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£68.99Requiem Aeternam - Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini was commissioned to write a second opera after the resounding success of his first, Le Villi. However, the original four-act, grand opera Edgar, to a libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, received a rather lukewarm reception at its premire in La Scala in Milan in 1889 - initially, the work was only performed three times. Of all the planned performances in the subsequent two years, only one took place, in Lucca, Puccini's birthplace. There, the work was well received. Nevertheless, the composer decided to make drastic changes to Edgar the most radical being the reduction of the opera to three acts, as well as altering a few arias, charactersand instrumental parts. In its revised form, the work was even less popular than before. The discarded fourth act later provided material for Tosca (the duet Amoro sol' per te), but Puccini never felt the need to defend Edgar - as he did other less fortunate operas, such as La Rondine and Suor Angelica. On a piano excerpt for his female friend Sybil Seligman he even corrupted the title to 'E Dio ti GuARda da quest' opera' (may God preserve you from this opera). This did not prevent Arturo Toscanini performing the Requiem from the third act at Puccini's funeral in Milan Cathedral on 3 December 1924. The Requiem in the third act is being played when the long funeral procession carries the alleged body of Edgar - the confusedyoung man hesitating between the love of the virtuous Fidelia and the exotic Tigrana. The mass hails Edgar as a hero, but a monk claims that he has betrayed his country for a few gold pieces. When the soldiers try to desecrate the body, they discover that the armor contains none. The monk reveals himself as Edgar. He wants to leave with his faithful Fidelia, but the vengeful Tigrana stabs him and kills Fidelia. Edgar grieves over the lifeless body of his beloved, while Tigrana is arrested and the people submerge into prayer.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£183.99
The Big Apple, Part II - Gotham - Johan de Meij
An ode to New York. The Big Apple is a musical representation of the spirit, the glamour and the unfriendliness of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Listening to this symphony is as exciting as a visit to Manhattan. The listener is never allowed a moment's peace, even the tranquil slow passages are accompanied by an ostinato rumbling in the background. As in the City there is never a quiet moment. This edition contains only the second movement of this epic work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£129.99Ratatouille Satirique
Erik Satie, born in Honfleur in Normandy (France) in 1866 is undoubtedly one of the most striking personalities in the history of French music. He composed in various, often quite divergent, styles. Besides light-hearted, entertaining works he also wrote several serious compositions, among which the three ballets: Parade, Rel che and Les Aventures de Mercure. However his piano pieces, such as Trois Gymnopdies or Gnossiennes will remain his most popular compositions. Satie co-operated with almost all great artists of his time: Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Sergej Diaghilev and Georges Braque and the composers Darius Milhaud (Le Groupe des Six) and Claude Debussy. Johan deMeij made an orchestration of three short pieces by Erik Satie: I. Prlude (from: Jack in the Box) II. Rverie (from: Trois petites pices montes) III. Marche: Le Piccadilly (1904) It was only after Satie's death in 1925 that the manuscript of the piano piece Jack in the Box was recovered. Satie himself thought he had lost the manuscript in a bus. When his flat in Arceuil was cleaned out, a small notebook was discovered behind his piano and it contained the manuscript which was assumed to be lost forever. The Rverie (De l'Enfance de Pantagruel) is an extract from Trois petites pices montes, originally composed for small symphony orchestra. In this suite it is meant as a restful intermezzo. It is clear that, as with Milhaud (La Cration du Monde) and Debussy (Golliwogg's Cakewalk; Le Petit Ngre), it is hard to deny obvious influences of jazz music in Erik Satie's compositions. Le Piccadilly, dating from 1904, displays a lot of similarities with the compositions of Scott Joplin.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£102.99
Jazz Suite No. 2 - March - Dimitri Shostakovich
In 1938 Shostakovich composed his Second Jazz Suite at the request of the recently founded State Orchestra for Jazz conducted by Victor Knushevitsky. This suite was originally scored for a complete symphony orchestra to which four saxophones, an accordion and a guitar had been added. The Jazz Suite no. 1 in three movements, composed in 1934, had been written for a smaller ensemble. The title 'Jazz Suite' is rather misleading, as the composer definitely uses the style of light music. Back in 1928, the twenty-two-year-old Shostakovich had already composed some light music. A bet among friends to make an orchestration of the popular song 'Tea for Two' in less then one hour time, causedhim to compose 'Tahiti Trot'. Shostakovich easily won the bet as he completed the original and witty arrangement within only forty minutes!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£99.99
Jazz Suite No. 2 - Dance II - Dimitri Shostakovich
In 1938 Shostakovich composed his Second Jazz Suite at the request of the recently founded State Orchestra for Jazz conducted by Victor Knushevitsky. This suite was originally scored for a complete symphony orchestra to which four saxophones, an accordion and a guitar had been added. The Jazz Suite no. 1 in three movements, composed in 1934, had been written for a smaller ensemble. The title 'Jazz Suite' is rather misleading, as the composer definitely uses the style of light music. Back in 1928, the twenty-two-year-old Shostakovich had already composed some light music. A bet among friends to make an orchestration of the popular song 'Tea for Two' in less then one hour time, causedhim to compose 'Tahiti Trot'. Shostakovich easily won the bet as he completed the original and witty arrangement within only forty minutes!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£99.99Jazz Suite No. 2 - Finale - Dimitri Shostakovich
In 1938 Shostakovich composed his Second Jazz Suite at the request of the recently founded State Orchestra for Jazz conducted by Victor Knushevitsky. This suite was originally scored for a complete symphony orchestra to which four saxophones, an accordion and a guitar had been added. The Jazz Suite no. 1 in three movements, composed in 1934, had been written for a smaller ensemble. The title 'Jazz Suite' is rather misleading, as the composer definitely uses the style of light music. Back in 1928, the twenty-two-year-old Shostakovich had already composed some light music. A bet among friends to make an orchestration of the popular song 'Tea for Two' in less then one hour time, causedhim to compose 'Tahiti Trot'. Shostakovich easily won the bet as he completed the original and witty arrangement within only forty minutes!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£87.99Old Hundredth - Louis Bourgeois
The tune Old Hundredth is one of the best-known melodies in all Christian musical traditions and first appeared in the 1551 psalter "Pseaumes Octante Trois de David", where it is used as a setting for a version of Psalm 134; it is usually attributed to the French composer Louis Bourgeois (c.1510 - c.1560). The melody was then used in 1561 by the Scots clergyman, William Kethe in Sternhold and Hopkins' Psalter for his paraphrase of Psalm 100 - All People that on Earth do Dwell, which is still the most familiar hymn sung to this noble tune. When Tate and Brady's "New Version of the Psalms" was published in 1696, the melody became know as the 'old' version - henceits current title. This arrangement presents three contrasting verses and is effective as a concert piece as well as an instrumental interlude as part of a church service or wedding.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£79.99Lion City Festival - Philip Sparke
Lion City Festival was commissioned as one of the test pieces for the Singapore Youth Festival 2010, an annual event at which school ensembles from throughout Singapore can receive gold, silver or bronze awards for their performance. The English name for Singapore comes from Malay Singapura, which has Sanskrit roots meaning 'Lion City'. Lion City Festival is in the form of a quick march in ABA form. An opening fanfare leads to a perky march tune which is taken up by the full band. A change of key heralds a legato trio section before the main theme returns in varied form. Roaring fun!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£63.99
Blue Lake Reflections - Ed Huckeby
Inspired by the calm and serenity of the lake which is the setting for one of America's premiere fine arts camps, this beautiful ballad provides an excellent opportunity for teaching legato style and phrasing. Limited ranges and extensive doubling make this piece very playable, and performers will love its simplistic beauty.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.50Contempra - Ed Huckeby
Syncopation at its best! This rhythmically driving work by Ed Huckeby reflects a very contemporary and energized musical style. Combining these elements with a reflective and beautifully written lyrical section, this fresh selection is one your young musicians will be asking for year after year.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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