SKU: HL.50498648
ISBN 9781480312951. UPC: 884088878481. 9.0x12.0x0.071 inches.
Paul Creston was one of the most performed composers of the 1940s and '50s, and his music remains important and relevant today. His unique rhythmic and harmonic style is apparent in Five Little Dances, his only work for piano. Robert Longfield's marvelous adaptation for band retains the character and charm of these delightful dances. Dur: 6:40.
SKU: BR.EB-6734
ISBN 9790004169360. 9 x 12 inches.
This series of easy piano pieces for teaching purposes presents pupils in the early and early-middle stages with a careful selection from well-known and less-known compositions by important masters. The individual volumes are deliberately kept small in compass, since it is more stimulating for children if the literature used for instruction is changed frequently. Between 1795 and 1802, Beethoven composed a large number of German dances, contredances and minuets. He made simple piano reductions of a considerable proportion of these occasional compositions. The selection of the present pieces was made on the basis of the compositions that seemed most suitable for the piano. The piano arrangements are based on the scores and the original piano reductions, and the marks of interpretation have been retained. The working-out of more finely-differentiated interpretations is left to the performer studying the pieces. These grateful little pieces are equally suitable as studies and as recital pieces. Heinz Walter, Salzburg, Fall 1974.
SKU: BT.AMP-297-400
ISBN 9789043138048. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.
Part of the Anglo Music Play-along Series, Philip Sparkes 15 Easy Classical Solos is aimed at the young instrumentalist who can play just over an octave. Specifically tailored to suit the individual instrument, this book introduces thebeginning player to the world of the classics by using simple yet attractive melodies that fit their limited range.
The carefully selected pieces include music from the 16th to the 20th century and cover a wide variety of styles, from Bach to Grieg and from Purcell to Satie.
This book will provide invaluable additional material to complement any teaching method and includes both piano accompaniment and a demo/play-along CD.Philip Sparkeâ??s 15 Easy Classical Solos, onderdeel van de Anglo Music Play-Along Series, is bedoeld voor de jonge instrumentalist die iets meer dan een octaaf kan spelen. Het boek sluit qua instrumentaal bereik en gebruikte toonsoortenaan bij het Artist Level van Hal Leonards Essential Elements ®, maar kan ook los daarvan worden gebruikt.De zorgvuldig geselecteerde melodieën, die specifiek zijn toegesneden op elk instrument, beslaan een breed scala van klassieke stijlen:van Bach tot Grieg en van Purcell tot Satie.Het boek bevat waardevol materiaal ter aanvulling op elke lesmethode en wordt geleverd met pianobegeleiding en een cd met demo- en meespeeltracks.15 Easy Classical Solos ist als Ergänzung zur bewährten Anglo Music Play-Along Reihe gedacht und richtet sich an Schüler, die ungefähr einen Tonumfang von einer Oktave beherrschen. Das Niveau entspricht dem des Artist Levels der Essential Elements ®Methode von Hal Leonard, kann aber auch unabhängig davon verwendet werden.Genau auf jedes Instrument zugeschnitten, ermöglicht die wohlüberlegte Stückeauswahl ein erstes Kennenlernen von Melodien aus verschiedenen Epochen der Klassik von Grieg über Purcell bis Satie.Jeder Band bietet wertvolles Ergänzungsmaterial, das zu jeder Instrumentalschule passt und enthält sowohl Klavier- als auch CD-Begleitungen.1 5 Easy Classical Solos, de Philip Sparke, est un ouvrage qui sâ??adresse aux jeunes musiciens, maîtrisant un peu plus dâ??une octave.
Spécifiqueme nt adapté chaque instrument, ce volume rassemble quinze mélodies écrites par des compositeurs aussi variés que Bach, Purcell, Grieg et Satie.
