SKU: A0.1192322

An arrangement of the hymn Down To The River To Pray for two Bassoons with Piano accompaniment.

SKU: A0.549452

Score: 10 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. Duration: 4:25. Not difficult, but requires sensitivity & dynamic control. Suitable for recitals, church meditations, or school programs.

School Years

First of all, Sullivan attended music school at the Royal Academy of Music. Because Sullivan was so talented, the Academy awarded him the Mendelssohn Scholarship for two years in a row. He, therefore, studied with John Goss, who studied with Thomas Atwood, who in turn studied with Mozart. Sullivan similarly studied the piano at the Academy with Arthur O’Leary.

Study Abroad

During his first year, he also earned money by singing solos in the Chapel Royal. At the end of his second year, the Academy consequently continued his scholarship and sent him to study at the Leipzig Conservatoire. He certainly studied composition, and likewise counterpoint and piano. Hence, during his final year in Leipzig, Sullivan finally completed his graduation composition project: Incidental Music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Association with Gilbert

It seems like Sullivan built the bulk of his composing career largely in the 1860s. As a result, he became famous for his incidental music for the Tempest and his Irish Symphony. He, therefore, began collaborating with the poet W. S. Gilbert in the 1870s. Rather than focus on serious opera, Gilbert and Sullivan, in contrast, concentrated on comic opera such as H. M. S. Pinafore, the Pirates of Penzance, and the Mikado. Therefore, certainly as a result of his education and experience, Sullivan composed a total of 24 operas, 11 symphonic works, 10 choral pieces. Even more, he wrote a large number of noteworthy hymns such as Onward Christian Soldiers.

Lost Chord

The general style of his music is maybe similar to Mendelssohn, Schumann, and perhaps Liszt. It seems like Sullivan was fond of writing distinct melodies for each character in his operettas. His melodies combine together as the characters did. Furthermore, he was a master orchestrator, and therefore played the flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone fluently.

The Lost Chord

Sullivan wrote his most noteworthy song the Lost Chord in 1877. As a result, it was a great success and was certainly performed all over the world by a variety of singers such as Enrico Caruso. Because Sullivan was the most famous composer in England, the Lost Chord became the most famous of all British or American songs of the 1870s and 1890s. Consequently, in 1888 Thomas Edison recorded The Lost Chord for the phonograph. It was one of the first songs ever recorded. Furthermore, Queen Victoria knighted Sullivan in 1883.

 

 

SKU: A0.1408404

Discover the vivacity of the Baroque era with our exclusive and simplified arrangement of Antonio Vivaldi's La Primavera (The Spring) from The Four Seasons, specifically crafted for a duet. This arrangement is designed to bring to life the joyful and energetic spirit of spring in an accessible manner, making it the perfect choice for duet musicians of various skill levels, from developing students to professionals looking for a charming yet simpler piece to complement their repertoires.

For educators and music teachers, this simplified sheet music for duet offers a wonderful way to introduce students to Vivaldi's vibrant style and the music of the Baroque period. It provides a less intimidating approach to exploring classical works, allowing students to enhance their musical techniques and confidence while actively engaging in duet performance.

Professional musicians will find this arrangement of La Primavera a valuable and practical addition to their duet repertoire, particularly suitable for events requiring shorter pieces or for moments seeking to touch the audience's hearts with the unmistakable beauty of Vivaldi, without the complexity of his complete works.

This arrangement ensures that the essence and brilliance of Vivaldi's Spring are preserved while making the piece more accessible for duet performance, ensuring a rewarding musical experience for both performers and listeners. Explore the renewal and vitality of Spring through this charming and simplified arrangement tailored for duet.

Tags: simplified sheet music, duet, Antonio Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, La Primavera, The Spring, Baroque music, music education, musical arrangement, live performance, music learning, ensemble performance, piano.

SKU: A0.550428

Sonata No. 2 by Antonio Vivaldi - a four-movement Sonata da Chiesa. Duration: ca. 12:00, Piano score: 12 pages.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was an Italian composer and violinist in the Baroque period, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time. He was a major influence on many other composers of the Baroque era, and his influence can still be felt in music today.

