Matériel : Partition + CD
SKU: PR.16500102F
ISBN 9781491131749. UPC: 680160680276.
Ever since the success of my series of wind ensemble works Places in the West, I've been wanting to write a companion piece for national parks on the other side of the north American continent. The earlier work, consisting of GLACIER, THE YELLOWSTONE FIRES, ARCHES, and ZION, spanned some twenty years of my composing life, and since the pieces called for differing groups of instruments, and were in slightly different styles from each other, I never considered them to be connected except in their subject matter. In their depiction of both the scenery and the human history within these wondrous places, they had a common goal: awaking the listener to the fragile beauty that is in them; and calling attention to the ever more crucial need for preservation and protection of these wild places, unique in all the world. With this new work, commissioned by a consortium of college and conservatory wind ensembles led by the University of Georgia, I decided to build upon that same model---but to solidify the process. The result, consisting of three movements (each named for a different national park in the eastern US), is a bona-fide symphony. While the three pieces could be performed separately, they share a musical theme---and also a common style and instrumentation. It is a true symphony, in that the first movement is long and expository, the second is a rather tightly structured scherzo-with-trio, and the finale is a true culmination of the whole. The first movement, Everglades, was the original inspiration for the entire symphony. Conceived over the course of two trips to that astonishing place (which the native Americans called River of Grass, the subtitle of this movement), this movement not only conveys a sense of the humid, lush, and even frightening scenery there---but also an overview of the entire settling-of- Florida experience. It contains not one, but two native American chants, and also presents a view of the staggering influence of modern man on this fragile part of the world. Beginning with a slow unfolding marked Heavy, humid, the music soon presents a gentle, lyrical theme in the solo alto saxophone. This theme, which goes through three expansive phrases with breaks in between, will appear in all three movements of the symphony. After the mood has been established, the music opens up to a rich, warm setting of a Cherokee morning song, with the simple happiness that this part of Florida must have had prior to the nineteenth century. This music, enveloping and comforting, gradually gives way to a more frenetic, driven section representative of the intrusion of the white man. Since Florida was populated and developed largely due to the introduction of a train system, there's a suggestion of the mechanized iron horse driving straight into the heartland. At that point, the native Americans become considerably less gentle, and a second chant seems to stand in the way of the intruder; a kind of warning song. The second part of this movement shows us the great swampy center of the peninsula, with its wildlife both in and out of the water. A new theme appears, sad but noble, suggesting that this land is precious and must be protected by all the people who inhabit it. At length, the morning song reappears in all its splendor, until the sunset---with one last iteration of the warning song in the solo piccolo. Functioning as a scherzo, the second movement, Great Smoky Mountains, describes not just that huge park itself, but one brave soul's attempt to climb a mountain there. It begins with three iterations of the UR-theme (which began the first movement as well), but this time as up-tempo brass fanfares in octaves. Each time it begins again, the theme is a little slower and less confident than the previous time---almost as though the hiker were becoming aware of the daunting mountain before him. But then, a steady, quick-pulsed ostinato appears, in a constantly shifting meter system of 2/4- 3/4 in alteration, and the hike has begun. Over this, a slower new melody appears, as the trek up the mountain progresses. It's a big mountain, and the ascent seems to take quite awhile, with little breaks in the hiker's stride, until at length he simply must stop and rest. An oboe solo, over several free cadenza-like measures, allows us (and our friend the hiker) to catch our breath, and also to view in the distance the rocky peak before us. The goal is somehow even more daunting than at first, being closer and thus more frighteningly steep. When we do push off again, it's at a slower pace, and with more careful attention to our footholds as we trek over broken rocks. Tantalizing little views of the valley at every switchback make our determination even stronger. Finally, we burst through a stand of pines and----we're at the summit! The immensity of the view is overwhelming, and ultimately humbling. A brief coda, while we sit dazed on the rocks, ends the movement in a feeling of triumph. The final movement, Acadia, is also about a trip. In the summer of 2014, I took a sailing trip with a dear friend from North Haven, Maine, to the southern coast of Mt. Desert Island in Acadia National Park. The experience left me both exuberant and exhausted, with an appreciation for the ocean that I hadn't had previously. The approach to Acadia National Park by water, too, was thrilling: like the difference between climbing a mountain on foot with riding up on a ski-lift, I felt I'd earned the right to be there. The music for this movement is entirely based on the opening UR-theme. There's a sense of the water and the mysterious, quiet deep from the very beginning, with seagulls and bell buoys setting the scene. As we leave the harbor, the theme (in a canon between solo euphonium and tuba) almost seems as if large subaquatic animals are observing our departure. There are three themes (call them A, B and C) in this seafaring journey---but they are all based on the UR theme, in its original form with octaves displaced, in an upside-down form, and in a backwards version as well. (The ocean, while appearing to be unchanging, is always changing.) We move out into the main channel (A), passing several islands (B), until we reach the long draw that parallels the coastline called Eggemoggin Reach, and a sudden burst of new speed (C). Things suddenly stop, as if the wind had died, and we have a vision: is that really Mt. Desert Island we can see off the port bow, vaguely in the distance? A chorale of saxophones seems to suggest that. We push off anew as the chorale ends, and go through all three themes again---but in different instrumentations, and different keys. At the final tack-turn, there it is, for real: Mt. Desert Island, big as life. We've made it. As we pull into the harbor, where we'll secure the boat for the night, there's a feeling of achievement. Our whale and dolphin friends return, and we end our journey with gratitude and celebration. I am profoundly grateful to Jaclyn Hartenberger, Professor of Conducting at the University of Georgia, for leading the consortium which provided the commissioning of this work.
SKU: BT.AMP-494-140
English-German-French- Dutch.
March of the Robot Army was commissioned by Linda Anzolin & Giordano-Bruno Tedeschi for Campobanda 2019, with funds made available by JUST ITALIA. Campobanda is an Italian summer music camp for 8- to 18-year-olds (held inCamposilvano in 2019) which has a different theme every year. The theme for 2019 was ‘science fiction’, so composer Philip Sparke chose to write a robot march. After a quirky introduction featuring trumpet calls and chromaticfigures, the main theme appears in a minor mode on clarinet and tenor sax and is then taken up by the full band. A change of key heralds a new theme, led by the trumpet and again repeated by the full ensemble. A further change ofkey introduces a legato ‘trio’ melody over a rather robotic accompaniment: instruments are added bit by bit until a climax is reached. Small motifs from the introduction then lead back to a full recapitulation, revisiting thefirst two themes in new guises before finishing the march with a flourish.March of the Robot Army werd geschreven in opdracht van Linda Anzolin & Giordano-Bruno Tedeschi voor Campobanda 2019: de financiering werd mogelijk gemaakt door JUST ITALIA. Campobanda is een Italiaans zomermuziekkamp vooracht- tot achttienjarigen (dat in 2019 werd gehouden in Camposilvano) met elk jaar een ander thema. Het thema voor 2019 was sciencefiction, dus besloot componist Philip Sparke een robotmars te schrijven. Na een grilligeinleiding met trompetsignalen en chromatische motieven verschijnt het hoofdthema in mineur op klarinet en tenorsax, waarna het door het hele orkest wordt overgenomen. Een verandering van toonsoort kondigt een nieuw thema aan, weeringeleid door de trompet en herhaald door het volledige ensemble. Een verdere toonsoortverandering introduceert een legato ‘triomelodie’ boven een nogal robotachtige begeleiding: er worden stapsgewijs instrumenten toegevoegd totde muziek uitmondt in een hoogtepunt. Korte figuren uit de inleiding nemen ons dan mee naar een volledige herneming, met een terugkeer naar de eerste twee thema’s in een nieuwe gedaante, waarna de mars in stijl wordt afgesloten.Der March of the Robot Army wurde von Linda Anzolin und Giordano-Bruno Tedeschi für Campobanda 2019“ in Auftrag gegeben und finanziell von JUST ITALIA unterstützt. Das italienische Sommermusikcamp Campobanda für 8- bis18-Jährige fand 2019 in Camposilvano statt und hat jedes Jahr ein anderes Motto. 