Introduction to Pedaling

SKU: FP.FSD03

ISBN 9790570503827.

Steele's superb song-cycle Autumn Sequence was written for the pupils of Stockport Grammar School, and is scored for speaker, solo voices, chorus, flute or piccolo or recorder, tubular bells, handbells, organ pedal and piano, being the rather idiosyncratic resources then available at the school. It was first performed on October 3rd 1969 in the schools Hallam Hall, where the composer had been responsible for the specification of the recently installed organ. Douglas Steele himself played the piano part in his own inimitable style extending and improvising the cadenzas between the movements. A recording is available on Campion Cameo 2040/1 featuring Richard Baker narrating and choirs from Carlisle Cathedral, with John Turner on recorder.

Autumn Sequence can be heard on the album Autumn Sequence: The Music of Douglas Steele and his circle.

SKU: PR.110418370

ISBN 9781491135075. UPC: 680160686247.

Composed as an organ solo by the 17-year-old Ives for his own performance purposes, the beloved Variations on America is a treat for any occasion, whether a holiday concert, a serious recital, or other special event. Danny Holt’s transcription for Piano, Four Hands adds a dazzling new option to play at home or on stage, taking best advantage of Ives’ tremendous contrasts in color, dynamics, and texture.
Composed when Charles Ives was a teenager, Variations on “America” is both a convenient introduction to Ives’ body of work, and an early example of his iconoclastic musical voice and creative genius. Just a few years after composing this piece, Ives would leave home to study music at Yale. But until then he had been taught by his father, George (who had been a bandmaster in the Civil War). George subjected the young Ives to experiments such as singing a song in one key while being accompanied in another, or arranging for two marching bands to converge on a town center, with the resulting cacophony that ensued.The Variations exemplifies an early period of experimentation in Ives’ work, spurred on by the unusual pedagogy of his father. The piece is particularly notable for its use of bitonality in the two interludes, subtly foreshadowing more well-known examples by Stravinsky, Bartók, and others by approximately two decades.The bitonal interludes were so ahead of their time, in fact, they were omitted from the first copy that was submitted to a publisher in 1892. (Alas, the piece was rejected even despite these “shocking” elements having been left out, and it wasn’t published until more than five decades later.) There is some ambiguity about when exactly Ives added the interludes into his manuscript copy, though ample evidence suggests he had performed the piece with the interludes around the time he notated the piece in 1891-92. In any case, in light of this piece and his other polytonal explorations from the last decade of the 19th century, it seems fair to give Ives credit for being a pioneer in this area!This arrangement for Piano, Four Hands, closely follows Ives’ original version for organ, setting aside William Schuman’s popular adaptation for symphony orchestra and William Rhoads’ band transcription of the Schuman orchestration. Pianists will find that the piece translates well to the instrument. Ideally, the choreography and logistics of elbow-to-elbow four-hands playing approximates the wild joy one gets from watching an organist play the piece (e.g., the elaborate pedal part in the final variation).In preparing this publication, attention was paid to details in the dual Critical Editions (Presser 443-41003) of both Ives’ manuscript edition and the 1949 publication edited by organist E. Power Biggs (who is credited with discovering what had been a long-lost, forgotten work.) But as with much of Ives’ output, attempting to create a true ‘urtext’ score is a futile endeavor, and especially with a piece such as this one – in which Ives incorporated improvisation in live performance – seems unnecessary anyhow. True die-hards are of course encouraged to consult the critical editions and even find inspiration in the orchestrated version. Generally, performers are advised to be wild, have fun, and not to be too rigid in their interpretive choices.Dynamics in this arrangement mostly follow the organ score closely. Pianists will use good judgment about pedaling throughout, which should be straightforward and intuitive. Courtesy accidentals have been provided frequently – without parentheses – balancing the need for extra clarity in the context of Ives’ murky musical language, and a desire to avoid unnecessary clutter.A few notes that might inform interpretive decisions:mm. 15-16: There are inconsistencies here between Ives’ original manuscript and the 1949 Biggs edition, regarding the top voice in m. 15, beat 3 (C# vs. Cn) and m. 16 (D Major vs. D Minor).mm. 76-84 & 143-146: In both Interludes, Ives emphatically notates extreme dynamic contrast, in order to highlight the bitonality. Although it may seem counterintuitive (or even a misprint, as has apparently been misconstrued by some), performers are urged to follow the composer’s marking!m. 109: Two-note slurs have been added here for clarity and consistency with other similar passages, though they do not appear in either the original manuscript or Biggs.m. 112: The last two eighth notes of Primo appear as 16ths in the original manuscript.mm. 183-186: The original manuscript has a slightly different bass line.mm. 184 & 186: Primo gestures have been re-written to be slightly more idiomatic for Piano, Four Hands.m. 186: The breath mark at the end of this bar does not appear in either the manuscript or Biggs, but is an editorial suggestion – aside from being appropriately dramatic, it will indeed be necessary in a reverberant hall!I would like to thank Steven Vanhauwaert, the other half of my piano duo, 4handsLA, for his input on early drafts of this arrangement.— Danny Holt, April 2022.