Vivaldi's most important contribution to music history was his development of the sonata da chiesa, or church sonata. This form of composition was a variation on the Baroque sonata, and was used primarily in sacred music. It was characterized by a more lyrical approach to composition, with a focus on melody and harmonic structure. Vivaldi was one of the first composers to make use of this form, and his works set the standard for future composers. His church sonatas were written in a wide variety of keys and styles, and their influence can be heard in the works of later composers, such as J.S. Bach and Handel.

Vivaldi's influence on music history is far-reaching, and his contributions to the development of the sonata da chiesa are among his most important. His compositions are still widely performed and appreciated today, and his legacy continues to shape the music of the modern era.

SKU: A0.549607

Duration: 2:30, score: 8 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 5 pages. A well-known favorite masterpiece suitable for a recital or school program.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky is probably the most popular of the great composers in America. His music certainly appeals to musicians. Likewise, it appeals even to folks who don’t normally listen to serious music. This is probably because of his most noteworthy melodies. Above all, he writes with great emotion. This certainly makes a most noteworthy if not an unforgettable impact.

Education

First of all, He attended classes at the Russian Musical Society. Even more, He also attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory. There he studied music theory with Nikolai Zaremba. He also consequently studied composition with Anton Rubenstein. It seems like Rubenstein came under criticism from a group of Russian composers known as the Five.

The Five

The Five certainly rejected Western musical influences. They rather sought to use elements from Russian music. They furthermore wanted to use more exotic musical materials.

Western Techniques

More than other Russian composers, Tchaikovsky studied modern Western music. He certainly develops his music like the European masters. So, rather than repeating a motive, he moves to a new key. He then introduces a different theme in the new key. Hence, he maintained his independence from the Five. Even more, he became the first Russian composer of international stature.

Influences

Tchaikovsky was probably influenced in his ballet scoring by Léo Delibes. Richard Wagner influenced his symphonic writing. Tchaikovsky’s most famous works include the 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker Suite, and Swan Lake. Also famous are the Violin Concerto in D and the six symphonies. The greatest of the six symphonies may be No. 6, the Pathétique.

Swan Lake Op. 20

Tchaikovsky composed Swan Lake in 1875-76. To begin with, most noteworthy the ballet failed to attract a positive reception. Over time, however, the ballet became probably one of the most popular of all of Tchaikovsky’s works. The ballet was certainly first performed by the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

SKU: A0.549433

Score: 7 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. Duration: 4:25. Not difficult, but requires sensitivity & dynamic c control. Suitable for recitals, church meditations, or school programs.

Dvořák Background

Antonín Dvořák (1841 –1904) was, of course, a composer from Czechoslovakia. As a matter of fact, he was among the first Bohemian composers to attain universal recognition. It is important to realize that the late Romantic Nationalist period featured composers who used traditional and folk elements to portray the character of their nation. In particular, we see this in the music of Grieg (Norway), Finland (Sibelius), and Smetana (Bohemia).  Dvořák relied markedly on rhythms and other characteristics of Moravian and Bohemian folk music.

Ascent to Fame

Dvořák was truly a child musical prodigy on the violin. The premiere performances of his compositions notably occurred in 1872 and 1873. He submitted his First Symphony in particular to a German competition, but it failed to win. Consequently, in 1874 he presented two more symphonies to the Austrian State Prize for Composition. Johannes Brahms was the principal of the jury and was accordingly very impressed. They forthwith awarded the prize to Dvořák in 1874, 1876, and 1877. At this point, Brahms thereupon endorsed Dvořák to the publisher Simrock. Later, the publisher commissioned Dvořák to compose the Slavonic Dances, Op. 46. These became popular overnight and, as a result, Dvořák's worldwide status was launched.

International Status

Dvořák visited England upon invitation nine times. On each visit, he frequently conducted performances of his own compositions. He conducted concerts of his music, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Eventually, the Prague Conservatory in fact appointed Dvořák as a professor. There, to be sure, he wrote his famous Dumky Trio.

United States

Consequently, the National Conservatory of Music of America appointed him as director in 1892. As a result, Dvořák composed his two most famous symphonic works: the Symphony No. 9 (From the New World), which spread his name universally, and his Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, one of the most famous of all cello works. Moreover, he wrote his most celebrated American String Quartet during this time. At the same time, because of his growing recognition in Europe and his homesickness for his own country, he left to return to Bohemia in 1895.