Comprenant les parties dâ??accompagnement de piano et une version dâ??accompagnement sur compact disc, ces ouvrages représentent une source complémentaire inestimable toute méthode pédagogique.So mmaire : Waltz (Moritz Vogel) â?¢ Chorale Now Praise, My Soul, the Lord (J. S. Bach) â?¢ Humming Song from Album for the Young (Robert Schumann) â?¢ Gymnopédie No. 1 (Erik Satie) â?¢ Iâ??m Called Little Buttercup from HMS Pianoforte (Sir Arthur SeymourSullivan) â?¢ Study, op. 37 No.3 (Henry Lemoine) â?¢ Minuet Z649 (Henry Purcell) â?¢ Theme and Variation from Sonata No. 3 (Thomas Attwood) â?¢ Northern Song from Album for the Young (Robert Schumann) â?¢ Two German Dances from Twelve German Dances D 420(Franz Schubert) â?¢ Watchmanâ??s Song from Lyric Pieces op. 12 (Edvard Grieg) â?¢ Gavotte (Jan Dussek) â?¢ Vien qu , Dorina Bella, op. 7 (Antonio Bianchi, arr. Von Weber) â?¢ Minuet from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (Christian Petzold) â?¢ The Prince ofDenmarkâ??s March from Choice Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinet ( Jeremiah Clarke)Il concetto della collana Anglo Music Play-Along Series è quello di integrare al più presto nel processo di apprendimento dei giovani strumentisti la possibilit di poter suonare accompagnati al piano o con lâ??ausilio di unâ??incisione su CD. Ilchiaro vantaggio di questo metodo è che gli allievi imparano da subito lâ??aspetto fondamentale del suonare insieme, vale a dire tenere il tempo in modo costante. 15 Easy Classical Solos consente agli allievi che hanno una conoscenza limitatadelle note di suonare brani di Bach, Schubert, Purcell, Grieg e altri, grazie alle versioni facilitate. Il livello di 15 Intermediate Classical Solos permette invece agli allievi che padroneggiano lâ??estensione superiore a unâ??ottava dicimentarsi nei â??primi concertiâ? con brani di Haendel, Clementi, Rameau, Glueck, Beethoven e altri. Il CD propone una traccia con lâ??incisione completa e una con il solo accompagnamento.
SKU: SU.96010580
Transcribed and arranged for Piano by Lawrence RosenA new, 3-volume set of Mozart Dances for Piano, 14 of these dance suites are faithfully transcribed for piano at the early to advanced intermediate level. Almost all appear as new Mozart music for piano (except for the Six German Dances, K. 509, which Mozart himself arranged for piano.) Within each volume, they are arranged by increasing difficulty. They are eminently suited for teaching, recital and concert performance, encores, recording, sight-reading practice, and theoretical study. We sincerely hope you enjoy them as much as we did in discovering and creating these little masterpieces. CONTENTS Six Country Dances, K. 462 (originally for 2 oboes, 2 Horns, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass) Three German Dances, K. 605 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns (Posthorn,) 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass, Timpani, Tuned Bells) Six German Dances, K. 571 (originally for 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass, Timpani, Tambourine, Cymbals) Six German Dances, K. 600 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass, Timpani) Four Minuets, K. 601 (originally for 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Bass, Timpani) Instrumentation: Piano Duration: Composed: Published by: Subito Music Publishing.
SKU: SU.96010560
Transcribed and arranged for Piano by Lawrence RosenA new, 3-volume set of Mozart Dances for Piano, 14 of these dance suites are faithfully transcribed for piano at the early to advanced intermediate level. Almost all appear as new Mozart music for piano (except for the Six German Dances, K. 509, which Mozart himself arranged for piano.) Within each volume, they are arranged by increasing difficulty. They are eminently suited for teaching, recital and concert performance, encores, recording, sight-reading practice, and theoretical study. We sincerely hope you enjoy them as much as we did in discovering and creating these little masterpieces. CONTENTS Six Landler, K. 606 (Originally for 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass) Five Country Dances, K. 609 (originally for Flute, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass Two Minuets, K. 463 (originally for Oboe, Bassoon, 2 Horns, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass) Six German Dances, K. 567 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass) Six German Dances, K. 509 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass)In strumentation: Piano Published by: Subito Music Publishing.
SKU: BT.DHP-0991548-060
English-German-French- Dutch.
