SKU: HL.50488480
UPC: 073999821499. 9.5x12.5x0.062 inches.
Contents: Demierre: Escapade * Woollett: En cueillant des fleurs (Picking Flowers) * Koechlin: Esquisse (Sketch), La olie fleur (The Pretty Flower), En faisant un bouquet (Making a Posy) * Dieudonne: La voliere (The Birdcage), La vieille voiture (The Old Coach), La belette (Restlessness), Le cours d'eau tranquille du jardin (The Softly Flowing Stream in the Garden) * Sauvrezis: A la volee (In Flight) * Ribollet: Insouciante (Free from Care).
SKU: HL.50488481
UPC: 073999884814. 9.5x12.5x0.062 inches.
Contents: Akimenko: Le muguet (The Lily of the Valley) * Poulenc: Polka, Petite ronde * Singery: Valsette, Petite marche * Francaix: Le coucou (The Cuckoo), En bercant Claude (Rocking Claude) * Woollett: Le joueur de vielle (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man) * Longas: Sieste Andalouse (Andalusian Siesta) * Bazelaire: Gentillesse (Gracefulness), Gaiete (Gaiety) * Lazare-Levy: Valse lente.
SKU: PR.114419070
ISBN 9781491113493. UPC: 680160671540. 9 x 12 inches.
Martin Amlin’s first recital work for Trumpet and Piano brings all the iridescent excitement that has intrigued other performers. Composed for his renowned colleague Terry Everson, Amlin’s sonata pours new wine into old bottles with its three movements titled: 1. Invention, 2. Chaconne, and 3. Moto Perpetuo. The publication provides solo parts for both C and E-flat Trumpet. Composer and pianist Martin Amlin has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Tanglewood Music Center, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Massachusetts Artists Foundation, St. Botolph Club Foundation, and the Massachusetts Council for the Arts. He was a recipient of an ASCAP Grant to Young Composers and has received many ASCAPlus Awards. He has been a resident at Yaddo, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the MacDowell Colony, where he was named a Norlin Fellow.Much of Amlin’s music is characterized by a pungent tonality and energetic rhythms. His Sonata for Piccolo and Piano and Sonata No. 2 for Flute and Piano both won the National Flute Association’s Newly Published Music Competition. Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra was premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,and he has had performances of his music by the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver Chorale, Back Bay Chorale, Webster Trio, and the American Vocal Arts Quintet. He has had commissions from the Seattle Flute Society, Pacific Serenades, the Chicago Flute Club, ALEA III, the James Pappoutsakis memorial flute competition, pianist Andrew Willis, and clarinetist Michael Webster.Martin Amlin is Chairman of the Department of Composition and Theory at Boston University and Director of the Young Artists Composition Program at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. He is also recipient of Boston University’s Kahn Award for his Piano Sonata No. 7. He studied with Nadia Boulanger at the Ecoles d’Art Américaines in Fontainebleau and the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, and received masters and doctoral degrees as well as the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Amlin has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra in performances of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and has performed on the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Prelude concerts at both Symphony Hall and Tanglewood. He has also appeared on the FleetBoston Celebrity Series and been pianist for the M.I.T. Experimental Music Studio and the New England Ragtime Ensemble. He has often been heard live on Boston’s WGBH radio station as both performer and composer, and has given world premieres of many new works.Martin Amlin has recordings on the Albany, Ashmont Music, Centaur, Crystal, Folkways, Hyperion, Koch International, Opus One, Titanic, and Wergo labels. .
SKU: PR.11441684S
UPC: 680160625253. 9 x 12 inches.
On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the ensemble Music From China commissioned Chen Yi for a new work, which became Three Dances from China South, scored for Chinese instruments. Its three descriptive movements (Lions Playing Ball, Bamboo Dance, Lusheng Dance) are each inspired by folk dances from the southeastern provinces of China.My chamber ensemble work Three Dances From China South is commissioned by Music From China tocelebrate its 30th anniversary, and scored for Chinese traditional instruments dizi, erhu, pipa, and zheng. The commission has been made possible by the Chamber Music America Classical CommissioningProgram, with generous funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.  The world premiere is given at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in New York City, on November 21, 2014.  My Three Dances From China South is dedicated to Susan Cheng, the founder and Executive Director of Music From China, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of MFC. There are three movements in my Three Dances From China South for dizi, erhu, pipa, and zheng.  Thematerial in the first movement Lions Playing Ball is drawn from a folk tune played in the accompanyingensemble for the folk dance under the same title in Chaozhou region in Guangdong province.  The image of the folk dance is vivid and entertaining.  The movement includes several variations on the theme.  The variation methods are inspired by the various rhythmic patterns used in the traditional ensemble playing. The melodic material features a special mode with a tritone interval taken from the folk tune.  There are also lyrical sections with polyphonic layers in the variations.The music in the second movement is inspired by the folk Bamboo Dance, which is popular in Li minoritypeople from Hainan Island in the south.  The aged old folk dance is for ritual ceremony and harvest celebration in the history, in which there are pairs of people holding the ends of the long bamboo rods and clapping them loudly in stable pulse, for groups of dancers to dance between the bamboo shapes on the floor, in musical rhythms and ensemble patterns.  A musical motive with a jumping interval and articulation is used throughout the movement.The third movement is called Lusheng Dance.  I have witnessed the folk dance performance of the Dong minority people in Guangxi province in the 1980’s.  The exciting scene inspired me to imitate the large lusheng ensemble playing style in my ensemble of four Chinese instrumental musicians without using the sheng (a wind instrument with metal pipes that is popular in concert music, and similar to the folk lusheng).  On top of the rhythmic patterns, I imitated a two--voice folk song of Zhuang minority people in the same province.  The melody is played by the leading erhu and dizi.—Chen Yi.
SKU: HL.49047413
ISBN 9784113370373. UPC: 196288216544. 9.0x12.0x0.16 inches.
“[Bach's] six unaccompanied cello suites bring together three voices - two upper voices and a bass - into one line. If so, the Goldberg Variations, which have the same structure, might also be reproduced for unaccompanied cello. This sudden idea led me to the arrangement of the piece. Of course, it is impossible to reproduce every single note, but I aimed to arrange it in a way that all the notes would sound in our mind. When combining the three lines into one, the most crucial consideration was, 'What would Bach do?' I carefully read materials and scores, repeatedly listened to recordings, performed my arrangement in concerts, and revised it over and over. That time was not painful, but pure joy, and it was a time to immerse myself in 'being Bach.' It is no exaggeration to say that it was more a time of recreation rather than arrangement. The articulations and slurs are fundamentally based on the facsimile of the first edition (the edition by Anne Fuzeau Productions) that Bach himself owned. It is a highly credible edition with corrections in red written by Bach.” Arrangement period: 2017-2023 Premiere: December 8, 2020 at Daisuke Kitaguchi Cello Recital; Muramatsu Recital Hall Shin-Osaka (Osaka).
