Dog Days : An Opera In Three Acts

David T. Little's Dog Days. An Opera in Three Acts.

Sigale : Test Your Gold

Music Diary 2017 : blue (UK)

Music Diary 2017 : red (UK)

The best-selling diary returns for 2017 with a user-friendly portrait format and equal spaces for each day of the entire week (so no more cramped weekend appointments!).Musical birthdays, events from 100, 50and 25 years ago and forthcoming anniversaries up to 2022 are included, with an updated mini-directory of concert halls, opera houses, festivals, organisations and recording companies.Additionally you'll find aspecial article on the work of composer John Adams, who will celebrate his 70th birthday in 2017. The cover design for 2017 includes an excerpt from Missa Brevis by Zoltán Kodály, marking the 50th anniversary ofthecomposer’s death.

Music Diary 2017 : black (UK)

The Willard White Songbook

Tying in with a CD release by Sony UK and a world concert tour in 2005, this volume contains songs particularly associated with this famous bass, including spirituals, songs from shows (eg Deep River) and opera (Gershwin's Porgy and Bess).

Practice Sessions

The intermediate level tutor progressing on from Learn As You Play. Practice Sessions is a carefully structured course providing a wide range of repertoire and studies to promote technique and expressive playing. Includes a special emphasis on playing by ear and improvisation - providing useful parallels to GCSE and National Curriculum studies (UK grades 3 - 5 standard).

Ryers Down

Composed for Emma Halnan, winner of The Arts Club – Sir Karl Jenkins Music Award 2016. The composer comments that “for the first ten years of this century, I lived and composed on the GowerPeninsula, an area of sandy beaches and dramatic cliff scenery with coastal caves; the first area in the UK to be officially designated as one of outstanding natural beauty. Living in an old mill alongside the Bury Pill stream, Iwrote from a stable block, enjoying a vista across Cheriton Valley and the river to Ryers Down. This work is a musical reflection of time spent there.”

Romance, Elegy and Prelude : Arrangement for string quartet

Arrangements for string quartet of Romance for string orchestra, op 11 (1928), Elegy for violin & piano, op 22 (1940), and Prelude for string orchestra, op 25 (1940s). Romance (8 mins) was first performed in 2009 by the Finzi Quartet at London’s Wigmore Hall, and has been recorded by them on Resonus Classics RES 10109. Elegy (9 mins) and Prelude (5 mins) were first performed in 2014 by the Marilla Quartet at Downe House School, Berkshire, UK. The arrangements are presented as three separate works and form an attractive addition to the string quartet repertory.Difficulty:Prelude: intermediateRomance and Elegy:intermediate/advanced.

Romance, Elegy and Prelude : Arrangement for String Quartet

Arrangements for string quartet of Romance for string orchestra, op 11 (1928), Elegy for violin & piano, op 22 (1940), and Prelude for string orchestra, op 25 (1940s). Romance (8 mins) was first performed in 2009 by the Finzi Quartet at London’s Wigmore Hall, and has been recorded by them on Resonus Classics RES 10109. Elegy (9 mins) and Prelude (5 mins) were first performed in 2014 by the Marilla Quartet at Downe House School, Berkshire, UK. The arrangements are presented as three separate works and form an attractive addition to the string quartet repertory.Difficulty:Prelude: intermediateRomance and Elegy:intermediate/advanced.

Ride in a High-Speed Train

From the pen of the composer of the ever-popular Miroir comes this attractive, 3½-minute transcription of a TGV, which was written for The Busy Drone, a beautiful mechanical dance organ now standing in Het Orgelpark, Amsterdam. The piece will delight audiences, yet the depiction of a train rushing on its journey places considerable demands on the performer as it proceeds through numerous keys and rhythmic combinations within the 5/4 metre. This is a real test of the player’s coordination given that there are up to five simultaneous but separate parts, including much rhythmically independent double pedalling. Although an instrument of three manuals and pedals is required, theregistration is delicate and colourful, not bombastic and overwhelming as the title might suggest. Suitable for advanced standard performers.

Ryers Down

Composed for Emma Halnan, winner of The Arts Club – Sir Karl Jenkins Music Award 2016.The composer comments that “for the first ten years of this century, I lived and composed on the Gower Peninsula, an areaof sandy beaches and dramatic cliff scenery with coastal caves; the first area in the UK to be officially designated as one of outstanding natural beauty. Living in an old mill alongside the Bury Pill stream, I wrote from a stableblock, enjoying a vista across Cheriton Valley and the river to Ryers Down. This work is a musical reflection of time spent there.”Originally scored for Flute & Piano this publication comprises the Harpadaptationby Heather Wrighton. It doesn't include the Flute part as a single part. Flautists should purchase the Flute & Piano edition.