SKU: CF.YPS76F

ISBN 9780825870170. UPC: 798408070175.

Wind Cycles is a tone poem that will stimulate the listener's imagination. The sport of cycling encompasses many forms: recreational, competitive, and even amusing. After a dramatic introduction, the music moves to portray the incessant pedaling of the riders. Let your imagination fill in the rest of the story as you continue on your journey through Wind Cycles.

SKU: CF.YAS19

ISBN 9780825854859. UPC: 798408054854. 8.5 X 11 inches. Key: D major.

Summer Dance is a melodic, up-tempo piece with plenty of musical and technical challenges for every player. Musicians should strive to play it with an energetic yet legato feel. A spirited introduction features an opening melody in the violins and active repeated-note pedal patters in the violas and low strings. An AABA form begins at m.5 and the orchestration is immediately pared down to feature violin I and cello. It then builds again in density to the B section, where a quick dynamic drop allows a question-and-answer melody between the two parts to sing out. In m. 29, the melody is harmonized and a countermelody in violin I introduced. The violins take the melody soaring in octaves in m. 33, as the piece again builds to the B section and suddenly quiets. Measure 55 then provides more question-and-answer interplay, this time for viola and cello, while violin continues with its newly harmonized melody. Summer Dance finishes with a soft recurrence of the opening figure and a build toward a powerful divisi voicing on beat 3 of m. 63, right before the final chord.
Summer Dance is a melodic, up-tempo piece with plenty of musical and technical challenges for every player. Musicians should strive to play it with an energetic yetA legato feel. A spirited introduction features an opening melody in the violins and active repeated-note pedal patters in the violas and low strings. An AABA form begins at m.5 and the orchestration is immediately pared down to feature violin I and cello. It then builds again in density to the B section, where a quick dynamic drop allows a question-and-answer melody between the two parts to sing out. In m. 29, the melody is harmonized and a countermelody in violin I introduced. The violins take the melody soaring in octaves in m. 33, as the piece again builds to the B section and suddenly quiets. Measure 55 then provides more question-and-answer interplay, this time for viola and cello, while violin continues with its newly harmonized melody. Summer Dance finishes with a soft recurrence of the opening figure and a build toward a powerfulA divisi voicing on beat 3 of m. 63, right before the final chord.
Summer Dance is a melodic, up-tempo piece with plenty of musical and technical challenges for every player. Musicians should strive to play it with an energetic yet legato feel. A spirited introduction features an opening melody in the violins and active repeated-note pedal patters in the violas and low strings. An AABA form begins at m.5 and the orchestration is immediately pared down to feature violin I and cello. It then builds again in density to the B section, where a quick dynamic drop allows a question-and-answer melody between the two parts to sing out. In m. 29, the melody is harmonized and a countermelody in violin I introduced. The violins take the melody soaring in octaves in m. 33, as the piece again builds to the B section and suddenly quiets. Measure 55 then provides more question-and-answer interplay, this time for viola and cello, while violin continues with its newly harmonized melody. Summer Dance finishes with a soft recurrence of the opening figure and a build toward a powerful divisi voicing on beat 3 of m. 63, right before the final chord.
Summer Dance is a melodic, up-tempo piece with plenty of musical and technical challenges for every player. Musicians should strive to play it with an energetic yet legato feel.A spirited introduction features an opening melody in the violins and active repeated-note pedal patters in the violas and low strings. An AABA form begins at m.5 and the orchestration is immediately pared down to feature violin I and cello. It then builds again in density to the B section, where a quick dynamic drop allows a question-and-answer melody between the two parts to sing out.In m. 29, the melody is harmonized and a countermelody in violin I introduced. The violins take the melody soaring in octaves in m. 33, as the piece again builds to the B section and suddenly quiets. Measure 55 then provides more question-and-answer interplay, this time for viola and cello, while violin continues with its newly harmonized melody. Summer Dance finishes with a soft recurrence of the opening figure and a build toward a powerful divisi voicing on beat 3 of m. 63, right before the final chord.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels