SKU: A0.1465704

Based on one of only several poems written by my mother, Jewish Holocaust survivor Rita Hoffman of blessed memory (1927–2018), Only from Blood Does Freedom Grow echoes the words of Hatikvah (The Hope), the national anthem of Israel. I have to believe that she wrote this poem around 1948 because of how it is worded. 

I of course knew the source of inspiration for this poem when I reread it not long ago—something I had not done since the 1990s—but its having been inspired by Hatikvah was really driven home to me by a Facebook comment. That comment inspired me to compose a piece in which the opening and closing sections are based on the opening melody of Hatikvah, but in which the middle section is newly composed. 

“Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy, and it honors the sword of freedom.” 

—John F. Kennedy

My mother’s brief memoirs are housed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.  https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn502129

—Stanley M. Hoffman, 25 June 2024

—

Only from Blood Does Freedom Grow 

For so many years a voice sounded in Jewish hearts saying,
“We want to have a home, we want to have a life again.”
Enough blood has already streamed through rivers,
the blood shed by our brothers *[and sisters],
they, who for freedom of strangers and nation died.
Now, the dream we dreamt for a long time has been awakened in us.
We want to ?ght for our state, our country.
The moment that we have been waiting for and been praying for
two thousand years has brought us a spark of hope.
We must not despair, for we are nevertheless Jews.
We must and must want to persevere.
A time will come which itself will become a symbol of our tragedy,
and which will remain forever in our hearts -
a burning ?ame, and a joyful feast.   
—Rita Hoffman (1927–2018)
Words: © Copyright 1948 by The Estate of Rita Hoffman.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
—
Instrumentation 

2 Flutes (2 Piccolos)
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
 
4 Horns in F
2 Trumpets in Bb
2 Trombones
Tuba

Tam-tam
Timpani

Strings

Duration
ca. 2:30.

SKU: A0.1448350

Do you want your children's choir to sing and play recorders, while glorifying God?  Have them learn this beautiful hymn!  There is an optional two-part vocal section, offering an introduction to singing harmonies. Students will also practice the first five notes on recorder (G, A, B, C, and D) and will play them throughout the song.  Finally, the piano accompaniment part has jazzy chords; students will be exposed to the style of smooth jazz, and will learn how to swing 8th notes.  An optional guitar part can be played using the chord symbols.  A new arrangement of a timeless song!

SKU: A0.1008178

Two short verses introduce the chorus of Alleluia - Glory to God. Verses can be assigned to soloists or small groups. The chorus consists of three independent voice which can be presented in any order or combination and repeated as many times as desired. Quick and easy to learn! Also available in SAB.

SKU: A0.1008166

Written for a stage production of the Christmas Story, the song begins with shoppers (altos) in a marketplace. Three other voices may be added in any order or combination (Vendors, Inn keeper, Roman tax collector). The piece finished with a short coda. .

SKU: A0.575798

Many years before Lloyd Webber's Cats I created my own setting for TS Eliot's Song of the Jellicles
(from Old Possum's book of practical cats)
The estate of T S Eliot would not let me use the poem itself as a choral piece.
 So this is the choral version of the Jellicle music as a drinking song for SATB choir,
 with new words by Jill Mitchell called Praise to the Vine

Bring out the goblets! Pour the wine!
 Praise to the vintage, red and white!
 Salute to the harvest of the vine!
 Banish sobriety! Welcome delight!

 The performance is a live recording from a concert by Duodecimo.
 Other (instrumental) versions of the Jellicle music which are available are:
A duo for descant recorder and guitar (Jellicle Duo for recorder and guitar)
A quartet for recorders (Jellicle Quartet for recorders) and
A quartet for strings (Jellicle Catgut for string quartet).

SKU: A0.976936

Dramatic science fiction inspired choral work from groundbreaking post-apocalyptic 21st century animated opera Libertaria. Quirky and partially inspired by Dr. Who, this choral work is a fun musical theater piece for choir. The Medallion Girls are part of a futuristic genetic experiment meant to perfect humanity after a radiation permanently mutated humans. Truly a unique work. Award-winning composer and TED Talk Speaker.

