Instruments of Praise - Orchestra Series

SKU: CA.4007650

ISBN 9790007293581. German/English.

Mendelssohn described his 1840 work “Lobgesang” as “a symphony for chorus and orchestra”. It is now firmly established in the standard repertoire of the major oratorio choirs. For many choirs, Lobgesang remains on their wishlist of works they want to sing. But what can be done if the choir is to small, the budget is limited, and the performance space is tight?Here, the experienced arranger and orchestral musician Joachim Linckelmann offers an excellent tried-and-tested solution. In his arrangement for soloists, chorus, and chamber orchestra, he has reduced the wind instruments from the original 17 to just 7 single instruments. The string parts remain largely identical to the original, but can also be played by smaller numbers. And the vocal parts (soloists and choir) remain unaltered in this arrangement, so that they can be sung from the piano reductions and choral scores of the Carus Urtext edition.•,Major work which can now be performed by smaller choirs•,Wind and brass parts of the original version reduced to seven single instruments•,Vocal scores and choral scores from the original version can be used•,carus plus: the work (original version) is available in carus music, the Choir Coach, and in the Carus Choir Coach series (audio only). Score available separately - see item CA.4007600.

SKU: CA.5199050

ISBN 9790007188481. Language: German/English. Text: van Swieten, Gottfried.

With this arrangement it is possible to present the work in a performance space of limited size. Haydn's original orchestration is filled with vivid tone painting and this reduced version represents Haydn's score using accurate colors for the obligato melodies and appropriate instrumental voices for the colla parte passages. It follows the format and content of the critical edition by Carus (ed. W. Gersthofer) and may be used together with the other materials from Carus 51.990 (choral and vocal scores, string parts). Modern performances of Creation use sometimes 50-60 players. It is hoped that the present reduction will make this beautiful work available to smaller groups, smaller performance venues, and groups with smaller budgets. Score available separately - see item CA.5199000.

SKU: PR.165001000

ISBN 9781491129241. UPC: 680160669776. 9 x 12 inches.

