In recent years, Oklahoma has seen a great increase in the development of wind energy. This development in sustainable energy sources and the winds that flow across the great state serve as the inspiration for this composition. The piece begins by depicting the great open spaces that stretch for miles across the Oklahoma landscape. Small gusts of wind (represented by scalar and arpeggiated passage…

Par BACH JOHANN SEBASTIAN. Version of 1736 (final version) Bach 's St. Matthew Passion passed through several stages in its progress towards its final form, stages that today cannot be completely reconstructed. It may be taken as certain that the work was performed on Good Friday 1729 in St. Thomas's Church, Leipzig, in a version of which the copy made by Bach 's son-in-law Johann Christoph Altnic…

Based on Alexander Dumas' adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffman's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the ballet premiered in December of 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Tchaikovsky selected eight pieces from the ballet and created The Nutcracker Suite, which became an immediate success and to this day remains one of the most popular ballets, and contains some of the best-loved Christmas music. This…

This moving piece embodies all the simplicity of Russian Orthodox music, yet displays the sweeping beauty of Rachmaninov's lyricism. Conductors will appreciate the opportunity to teach extended phrases and legato style. 'Vespers' is the sunset evening prayer of the Orthodox Church, and during the canonical hours of an all-night vigil, the 'Ave Maria' would be sung at midnight, hence the 12 chime n…

The distinctive sound of the 5-string Banjo is most usually associated with folk, country and bluegrass music...but this instrument can sound at home in lots of popular genres. In this book you'll find a superb collection of 20 favourite songs, all specially arranged to show off the adaptability of the Banjo. Ho Hey and Wagon Wheel are naturals but you'll also enjoy just how well hits by Ed Sheera…

Debussy's Première Rhapsodie is one of two concertante works completed, premiered and published during his lifetime. He was commissioned to write it in 1909 for the final examination at the Paris Conservatoire in 1910. Debussy orchestrated it in the summer of 1911. While transferring the clarinet part from the already published version for clarinet and piano, he made a few subtle changes, particul…

The New International Edition of Suzuki Piano School, Volume 1 includes French, German and Spanish translations as well as a newly recorded CD performed by internationally renowned recording artist Seizo Azuma. Now the book and CD can be purchased together or separately. While the music selections in Volume 1 remain the same as the earlier edition, the spacious new engraving with minimal editing g…

Par DVORAK ANTONIN. Antonín Dvorák’s five-movement “Suite in A major” for piano was completed in New York on 1 March 1894, shortly after the triumphant success of his “New World” Symphony. As he himself noted in the autograph, it was the fifth piece he composed during his stay abroad. In a letter to his publisher Simrock he called the Suite, alongside the “Biblical Songs”, his finest achievement t…