These four dances are written in a kind of neo renaissance style. Because of the fact that little technical demands are required from its performing artists, these dances are mainly meant for beginning groups, youth ensembles and also for orchestras in all kinds of small strengths. Jan Van der Roost originally had pedagogical intentions with this piece. Myriam Mees arranged Four Old Dances with the same intention for accordion orchestra with electronium and percussion ad libitum.Deze vier dansen zijn geschreven in een soort neorenaissancestijl. Gezien de geringe technische eisen die aan de uitvoerders gesteld worden, richten deze dansjes zich vooral op beginnende groepen, jeugdensembles en ook op allerhandekleine bezettingen. Jan Van der Roost had in eerste instantie pedagogische bedoelingen. Myriam Mees arrangeerde Four Old Dances met dezelfde intentie voor accordeonorkest met electronium en percussie ad libitum.Diese vier Tänze sind in einer Art Neorenaissance-Stil geschrieben. Da sie in technischer Hinsicht keine großen Anforderungen an die Ausführenden stellen, sind sie für Anfängerensembles, Jugendorchester und alle zahlenmäßig kleinen Orchester besonders gut geeignet. Four Old Dances est une suite de quatre danses originales composées dans le style de la musique de la Renaissance. Simples de structure et accessibles aux Orchestres Juniors, ces quatre danses ont été arrangées pour Orchestre d’Accordéons par Myriam Mees. L’instrumentation est quatre voix avec partie de clavier électronique / synthétiseur ad lib. et partie optionnelle de percussion.
SKU: HL.50602096
ISBN 9781540062307. UPC: 888680961305.
The composer wrote of his work as follows: In the music of Hungary, folk songs are manifestly of great importance, on the other hand our ancient airs and dances play a modest role. For this work I have been influenced by dances of the 17th century, written by unknown amateurs in a relatively simple style. Most of these dances were recorded between the 14th and 18th centuries under the usual form of tablature notation. My interest in this music was first captured in the 1940s. I was so fascinated that I decided to give these melodies new life. I fitted the little eight-bar dances together into ternary and rondo forms, and leaning on early Baroque harmony and counterpoint, I attempted a reminiscence of that atmosphere of the provincial Hungarian Baroque.
SKU: BT.EMBZ14992
The composer wrote of his work as follows: In the music of Hungary, folk songs are manifestly of great importance, on the other hand our ancient airs and dances play a modest role. For this work I have been influenced by dances of the 17th century, written by unknown amateurs in a relatively simple style. Most of these dances were recorded between the 14th and 18th centuries under the usual form of tablature notation. My interest in this music was first captured in the 1940s. I was so fascinated that I decided to give these melodies new life. I fitted the little eight-bar dances together into ternary and rondo forms, and leaning on early Baroque harmony and counterpoint, Iattempted a reminiscence of that atmosphere of the provincial Hungarian Baroque. So schrieb der Komponist über sein Werk:
In der ungarischen Musik sind natürlich die Volkslieder sehr wichtig, doch die alten Melodien und Tänze spielen in unserer Musik eine geringere Rolle. Für dieses Werk habe ich mich von Tänzen des 17. Jahrhunderts anregen lassen, die von unbekannten Dilettanten, also ziemlich einfach, geschrieben worden waren. Die meisten waren in der zwischen dem 14. und 18. Jahrhundert geläufigen Tabulaturschrift notiert. In den vierziger Jahren begann ich mich erstmals für diese Musik zu interessieren. Ich war davon so fasziniert, dass ich mich entschloss, sie wieder zum Leben zu erwecken. Ich fügte die kleinen achttaktigen Tänze zu dreiteiligen undRondoformen zusammen. Ausgehend von der frühbarocken Harmonik und Kontrapunktik habe ich mich in einer Art ungarischen provinziellen Barocks versucht.“.
SKU: BT.DHP-1074289-010
9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dut ch.
