SKU: A0.549839

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, the voice is calling us) from Cantata BWV 140. Duration: ca. 4:00, Score: 6 pages, solo part 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Program this for church services during the Easter season, weddings,or as a recital encore.

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

(Awake, the Voice is calling us) also known as: Sleepers Awake

Bach composed his church cantata Wachet auf (BWV 140) as part of his second annual cantata cycle covering the entire annual church calendar. It is based on the hymn of the same name by Philipp Nicolai (1599). The hymn text covers the readings for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. Bach designed the cantata in seven movements, setting the stanzas in various forms. Among these forms are the chorale fantasia, the chorale prelude, and a four-part chorale. He casts the new lyrics as recitatives – in a manner similar to the opera.

Fourth Movement

Bach writes the fourth movement, Zion hört die Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchmen singing), in the style of a chorale prelude with the chorale phrases performed as a strict cantus firmus. The phrases seem to enter at times erratically against the famous lyrical melody. The violins play this melody in unison as a foil against the cantus phrases. The violin melody is so independent and complete that when the cantus melody appears it catches the listener at times totally off-guard. Bach later transcribed this movement for organ (BWV 645). This transcription became No. 1 of the Six Schübler Chorales.

Bach Overview

First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with the instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and certainly the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.

 History

Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he, therefore, gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.

 Style

It seems like Bach created a fascinating new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top.

Revival              

Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.

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SKU: A0.549847

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, the voice is calling us) from Cantata BWV 140. Duration: ca. 4:00, Score: 6 pages, solo part 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Program this for church services during the Easter season, weddings, or as a recital encore.

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

(Awake, the Voice is calling us) also known as: Sleepers Awake

Bach composed his church cantata Wachet auf (BWV 140) as part of his second annual cantata cycle covering the entire annual church calendar. It is based on the hymn of the same name by Philipp Nicolai (1599). The hymn text covers the readings for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. Bach designed the cantata in seven movements, setting the stanzas in various forms. Among these forms are the chorale fantasia, the chorale prelude, and a four-part chorale. He casts the new lyrics as recitatives – in a manner similar to the opera.

Fourth Movement

Bach writes the fourth movement, Zion hört die Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchmen singing), in the style of a chorale prelude with the chorale phrases performed as a strict cantus firmus. The phrases seem to enter at times erratically against the famous lyrical melody. The violins play this melody in unison as a foil against the cantus phrases. The violin melody is so independent and complete that when the cantus melody appears it catches the listener at times totally off-guard. Bach later transcribed this movement for organ (BWV 645). This transcription became No. 1 of the Six Schübler Chorales.

Bach Overview

First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with the instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and certainly the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.

 History

Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he, therefore, gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.

 Style

It seems like Bach created a fascinating new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top.

Revival                

Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.

SKU: A0.1287662

Strauss and the Dance of the Seven Veils

The Dance of the Seven Veils is a performance by Salome before King Herod Antipas, depicted in modern stage productions, literature, and visual arts. This dance is an elaboration of the New Testament story of the Feast of Herod and the execution of John the Baptist. While the New Testament does not give the dance a name, the title Dance of the Seven Veils originated from the 1893 English translation of Oscar Wilde's French play, Salome, which included the stage direction Salome dances the dance of the seven veils. Richard Strauss also incorporated the dance into his opera Salome in 1905.

The concept of Salome's dance involving seven veils can be traced back to Wilde's play, where he was influenced by earlier French writers who portrayed Salome as a symbol of female lust. Wilde envisioned the dance as an act of unveiling, symbolizing the revealing of Salome's true self. He drew inspiration from Gustave Flaubert's story Herodias, in which Salome performs a hand dance to please Antipas. Wilde initially intended to follow Flaubert's version but later changed his approach.

The idea of the dance being associated with veils can be linked to the popularity of veil dances during that time, which were westernized interpretations of Middle Eastern dance styles. Notably, the dancer Loïe Fuller was known for her veil dances. Wilde's play did not provide a detailed description of the dance, but it is commonly assumed to involve a series of veils being removed, symbolizing the process of unveiling oneself.

Strauss's operatic adaptation of Salome also includes the Dance of the Seven Veils. Although the dance remains unnamed in the music, Salome's sexual fascination with John the Baptist seems to motivate her request, while Herod appears pleased. The visual interpretation of this scene can vary depending on the production, with some emphasizing its eroticism. Strauss specified that the dance should be thoroughly decent, as if it were being done on a prayer mat, but some performances have portrayed it in a more explicit manner.

James Strauss's choice to program well-known orchestral pieces for the flute and piano stems from the technical challenges they present, both instrumentally and interpretatively. It allows the flautist to explore different timbres and a romantic style of playing, inspired by Orchestral mass sustained phrases and intense vibrato found in this repertoire. Transcribing orchestral pieces for the flute presents certain difficulties, such as playing loudly and with a full tone in the lower register or producing high notes that gradually fade away. Despite these challenges, the purpose is to challenge the flute's traditional role and explore its expressive capabilities through this repertoire.

SKU: A0.844400

This is a setting of a Guatemalan folk song designed to be the first 'recital piece' after just a few weeks of learning.  Solo part covers the range of 1 octave of the first learned notes of that instrument.  Beginning students will appreciate the repeated notes before you have to find the next one.  There is a lilting piano accompaniment with fresh descriptive harmony, especially those occasionally dissonant chords when the parrot squawks!  A short piece of just 20 bars (but has a full repeat), it comes with the full score plus instrument solo part.  Also available for many other basic instruments.  Great fun piece for lessons or the classroom to mark those first successful notes. 

SKU: A0.533323

Sonate pour piano et flûte
I. Andantino spirituoso
II. Pas trop lent
III. Vif
Dates de composition : décembre, 1926 - octobre, 1927

The Sonata for Piano and Flute (Sonate pour piano et flûte) was composed for Claude Desanges, a school mate of the composer. The only known performance was an informal one at the Parisian apartment of Leguerney’s parents. Leguerney’s mentor and dear friend, Thérèse Cahen, accompanied Desanges.

The Sonata is dedicated to Michel Jomier, Leguerney’s close friend, who also wrote several poems that Leguerney set during his early period of exploratory compositions. Part of the handwritten dedication is illegible, it reads “To Michel Jomeir, in memory of ?� and there we can only guess at the rest. There are several autograph manuscripts on deposit at the Département Musique of the Bibliothèque National in Paris. These manuscripts are the property of the Leguerney Estate, and are identified by a code starting with OL. OL11 is a full-score rough draft with several corrections, indicated by hatch-marks. It is dated 1 October 1927. At the end of the 1st movement, the last quarter notes in the piano part are marked with a slur going over the final double bar, indicating that the sound should continue to resonate. There is a fermata over this ending double bar in both the flute and piano parts, which implies that the 2nd movement should continue immediately. This mark is eliminated in OL11A. The 2nd movement also has slurs over the final notes, indicating a segue to the 3rd and final movement. There are fermatas over the final chords of the 2nd movement as well. These are eliminated in OL11A. The 2nd movement is
dated 29 October 1927 and the 3rd movement is dated 9 December 1926. OL11A is a cleanly copied full-score autograph manuscript where the title is Sonate pour Piano et Flûte en 3 Mouvements. Andantino spiritoso, Pas trop lent, Vif. (Sonata for Piano and Flute in 3 Movements. Andantino spiritoso, Pas trop lent, Vif.) OL11B is a clean copy of the flute part. Although unsigned, it appears to be an autograph manuscript. The breath marks placed into the Musik Fabrik edition are written in pencil in both OL11B and OL11C. OL11C is a flute part that appears to be used. It is worn, has some paste overs and penciled-in cues in the 2nd movment, as well as some breath marks and nuance indications. This seems to be a working
copy for a performance or reading. The editor thinks that OL11B is the final draft, written out after OL11C was used for a performance. This edition is based upon all of these sources, using the full score of OL11A and the flute score OL11B as the final thoughts of the composer.

SKU: A0.1155636

This arrangement adapted for flute and piano was written keeping the characteristics of the original work, in order to be performed by young music students who want to enter the symphonic music. Besides, it can also be used by professional musicians for recitals, repertoire, academic presentations and didactic material. The transcription remains faithful to the structure, with only one change in tone, so that it is comfortable for all the instruments in the formation, as well as being used as an activity in ensemble practice among musicians of different traditions. Beethoven's Turkish March (Op. 113) is the 4th movement of the operatic work: The Ruins of Athens, a set of incidental pieces written in 1812 by Ludwig van Beethoven, where the melody was originally written in 1809 as Theme with Six Variations for Piano, Op. 76. The work was written to accompany the play of the same name by August von Kotzebue, for the dedication of a new theater in Pest. Perhaps the best known part of the composition is the Marcia alla turca, In Latin America, this movement became known in Jean-Jacques Perrey's version (who titled it The Elephant never Forgets) since it was used as the opening theme of the successful Mexican TV comedy El Chavo del Ocho. The opening and the turkish march are often performed separately, and the other pieces in this set are not often heard.

SKU: A0.1356909

A transcription of Beethoven's beautiful Adagio Cantabile from the well-known 'Pathtique' Piano Sonata. Arranged to highlight the versatility of the Flute as a solo instrument. Some aspects of the Piano/keyboard accompaniment have been adjusted to suit the pairing with Flute.