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£78.20Cloud(iu)s ... der Wolkenmann - Thiemo Kraas
4 Miniatures for Winds: 1. Wind 2. Storm 3. Rain 4. Sun and Snow There was a little child who enthusiastically told a story ... and a composer who was equally inspired by the child and its story to write these miniatures. At the premier performance of my composition "Arcus" in March 2011, when I explained how a piece about the rainbow came into being, a little girl came up to me and asked: "Thiemo, what about the man in the clouds?" I obviously had forgotten to include him, though he is as the little girl informed me of extreme importance in the sky: "He sits in the clouds and is responsible for the weather. He shakes rain, wind, storm or snow out of the clouds, he pushes them aside to let the sunshine through or he models them into funny figures, making people on earth smile." Fascinated by the girl's ingenuous ideas I created this small composition, sitting in my study and letting my mind wander into the sky. As the man in the clouds naturally has to have a name, I decided to call him "Cloud(iu)s ... man in the clouds". I dedicate this piece to the children of my beginner's band, who show me again and again how wonderful and precious it is to delight in the small things in life ...
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£134.99
Recalls - Ben Haemhouts
Recalls obviously refers to memories. This piece of music is in fact a series of flashbacks, however, it does not highlight the actual memories of specific thoughts, people or events.The composition evolves around the late Frans Steurs, who for manyyears was the inspirational artist behind the brass band that is currently commissioning this work. The main theme of the work is based on the name STEURS". E = mi, U = do, R = re and S = "si" which is Dutch for the note "ti". This idea forms themusical theme for the entire composition and different variations are used throughout. The structure of the work is based on the concept of a story which father Steurs is telling his two daughters, who play the flute and the clarinet. Each part ofthe work has a story-like character:1. Introduction: following a short ominous intro, the main theme is presented for the first time.2. The Story: father Steurs has both his daughters on his knee and he tells them stories from the old days. Trumpetsand trombones play variations of the theme. The story gets very exciting (accelerande, poco a poco agitato) until the tale takes a dramatic turn when the father tells an exciting story at the time of the Second World War. He tells of being hunteddown by the occupying army and these adventurous episodes are related to us musically in part3. Danger, with its skilful references to "vor dem Sturm" from "Eine Alpensinfonie" by Richard Strauss.4. called Fugitives, is about how he fled in the nightfrom the enemy and this is reflected in the bass tones of a new theme. The aggression of the war is illustrated from bar 117 onwards, by a harsh brass section. The main theme is repeated once again and this time up-tempo. The second theme is broughtonce again from bar 149 onwards.5. Dialogues, depicts the conversations between the two daughters and their father. Father speaks (bar 155); the daughters answer (bar 164 - flute, bar 166 - clarinet); bar 178: father answers with the tune of the maintheme to the two daughters. The discussions gradually intensify but ultimately end in peace in the last part called Conclusion.The piece of music "Recalls" is a free interpretation by the composer who consulted the letters between the two daughtersof Steurs and their father and in this respect it is not really music for a programme."
