A bright, sparkling setting of 'O, Come Little Children,' arranged by Michael Kamuf, that will delight audiences and players - this arrangement will become a classic. Includes optional sleigh bells. (1:45) / Orchestre A Cordes

What can age yet never grow old, and grip yet always pursue? The very popular Tum Balalaika, a traditional Yiddish riddle song with deep Russian roots, contains the answer: a haunting melody. This arrangement combines that mesmerizing melody with rich harmonies to produce a lushness that will encourage and inspire your students to play with passion and purpose. Beware! It may haunt you all of your…

Par CHOSTAKOVITCH DIMITRI. Shostakovich's eleventh symphony is highly programmatic, a large-scale tribute to the 'victory' of the Great October Revolution of 1917, composed on the 40th anniversary of the occasion. The first of the four movements is called The Palace Square, setting the sombre scene where the violent events of the day would occur, and Shostakovitch includes two Russian prison songs…

Arrangeur: Willi Schulze. Par MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS. The G major mass of Mozart followed a very special type of mass pattern, namely, that of the 'Missa pastoralis'. In Mozart's time it was a widespread type of mass, especially in Bohemia and Italy, in which melodies and rhythms like those familiar from pastoral Christmas music were frequently found. The themes in this type of mass are song-like…

Krönungsmesse. Par MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS. Mozart’s Missa in C K. 317, erroneously dubbed the “Coronation Mass, ” is among the most popular and most often performed works in this genre. The autograph of the Mass, which in many respects is very enlightening, was regarded as having been lost following the end of World War II, but was discovered at the end of the 1970s, it is preserved among the mus…

Par ADES THOMAS. Thomas Adès and Philip Hensher's dazzlingly precocious chamber opera Powder Her Face propelled its composer to international attention after its premiere in 1995 and, with nearly 300 worldwide performances, remains one of the most frequently performed British operas of the last two decades. Charting the glamorous rise and seedy fall of the notorious socialite beauty Margaret, Duch…

This festive overture is full of challenges for every section and sure to be a favorite with more mature and experienced players! An exciting opener or closer for any concert, the work is built around the school anthem, 'Surgere Tentamus.' (6:45) / Orchestre A Cordes

S'vivon (se-vi-vohn) is the Hebrew word for dreidl, a four-sided top that is popular with children during the celebration of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. In this arrangement by Brendan McBrien, variations are created through the subtle use of motivic rhythms from within the melody, presenting the theme in different voices and keys in both arco and pizzicato, using the A sec…

Par HENZE HANS WERNER. In this work, I had wanted completely to submit to the traditional rules of the classical symphony so as to mould my musical expression as if in a furnace and enable it to reach the listener as directly and clearly as possible. The first movement is a kind of German dance, an Allemande, so to speak; the second one a Lied. The third, in strict scherzo-form, is a representatio…

The perfect technical piece for developing tone, listening skills, string crossings, smooth bow changes, and independence - as well as celebrating beautiful days at a park as melodies and dynamics move up and down between sections, as on a seesaw. The lines of music that the various instruments have weave up and down across each other as friendships weave throughout our lives. Imagine a leisurely …

This pensive, yet tuneful composition was written to honor the life and memory of a middle school band member in Mississippi. Although technically accessible by most first- or second-year bands, the emotional depth of the piece will provide an excellent vehicle for expressive growth and development. (2:10) / Orchestre A Cordes

G-Dur. Par MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS. The G major mass of Mozart followed a very special type of mass pattern, namely, that of the 'Missa pastoralis'. In Mozart's time it was a widespread type of mass, especially in Bohemia and Italy, in which melodies and rhythms like those familiar from pastoral Christmas music were frequently found. The themes in this type of mass are song-like and often make use…

Krönungsmesse. Par MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS. Mozart’s Missa in C K. 317, erroneously dubbed the “Coronation Mass, ” is among the most popular and most often performed works in this genre. The autograph of the Mass, which in many respects is very enlightening, was regarded as having been lost following the end of World War II, but was discovered at the end of the 1970s, it is preserved among the mus…

More String Time Joggers is a welcome addition to the ensemble repertoire for beginner strings from the authors of the award-winning Fiddle Time series. This exciting collection provides inventive and enjoyable ensemble material for all string groups, whatever their size. / Alto (Ensemble A Cordes)

Par . Franz Gruber's beloved Christmas carol, 'Silent Night,' receives a unique treatment for strings. The tune is heard twice. The first time, it is paired with a motive from the Prelude of J. S. Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 (BWV 1007); the second time, the melody shifts from part to part, giving everyone a chance to shine. Richly scored, warm and embracing, a real audience pleaser for your December …