SKU: PR.114422850
ISBN 9781491137550. UPC: 680160691005.
Amid his beloved catalog of music for low brass, NEWBURYPORT SONATA is Eric Ewazen’s first recital work for tuba. The composer’s preface tells us, “This work was written during the year of Covid quarantine, and it reflects the strong emotions of that time. The final movement is full of energy and a return to life! There is almost a march-like feel to the music, with a lively and even playful rhythm as the tuba lines are bold, strong, and ultimately energetic and exciting.” The work is also available as NEWBURYPORT QUINTET for Tuba and String Quartet.The Newburyport Sonata began life as the NEWBURYPORT QUINTET for Tuba and Strings, commissioned by David Yang, director of the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival in Massachusetts. The quintet version was premiered by members of the festival, featuring tuba soloist Scott Devereaux of the U.S. Army Field Band.I’ve long been a fan of low brass instruments and had the pleasure of attending the very first Tuba/Euphonium Convention at Indiana University, which was a real celebration of low brass! As a former cellist (I’ve long been a fan of instruments with a tenor/bass range, the world of euphoniums and tubas) I wanted to write a piece showcasing both the wonderful virtuosity the instrument is capable of, and also its expressive lyricism, which shaped the NEWBURYPORT QUINTET. This adaptation for tuba and piano consequently has a wide variety of musical gestures and moods, exploring the color of the instruments.The first movement is in compound rhythm, with a lilting, energetic 6/8 feel supporting a cantabile line in the Tuba. In a traditional form, there are contrasting themes, sometimes playful and sometimes heroic, which share a lively, rolling rhythm. The second movement is a heartfelt appassionata, with the Tuba sometimes singing in a soulful minor key, and sometimes expressing powerful emotions.This work was written during the year of Covid quarantine, and it reflects the strong emotions of that time. The final movement is full of energy and a return to life! There is almost a march-like feel to the music, with a lively and even playful rhythm as the tuba lines are bold, strong, and ultimately energetic and exciting.In writing this piece, I collaborated greatly with Scott, who played through passages I wrote and gave me technical suggestions on how to flatter the gorgeous sound of the Tuba, allowing it to really sing!The quintet version is also available from the publisher, www.presser.com/114-42284.
SKU: PR.114416840
ISBN 9781491101285. UPC: 680160625239. 9 x 12 inches.
On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the ensemble Music From China commissioned Chen Yi for a new work, which became Three Dances from China South, scored for Chinese instruments. Its three descriptive movements (Lions Playing Ball, Bamboo Dance, Lusheng Dance) are each inspired by folk dances from the southeastern provinces of China.Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University, the two-movement trio Tibetan Tunes was written for the New Pacific Trio (Igor Veligan, violin, Nina Flyer, cello, and Sonia Leong, piano). It was premiered at the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific on Jan. 27, 2007 in Stockton, California.The first movement is inspired by the Tibetan folk tune “Du Mu†as played on a recorder (Xiongling). This music presents the rich gestures of Du Mu (the name of a god in Tibetan Buddhism) in a serene mood.“Dui Xie†is a kind of Tibetan folk ensemble music using the same tune in the introduction and coda, played with the plucked instrument Zhamunie, the bamboo flute, and the fiddle Erhu, often performed with singing and tap dancing. The pitch materials of this movement are drawn from folk ensemble music and the lyrical Tibetan folk song “Amaliehuo.â€.
SKU: CF.WF229
ISBN 9781491153789. UPC: 680160911288.
Introduction Gustave Vogt's Musical Paris Gustave Vogt (1781-1870) was born into the Age of Enlightenment, at the apex of the Enlightenment's outreach. During his lifetime he would observe its effect on the world. Over the course of his life he lived through many changes in musical style. When he was born, composers such as Mozart and Haydn were still writing masterworks revered today, and eighty-nine years later, as he departed the world, the new realm of Romanticism was beginning to emerge with Mahler, Richard Strauss and Debussy, who were soon to make their respective marks on the musical world. Vogt himself left a huge mark on the musical world, with critics referring to him as the grandfather of the modern oboe and the premier oboist of Europe. Through his eighty-nine years, Vogt would live through what was perhaps the most turbulent period of French history. He witnessed the French Revolution of 1789, followed by the many newly established governments, only to die just months before the establishment of the Third Republic in 1870, which would be the longest lasting government since the beginning of the revolution. He also witnessed the transformation of the French musical world from one in which opera reigned supreme, to one in which virtuosi, chamber music, and symphonic music ruled. Additionally, he experienced the development of the oboe right before his eyes. When he began playing in the late eighteenth century, the standard oboe had two keys (E and Eb) and at the time of his death in 1870, the System Six Triebert oboe (the instrument adopted by Conservatoire professor, Georges Gillet, in 1882) was only five years from being developed. Vogt was born March 18, 1781 in the ancient town of Strasbourg, part of the Alsace region along the German border. At the time of his birth, Strasbourg had been annexed by Louis XIV, and while heavily influenced by Germanic culture, had been loosely governed by the French for a hundred years. Although it is unclear when Vogt began studying the oboe and when his family made its move to the French capital, the Vogts may have fled Strasbourg in 1792 after much of the city was destroyed during the French Revolution. He was without question living in Paris by 1798, as he enrolled on June 8 at the newly established Conservatoire national de Musique to study oboe with the school's first oboe professor, Alexandre-Antoine Sallantin (1775-1830). Vogt's relationship with the Conservatoire would span over half a century, moving seamlessly from the role of student to professor. In 1799, just a year after enrolling, he was awarded the premier prix, becoming the fourth oboist to achieve this award. By 1802 he had been appointed repetiteur, which involved teaching the younger students and filling in for Sallantin in exchange for a free education. He maintained this rank until 1809, when he was promoted to professor adjoint and finally to professor titulaire in 1816 when Sallantin retired. This was a position he held for thirty-seven years, retiring in 1853, making him the longest serving oboe professor in the school's history. During his tenure, he became the most influential oboist in France, teaching eighty-nine students, plus sixteen he taught while he was professor adjoint and professor titulaire. Many of these students went on to be famous in their own right, such as Henri Brod (1799-1839), Apollon Marie-Rose Barret (1804-1879), Charles Triebert (1810-1867), Stanislas Verroust (1814-1863), and Charles Colin (1832-1881). His influence stretches from French to American oboe playing in a direct line from Charles Colin to Georges Gillet (1854-1920), and then to Marcel Tabuteau (1887-1966), the oboist Americans lovingly describe as the father of American oboe playing. Opera was an important part of Vogt's life. His first performing position was with the Theatre-Montansier while he was still studying at the Conservatoire. Shortly after, he moved to the Ambigu-Comique and, in 1801 was appointed as first oboist with the Theatre-Italien in Paris. He had been in this position for only a year, when he began playing first oboe at the Opera-Comique. He remained there until 1814, when he succeeded his teacher, Alexandre-Antoine Sallantin, as soloist with the Paris Opera, the top orchestra in Paris at the time. He played with the Paris Opera until 1834, all the while bringing in his current and past students to fill out the section. In this position, he began to make a name for himself; so much so that specific performances were immortalized in memoirs and letters. One comes from a young Hector Berlioz (1803-1865) after having just arrived in Paris in 1822 and attended the Paris Opera's performance of Mehul's Stratonice and Persuis' ballet Nina. It was in response to the song Quand le bien-amie reviendra that Berlioz wrote: I find it difficult to believe that that song as sung by her could ever have made as true and touching an effect as the combination of Vogt's instrument... Shortly after this, Berlioz gave up studying medicine and focused on music. Vogt frequently made solo and chamber appearances throughout Europe. His busiest period of solo work was during the 1820s. In 1825 and 1828 he went to London to perform as a soloist with the London Philharmonic Society. Vogt also traveled to Northern France in 1826 for concerts, and then in 1830 traveled to Munich and Stuttgart, visiting his hometown of Strasbourg on the way. While on tour, Vogt performed Luigi Cherubini's (1760-1842) Ave Maria, with soprano Anna (Nanette) Schechner (1806-1860), and a Concertino, presumably written by himself. As a virtuoso performer in pursuit of repertoire to play, Vogt found himself writing much of his own music. His catalog includes chamber music, variation sets, vocal music, concerted works, religious music, wind band arrangements, and pedagogical material. He most frequently performed his variation sets, which were largely based on themes from popular operas he had, presumably played while he was at the Opera. He made his final tour in 1839, traveling to Tours and Bordeaux. During this tour he appeared with the singer Caroline Naldi, Countess de Sparre, and the violinist Joseph Artot (1815-1845). This ended his active career as a soloist. His performance was described in the Revue et gazette musicale de Paris as having lost none of his superiority over the oboe.... It's always the same grace, the same sweetness. We made a trip to Switzerland, just by closing your eyes and listening to Vogt's oboe. Vogt was also active performing in Paris as a chamber and orchestral musician. He was one of the founding members of the Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, a group established in 1828 by violinist and conductor Francois-Antoine Habeneck (1781-1849). The group featured faculty and students performing alongside each other and works such as Beethoven symphonies, which had never been heard in France. He also premiered the groundbreaking woodwind quintets of Antonin Reicha (1770-1836). After his retirement from the Opera in 1834 and from the Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire in 1842, Vogt began to slow down. His final known performance was of Cherubini's Ave Maria on English horn with tenor Alexis Dupont (1796-1874) in 1843. He then began to reflect on his life and the people he had known. When he reached his 60s, he began gathering entries for his Musical Album of Autographs. Autograph Albums Vogt's Musical Album of Autographs is part of a larger practice of keeping autograph albums, also commonly known as Stammbuch or Album Amicorum (meaning book of friendship or friendship book), which date back to the time of the Reformation and the University of Wittenberg. It was during the mid-sixteenth century that students at the University of Wittenberg began passing around bibles for their fellow students and professors to sign, leaving messages to remember them by as they moved on to the next part of their lives. The things people wrote were mottos, quotes, and even drawings of their family coat of arms or some other scene that meant something to the owner. These albums became the way these young students remembered their school family once they had moved on to another school or town. It was also common for the entrants to comment on other entries and for the owner to amend entries when they learned of important life details such as marriage or death. As the practice continued, bibles were set aside for emblem books, which was a popular book genre that featured allegorical illustrations (emblems) in a tripartite form: image, motto, epigram. The first emblem book used for autographs was published in 1531 by Andrea Alciato (1492-1550), a collection of 212 Latin emblem poems. In 1558, the first book conceived for the purpose of the album amicorum was published by Lyon de Tournes (1504-1564) called the Thesaurus Amicorum. These books continued to evolve, and spread to wider circles away from universities. Albums could be found being kept by noblemen, physicians, lawyers, teachers, painters, musicians, and artisans. The albums eventually became more specialized, leading to Musical Autograph Albums (or Notestammbucher). Before this specialization, musicians contributed in one form or another, but our knowledge of them in these albums is mostly limited to individual people or events. Some would simply sign their name while others would insert a fragment of music, usually a canon (titled fuga) with text in Latin. Canons were popular because they displayed the craftsmanship of the composer in a limited space. Composers well-known today, including J. S. Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Beethoven, Dowland, and Brahms, all participated in the practice, with Beethoven being the first to indicate an interest in creating an album only of music. This interest came around 1815. In an 1845 letter from Johann Friedrich Naue to Heinrich Carl Breidenstein, Naue recalled an 1813 visit with Beethoven, who presented a book suggesting Naue to collect entries from celebrated musicians as he traveled. Shortly after we find Louis Spohr speaking about leaving on his grand tour through Europe in 1815 and of his desire to carry an album with entries from the many artists he would come across. He wrote in his autobiography that his most valuable contribution came from Beethoven in 1815. Spohr's Notenstammbuch, comprised only of musical entries, is groundbreaking because it was coupled with a concert tour, allowing him to reach beyond the Germanic world, where the creation of these books had been nearly exclusive. Spohr brought the practice of Notenstammbucher to France, and in turn indirectly inspired Vogt to create a book of his own some fifteen years later. Vogt's Musical Album of Autographs Vogt's Musical Album of Autographs acts as a form of a memoir, displaying mementos of musicians who held special meaning in his life as well as showing those with whom he was enamored from the younger generation. The anonymous Pie Jesu submitted to Vogt in 1831 marks the beginning of an album that would span nearly three decades by the time the final entry, an excerpt from Charles Gounod's (1818-1893) Faust, which premiered in 1859, was submitted. Within this album we find sixty-two entries from musicians whom he must have known very well because they were colleagues at the Conservatoire, or composers of opera whose works he was performing with the Paris Opera. Other entries came from performers with whom he had performed and some who were simply passing through Paris, such as Joseph Joachim (1831-1907). Of the sixty-three total entries, some are original, unpublished works, while others came from well-known existing works. Nineteen of these works are for solo piano, sixteen utilize the oboe or English horn, thirteen feature the voice (in many different combinations, including vocal solos with piano, and small choral settings up to one with double choir), two feature violin as a solo instrument, and one even features the now obscure ophicleide. The connections among the sixty-two contributors to Vogt's album are virtually never-ending. All were acquainted with Vogt in some capacity, from long-time friendships to relationships that were created when Vogt requested their entry. Thus, while Vogt is the person who is central to each of these musicians, the web can be greatly expanded. In general, the connections are centered around the Conservatoire, teacher lineages, the Opera, and performing circles. The relationships between all the contributors in the album parallel the current musical world, as many of these kinds of relationships still exist, and permit us to fantasize who might be found in an album created today by a musician of the same standing. Also important, is what sort of entries the contributors chose to pen. The sixty-three entries are varied, but can be divided into published and unpublished works. Within the published works, we find opera excerpts, symphony excerpts, mass excerpts, and canons, while the unpublished works include music for solo piano, oboe or English horn, string instruments (violin and cello), and voice (voice with piano and choral). The music for oboe and English horn works largely belong in the unpublished works of the album. These entries were most likely written to honor Vogt. Seven are for oboe and piano and were contributed by Joseph Joachim, Pauline Garcia Viardot (1821-1910), Joseph Artot, Anton Bohrer (1783-1852), Georges Onslow (1784-1853), Desire Beaulieu (1791-1863), and Narcisse Girard (1797-1860). The common thread between these entries is the simplicity of the melody and structure. Many are repetitive, especially Beaulieu's entry, which features a two-note ostinato throughout the work, which he even included in his signature. Two composers contributed pieces for English horn and piano, and like the previous oboe entries, are simple and repetitive. These were written by Michele Carafa (1787-1872) and Louis Clapisson (1808-1866). There are two other entries that were unpublished works and are chamber music. One is an oboe trio by Jacques Halevy (1799-1862) and the other is for oboe and strings (string trio) by J. B. Cramer (1771-1858). There are five published works in the album for oboe and English horn. There are three from operas and the other two from symphonic works. Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896) contributed an excerpt from the Entr'acte of his opera La Guerillero, and was likely chosen because the oboe was featured at this moment. Hippolyte Chelard (1789-1861) also chose to honor Vogt by writing for English horn. His entry, for English horn and piano, is taken from his biggest success, Macbeth. The English horn part was actually taken from Lady Macbeth's solo in the sleepwalking scene. Vogt's own entry also falls into this category, as he entered an excerpt from Donizetti's Maria di Rohan. The excerpt he chose is a duet between soprano and English horn. There are two entries featuring oboe that are excerpted from symphonic repertoire. One is a familiar oboe melody from Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony entered by his first biographer, Anton Schindler (1796-1864). The other is an excerpt from Berlioz's choral symphony, Romeo et Juliette. He entered an oboe solo from the Grand Fete section of the piece. Pedagogical benefit All of these works are lovely, and fit within the album wonderfully, but these works also are great oboe and English horn music for young students. The common thread between these entries is the simplicity of the melody and structure. Many are repetitive, especially Beaulieu's entry, which features a two-note ostinato throughout the work in the piano. This repetitive structure is beneficial for young students for searching for a short solo to present at a studio recital, or simply to learn. They also work many technical issues a young player may encounter, such as mastering the rolling finger to uncover and recover the half hole. This is true of Bealieu's Pensee as well as Onslow's Andantino. Berlioz's entry from Romeo et Juliette features very long phrases, which helps with endurance and helps keep the air spinning through the oboe. Some of the pieces also use various levels of ornamentation, from trills to grace notes, and short cadenzas. This allows the student to learn appropriate ways to phrase with these added notes. The chamber music is a valuable way to start younger students with chamber music, especially the short quartet by Cramer for oboe and string trio. All of these pieces will not tax the student to learn a work that is more advanced, as well as give them a full piece that they can work on from beginning to end in a couple weeks, instead of months. Editorial Policy The works found in this edition are based on the manuscript housed at the Morgan Library in New York City (call number Cary 348, V886. A3). When possible, published scores were consulted and compared to clarify pitch and text. The general difficulties in creating an edition of these works stem from entries that appear to be hastily written, and thus omit complete articulations and dynamic indications for all passages and parts. The manuscript has been modernized into a performance edition. The score order from the manuscript has been retained. If an entry also exists in a published work, and this was not indicated on the manuscript, appropriate titles and subtitles have been added tacitly. For entries that were untitled, the beginning tempo marking or expressive directive has been added as its title tacitly. Part names have been changed from the original language to English. If no part name was present, it was added tacitly. All scores are transposing where applicable. Measure numbers have been added at the beginning of every system. Written directives have been retained in the original language and are placed relative to where they appear in the manuscript. Tempo markings from the manuscript have been retained, even if they were abbreviated, i.e., Andte. The barlines, braces, brackets, and clefs are modernized. The beaming and stem direction has been modernized. Key signatures have been modernized as some of the flats/sharps do not appear on the correct lines or spaces. Time signatures have been modernized. In a few cases, when a time signature was missing in the manuscript, it has been added tacitly. Triplet and rhythmic groupings have been modernized. Slurs, ties, and articulations (staccato and accent) have been modernized. Slurs, ties, and articulations have been added to parallel passages tacitly. Courtesy accidentals found in the manuscript have been removed, unless it appeared to be helpful to the performer. Dynamic indications from the manuscript have been retained, except where noted. --Kristin Leitterman.IntroductionGustave Vogt’s Musical ParisGustave Vogt (1781–1870) was born into the “Age of Enlightenment,†at the apex of the Enlightenment’s outreach. During his lifetime he would observe its effect on the world. Over the course of his life he lived through many changes in musical style. When he was born, composers such as Mozart and Haydn were still writing masterworks revered today, and eighty-nine years later, as he departed the world, the new realm of Romanticism was beginning to emerge with Mahler, Richard Strauss and Debussy, who were soon to make their respective marks on the musical world. Vogt himself left a huge mark on the musical world, with critics referring to him as the “grandfather of the modern oboe†and the “premier oboist of Europe.â€Through his eighty-nine years, Vogt would live through what was perhaps the most turbulent period of French history. He witnessed the French Revolution of 1789, followed by the many newly established governments, only to die just months before the establishment of the Third Republic in 1870, which would be the longest lasting government since the beginning of the revolution. He also witnessed the transformation of the French musical world from one in which opera reigned supreme, to one in which virtuosi, chamber music, and symphonic music ruled. Additionally, he experienced the development of the oboe right before his eyes. When he began playing in the late eighteenth century, the standard oboe had two keys (E and Eb) and at the time of his death in 1870, the “System Six†Triébert oboe (the instrument adopted by Conservatoire professor, Georges Gillet, in 1882) was only five years from being developed.Vogt was born March 18, 1781 in the ancient town of Strasbourg, part of the Alsace region along the German border. At the time of his birth, Strasbourg had been annexed by Louis XIV, and while heavily influenced by Germanic culture, had been loosely governed by the French for a hundred years. Although it is unclear when Vogt began studying the oboe and when his family made its move to the French capital, the Vogts may have fled Strasbourg in 1792 after much of the city was destroyed during the French Revolution. He was without question living in Paris by 1798, as he enrolled on June 8 at the newly established Conservatoire national de Musique to study oboe with the school’s first oboe professor, Alexandre-Antoine Sallantin (1775–1830).Vogt’s relationship with the Conservatoire would span over half a century, moving seamlessly from the role of student to professor. In 1799, just a year after enrolling, he was awarded the premier prix, becoming the fourth oboist to achieve this award. By 1802 he had been appointed répétiteur, which involved teaching the younger students and filling in for Sallantin in exchange for a free education. He maintained this rank until 1809, when he was promoted to professor adjoint and finally to professor titulaire in 1816 when Sallantin retired. This was a position he held for thirty-seven years, retiring in 1853, making him the longest serving oboe professor in the school’s history. During his tenure, he became the most influential oboist in France, teaching eighty-nine students, plus sixteen he taught while he was professor adjoint and professor titulaire. Many of these students went on to be famous in their own right, such as Henri Brod (1799–1839), Apollon Marie-Rose Barret (1804–1879), Charles Triebert (1810–1867), Stanislas Verroust (1814–1863), and Charles Colin (1832–1881). His influence stretches from French to American oboe playing in a direct line from Charles Colin to Georges Gillet (1854–1920), and then to Marcel Tabuteau (1887–1966), the oboist Americans lovingly describe as the “father of American oboe playing.â€Opera was an important part of Vogt’s life. His first performing position was with the Théâtre-Montansier while he was still studying at the Conservatoire. Shortly after, he moved to the Ambigu-Comique and, in 1801 was appointed as first oboist with the Théâtre-Italien in Paris. He had been in this position for only a year, when he began playing first oboe at the Opéra-Comique. He remained there until 1814, when he succeeded his teacher, Alexandre-Antoine Sallantin, as soloist with the Paris Opéra, the top orchestra in Paris at the time. He played with the Paris Opéra until 1834, all the while bringing in his current and past students to fill out the section. In this position, he began to make a name for himself; so much so that specific performances were immortalized in memoirs and letters. One comes from a young Hector Berlioz (1803–1865) after having just arrived in Paris in 1822 and attended the Paris Opéra’s performance of Mehul’s Stratonice and Persuis’ ballet Nina. It was in response to the song Quand le bien-amié reviendra that Berlioz wrote: “I find it difficult to believe that that song as sung by her could ever have made as true and touching an effect as the combination of Vogt’s instrument…†Shortly after this, Berlioz gave up studying medicine and focused on music.Vogt frequently made solo and chamber appearances throughout Europe. His busiest period of solo work was during the 1820s. In 1825 and 1828 he went to London to perform as a soloist with the London Philharmonic Society. Vogt also traveled to Northern France in 1826 for concerts, and then in 1830 traveled to Munich and Stuttgart, visiting his hometown of Strasbourg on the way. While on tour, Vogt performed Luigi Cherubini’s (1760–1842) Ave Maria, with soprano Anna (Nanette) Schechner (1806–1860), and a Concertino, presumably written by himself. As a virtuoso performer in pursuit of repertoire to play, Vogt found himself writing much of his own music. His catalog includes chamber music, variation sets, vocal music, concerted works, religious music, wind band arrangements, and pedagogical material. He most frequently performed his variation sets, which were largely based on themes from popular operas he had, presumably played while he was at the Opéra.He made his final tour in 1839, traveling to Tours and Bordeaux. During this tour he appeared with the singer Caroline Naldi, Countess de Sparre, and the violinist Joseph Artôt (1815–1845). This ended his active career as a soloist. His performance was described in the Revue et gazette musicale de Paris as having “lost none of his superiority over the oboe…. It’s always the same grace, the same sweetness. We made a trip to Switzerland, just by closing your eyes and listening to Vogt’s oboe.â€Vogt was also active performing in Paris as a chamber and orchestral musician. He was one of the founding members of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, a group established in 1828 by violinist and conductor François-Antoine Habeneck (1781–1849). The group featured faculty and students performing alongside each other and works such as Beethoven symphonies, which had never been heard in France. He also premiered the groundbreaking woodwind quintets of Antonin Reicha (1770–1836).After his retirement from the Opéra in 1834 and from the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire in 1842, Vogt began to slow down. His final known performance was of Cherubini’s Ave Maria on English horn with tenor Alexis Dupont (1796–1874) in 1843. He then began to reflect on his life and the people he had known. When he reached his 60s, he began gathering entries for his Musical Album of Autographs.Autograph AlbumsVogt’s Musical Album of Autographs is part of a larger practice of keeping autograph albums, also commonly known as Stammbuch or Album Amicorum (meaning book of friendship or friendship book), which date back to the time of the Reformation and the University of Wittenberg. It was during the mid-sixteenth century that students at the University of Wittenberg began passing around bibles for their fellow students and professors to sign, leaving messages to remember them by as they moved on to the next part of their lives. The things people wrote were mottos, quotes, and even drawings of their family coat of arms or some other scene that meant something to the owner. These albums became the way these young students remembered their school family once they had moved on to another school or town. It was also common for the entrants to comment on other entries and for the owner to amend entries when they learned of important life details such as marriage or death.As the practice continued, bibles were set aside for emblem books, which was a popular book genre that featured allegorical illustrations (emblems) in a tripartite form: image, motto, epigram. The first emblem book used for autographs was published in 1531 by Andrea Alciato (1492–1550), a collection of 212 Latin emblem poems. In 1558, the first book conceived for the purpose of the album amicorum was published by Lyon de Tournes (1504–1564) called the Thesaurus Amicorum. These books continued to evolve, and spread to wider circles away from universities. Albums could be found being kept by noblemen, physicians, lawyers, teachers, painters, musicians, and artisans.The albums eventually became more specialized, leading to Musical Autograph Albums (or Notestammbücher). Before this specialization, musicians contributed in one form or another, but our knowledge of them in these albums is mostly limited to individual people or events. Some would simply sign their name while others would insert a fragment of music, usually a canon (titled fuga) with text in Latin. Canons were popular because they displayed the craftsmanship of the composer in a limited space. Composers well-known today, including J. S. Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Beethoven, Dowland, and Brahms, all participated in the practice, with Beethoven being the first to indicate an interest in creating an album only of music.This interest came around 1815. In an 1845 letter from Johann Friedrich Naue to Heinrich Carl Breidenstein, Naue recalled an 1813 visit with Beethoven, who presented a book suggesting Naue to collect entries from celebrated musicians as he traveled. Shortly after we find Louis Spohr speaking about leaving on his “grand tour†through Europe in 1815 and of his desire to carry an album with entries from the many artists he would come across. He wrote in his autobiography that his “most valuable contribution†came from Beethoven in 1815. Spohr’s Notenstammbuch, comprised only of musical entries, is groundbreaking because it was coupled with a concert tour, allowing him to reach beyond the Germanic world, where the creation of these books had been nearly exclusive. Spohr brought the practice of Notenstammbücher to France, and in turn indirectly inspired Vogt to create a book of his own some fifteen years later.Vogt’s Musical Album of AutographsVogt’s Musical Album of Autographs acts as a form of a memoir, displaying mementos of musicians who held special meaning in his life as well as showing those with whom he was enamored from the younger generation. The anonymous Pie Jesu submitted to Vogt in 1831 marks the beginning of an album that would span nearly three decades by the time the final entry, an excerpt from Charles Gounod’s (1818–1893) Faust, which premiered in 1859, was submitted.Within this album ...
SKU: DY.DO-1522
ISBN 9782897963026.
Francis Bebey est né à Douala en juillet 1929, dans une grande famille où son père, pasteur, luttait pour nourrir ses enfants. Mais Francis a eu l'opportunité d'aller à l'école. Admirant son frère aîné, Marcel Eyidi Bebey, il s'est éduqué, s'est distingué, et a finalement reçu une bourse pour passer son baccalauréat en France.Nous approchions de la fin des années 1950 lorsqu'il est arrivé à La Rochelle. Plus que jamais, dans cette France où les Africains étaient regardés avec curiosité, condescendance ou dédain, Francis s'appuyait sur ses ressources intellectuelles. Travailleur assidu, il a obtenu son baccalauréat, puis s'est installé à Paris où il a commencé des études d'anglais à la Sorbonne. Un jour, il a su ce qui l'attirait vraiment : il voulait faire de la radio. Francis a appris son métier en France et aux Ã?tats-Unis.Après avoir travaillé quelques années comme reporter, il a été embauché en 1961 en tant que fonctionnaire international au Département de l'information de l'UNESCO.Parallèlement, Francis a toujours été attiré par la création musicale. Son activité diurne très sérieuse ne l'empêchait pas de fréquenter les clubs de jazz le soir. Ã? Paris, le jazz, la musique à la mode à cette époque, mais aussi la rumba et la salsa l'attiraient. Il collectionnait les disques et assistait à de nombreux concerts. Avec son complice Manu Dibango, Francis montait sur scène et jouait de la musique.Francis aimait la musique classique depuis son enfance. Il avait grandi en écoutant les cantates et les oratorios de Bach ou Handel que son père chantait au temple. Il s'est passionné pour la guitare, impressionné par les maîtres espagnols et sud-américains, et a décidé d'apprendre à jouer de l'instrument lui-même.Il a commencé à composer des pièces pour guitare, mêlant les diverses influences qui le traversaient avec la musique traditionnelle africaine qu'il portait en lui depuis son enfance. Son approche a captivé le directeur du Centre culturel américain (alors situé dans le quartier de Saint-Germain à Paris), qui lui a offert l'opportunité de se produire devant un public. Francis y a donné son premier récital de guitare (1963) devant un public hypnotisé. Son premier album solo est sorti peu de temps après.Progressivement, Francis est devenu reconnu comme musicien et compositeur. Plusieurs albums de l'ambassadeur africain de la guitare, comme le décrivait la presse, sont sortis. Il a également écrit des livres, au point que sa carrière artistique est devenue difficile à concilier avec sa carrière de fonctionnaire. En 1974, même s'il était devenu le directeur général chargé de la musique à l'UNESCO, il a fait le saut audacieux et a démissionné de cette prestigieuse institution pour se consacrer aux trois activités qui l'intéressaient : la musique, la littérature et le journalisme.Il a exploré le patrimoine musical traditionnel du continent africain, notamment à travers le piano à pouce sanza et la musique polyphonique des pygmées d'Afrique centrale, ou en chantant dans sa langue maternelle et en composant des chansons humoristiques en français !Le succès a suivi. Francis Bebey a parcouru le monde : de la France au Brésil, du Cameroun à la Suède, de l'Allemagne aux Caraïbes, ou du Maroc au Japon... la liste des pays où il a été invité à se produire, à donner des conférences ou à rencontrer des lecteurs est très longue. En plus de la reconnaissance publique, il bénéficiait de la reconnaissance de ses collègues musiciens, tels que le guitariste John Williams ou le Vénézuélien Antonio Lauro, qui l'ont invité à faire partie du jury d'un concours de guitare classique à Caracas.Sa vie était le voyage d'un pionnier africain, un homme enraciné dans son patrimoine culturel et portant un message de partage et d'espoir pour le monde. Son originalité continue de résonner dans le monde entier depuis son décès à la fin du mois de mai 2001.Francis Bebey was born in Douala in July 1929, into a large family where his father, a pastor, struggled to feed his children. But Francis had the opportunity to go to school. Admiring his elder brother, Marcel Eyidi Bebey, he educated himself, distinguished himself, and eventually received a scholarship to go and take his baccalaureate in France.We approached the end of the 1950s when he arrived in La Rochelle. More than ever, in this France where Africans were looked at with curiosity, condescension, or disdain, Francis relied on his intellectual resources. A diligent worker, he obtained his Baccalaureate, then moved to Paris where he started English studies at the Sorbonne. One day, he knew what truly attracted him: he wanted to do radio. Francis learned his craft in France and in the USA.After working for a few years as a reporter, he was hired in 1961 as an international civil servant in the UNESCO Information Department.In parallel, Francis had always been drawn to musical creation. His very serious daytime activity didnâ??t prevent him from frequenting jazz clubs in the evenings. In Paris, the Jazz, the trendy music of that time, but also rumba and salsa attracted him. He collected records and attended numerous concerts. With his accomplice Manu Dibango, Francis took the stage and played music.Francis liked classical music since his childhood. He grew up listening to the cantatas and oratorios of Bach or Handel that his father had sung in the temple. He became passionate about the guitar, impressed by the Spanish and South American masters, and decided to learn to strum the instrument himself.He started composing guitar pieces, blending the various influences that flow through him with the traditional African music he had carried within since childhood. His approach captivated the director of the American Cultural Center (then located in the Saint-Germain neighborhood of Paris), who offered him the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. Francis gave his first guitar recital there (1963) in front of a mesmerized audience. His first solo album was released shortly thereafter.Gradually, Francis became recognized as a musician and composer. Several albums of the African guitar ambassador, as described by the press, were released. He also wrote books, to the point that his artistic career became challenging to reconcile with his career as a civil servant. In 1974, even though he had become the General Manager in charge of music at UNESCO, he took the bold leap and resigned from this prestigious institution to dedicated himself to the three activities that interested him: music, literature, and journalism. He explored the traditional musical heritage of the African continent, notably through the thumb piano sanza, and the polyphonic music of the Central African pygmies, or singing in his native language and composing humoristic songs in French!Success followed. Francis Bebey traveled the world: from France to Brazil, Cameroon to Sweden, Germany to the Carribean, or Morocco to Japan... the list of countries where he was invited to perform, gives lectures, or meets readers is very long. In addition to public recognition, he enjoyed the recognition of his fellow musicians, such as guitarist John Williams or Venezuelan Antonio Lauro, who invited him to be a part of the jury for a classical guitar competition in Caracas.His life was the journey of an African pioneer, a man rooted in his cultural heritage and carrying a message of sharing and hope for the world. His originality continues to vibrate around the world since his passing at the end of May 2001.
SKU: MN.12-121
UPC: 688670121210.
Confluence was commissioned by the Organ Artist Series of Pittsburgh in celebration of its twentieth anniversary in 1999. Christa Rakich gave the premier at the closing concert of the season at Calvary Episcopal Church by in April of 1999. It has been performed frequently since that time. The title was given to honor the joining together or confluence of the three rivers of Pittsburgh: the Allegheny, the Monongalela, and the Ohio. Confluence is a curious hybrid related to both the sonata and rondo forms. It is of the ABABA design with the final A quite extended by polyphonic games and a very noisy and triumphant epilogue. The first idea is driving, rhythmic, nervous and agitated. The second is quiet, gentle and pastoral, that slowly moves in its mysterious ways, closing with a plaintive row of a dozen different pitches. The composer delights in the challenge of making tone rows as approachable and sing-able as possible. Both ideas make slightly varied restatements. At the end, fugal exploitation of the first idea is followed by that row, entering with stentorian grandeur in full pedal, heralding the triumphant close. This row, like the month of March is referred to frequently as coming in like a Iamb, going out like a lion.
SKU: PR.115402040
UPC: 680160591220. 9.5 x 13 inches. Key: G major.
Already a popular recital work for piccolo and piano, and winner of the 2009 International Piccolo Symposium biennial composition competition, Flash! is now available for solo piccolo with band accompaniment - fresh from the NFA premiere, featuring piccolo legend Walfrid Kujala. The East Coast premiere is scheduled for 11/18/10, featuring Boston Symphony piccoloist Linda Toote with the Boston University wind ensemble.By 2008, Sonatine de Giverny was being performed so frequently that I decided to write another piccolo piece as soon as an opportunity arose. Since Giverny is a study in French style, I knew the new piece must be in my own authentic American voice. That summer, Giverny was performed six times at the NFA convention as a mandatory competition piece, and I returned from the August 2008 convention all charged up to write something different for piccolo. In September, Kate Prestia-Schaub wrote to tell me about the International Piccolo Symposium's new composer competition. She proposed that if I write a new piccolo/piano piece, she would record a demo for me to submit to the competition, and she would submit applications to perform it at the 2009 IPS convention and NFA convention. What amazing timing! I set out to compose a flashy showpiece with a jazzy snap, lots of idiomatic scales and arpeggios, and a scary middle section, and by mid-October FLASH! was complete. Kate followed suit and all 3 wishes came true - FLASH! won first prize in the IPS composer competition, and she performed it both there and at NFA. In the meantime many other piccoloists have added the work to their repertoire, Cynthia Ellis wrote an article about it for Flute Talk magazine, and Walfrid Kujala commissioned a band accompaniment to premiere at NFA in 2010. More recently, Sarah Jackson has commissioned an orchestra version, premiered at the 2014 NFA convention.By 2008, Sonatine de Giverny was being performed so frequently that I decided to write another piccolo piece as soon as an opportunity arose. Since Giverny is a study in French style, I knew the new piece must be in my own authentic American voice. That summer, Giverny was performed six times at the NFA convention as a mandatory competition piece, and I returned from the August 2008 convention all charged up to write something different for piccolo.In September, Kate Prestia-Schaub wrote to tell me about the International Piccolo Symposium's new composer competition. She proposed that if I write a new piccolo/piano piece, she would record a demo for me to submit to the competition, and she would submit applications to perform it at the 2009 IPS convention and NFA convention. What amazing timing! I set out to compose a flashy showpiece with a jazzy snap, lots of idiomatic scales and arpeggios, and a scary middle section, and by mid-October FLASH! was complete.Kate followed suit and all 3 wishes came true - FLASH! won first prize in the IPS composer competition, and she performed it both there and at NFA. In the meantime many other piccoloists have added the work to their repertoire, Cynthia Ellis wrote an article about it for Flute Talk magazine, and Walfrid Kujala commissioned a band accompaniment to premiere at NFA in 2010.More recently, Sarah Jackson has commissioned an orchestra version, premiered at the 2014 NFA convention.
SKU: PR.11540204F
UPC: 680160591237. Key: G major.
SKU: CF.MXE21M
ISBN 9780825871627. UPC: 798408071622. 11 x 17 inches.
A Glimpse Retraced is scored for piano solo, flute (dbl piccolo), clarinet in Bb, violin and violoncello. The title of this concerto for piano with four instruments is a metaphor for its formal design: a fleeting observation, made in passing, is retraced and elaborated, then condensed and distilled. Eckardt's A Glimpse Retraced was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and is dedicated to Marilyn Nonken, who gave its first performance in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City on April 12, 1999.
SKU: AP.107080
UPC: 038081391496. English.
This Value Pack includes Rachmaninoff's Fantaisie-tableaux (Suite No. 1), Op. 5 and Suite No. 2, Op. 17.Fantaisie-tableaux (Suite No. 1), the large four-movement work, was written in 1893 and premiered by Rachmaninoff and Pavel Pabst in Moscow. It is dedicated to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. A few lines of poetry by Romantic poets preface each movement. The theme of love in the first two movements is brought to life by the two pianos with colorful, passionate writing. The final two movements feature the sound of bells---the third movement inspired by cathedrals bells that Rachmaninoff heard as a youngster, and the fourth movement capturing the jubilant sound of Easter carillon.Suite No. 2, Op. 17 was written between 1900 and 1901, and was premiered in 1901 by Rachmaninoff and Alexander Siloti. This virtuosic suite is orchestral in nature and contains four movements. The first movement serves as a march-like introduction, and the second and fourth movements are dances---a waltz and tarantella. Between the two dances is a slow third movement. Two copies required for performance.
About Alfred Value Packs
Alfred Value Packs are a great way to introduce yourself to new music from many of the top names in educational piano. These specially designed sets allow teachers to review the music to determine the best use for their students. Limit one per customer.
SKU: CY.CC3134
ISBN 9790530111031. 8.5 x 11 in inches.
Fanfare and Processional for Trombone and Piano was written in 1978 for Trombonist Daniel Bochard. The work was first premiered that year in recital at the University of British Columbia's School of Music. The work has two very distinct themes: the 1st theme, Fanfare which consists of dramatic leaps of 4th's and octaves somewhat reminiscent of Hindemith. The 2nd theme: the stately Processional, is based on the first three notes of a diatonic scale. The scale presents itself in many different guises throughout the 5 1/2 minute work. For advanced performers.
SKU: PR.110418390
ISBN 9781491134603. UPC: 680160685158.
Eric Ewazen’s THREE INVENTIONS were inspired by Bach’s Two-part Inventions, yet they sound thoroughly like Ewazen. Composed for harpsichord (with a piano adaptation following later), Ewazen’s inventions maintain a pure “one note per hand†texture until their final chord, with strong-but-free imitative counterpoint between the two voices. While Ewazen may be best known for his wind music, he is a pianist himself, and composers’ works for their own instrument are a direct insight into how they write for their own performances. The piano adaptation of THREE INVENTIONS is also available as a separate publication.THREE INVENTIONS was written for my dear friend Maria Rojas, who premiered the work on a faculty recital at Juilliard. Maria is both a pianist and a harpsichordist, and I first met her when she gave a demonstration of the harpsichord for the students in my theory classes.I’ve always been captivated by Bach’s series of Two-Part and Three-Part Inventions. With the Two-Part Inventions, I’m amazed how Bach could create such wonderful intricacy and counterpoint with only two voices. I consequently modeled my inventions after the counterpoint of Bach, involving the traditional contrapuntal devices he used: imitation, development, harmonic and modal shifts, fragmentation, and sequence, essentially creating a dialog between two completely equal voices conversing with each other!Bach wrote 15 Two-Part Inventions (as well as 15 Three-Part Inventions, not to mention the 48 preludes and fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier!), and that’s just the start of his voluminous repertoire for the keyboard! I was happy just to write three!!!Each of my inventions has a distinctive mood. The first is in a relaxed, yet cheerful C Major tonality (as a nod to Bach’s Invention No. 1 in C Major); the second is heartfelt and lyrical; and the third invention (involving a Gigue rhythm in the compound meter of 12/8) is energetic, and full of life and spontaneity. The third is primarily in a minor tonality, resulting in a feeling of drama, bringing the THREE INVENTIONS to an exciting finale.
