Stainer-and-Bell Publisher

Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the virginalls composed by three famous masters : William Byrd, John Bull, Orlando Gibbons / Partitions classique / Piano - instruments à clavier / Clavecin / STAINER AND BELL

Edited by John HarleyCONTENTSSuite No. 1 in G: A Ground; Corant; An Aire; MinuetSuite No. 2 in A: Almand; Round O; JiggSuite No. 3 in B minor: Almand; Corant; SarabandSuite No. 4 in C minor:Almand; Corant; MinuetSuite No. 5 in C: Almand; Corant (I); A Jigg; An EntryCorant (II); Minuet; Donawert MarchSuite No. 6 in D: Almand; Corant; Minuet; Duke of Marlborough's MarchSuite No. 7 in Aminor: Almand; CorantSaraband / Clavecin / Stainer And Bell

Even for Ralph Vaughan Williams the prospect of two world premieres within 24 hours must have been something of a rarity. Such was the case however on the first two days of June 1953 when his now classic arrangement of The Old Hundredth Psalm was sung at the Coronation of Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey being preceded the evening before by the premiere of 'Silence and Music' fourth of ten partsongs of A Garland for the Queen commissioned from leading British composers by the Arts Council of Great Britain to honour the new monarch.Long unavailable except as separate items from individual publishers this historic collectionis now reissued complete by Stainer & Bell in its original single-volume format allowing conductors and singers to choose from a rich collection of choral music with which to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and in 2013 the 60th anniversary of the Coronation itself.In addition to VW's contribution A Garland for the Queen includes important settings by Bax Berkeley Bliss Finzi Howells Ireland Rawsthorne Rubbra and Tippett. The collection moreover draws on the work of poets whose names likewise feature prominently in the annals of mid-century British literary talent: Clifford Bax Edmund Blunden Paul Dehn Christopher Fry Christopher Hassall James Kirkup Louis MacNeice Walter de la Mare Henry Reed and Ursula Wood.Intended as a counterpart to The Triumphs of Oriana of 1601 the celebrated madrigal volume published in praise of Elizabeth I by Thomas Morley A Garland for the Queen emulates its distinguished predecessor in its variety of moods and vocal combinations. There is material here to fit every aspect of celebration from the airy five-part ensemble of Bax's 'What is it like to be young and fair?' and the soprano solo with SATB of Rawsthorne's Canzonet to the lustrous contrasting of male and female timbres in Bliss's Aubade and the rapturous eight-part setting of

Score and PartsStandard: ElementaryChristine Brown is a highly respected teacher and composer for young people and in her Chandos Suite for violin cello and piano she marries her wealth of practical experience in coaching elementary players in the art of chamber music with her distinctively tuneful way of writing for the three instruments. A wistful Prelude precedes a mysterious scherzo of plucked and bowed whole-tone scales. A Serenade gives all the players a chance to shine in cantabile melody before the pulsating rhythms of the final Dance bring the suite to a brilliant conclusion. The Chandos Suite is a worthy addition to Stainer &Bell's collection of classic piano trios for young musicians including popular works by Frank Bridge Adam Carse Cornelius Gurlitt and Peter Martin.

Once chiefly esteemed for the radicalism of his late style, Frank Bridge is no less admired today for his earlier works written in a polished romantic idiom tailored both to the taste of his audience and the capabilities of his performers. The Four Short Pieces for violin and piano of 1912 are a perfect flowering of these gifts. With Meditation and Country Dance from the set already published separately by Stainer & Bell, the release of Spring Song and Lullaby as a pair makes the complete collection now available. Spring Song is a charming aubade in the manner of Elgar's Chanson de Matin, but with a piquant modality also redolent of Gabriel Fauré's salon style. The smoothly eloquent melody of Lullaby showcases vibrato, evenness of tone and bowing control. An alternative Grade 3 choice in the new Associated Board violin syllabus starting in 2012, it will be preferred by many teachers and examination candidates for its musical distinction and poetical atmosphere.

With Sleigh Bells across the Snow renowned recitalist and composer of popular church music Malcolm Archer reveals another facet of his talented musicianship namely his love of light music and his mastery of the theatre organ.With this addition to Stainer & Bell’s stylish Light Organ Series Sleigh Bells across the Snow was conceived in the spirit of Leroy Anderson and joyfully follows the tradition of his and other notable sleigh rides. Bells and chimes feature prominently ad libitum. But as the composer himself remarks in true theatre-organ spirit players should also feel free to add their own embellishments glissandi or whatever else takes their fancy!

Selected from Musica Britannica Volume 73. Edited by Robert Klakowich.Amateur and professional players with an interest in Baroque repertoire will welcome this generous selection of 25 harpsichord pieces by John Blow (1649-1708). Blow stands as the dominant figure of English harpsichord composition in the late seventeenth century the master of an individual school that merged continental influences into a vigorous native tradition of keyboard writing. There are preludes dances and grounds in this anthology which is selected from Volume 73 of Musica Britannica and also includes advice on ornamentation and a comprehensive editorial note. Along with its companionvolume of 16 organ pieces K43 this collection is an important addition to Stainer & Bell's landmark Early English Keyboard series.

In the 50th anniversary year of the death of Ralph Vaughan Williams this highly attractive arrangement for piano of one of his most popular works will surely find its way into the repertoire of many pianists.Treasured by organists but no less admired in its orchestral arrangement often heard on Classic FM this delightful prelude on the Welsh hymn tune known as Rhosymedre is a perfect union of the style of Bach and RVW. No less aptly known by the name of ‘Lovely’ the tune appears in the manner of a choral prelude which Bryan Kelly has skilfully re-crafted for piano solo.Of intermediate difficulty and well within the range of players of Grade 5 standard orabove this new version of the piece also complements the arrangement for piano duet by Reginald Hadfield already available in Stainer & Bell’s Easy Festival Duet series.

Par VAUGHAN WILLIAMS RALPH. In his Prelude ? The Truth from Above, outstanding arranger and curator Paul Hindmarsh has distilled the essence of a timeless Christmas classic by Ralph Vaughan Williams into five minutes of ravishingly unforgettable music for brass band. The variants of the Herefordshire tune popular from the Fantasia on Christmas Carols and The Oxford Book of Carols are skilfully and stylishly woven together, from an evocative opening to an ecstatic, multi-layered coda. Unerringly true to the timeless spirit of the original, with the added beauty of the brass-band sound at its most sonorously grave and haunting, Prelude ? The Truth from Above may be performed separately, or as the first of two preludes, preceding Paul?s arrangement of Rhosymedre from the Three Preludes Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes, also available from Stainer

17 songs with piano or guitar accompaniment. CONTENTSAll alone and all together (D - B); Bell of creation (A - C); Better take a book to bed (C - C)Bitter was the night (C - E flat); Down below (B flat - E flat); Feeling sad and lonely (C - B)Friday morning (C sharp - E); Good literature (B - B); I want to have a little bomb like you (C - C)Lord of the Dance (D - D); Middle-aged middle-class mediocre (G - C)Mixed up old man (D - D); My last cigarette (C - E); Never can tell (A - D); Present tense (B - B); The Rat race (B - B); Silver in the stubble (B - D)