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£139.99Pacific Dreams - Jacob de Haan
Pacific Dreams describes the experience of Miguel, a traveling composer from Spain who, feeling somewhat alienated from his homeland, is wandering through an area of Sydney known as The Rocks. At a small outdoor market in a typical street of this oldcolonial neighbourhood, he discovers a print of William DeShazos painting "Pacific Dreams" Portrayed in the painting is the surf of one of the exotic islands in the Pacific. Next, with the impressive Sydney Harbour Bridge looming over the narrowstreets of The Rocks, he envisions sultry Pacific beaches. Suddenly a theme he once composed about the lakes in Japan comes to him. Is it the Asian influences present in cosmopolitan Sydney that bring this theme to mind? Or perhaps the waters aroundSydney, over which he could sail to Tahiti? He is uncertain. Could this same theme be used to create a new composition about his feelings for the metropolis Sydney? How then to work his Pacific Dreams into the mix? Miguel is certainly no fan ofHawaiian music. Mayby he could use the vocabularies of islands like Hawaii and Tahiti, their beautiful vowel combinations being sung ad libitum by a mixed choir.With these ideas and his newly purchased print of "Pacific Dreams", he boards the Metroat Circular Quay. He has a final glimpse of the harbour and the Sydney Opera House as the train races into the ground. On to the hotel! To work! He must compose!Maestoso : Miguel is impressed as he gazes upon the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And yet, hewants to go away from this city. Away, to an exotic island in the Pacific.Steady Rock : In the Rocks, musicians are playing at a square. Miguel basks in the atmosphere but at the same time he is fantasizing about Hawaii and Tahiti.Andante Lamentoso :In his hotel room, Miguel is feeling sad and lonely in this big city. He takes comfort in his "Pacific Dreams".Allegro : Miguel boards the boat that takes him from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. In his mind he is traveling on to Hawaii. Or is ithome, where the bolero is playing? He is pulled back to reality by the skyline of Sydney.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£104.99Prelude and Polonaise - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) composed his opera The Night before Christmas in 1894-95. The premiere took place on December 10 1895 in St. Petersburg. The libretto to the opera came from Rimsky-Korsakov himself and is based on a tale by Nikolai Gogol, which some years earlier had already served as operatic material for Pjotr Tchaikovsky. The opera tells the story of Vakula, the blacksmith of a small Ukranian village. He is madly in love with Oxana who demands - as proof of his love - a most unusual Christmas present: the magnificent slippers of the Empress. Knowing full well that, in normal circumstances, he would never be able to fulfil Oxana's wish, Vakula seekssupernatural assistance and finds it in the shape of the devil, who comes up with a ploy to help him. The devil carries him on his back to St. Petersburg, where during a lavish reception at court Vakula finds an opportunity to present his request to the empress. The Empress actually agrees to Vakula's wish and hands over her slippers to him. Thereupon he returns to his own village. Here, in the meantime, he had been given up for dead, and Oxana had been plunged into great sorrow as she had come to realise that she also truly loved Vakula. In the end, however, all misunderstandings are resolved and all adversities overcome: Oxana receives her extravagant present, the lovers are united, and the church bells call the villagers to the Christmas service.The vibrant Polonaise is played in the 3rd act of the opera at the entrance of the Empress, whose appearance is anticipated in the prelude by the fanfare motives. The music paints a vivid picture of the party atmosphere and the marvellous dcor at the imperial court of St. Petersburg, which Rimsky-Korsakov conjures up in his opera and which can also be played outside of the Advent and Christmas season, for example as an opening piece to any festive concert.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£149.99Heaven and Earth - Jan Bosveld
An Astrological Composition. Astrology is based on the principle that each sort of time has its own quality. In order to determine the quality of a particular moment, an astrologer looks at the position of the planets in the solar sustemat that moment. Each planet has specific types of energies and its location provides unique information for a certain moment on Earth. Thus: its position in the sky tells something about what happens on Earth. In this composition the typesof energies of four planets are musically translated. The four planet were not randomly chosen. There are two pairs, whose influence and energy are opposite. Venus and Mars. Venus represents the feminine principle: harmony, beauty,art, and the ability to make relationships and to keep the peace. Venus connects, and communicates in order to maintain the balance. Mars represent the masculine principle: winning, impulsiveness, enthusiasm, and sexual energy for procreation.He creates war enabling the strongest to triumph. Mars is musically depicted in a stirring march in which enthusiasm characterises the masculine character. Saturn and Jupiter. Saturn represents concentration and withdrawal: the strongnotion of responsibility, seriousness, self-discipline and melancholy. Saturn is the hermit who will conquer his fears and worries in minimal conditions and by self-chastisement. This contemplative character is depicted in the music as if it isalmost standing still, which also reflects the given character of this planet. Jupiter represents growth and expansion: the positive, self-confidence, the good Samaritan, the healer. Jupiter is the philosopher who will make the world a betterplace, sees future possibilities, and searches for eternal values. He is the prophet who sometimes rants and raves his doctrine and proclamations, resulting musically in a whirling and upbeat finale. not looking back at what has been but searchingfor new challenges. "Heaven and Earth" was commisioned by the Music Lending and Information Centre (MUI), a department of the library for the province of Gelderland in Arnhem, The Netherlands.Een astrologische compositie. Astrologie is gebaseerd op het principe dat elke tijd zijn eigen kwaliteit heeft. ""Tijd voor koffie"" of ""het was je tijd nog niet"" als bijvoorbeeld een baan aan je neus voorbij is gegaan. Om de kwaliteit van een moment te lezen kijkt deastroloog naar de stand van de planeten in ons zonnestelsel op dat tijdstip. Elke planeet heeft specifieke energien en de plaats aan de hemel geeft unieke informatie over een bepaald moment op aarde. Oftewel: de stand aan de hemel (Ouranos) verteltiets over wat er op aarde (Gaia) gebeurt. In deze compositie worden de energien van vier planeten muzikaal vertaald. De vier planeten zijn niet lukraak gekozen. Het zijn twee paren, die qua invloed en energie tegenovergesteldzijn. Venus en Mars. Venus vertegenwoordigt het vrouwelijke principe: harmonieus, schoonheid, de kunst, het vermogen om verbindingen aan te gaan en de vrede te bewaren. Venus geeft door en verbindt om de balans te bewaren. Marsvertegenwoordigt het mannelijke principe: winnen, anderen aftroeven, impulsief en enthousiast, seksuele energie voor de voortplanting. Mars creert oorlog om de sterkste te laten zegevieren. Venus staat tot Mars als vrede staat tot oorlog, alsverbinden staat tot verbreken, als harmonie staat tot competitie. Jupiter en Saturnus. Jupiter vertegenwoordigt groei en expansie: het positieve zelfvertrouwen, de weldoener, de genezer. Jupiter is de filosoof die de wereld wilverbeteren, vooruitkijkend en zoekend naar eeuwige waarden, de profeet die soms al te bombastisch zijn leer verkondigt. Saturnus vertegenwoordigt concentratie en inkrimping: het sterke verantwoordelijkheidsbesef, soberheid, zelfdiscipline enmelancholie. Saturnus is de kluizenaar die onder minimale voorwaarden en zelfkastijding zijn angsten wil overwinnen. De harde, serieuze werker die volgens vaste regels stug doorgaat om aan zijn hoge eisen te voldoen. Jupiter staat tot Saturnusals uitbreiding staat tot inkrimping, als zelfvertrouwen staat tot faalangst, als vrijheid staat tot structuur.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£159.99Guardian Angels - Kevin Houben
Guardian Angels gives a musical expression to the legend of Reverend Louis Henri Bhler referring to the use of Psalm 34.North-west Veluwe and in particular Oldebroek (The Netherlands) has a very rich religious tradition which is demonstrated by its monumental churches. They tell the story of a stirring history in which Reverend Bhler played a crucial role. Inspired by his arrival as a pastor in 1870 in the neighbouring Oosterwolde, two big religious communities came into existence with their characteristic churches but this rivalry also resulted in great social unrest.This composition reflects on this striking personality and in particular on the story of the Angel Guard.'One evening Reverend Bhler has given a sermon in Oldebroek and he walks over the Church path through the pastures to Oosterwolde. On this dark and stormy evening Bhler's opponents are waiting for the pastor in ambush. They want to drown him in a watercourse near the Church path but abandon their plan because Bhler is accompanied by two men. The next day it comes to an encounter between Bhler and his opponents. They repent their, fortunately unexecuted , plan. Bhler firmly believes that on the previous night he walked alone over the Church path, and was not accompanied by two men. It was concluded that it must have been the angels who had protected Bhler.'Psalm 34 is central to this composition and this because of its powerful melody but also because the lyrics of verse 4 of the rhymed version fit in well with the special legend of Reverend Bhler:The Lord's angel gathered round himAn invincible heavenly guard,Who tries God's will, around himSo he's well guard(ed)A second melodious and harmonic cell is a musical transformation of the name 'Bhler'. This cell is varied in major and minor third chords and sometimes used as the main idea or apotheosis, but also serves as an accompanying cell or as a bridge between other melodic and rhythmic constructions.The composition was made possible by contributions of: Mr Evert van de Poll, owner of the Van Gelder Groep, Het Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Gelderland en Het Feteris Oosterbaan Fonds.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£249.99The Wind in the Willows - Johan de Meij
"A book for those who keep the spirit of youth alive in them; of life, sunshine, running water, woodlands, dusty roads, winter firesides" said author Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) about his children's book The Wind in the Willows. Initially, he wrote the stories about Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad to read to his visually handicapped son Alistair, but after the publication in book form in 1908, it became a worldwide success. It was later also turned into a film and a television series. What appealed ti the composer most is the friendly, very cosy atmosphere that Grahame has managed to create with his optimistic narrative style full of high spirits, an atmosphere that reminds thecomposer of his own carefree youth. It was therefore a great pleasure to set this book to music! The four movements successively describe:I) The River- The river, which flows through the habitat of the animals like a lifeline, regularly is the scene of pleasant boat trips and picnics. The animals lead their untroubled lives here. The four-tone main motif [A-C-D-C] is extensively presented by the brass section, and returns in the following movements as a countermelody. II) Ratty and Mole -The bright, energetic Rat and the melancholy doubter Mole are inseparable friends and have many adventures. Their opposite characters are illustrated by separate musical themes. III) Mister Toad - The wilful, haughty Mister Toad is indeed a unique case: time after time, he runs into tricky situations, and with his indomitable passion for fast - preferably stolen - cars he causes quite a lot of damage...IV) The Return of UlyssesAfter Toad Hall, the majestic residence of Mister Toad, is recovered from the weasels and stoats of the Wild Wood, who had captured the estate in a cowardly way, our friends get ready for a banquet. They celebrate the victory with a triumphant parade, and so both the book and the music conclude with a happy ending.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£248.99
Odysseia - Maxime Aulio
Washed up on the Phaeacian shore after a shipwreck, Odysseus is introduced to King Alcinous. As he sits in the palace, he tells the Phaeacians of his wanderings since leaving Troy. Odysseus and his men fi rst landed on the island of the Cicones wherethey sacked the city of Ismarus. From there, great storms swept them to the land of the hospitable Lotus Eaters. Then they sailed to the land of the Cyclopes. Odysseus and twelve of his men entered the cave of Polyphemus. After the single-eyed giantmade handfuls of his men into meals, Odysseus fi nally defeated him. He got him drunk and once he had fallen asleep, he and his men stabbed a glowing spike into the Cyclop's single eye, completely blinding him. They escaped by clinging to the belliesof some sheep. Once aboard, Odysseus taunted the Cyclop by revealing him his true identity. Enraged, Polyphemus hurled rocks at the ship, trying to sink it. After leaving the Cyclopes' island, they arrived at the home of Aeolus, ruler of the winds.Aeolus off ered Odysseus a bag trapping all the strong winds within except one - the one which would take him straight back to Ithaca. As the ship came within sight of Ithaca, the crewmen, curious about the bag, decided to open it. The winds escapedand stirred up a storm. Odysseus and his crew came to the land of the cannibalistic Laestrygonians, who sank all but one of the ships. The survivors went next to Aeaea, the island of the witch-goddess Circe. Odysseus sent out a scouting party butCirce turned them into pigs. With the help of an antidote the god Hermes had given him, Odysseus managed to overpower the goddess and forced her to change his men back to human form. When it was time for Odysseus to leave, Circe told him to sail tothe realm of the dead to speak with the spirit of the seer Tiresias. One day's sailing took them to the land of the Cimmerians. There, he performed sacrifi ces to attract the souls of the dead. Tiresias told him what would happen to him next. He thengot to talk with his mother, Anticleia, and met the spirits of Agamemnon, Achilles, Patroclus, Antilochus, Ajax and others. He then saw the souls of the damned Tityos, Tantalus, and Sisyphus. Odysseus soon found himself mobbed by souls. He becamefrightened, ran back to his ship, and sailed away. While back at Aeaea, Circe told him about the dangers he would have to face on his way back home. She advised him to avoid hearing the song of the Sirens; but if he really felt he had to hear, thenhe should be tied to the mast of the ship, which he did. Odysseus then successfully steered his crew past Charybdis (a violent whirlpool) and Scylla (a multiple-headed monster), but Scylla managed to devour six of his men. Finally, Odysseus and hissurviving crew approached the island where the Sun god kept sacred cattle. Odysseus wanted to sail past, but the crewmen persuaded him to let them rest there. Odysseus passed Circe's counsel on to his men. Once he had fallen asleep, his men impiouslykilled and ate some of the cattle. When the Sun god found out, he asked Zeus to punish them. Shortly after they set sail from the island, Zeus destroyed the ship and all the men died except for Odysseus. After ten days, Odysseus was washed up on theisland of the nymph Calypso.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£149.40O Helga natt - Adolphe Charles Adam