SKU: PR.110406720
UPC: 680160001316.
I have always been fond of writing works for specific people or organizations. It has been my good fortune during most of my creative career to be asked to compose for many extraordinary performers. The Sonata for Harpsichord Solo is such a case in point: it was written in 1982 for Barbara Harbach, a superb performer, close friend, and collaborator on many musical projects. The Sonata was premiered on March 2, 1984, in a recital given by Dr. Harbach at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. During my formative years as a composer, one seldom heard of the harpsichord as a modern instrument, though while I attended undergraduate school at Boston University, some of us banded together to construct a small harpsichord from one of the first do-it-yourself kits which began to appear in the late '40s. It was also during this time that I heard the Sonatina for Violin and Harpsichord by my teacher Walter Piston and consequently specified that the accompanying instrument for my second violin sonata could either be a piano or a harpsichord. It was not until recently, however, that my interest in the harpsichord as a solo instrument for new music was aroused. This was because of the emergence of so many young virtuosi, such as Barbara Harbach, who are interested in the performance of new music besides the great harpsichord music of the Classical, Baroque, and pre-Baroque eras. The keyboard music of Domenico Scarlatti has always intrigued and fascinated me. The brevity, excitement, and clarity of this sparkling music is charming as well as exhilarating. It is this type of Baroque sonata that inspired the conception and form of my harpsichord sonata. The entire work is loosely based on the musical translation of Barabara Harbach's name, especially the conflict of the B (B-flat) and H (B-natural in German notation). This secondo rub or dissonance especially pervades the first movement, which is in a modified sonata form, pitting jagged and tense melodic elements against most lyrical and smooth lines. This second movement is a song-like melody accompanied by rolled chords which may be played on the lute stop of the instrument if this sonata is performed on a two-manual harpsichord. The final movement is an ever-driving joyous toccata which brings the work to an exciting close with a coda made up of accelerating repeated chords. --Samuel Adler.
SKU: PR.416415150
ISBN 9781598069020. UPC: 680160621743. 9 x 12 inches.
Inspired by the alluring, human-like sound of the Ney (a Persian bamboo flute), Ranjbaran aims not only to highlight the modern flutist’s ability to play agile and brilliant passages, but also to emulate the delicate sound of the Ney, particularly in extended solo passages. The three-movement 27-minute concerto was commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner. The piano reduction (published separately) was designed by the composer to be practical in recital performances. CONCERTO for Flute and Orchestra has been recorded for Naxos by Érik Gratton with the Nashville Symphony conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero.The melancholic tone of the Ney (the Persian bamboo flute) is known for its alluring sound, emulating the human voice.  In Persian literature, the Ney is considered a mystic instrument capable of expressing deep human emotions.In writing my flute concerto, I aimed not only to highlight the modern flautist’s ability to play agile and brilliant passages but also to emulate the delicate sound of the Ney, particularly in extended solo flute passages.Two prominent characters permeate the first movement of my concerto.  They are marked in the score as lamentoso, and con spirito, expressing grief and loss, and joy of living respectively.  The lament is mostly expressed in several extended cadenzas for solo flute while the con spirito consists of robust and energetic fast sections played by all forces of the orchestra.  Apart from these two characters there are moments of mystery, comedy and the grotesque, among others.In the second movement, the lyrical and poetic character of the flute is prominently presented in dream-like passages surrounded by shimmering and tender orchestral colors.  The solo flute is left out in an agitated middle section that references the first movement.  In the third section of the movement the solo flute returns in meditative fashion culminating in a duet with the harp.The third movement is written as one continuous quasi scherzo, challenging the limits of agility and brilliance of the flute.  Some of the materials from the earlier movements are presented again with joyous character.  The coda elevates the concerto into its brightest and most festive character, driving to the end with relentless energy.
SKU: HL.4008509
UPC: 196288176275.
Omaggio was commissioned by Steven Mead in celebration of his 60th birthday and in memory of his father, Rex. He gave the premiere of the brass band version in Rome in March 2022, accompanied by the Italian Brass Band conducted by Filippo Cangiamilla. The concertband premiere took place on 6th July that year as part of the 2022 Spanish International Tuba Euphonium Conference, accompanied by the Banda municipal de música de Málaga. The concerto is set in 3 continuous movements, which are united by a recurring syncopated interval of a fifth. The first movement, FANTASIA, opens with this motive accompanying an extended monologue for the soloist. This is followed by a lengthy bridge passage by the piano, which is eventually joined by the soloist, who guides the music back to the opening soliloquy, leading to an energetic central section. This develops until the opening material again returns to introduce the second movement, BALLAD, which revolves around an expressive melody for the soloist, interspersed by accompanied cadenzas. The thirdmovement, THE KING TRIUMPHANT, pays homage to Steven’s late father, Rex, and its title alludes both to Rex's name ('Rex' being Latinfor 'king') as well as his love of Eric Ball’s Salvationist masterpiece, The Kingdom Triumphant. The finale is an energetic tour-de-force featuring an acrobatic 6/8 melody, which is interrupted twice by the magnificent hymn tune, Helmsley, which Ball uses so effectively in The Kingdom Triumphant. A galloping coda brings the work to a close.
SKU: CF.B3417
ISBN 9780825859274. UPC: 798408059279. 9 X 12 inches.
Commissioned by Chamber Music America, this beautiful neo-romantic work was first performed on January 17, 1993 by Emil Miland and Robin Sutherland. A substantial work at 20 minutes, the sonata, alternates between lyrical writing and music with a scherzo-like feel that is both lively and animated. Sonata for Cello and Piano is written in one movement that flows extremely well with an intertwined cohesiveness between the two players. A memorable piece for a cello recital!
SKU: PR.144405910
UPC: 680160618699.
After a promising start as composer, earning respect and awards (a Grammy nomination, a Charles Ives Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship, etc.) along the way, Martin turned to Wall Street for almost two decades. Returning now to his first love, he brings us four woodwind quintets written during the years 1971 through 1980. These four quintets, taken together, offer a glimpse into the compositional ascent of a rising composer.