In Dublin Dances Jan Van der Roost has combined three well-known traditional Irish melodies to form an attractive medley. The medley contains Brian Boru’s March, a melody made popular by worldfamous flautist James Galway, followed bythe atmospheric tune The Minstrel Man and, as a cheerful finale, The Irish Washerwoman. Add a little magic from the Emerald Isle to your concert with this rousing medley. In deze ‘Ierse rapsodie’ put de componist uit de rijke schat aan Ierse volksmuziek en rijgt hij drie bekende melodieën aaneen tot een fraai geheel. De eerste melodie, Brian Boru’s March, krijgt een verfrissende opknapbeurt,trommels en fluiten spelen daarbij een belangrijke rol. Dan volgt de melodie van The Minstrel Man, sfeervol gebracht door diverse instrumenten en met een sobere maar treffende harmonisatie omkaderd. Als ‘uitsmijter’ is erhet opgewekte The Irish Washerwoman - deze vrolijke finale besluit dit muzikale bezoek aan het oneindig groene eiland.In Dublin Dances verknüpfte Jan Van der Roost drei bekannte Melodien zu einem ansprechenden Ganzen: Brian Borus’s March, bekannt vor allem durch den Flötisten James Galway, ist geprägt von Flöten und Trommeln; dann folgt The Minstrel Man, ein stimmungsvolles Lied, das in mehreren Instrumentierungen erscheint und schließlich - als Clou - The Irish Washerwoman im typisch irischen 6/8-Takt als fröhliches Finale dieses musikalischen Besuchs auf der ewig grünen Insel.Pour créer cette rhapsodie irlandaise, Jan Van der Roost a puisé dans la richesse de la musique traditionnelle irlandaise. Dublin Dances (“Danses de Dublinâ€) rassemble trois célèbres mélodies qui forment le canevas de l’œuvre.La première mélodie, Brian Boru’s March, a fait le tour du monde dans les années 1980, gr ce l’interprétatio n du brillant fl tiste James Galway. Dublin Dances en offre une version nouvelle, pleine de fraîcheur. Ancrée dans la tradition de la musique irlandaise, la place accordée aux fl tes et la percussion apparaît comme une évidence.La seconde mélodie, The Minstrel Man, s’appuie sur une superbe courbe qui chemineavec fluidité entre divers instruments. L’harmonisation qui la sous-tend est d’une étonnante, mais somptueuse sobriété.Point culminant de la structure, le pétillant rythme de danse de l’air The Irish Washerwoman écrit en 6/8, un chiffrage de mesure souvent utilisé dans la musique irlandaise. Ce brillant et virevoltant finale clôt ce voyage musical dans l’éternelle île verte où musique et sociabilité sont unies par un lien indéfectible.
SKU: BT.DHP-1074289-140
In Dublin Dances Jan Van der Roost has combined three well-known traditional Irish melodies to form an attractive medley. The medley contains Brian Boru’s March, a melody made popular by worldfamous flautist James Galway, followed bythe atmospheric tune The Minstrel Man/I> and, as a cheerful finale, The Irish Washerwoman. Add a little magic from the Emerald Isle to your concert with this rousing medley.In deze ‘Ierse rapsodie’ put de componist uit de rijke schat aan Ierse volksmuziek en rijgt hij drie bekende melodieën aaneen tot een fraai geheel. De eerste melodie, Brian Boru’s March, krijgt een verfrissende opknapbeurt,trommels en fluiten spelen daarbij een belangrijke rol. Dan volgt de melodie van The Minstrel Man, sfeervol gebracht door diverse instrumenten en met een sobere maar treffende harmonisatie omkaderd. Als ‘uitsmijter’ is erhet opgewekte The Irish Washerwoman - deze vrolijke finale besluit dit muzikale bezoek aan het oneindig groene eiland.In Dublin Dances verknüpfte Jan Van der Roost drei bekannte Melodien zu einem ansprechenden Ganzen: Brian Borus’s March, bekannt vor allem durch den Flötisten James Galway, ist geprägt von Flöten und Trommeln; dann folgt The Minstrel Man, ein stimmungsvolles Lied, das in mehreren Instrumentierungen erscheint und schließlich - als Clou - The Irish Washerwoman im typisch irischen 6/8-Takt als fröhliches Finale dieses musikalischen Besuchs auf der ewig grünen Insel.our créer cette rhapsodie irlandaise, Jan Van der Roost a puisé dans la richesse de la musique traditionnelle irlandaise. Dublin Dances (“Danses de Dublinâ€) rassemble trois célèbres mélodies qui forment le canevas de l’œuvre.La première mélodie, Brian Boru’s March, a fait le tour du monde dans les années 1980, gr ce l’interprétatio n du brillant fl tiste James Galway. Dublin Dances en offre une version nouvelle, pleine de fraîcheur. Ancrée dans la tradition de la musique irlandaise, la place accordée aux fl tes et la percussion apparaît comme une évidence.La seconde mélodie, The Minstrel Man, s’appuie sur une superbe courbe qui chemineavec fluidité entre divers instruments. L’harmonisation qui la sous-tend est d’une étonnante, mais somptueuse sobriété.Point culminant de la structure, le pétillant rythme de danse de l’air The Irish Washerwoman écrit en 6/8, un chiffrage de mesure souvent utilisé dans la musique irlandaise. Ce brillant et virevoltant finale clôt ce voyage musical dans l’éternelle île verte où musique et sociabilité sont unies par un lien indéfectible.
SKU: BT.EMBZ14992SET
English-Hungarian.
SKU: SU.96010570
Transcribed and arranged for Piano by Lawrence RosenA new, 3-volume set of Mozart Dances for Piano, 14 of these dance suites are faithfully transcribed for piano at the early to advanced intermediate level. Almost all appear as new Mozart music for piano (except for the Six German Dances, K. 509, which Mozart himself arranged for piano.) Within each volume, they are arranged by increasing difficulty. They are eminently suited for teaching, recital and concert performance, encores, recording, sight-reading practice, and theoretical study. We sincerely hope you enjoy them as much as we did in discovering and creating these little masterpieces. CONTENTS Four German Dances, K. 602 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass, Timpani) Twelve German Dances, K. 586 (originally for 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Violins, Violoncello/Contrabass, Tambourine, Timpani) Minuet, K. 409 (originally for 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello/Contrabass) Les Petits Riens (excerpts,) K. 299b (originally for 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello/Contrabass, Timpani) Instrumentation: Piano Published by: Subito Music Publishing.
SKU: HL.50602108
ISBN 9781540064202. UPC: 888680964627.
SKU: BT.DHP-0860054-015
These four dances are written in a kind of neo renaissance style. Because of the fact that little technical demands are required from its performing artists, these dances are mainly meant for beginning groups, youth ensembles and also for bands in all kinds of small strengths. Jan Van der Roost originally had pedagogical intentions with this piece. Four Old Dances est une suite de quatre danses originales composées dans le style de la musique de la Renaissance. Simples de structure et accessibles aux Orchestres Juniors, ces quatre danses sont écrites quatre voix avec partie de clavier électronique / synthétiseur ad lib. et partie optionnelle de percussion.
SKU: BT.AMP-503-140
A Little Klezmer Suite was commissioned by Rushton Park High School to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their band programme. They gave the premiere in a virtual online concert in October 2020. Klezmer music originated inthe ‘shtetl’ (villages) and the ghettos of Eastern Europe, where itinerant Jewish troubadours, known as ‘klezmorim’, had performed at celebrations, particularly weddings, since the early Middle Ages. 'Klezmer' is a Yiddish termcombining the Hebrew words ‘kley’ (instrument) and ‘zemer’ (song). The roots of the style are found in secular melodies, popular dances, Jewish ‘hazanut’ (cantorial music) and also the ‘nigunim’, the wordless melodies intoned bythe ‘Hasidim’ (orthodox Jews). The melodies used in the four movements of A Little Klezmer Suite have traditionally been used in Jewish wedding ceremonies and celebrations.A Little Klezmer Suite werd geschreven in opdracht van de Rushton Park High School ter gelegenheid van het vijftigjarig bestaan van het blaasorkest van de school. De première vond in oktober 2020 plaats tijdens een virtueelonlineconcert. Klezmermuziek is ontstaan in de 'sjtetls' (dorpen) en getto’s van Oost-Europa, waar rondreizende Joodse troubadours, de zogeheten klezmorim, sinds de vroege middeleeuwen optraden bij feesten, met name bruiloften.Klezmer is een Jiddische term waarin de Hebreeuwse woorden 'kley' (instrument) en 'zemer' (lied) zijn gecombineerd. De oorsprong van de stijl is te vinden in wereldlijke melodieën, populaire dansen, de chazanoet muziek uit desynagoge met een voorzanger en de nigunim, de tekstloze