Commissioned for a consortium of high school and college bands in the north Dallas region, FOR THEMYSTIC HARMONY is a 10-minute inspirational work in homage to Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon,patrons of the Fort Worth Symphony and the Van Cliburn Competition. Welcher draws melodic flavorfrom five American hymns, spirituals, and folk tunes of the 19th century. The last of these sources toappear is the hymn tune For the Beauty of the Earth, whose third stanza is the quatrain: “For the joy of earand eye, For the heart and mind’s delight, For the mystic harmony, Linking sense to sound and sight,”giving rise to the work’s title.
This work, commissioned for a consortium of high school bands in the north Dallas area, is my fifteenth maturework for wind ensemble (not counting transcriptions). When I asked Todd Dixon, the band director whospearheaded this project, what kind of a work he most wanted, he first said “something that’s basically slow,” butwanted to leave the details to me. During a long subsequent conversation, he mentioned that his grandparents,Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon, were prime supporters of the Fort Worth Symphony, going so far as to purchase anumber of high quality instruments for that orchestra. This intrigued me, so I asked more about his grandparentsand was provided an 80-page biographical sketch. Reading that article, including a long section about theirdevotion to supporting a young man through the rigors of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition fora number of years, moved me very much. Norwood and Elizabeth Dixon weren’t just supporters of the arts; theywere passionate lovers of music and musicians. I determined to make this work a testament to that love, and tothe religious faith that sustained them both. The idea of using extant hymns was also suggested by Todd Dixon,and this 10-minute work is the result.I have employed existing melodies in several works, delving into certain kinds of religious music more than a fewtimes. In seeking new sounds, new ways of harmonizing old tunes, and the contrapuntal overlaying of one tunewith another, I was able to make works like ZION (using 19th-century Revivalist hymns) and LABORING SONGS(using Shaker melodies) reflect the spirit of the composers who created these melodies, without sounding likepastiches or medleys. I determined to do the same with this new work, with the added problem of employingmelodies that were more familiar. I chose five tunes from the 19th century: hymns, spirituals, and folk-tunes.Some of these are known by differing titles, but they all appear in hymnals of various Christian denominations(with various titles and texts). My idea was to employ the tunes without altering their notes, instead using aconstantly modulating sense of harmony — sometimes leading to polytonal harmonizations of what are normallysimple four-chord hymns.The work begins and ends with a repeated chime on the note C: a reminder of steeples, white clapboard churchesin the country, and small church organs. Beginning with a Mixolydian folk tune of Caribbean origin presentedtwice with layered entrances, the work starts with a feeling of mystery and gentle sorrow. It proceeds, after along transition, into a second hymn that is sometimes connected to the sea (hence the sensation of water andwaves throughout it). This tune, by John B. Dykes (1823-1876), is a bit more chromatic and “shifty” than mosthymn-tunes, so I chose to play with the constant sensation of modulation even more than the original does. Atthe climax, the familiar spiritual “Were you there?” takes over, with a double-time polytonal feeling propelling itforward at “Sometimes it causes me to tremble.”Trumpets in counterpoint raise the temperature, and the tempo as well, leading the music into a third tune (ofunknown provenance, though it appears with different texts in various hymnals) that is presented in a sprightlymanner. Bassoons introduce the melody, but it is quickly taken up by other instruments over three “verses,”constantly growing in orchestration and volume. A mysterious second tune, unrelated to this one, interrupts it inall three verses, sending the melody into unknown regions.The final melody is “For the Beauty of the Earth.” This tune by Conrad Kocher (1786-1872) is commonly sung atThanksgiving — the perfect choice to end this work celebrating two people known for their generosity.Keeping the sense of constant modulation that has been present throughout, I chose to present this hymn in threegrowing verses, but with a twist: every four bars, the “key” of the hymn seems to shift — until the “Lord of all, toThee we praise” melody bursts out in a surprising compound meter. This, as it turns out, was the “mystery tune”heard earlier in the piece. After an Ivesian, almost polytonal climax, the Coda begins over a long B( pedal. At first,it seems to be a restatement of the first two phrases of “For the Beauty” with long spaces between them, but it soonchanges to a series of “Amen” cadences, widely separated by range and color. These, too, do not conform to anykey, but instead overlay each other in ways that are unpredictable but strangely comforting.The third verse of “For the Beauty of the Earth” contains this quatrain:“For the joy of ear and eye, –For the heart and mind’s delightFor the mystic harmonyLinking sense to sound and sight”and it was from this poetry that I drew the title for the present work. It is my hope that audiences and performerswill find within it a sense of grace: more than a little familiar, but also quite new and unexpected.

SKU: LP.OR-2346

UPC: 765762116108.

Complete parts for accompaniment by live orchestra. Includes full, transposed conductor's score and parts for instruments which you may photocopy (for your church's use only).

SKU: HP.C5614O

UPC: 763628256142. Joseph M. Martin. Philippians 2:10-11, Isaiah 12:4, Acts 18:9, Psalms 19:1-14, Psalms 107:1-7, Luke 17:11-19.

Original anthem From Joseph Martin here is a gorgeous, lyrical expression of praise and thanksgiving. The memorable melody and personal text build to the familiar quote, If Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? The orchestration, by Stan Pethel, heightens the impact of this deeply felt anthem of gratitude useful for Thanksgiving and general occasions. This top-seller has been newly re-voiced for SAB voices. The Rhythm packet contains parts for Drums and Electric Bass. The Orchestration includes a Conductor's Score and parts for: Electric Bass, Drums, Flute 1 & 2, Oboe, Clarinet 1 & 2, Bassoon, French Horn 1 & 2, Trumpets 1, 2 & 3, Trombones 1 & 2, Bass Trombone/Tuba, Timpani, Percussion 1 & 2, Harp, Violins 1 & 2, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass.