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: HL.14008939
ISBN 9780853609551. 8.25x11.75x0.178 inches.
The Blue Rose Variations is one of several works in which the composer has drawn on ragtime and blues. The organ work is based on two transformations of the popular piano piece To A Wild Rose (Woodland Sketches, Op.51 No.1) by the American composer, Edward MacDowell (1860-1908). During the course of the Variations, To A Wild Rose appears as a blues and also as a classical rag, often as both together. The sections are Theme: a quiet blues; Variation I: a pedal solo in varied metres based on the blues in fast tempo; Variation II: the first appearance of the rag as a background to the blues as a 2' pedal solo; Variation III: a version of Variation I now involving manuals too; Variation IV: another blues solo against the rag; Variation V: another version of Variation I with the pedal solo almost entirely transferred to the manuals; Variation VI: a final confrontation between the blues and the rag, now much decorated. First performed in New York in April 1986. Duration c.15 mins.
SKU: HL.14004114
ISBN 9788759854808. 8.25x11.75x0.069 inches. English.
Studie i Variationsform For Fagot Solo Op. 34 was composed by Anders Koppel in 1938.
SKU: HL.44006366
ISBN 9789043102957. UPC: 884088084677. International (more than one language).
The sound of these compositions recalls the zest for life, the passion for adventure and the romance of the pioneer spirit that was young America. 17 songs: Passepied * Trumpet Voluntary * Fuga 1 * Voluntary 1 * Voluntary 2 * Festival Voluntary * Fuga a 3 Voce * Voluntary 3 * Impromptu * Fuga 2 * Legende * Gigue * Fughetta * Trumpet Tune * Postlude * Adeste Fideles * Variations on a Sicilian Folksong.
SKU: HL.14043512
UPC: 840126951547. 12.0x16.5x0.118 inches. English.
This Drones, Variations, Ornaments sheet music is the full score for this innovative and dramatic piece by Nico Muhly . According to Muhly , this piece is music in constant transformation, featuring steadily evolving melodies from a number of instruments, punctuated with hugely original percussive parts, with instructions to fill the Cymbal with chain, coins and other metal objects in order to make it sound like glass shattering. It is this inspired composition that makes Drones, Variations, Ornaments the interesting and acclaimed piece that it is. With this piece, Muhly has attempted to recreate the sound and motion of a machine through music. String chords begin the piecewith a light and soothing opening, before the machine (made up of Winds, Guitar, Percussion and Piano) awakens. This truly unusual piece is a joy to listen to and perform, and we are pleased to offer this full score to you.
SKU: HL.14010101
ISBN 9780853606499. 5.5x8.5x0.357 inches.
Miniature score of Elgar's Enigma Variations.
SKU: HL.14017605
8.25x11.75x0.562 inches.
Kadinsky Variations was written in 1977. The movement titles of this work were suggested by paintings and graphic pieces by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944).
SKU: HL.14002964
12.0x8.25x0.45 inches.
Edited by Sir Ivor Atkins.
SKU: HL.14018198
ISBN 9788759857366. English-German.
Krahmer's Variations Brillantes was originally written for the Csakan, an instrument similar to the Recorder. In this edition the original notation has been retained. Scored here for Recorder and Piano (or Harpsichord) accompaniment.
SKU: HL.14042177
ISBN 9781780388700. 9.0x12.0x0.205 inches.
Collection of original works created as anonymous gifts for the renowned Finnish cellist Anssi Karttunen. Includes works by 31 composers, including: Pascal Dusapin, Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Steven Stucky, Tan Dun, and others.
SKU: A2.GMP014
ISBN 979-0-58039-013-4. 8.5x11 inches.
This volume features nine theme-and-variation sets composed in the early through mid-nineteenth century by Jan Ladislav Dussek (1760-1812), Otto Dresel (1826-90), and American composers of the early nineteenth century. Based on a variety of popular songs and dances of the period, as well as on original themes, these highly virtuosic pieces are ideal concert repertoire.
SKU: HL.14041938
8.25x11.75x0.113 inches.
SKU: HL.14017967
8.5x11.75x0.157 inches.
SKU: HL.14035403
UPC: 884088810498. 11.0x17.0x0.129 inches.
SKU: HL.14018899
ISBN 9780853602255. 8.25x11.0x0.116 inches.
For Bassoon and Piano.
SKU: HL.14022958
ISBN 9788759854990. English.
Critical revised edition by Mina F. Miller.
SKU: HL.14019972
12.0x8.25x0.03 inches.
Arranged for the organ.
SKU: HL.14034660
8.25x11.75x0.111 inches.
SKU: HL.14024951
8.25x11.75x0.25 inches.
SKU: HL.14028328
8.25x11.75x0.081 inches.
SKU: HL.14004138
ISBN 9780711980372.
For Tenor solo, SATB choir, string orchestra and organ. Vocal score in a new edition prepared by Christopher Brown. Includes a keyboard reduction of the orchestral score. Chorus Part available: CH55375.
SKU: HL.14036351
ISBN 9780711986121.
This work for orchestra was commissioned by the BBC and premiered by the BBC Orchestra under the direction of Andrew Davis in Tokyo, May 1997.
SKU: HL.14021348
8.5x11.75x0.695 inches.