melodieën die worden gezongen door de orthodoxe chassidische joden. De melodieën die in de vier delen van A Little Klezmer Suite zijn gebruikt, werden vanoorsprong ten gehore gebracht op Joodse bruiloftsplechtigheden en huwelijksfeesten. A Little Klezmer Suite wurde von der Rushton Park High School in Auftrag gegeben, um den 50. Geburtstag ihres Blasorchesters zu feiern. Die Uraufführung fand im Rahmen eines virtuellen Online-Konzerts im Oktober 2020 statt.Die Klezmer-Musik entstand in den sogenannten Schtetl“ (Dörfern) und in den osteuropäischen Ghettos, in denen fahrende jüdische Troubadoure, bekannt als Klezmorim“, seit dem frühen Mittelalter bei Festen, insbesondere beiHochzeiten, aufgetreten sind. Klezmer“ ist ein jiddischer Begriff, der die hebräischen Wörter kley“ (Instrument) und zemer“ (Lied) miteinander kombiniert. Der Ursprung des Stils liegt in weltlichen Melodien, Volkstänzen,jüdisch er Hazanut“ (Kantorenmusik) und in den Nigunim“ Melodien ohne Text, die von den Chassidim (orthodoxen Juden) intoniert wurden. Die Melodien, die in den vier Sätzen von A Little Klezmer Suite vorkommen, wurdentraditionell bei jüdischen Hochzeitszeremonien und Feiern gespielt.A Little Klezmer Suite est une commande de Rushton Park High School, en Angleterre, pour marquer le cinquantième anniversaire du programme de son harmonie. La pièce a été créée lors d’un concert virtuel en ligne en octobre2020. La musique klezmer est née dans les ‘shtetl’ (villages) et les ghettos d’Europe de l’Est, où les troubadours juifs itinérants, connus sous le nom de ‘klezmorim’, se produisaient lors de célébrations, en particulier lesmariages, depuis le début du Moyen ge. « Klezmer » est un terme yiddish qui combine les mots hébreux ‘kley’ (instrument) et ‘zemer’ (chanson). Les racines de ce style se trouvent dans les mélodies profanes, les danses populaires,le ‘hazanut’ juif (musique liturgique) ainsi que les ‘nigunim’, mélodies sans paroles entonnées par les ‘Hasidim’ (Juifs orthodoxes). Les mélodies traditionnelles employées dans les quatre mouvements de A Little KlezmerSuite ont toujours été populaires lors des cérémonies de mariage et autres fêtes juives.
SKU: BT.AMP-503-010
SKU: HL.49010834
ISBN 9790001096706. UPC: 073999637540. 9.0x12.0x0.082 inches.
Contents: Light Suites in C (Variations) * Three Folksong dances * Three light Pieces in C Major * Four little Studies * Light Sonatina in G * Abends will ich schlafen gehn (Variations) * Prelude and March in E minor.
SKU: ST.Y261
ISBN 9790220222580.
The ground bass, a type of theme-and-variations much favoured by English composers from Purcell to Britten, receives a 21st-century makeover in Morgan Hayes's Dances on a Ground. The 'ground' in this case is, appropriately, a robotic, march-like tune for cello that asserts itself in unrelenting mechanical repetitions according to the rules of the form. But among the other instruments there is little consensus about the path the music should take. Though the theme resists for a time, increasingly assaulted by their capricious flights of melody and spiky pizzicatos it abandons its stubborn resistance, is turned to fragments, then dissolves in a fierce conclusion, leaving only an outline of its former self. Premiered in Vilnius, Lithuania, in May 2009 by the Composers Ensemble with pianist Huw Watkins, Dances on a Ground revisits an earlier work written for the Smith Quartet, and presents its material in terms of a carefully chosen instrumentation of clarinet in A, violin, cello, piano and optional double bass. The same performers gave the work's UK premiere last September, at Kings Place, London.