Interludes

Album for organ solo from the composer of the much-recorded “Miroir”. The album consists of four pieces of between 2½ and 4 minutes’ duration respectively. “Play it cool!” was composed as the mandatory test piece in the 2012 First Breda International Organ Competition, with the Grote Kerk’s four-manual Flentrop/Van den Heuvel instrument in mind. As the title suggests, the piece makes great play on syncopated, jazz- and rock-inflected figures. Suitable for advanced standard performers. “The Messenger on the Hill”, while similarly syncopated and witty, is within easy reach of intermediate standard players. Laid out for two-manual instrument it features an almost continuousoscillating left-hand figure with right-hand melody and a very simple pedal part. “Rejoice!” is an arrangement of a work for saxophone and organ, made at the request of, and in collaboration with, Thomas Trotter. A duo for contrasting manuals, with a simple, syncopated bass part in the pedals. Suitable for advanced standard performers. ­­­“­Passacaglia”, also for two-manual instrument, is composed almost entirely for the white notes. The simple passacaglia theme is repeated throughout on the pedals. Above this, melodic material derived from the theme is played in the right hand against a sustained, chordal left-hand accompaniment. Later on, there is dialogue between the hands, with some optional ornamentation in the right hand. Suitable for intermediate standard performers.

Britannia : Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 1446

Britannia was written in 1994 as a celebration of a major force in our musical life, the British orchestra. The work fulfils a commission from British Telecommunications plc with the Association of British Orchestras as part of the BT Celebration Series, and provides all the major UK orchestras with a new concert overture for performance in the 1994/95 season. Britannia is a ten-minute orchestral fantasy based on ‘patriotic themes’. There is no programme of story as such but the tapestry of popular melodies and resonant allusions, given their new and unfamiliar contexts, may provoke some surprising scenarios in the mind of the listener, particularly at a time when petty chauvinismthreatens to rear up once again throughout Europe. The piece grows out of a short sketch written earlier this year, Mémoire Impériale, which is based on a march tune by General Reid, an 18th century British army officer who established the music department at Edinburgh University. This theme and the ‘imperial’ themes of Elgar and Arne are thrown into a volatile concoction with other materials – an Irish reel (which becomes a jig), a Cockney drinking song, other march tunes and a hazy Celtic modality. All the main ideas are presented in a quick and stark succession during the fast opening section. The slow middle part begins with a serene canon which is gradually undermined by military allusions on brass and percussion. This confrontation leads to the work’s climax followed by an unsettled coda. Britannia is dedicated to Libby MacNamara of the Association of British Orchestras.

Micromusicals - The Vikings : Complete Performance Resource with Audio CD and Downlooadable Extras

Raising the curtain on Christopher Norton’s Micromusicals – exciting and accessible musicals for schools based on popular classroom teaching topics from the creator of the internationally-acclaimed Microjazz series. Designed for children aged 6-12, each production lasts around 30 minutes and can be learned, rehearsed and performed in as little as 2 days. Stage a real class act with this comprehensive and flexible resource:* Succinct casting and direction suggestions * Optional props list with a wealth of additional downloadable resources * Straightforward and catchy songs, with complete demonstration and backing tracks on an accompanying CD * Voice and piano scoreswith guitar chords * A wide range of flexible easy band and orchestral parts available to download which can be played in conjunction with the backing tracks or as part of an independent live orchestral or band * Photocopiable lyric sheets (also available as downloads for printing or projection) * Wide-ranging cross-curricular teaching and classroom activity suggestions * A customisable poster to publicise performances The Vikings are covered in Key Stage 2 History in England, and are popular in school teaching elsewhere in the UK and further afield. This Micromusical includes topics including:* the Viking invasions of the British Isles * King Alfred * Norse Mythology (Valhalla, Asgard, Odin, Thor, Frey, Freya, Tyr, the children of Loki, Fenrir) * the present-day effect of the Vikings on British culture TestimonialsThe micro-musicals have enriched our curriculum and have enabled the topics taught in class to come alive. Through the micro-musicals, the children have gained a deeper and broader understanding of the curriculum and have developed a bank of rich language, which has supported their writing outcomes. The micro-musicals have provided an excellent opportunity to teach music through all areas of the curriculum and we have been able to use music as a platform to learn history, science, geography and literature.

Micromusicals - A Christmas Carol

Raising the curtain on Christopher Norton’s Micromusicals – exciting and accessible musicals for schools based on popular classroom teaching topics from the creator of the internationally-acclaimed Microjazz series. Designed for children aged 6-12,each production lasts around 30 minutes and can be learned, rehearsed and performed in as little as 2 days.Stage a real class act with this comprehensive and flexible resource:* Succinct casting and direction suggestions * Optional props listwith a wealth of additional downloadable resources * Straightforward and catchy songs, with complete demonstration and backing tracks on an accompanying CD * Voice and piano scores with guitar chords * A wide range of flexible easy bandand orchestral parts available to download which can be played in conjunction with the backing tracks or as part of an independent live orchestral or band * Photocopiable lyric sheets (also available as downloads for printing or projection) *Wide-ranging cross-curricular teaching and classroom activity suggestions * A customisable poster to publicise performances A Christmas Carol is an English literary classic written by Charles Dickens and was first published in December 1843. Thepopular novella is studied at Key Stage 2 and 3 as part of the National Curriculum in England, as well as at schools and colleges elsewhere in the UK and around the world. In this new Micromusical adaption, the abridged story is told through dramaand song.TestimonialsThe micro-musicals have enriched our curriculum and have enabled the topics taught in class to come alive. Through the micro-musicals, the children have gained a deeper and broader understanding of the curriculum and havedeveloped a bank of rich language, which has supported their writing outcomes. The micro-musicals have provided an excellent opportunity to teach music through all areas of the curriculum and we have been able to use music as a platform to learnhistory, science, geography and literature. They have been a good value for money and a valuable resource.-Bronwen Chalmers, Head Teacher, Davies Lane Primary School.

Micromusicals - Romeo And Juliet : Complete Performance Resource with Audio CD and Downloadable Extras

Raising the curtain on Christopher Norton’s Micromusicals – exciting and accessible musicals for schools based on popular classroom teaching topics from the creator of the internationally-acclaimed Microjazz series. Designed for children aged 7-11,each production lasts around 30 minutes and can be learned, rehearsed and performed in as little as 2 days. Stage a class act with this comprehensive and flexible resource:* Straightforward and catchy songs, with complete demonstration and backingtracks on an accompanying CD * Voice and piano scores with guitar chords * Photocopiable lyric sheets * Cast list (with number on lines per role) plus succinct costume and direction suggestions * Comprehensive props checklist *Wide-ranging cross-curricular teaching and classroom activity ideasDownloadable extra resources include:* a wide range of flexible easy band and orchestral parts which can be played in conjunction with the backing tracks or as part of an independentlive orchestral or band * flexible prop designs, illustrations and banners * PDF lyric sheets and scripts * Powerpoint files containing full script and song lyrics * sound effect audio files * a customisable poster to publiciseperformances Performance licences available online.Romeo & Juliet - Shakespeare’s tragedy about two ‘star-crossed lovers’ - is an English literary masterpiece studied at Key Stage 2 and 3 as part of the National Curriculum in England, as well as atschools and colleges elsewhere in the UK and around the world. In this new Micromusical adaption, the abridged story is told through poetry and song.TestimonialsThe micro-musicals have enriched our curriculum and have enabled the topics taught inclass to come alive. Through the micro-musicals, the children have gained a deeper and broader understanding of the curriculum and have developed a bank of rich language, which has supported their writing outcomes. The micro-musicals have providedan excellent opportunity to teach music through all areas of the curriculum and we have been able to use music as a platform to learn history, science, geography and literature. They have been a good value for money and a valuable resource.-BronwenChalmers, Head Teacher, Davies Lane Primary School.

Friday Afternoons op. 7/12 : No. 12 Old Abram Brown

Text: anon. (in 4 parts) Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes Difficulty level: 1-2 This set of mainly unison songs [Friday Afternoons] for young voices is a gift for a concert of music for upper voices. It is a substantial work taken as awhole but its individual movements are both short and straightforward in their various challenges. Britten wrote the work for the boys of his brother's preparatory school (age 7-13), Clive House, Prestatyn, in Wales to sing.However he encountered a problem with copyright over the use of the Lone Dog. He therefore wrote Begone, dull care to replace it. When these issues were resolved years later the song was included as an appendix item in the 1994edition. The real beauty of these songs is that Britten never writes down for the children. These are art songs in the best sense of the word and mix both dark and light humour with seriousness and romance to create a little worldof changing scenes and emotions. The texts are, as always, carefully chosen to give Britten maximum variety of mood and to challenge and encourage the childrens' interest and involvement. The piano parts carry a lot of theresponsibility for the creation of mood and atmosphere and ideally need a pianist of reasonable accomplishment to do them justice. In There was a monkey Britten writes an increasingly challenging part which is very effective inmaking the charged mood rise to its climax. However, he writes an easier alternative part which can be played if the pianist finds the other too difficult. The mixture of texts gives Britten wonderful opportunities for wordpainting. The lively Begone, dull care which opens the work, the nonsense poem of A tragic story where a man wants his pigtail to hang in front so he can see it, the gentle story of the Cuckoo and his progress through the monthsof the year, the rather sobering story (especially in our post-fox hunting ban days) of the shooting of a fox by a farmer whose geese it has killed, the sublime A New Year's Carol - and so on, leading to the powerful four partcanon of Old Abram Brown. These little pieces demonstrate so clearly Britten's genius - his ability to write really good music which is so recognisably his - without any feeling that he is making compromises for the young singers.