2019 lautete das Thema Science Fiction“, daher entschied sich der Komponist Philip Sparke dazu, einen Robotermarsch zu schreiben. Nach einerskurrilen Einleitung mit Trompetenrufen und chromatischen Figuren erklingt in Klarinetten und Tenorsaxophonen das Hauptthema in Moll, das dann vom gesamten Orchester aufgegriffen werd. Ein Tonartwechsel kündigt ein neues Thema an,das von der Trompete vorgestellt und anschließend vom gesamten Ensemble wiederholt wird. Ein weiterer Tonartwechsel führt zu einem melodischen, legato gespielten Trio-Abschnitt über einer roboterhaften Begleitung. Nach und nachkommen weitere Instrumente hinzu, bis der Höhepunkt erreicht ist. Kleine Motive aus der Einleitung führen dann zu einer Reprise, wobei die ersten beiden Themen in neuer Gestalt wieder aufgegriffen werden, bevor der Marsch zum Endehin noch einmal musikalisch aufblüht.Marc h of the Robot Army est une commande de Linda Anzolin et Giordano-Bruno Tedeschi pour Campobanda 2019, gr ce des fonds mis disposition par JUST ITALIA. Destinée aux jeunes de 8 18 ans, Campobanda est une école demusique d’été dont le thème change chaque année. Celui de l’édition 2019 étant « sciencefiction », Philip Sparke décida d’écrire une marche pour robots. Après une introduction insolite rassemblant appels de trompette et figureschromatiques, le premier thème apparaît dans un mode mineur la clarinette et au saxophone ténor avant d’être repris par l’orchestre entier. Un changement de tonalité annonce un nouveau thème, mené par la trompette et repris,encore une fois, par l’orchestre entier. Un autre changement de tonalité introduit une mélodie legato « en trio » sur un accompagnement quelque peu robotique : divers instruments s’y ajoutent progressivement pour aboutir unclimax. Des petits motifs tirés de l’introduction mènent une récapitulation complète qui reprend les deux premiers thèmes sous des formes différentes, avant de conclure la marche avec un bouquet final.
SKU: BO.B.3340
ISBN 9788480207591.
Engl ish comments: My dedication to the string instruments has been a constant throughout my compositional career and I knew that sooner or later the time would come to compose a concerto for violin and orchestra. That moment came in the autumn of 2002 and after ten months of uninterrupted work I finished it in August of 2003. It is a work structured similarly to the traditional concertos. An important impetus for the elaboration of my concerto was due to the ill-fated violinist Ginette Neveu. Her version of Sibelius' Concerto has always stayed with me. For this reason the first movement, Moderato-Allegro, begins with a contemplative atmosphere similar to that of Sibelius' Concerto in which the principal thematic ideas appear tentatively. These ideas, two rhythmic and two melodic, are reaffirmed through a broad development that culminates in an orchestral fullness. A calm, mysterious passage recalls the introduction and after becoming blurred, three bars burst in leading to the rapid section of the movement. Soloist and orchestra engage in a dialectic struggle of a dramatic nature. The agitation subsides leaving only a tranquil and suggestive clarinet phrase. This will be taken up by the soloist who leads up to the movement's most dramatic moment playing an accelerating triplet figure supported by an orchestral pedal in crescendo. From here the soloist's cadenza emerges beginning with soft double notes. It finishes with an ascending progression and the soloist settles into the high register to elicit the orchestra's intervention in a soft and transfigured atmosphere. Once internalised the second movement, Adagio poco sostenuto e leggero begins. It has a solemn character and opens with two trumpet calls answered by the violoncellos and the contrabasses. The violin soloist introduces and plays two nostalgic themes, the first in the low register and the second, more extensive, in the middle register. The soft and delicate Misterioso e leggero begins with the violin singing on high. The rhythm of the constant quaver figures gradually accelerates until the soloist provokes a dramatic full orchestra as in a cadenza. Once again, the Calmo, in which the soloist with less and less orchestral attire serenely bids farewell. A rising series of double stops by the soloist serves to initiate the Finale-Scherzo. In 6/8 rhythm and with the character of a rondo it carries us along in a carefree, virtuosic