, an attempt to escape from horrors to come (World War II), represented in the violent movement of the arms and legs of the figures, and the dark, indeed brooding nature of the colours. In Kai Nieminen's guitar work Images of Fear, there is only a very brief passage of calm at the very beginning, after which come three main connected sections in which a wide range of musically unsettling ideas emerge one by one, making use of the tritone, minor seconds, glissandos, tamboura, campanella, etc. The third and final section incorporates the grouping of 5 sixteenth-notes, to give an uneasy feeling to the music, with a short haunting and pleading five-note phrase (Cantando) heard immediately following this passage, before the work ends with further glissandos, and distant and diminishing harmonics. As with Kai Nieminen's other guitar works, the use of 'orchestral colour' is vital to the performance, and passages suggestive of for example brass, strings, woodwind, etc., should be taken into account and played with suitably considered contrast of tone. John Mills.
SKU: HL.14020965
ISBN 9780711936959.
The story centres on the English princess Caroline Mathilde (1751-1775), sister of George III, who at the age of 15 was sent to Denmark to marry the 17-year-old eccentric and schizophrenic Danish King, Christian VII. The ballet portrays her unhappy marriage, the King's growing madness and her fatal love-affair with Struensee, the King's influential physician, which leads to their arrest, his execution and her exile, at the age of 20, separated from her two young children. This suite begins with the act's opening number: a boisterous, stamping dance to which the people rudely mock Queen Caroline Mathilde and her lover Struensee. After this comes a dark Adagio, The Conspiracy, in which the theme passes like persuasion from mouth to mouth, its variations suggesting the different attitudes of the conspirators, firmly controlled by the brass-driven gestures of the Queen Dowager. The conspiracy then works itself out at a court masked ball, from which the suite includes two dances: a gavotte, and a slow, lubricious passacaglia that is a pas de deux for Caroline Mathilde and Struensee. The Arrest comes with a gathering rush of music that envelops the King, the Queen and Struensee, leading to a vociferous climax in which they are held apart. In The Execution, slow white music for wordless female voices, harp and low strings is interrupted by pathetic, alienated outbursts from the King. The suite ends, as does the ballet, with a quiet adagio lament for clarinets and alto flute as the Queen goes into exile. Score. Duration c. 33mins.
SKU: FH.VA2
ISBN 978-1-55440-564-0.
This groundbreaking series for viola offers a sound and progressive collection of Repertoire, Recordings, Etudes, Technique, and Orchestral Excerpts for the aspiring virtuoso. Representing all major style periods and a variety of genres, Viola Series, 2013 Edition offers all the music and tools needed to support a comprehensive course of study from the beginner to advanced levels. A rich and varied selection of music in each of these nine progressive volumes of repertoire appeals to violists of all ages. From the Preparatory Level through Level 8, students will be exposed to quality selections originally written for viola, fun arrangements of traditional fiddle and folk tunes, as well as contemporary pieces by notable composers such as Violet Archer, Carey Cheney, and Fritz Kriesler.Concertos, Concertinas, and Fantasias:Concerto in E Minor, op. 35 - Rieding, Oskar- First MovementConcertino in the Style of Antonio Vivaldi, op. 15 - Kuechler, Ferdinand- Third MovementConcertino No. 4 in C Major, op. 22 - Breval, Jean-Baptiste- Third Movement: FinaleThe Infant Paganini: Fantasia - Mollenhauer, EduardBaroque Repertoire:Chaconne - Handel, George Frideric arr. Peter HeilbutSarabande - Handel, George Frideric arr. Christine GaleGiguetta - Bach, Johann Sebastian arr. Constance Seely-BrownOmbra mai fu (Never Was a Shade), from Serse - Handel, George Frideric arr. Gaston BorchPolonaise, BWV Anh. 119 - attr. Bach, Johann Sebastian arr. Jason NobleTwo Dances - Hasse, Johann Adolf arr. Johannes PalaschkoConcert Repertoire:Andante grazioso - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus arr. Jason Gray and Katharine RapoportWiegenlied (Lullaby) - Wolf, HugoDark Mood - Archer, VioletOn the Road - Teehan, RobRigadoon - Jacon, GordonMarch, from The Nutcracker - Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il'yich arr. Jason NobleHen and Rooster - Konicek, Zdenek.
SKU: CF.SPS74
ISBN 9781491147696. UPC: 680160905195. 9 x 12 inches. Key: F minor.
Courage of the Cossacks is a refreshing march in the style of Russian folk music, offering a break from the standard American march style for festival performance. Composer Ed Kiefer has scored this piece to sound sonorous throughout while highlighting all sections of the band. Directors looking for a unique march need look no further.Courage of the Cossacks was written for my friends in Union County, NC . Based on several Cossack folk tunes it is a very dark sounding march which features almost every section of the band . The trio is one of the most beautiful oppressive melodies I have ever heard, and it is set in stark contrast to the upbeat, Russian sounding opening strains . After the trio comes to a halt, the piece restarts slowly, gradually accelerating to the final strain, much like many Cossack dances . A combination of March and Dance, this piece is not too difficult to perform and is very rewarding for both students and audiences . Courage of the Cossacks is a great piece to begin or end any concert and a perfect march for showing off your group at festival .
SKU: AP.6-836495
ISBN 9780486836492. UPC: 800759836499. English.
This thorough, well-researched exploration of the origins and development of a rich and varied African American musical tradition features authentic versions of over 40 folk songs. These include such time-honored selections as Wake Up Jonah, Rock Chariot, Wonder Where Is My Brother Gone, Traveling Shoes, It's Getting Late in the Evening, Dark Was the Night, I'm Crossing Jordan River, Russia, Let That Moon Alone, Long John, Rosie, Motherless Children, three versions of John Henry, and many others. One of the first and best surveys in its field, Negro Folk Music, U.S.A. has long been admired for its perceptive history and analysis of the origins and musical qualities of typical forms, ranging from simple cries and calls to anthems and spirituals, ballads, and the blues. Traditional dances and musical instruments are examined as well. The author---a well-known novelist, folklorist, journalist, and specialist in African and African American cultures---offers a discerning study of the influence of this genre on popular music, with particular focus on how jazz developed out of folk traditions.