O Holy Night is a very well-known Christmas carol. The origin of the carol is French beginning with the words: "Minuit! Chrtiens, c'est l'heure solennelle". It is about the birth of Jesus and was written in 1843 by a wine merchant and poet by the name of Placide Cappeau (1808 77). He turned to the composer Adolphe Adam (1803 56) and asked him to write a suitable melody. The result was brilliant and the carol was premiered in Cappeau's home town Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey. Based on Cappeau's French text, the English version was written in 1855 by an American Unitarian (Calvinist) minister by the name of John Sullivan Dwight (1813 93). Adolphe Adamwas the son of the pianist and composer Louis Adam (1758 1848), who did not want his son to follow in his foot-steps as a musician. However, Adolphe wanted otherwise, and already at the age of 17 he was accepted to study at the music conservatoire in Paris. He was a student under Franois Adrien Bo eldieu and composed several comical operas that became successful. After the July-revolution 1830 Adam moved to London. He worked for a couple of years before returning to Paris, where he founded a new opera house in 1847, the Th tre national. After the revolution in 1848 it had to close and Adam was ruined, why he had to go back to composing. In 1856 he concluded the ballet Le Corsaire, which together with the ballet Giselle are his most performed works today.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£435.40Goldberg 2012 - Svein H. Giske
The first time I heard Bach's Goldberg Variations was in the movie Silence of the lambs, in the early 1990s. I noticed the beautiful background music in one of the scenes, but at that time I didn't know what it was. A few years later, when I was studiying at the Grieg Academy, I got to know the entire piece. For me, this is a piece of music which I can listen to countless times. I think it sounds as fresh today as it did more than 15 years ago and it never ceases to inspire me. Both Bach's composition and Glenn Gould's famous 1955 recording (which was the first one I heard) still makes a great impression on me. Before Gould recorded it at age 22, it wasn't a highly ranked piece amongst pianists and Bach was by many viewed as a bit old-fashioned. The young Canadian turned all this around. He managed to portray Bach in a reformed way, producing fine nuances in phrasing and making the many layers in Bach's music more transparent than anyone before him. Thus he plunged both himself and Bach (back) onto the international music scene. When The Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) asked me to write the test piece for NM in 2012, it was only natural for me to use the Goldberg Variations as a starting point and inspiration for my work. Since I was a teenager at NMF's summer courses in the mid eighties I've always listened to many different styles of music. Growing up in Sunnmre with the Brazz Brothers as teachers and mentors, jazz-, pop/rock- and folk music were early on a natural part of my musical background. I also have my classical education from the Grieg Academy on trumpet. As the title of my piece implies, I've wanted to bring Bach to the present and put his music into various modern musical landscapes. I think you can bring about a special kind of energy when music from different genres are mixed and I've tried to do this by mixing Bach with artists and musical styles from the present. In Goldberg 2012, the music is often constructed by several layers, which in a way are living parallel musical lives. They are seemingly moving or floating freely, almost unaware of each other, but bound together by the same basic pulse. The rythms, however, are often notated on a different rythmic subdivision level than the usual 8th- or 16th note levels. By doing this, I hope to achieve transparent sounds that rythmically are perceived as more free and detached from each other. In large sections of the piece, pop/jazz is fusioned with elements from Bach. I guess you could have this little scene as a synopsis for the piece: picture a group of musicians meeting: some are classical performers, some are jazz. They start to improvise together, each in their own voice or musical dialect and I'm sort of in the middle, trying to write down what they are playing. This is what I feel much of Goldberg 2012 is about. The foundation of the piece, in addition to Bach and references from pop/jazz music, lies also in my own material. This material, basically two chords, is heard in it's purest form in the 1st movement. I use these chords to create scales, new chords and different motifs which contribute to blend together the different moods of the piece. It has not been my intention to copy Bach's form (theme and 30 variations), but rather to use the bits and pieces that I like the most as an inspiration for my own variations. The 1st movement, Aria 2, is for my 3rd son, Olav, who was born on the 21st of April 2011, and the 5th movement, From long ago, is dedicated to the memory of my father, Svein J. Giske, who passed away on the 6th of June 2011. -Svein H. Giske, January 2012-
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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