ambiance. The principal motives, brief and concise, emerge from the happy, playful theme presented by the soloist. With an intricate progression of rapid sixths in double stops it reaches a tense and somewhat combative moment. However this resolves itself in a diminuendo that the soloist peacefully takes up with the notes re-la to commence the cadenza. This culminates in a series of tied notes to reintroduce the principal theme. A moment of melodic suspension serves as a farewell before the brief and jovial final coda. --The authorComentari os del Espanol:A lo largo de mi carrera compositiva mi dedicacion a los instrumentos de cuerda ha sido constante y sabia que, tarde o temprano, llegaria el momento de componer un concierto para violin y orquesta. Este llego en otono de 2002 y, tras diez meses de trabajo ininterrumpido, lo termine en agosto de 2003. Se trata de una obra estructurada de manera similar a los conciertos tradicionales. Un importante impulso a la elaboracion de mi concierto lo debo al recuerdo de la malograda violinista Ginette Neveu. Su version del concierto de Sibelius ha permanecido siempre dentro de mi. Por ese motivo, el primer movimiento Moderato-Allegro se inicia con una atmosfera contemplativa cercana a la del mencionado Concierto, en la que aparecen cautamente las principales ideas tematicas. Con un amplio desarrollo se llega a un lleno orquestal en el que estas ideas -dos ritmicas y dos melodicas- quedan reafirmadas. Un pasaje calmo y misterioso rememora la introduccion. Tras desdibujarse, irrumpen tres compases que nos llevan a la parte rapida del movimiento. Solista y orquesta establecen un combate dialectico de caracter dramatico. La inquietud desaparece hasta una tranquila e insinuante frase del clarinete. Esta sera recogida por el solista, quien, a base de una figuracion de tresillos cada vez mas rapidos apoyada por un pedal de la orquesta in crescendo, conduce hacia el momento mas dramatico del movimiento. De aqui nace la cadenza del solista, que se incia con suaves notas dobles. Finaliza con una progresion ascendente y el solista se coloca en el registro agudo para llamar la intervencion de la orquesta dentro de una atmosfera suave y transfigurada. Interiorizado es el segundo movimiento Adagio poco sostenuto e leggero. Con dos llamadas de las trompas respondidas por los violonchelos y contrabajos inicia el Adagio de caracter grave. El violin solista introduce y canta dos temas nostalgicos. El primero en el registro grave y el segundo, mas amplio, en el medio. Inicia el Misterioso e leggero, de caracter suave y delicado. Con el violin cantando en agudo. La constante figuracion de corcheas acelerara poco a poco el ritmo hasta que el solista a modo de cadenza provocara un dramatico lleno orquestal. De nuevo el Calmo, donde el solista, cada vez con menos ropaje orquestal, se despide serenamente. Una subida de dobles cuerdas a cargo del solista sirve para iniciar el Finale-Scherzo. Este, en ritmo de 6/8 y con caracter de rondo, nos transporta en un clima virtuosistico y despreocupado. Del tema alegre y jugueton presentado por el solista nacen los principales motivos, breves y concisos. Con una intrincada sucesion de rapidas sextas en doble cuerda se llega a un momento crispado y algo combativo que, sin embargo, se resolvera en un diminuendo que el solista recoge apaciblemente con las notas re-la para inciar la cadenza. Esta culmina con un suave rosario de notas en ligado para introducir de nuevo el tema principal. Un momento de suspension melodica sirve como despido antes de la breve y jovial coda final. La obra fue estrenada el 23 de septiembre de 2005 en el Teatre Monumental de Madrid por la Orquesta Sinfonica de RTVE con Markus Placci de solista y Uwe Mund de director. Gravacion: RNE y Canal Clasico de TVE. --El Autor.
SKU: BT.AMP-494-010
SKU: AP.47668
UPC: 038081543611. English.
This seamless 4½-minute tour through seven timeless standards pays tribute to the American songwriting team of George and Ira Gershwin. Smart voice leading and classic choral arranging techniques remain faithful to the cherished melodies and jazz-influenced harmonies. Listen closely for additional Gershwin themes tucked into brief interludes between the enchanting songs. Live clarinet, bass, and drums (in the opt. SoundPax) add an elegant touch in concert.
About Alfred Pop Choral Series
The Alfred Pop Series features outstanding arrangements of songs from the popular music genre. These publications provide exciting, contemporary, and educationally-sound arrangements for singers of all ages, from elementary through high school, to college and adult choirs.
SKU: AP.47667
UPC: 038081543604. English.