Award-winning Cuban-American Composer S. Peña Young

https://sabrinapenayoung.wordpress.com/

Contact Young directly at Facebook

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/newmusiccomposer

LIBERTARIA: THE VIRTUAL OPERA

https://virtualopera.wordpress.com/ 

ABOUT LIBERTARIA: In a post-USSA apocalyptic world, the young Libertaria escapes from evil geneticists and teams up with her addict father Simeon to defeat the Collective with a ragtag Underground army of cyborgs and misfits. The world’s first machinima opera, Libertaria has been called Groundbreaking by the Palm Beach Arts Paper. A truly dystopian novelization, the Libertaria Chronicles, is now available at Amazon.

One of my favorite things about this story is its odd apocalyptic tone and strong sci-fi/fantasy foundation. The dark quality that comes with it is the cherry on top. –FanboysAnonymous.com

WHAT FANS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE LIBERTARIA CHRONICLES

Between the book, virtual opera, soundtrack, and all the extras, Young has created a convincing world…a dark dystopian future for you to get lost in. The characters are complex, flawed, and human, and you are never sure what they will do next. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Award-winning Cuban-American composer S Peña Young has a rich history of creating groundbreaking classical music with cutting edge works like the multimedia oratorio Creation, winner of the IAWM New Genre Prize, World Order #5 for percussion and multimedia, and collaborations with artists in Vox Novus 60×60 and Lee Scott’s interactive web opera The Village. In 2014 Young gave a TED Talk on her animated science fiction opera Libertaria, the world’s first machinima opera. Young is the author of the science fiction series The Libertaria Chronicles and Composer Boot Camp 101: 50 Exercises for Educators, Students, and Music Professionals, (available at AMAZON) and is in production for the animated film Spiritus. Young is a sought-after lecturer and writer on music technology, audio engineering, film music, composition/songwriting, film, social media, online collaboration, marketing, and contemporary music and is an advocate for new music.

SKU: A0.976942

A fun rhythmic praise song SATB inspired by music from the Caribbean. Ideal for the high school choir, amateur church choir, professional singers, and for Sunday morning service, Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, or world music days. Choir directors are encouraged to add percussion instruments like maracas, congas, or bongos to live performance. A fun tune that will make your choir smile! Great for praise and worship!

Award-winning Cuban-American Composer S. Peña Young

https://sabrinapenayoung.wordpress.com/

Contact Young directly at Facebook

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/newmusiccomposer

Award-winning Cuban-American composer S Peña Young has a rich history of creating groundbreaking classical music with cutting edge works like the multimedia oratorio Creation, winner of the IAWM New Genre Prize, World Order #5 for percussion and multimedia, and collaborations with artists in Vox Novus 60×60 and Lee Scott’s interactive web opera The Village. In 2014 Young gave a TED Talk on her animated science fiction opera  Libertaria, the world’s first machinima opera. Young is the author of the science fiction series The Libertaria Chronicles and Composer Boot Camp 101: 50 Exercises for Educators, Students, and Music Professionals, (available at AMAZON) and is in production for the animated film Spiritus. Young is a sought-after lecturer and writer on music technology, audio engineering, film music, composition/songwriting, film, social media, online collaboration, marketing, and contemporary music and is an advocate for new music.

SKU: IZ.CBW2210

6.75 x 10.5 inches.

Some years back, during a series of retreats, prayerful reflection on the “servant
passages from the book of the prophet Isaiah (Is. 40-53) coalesced into what would
become an eight-movement cantata entitled: The Servant of Yahweh.
“How Beautiful on the Mountain represents movement three of that larger work - a
Lenten cantata highlighting key aspects of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,
viewed through the lens of the aforementioned servant passages.
“How Beautiful on the Mountain (from Is.52 ff) attempts to capture in two sections the
joyful vision of God's people being led back to Zion from exile in Babylon. Israel's
deliverer is near, proclaiming peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, leading
Israel back to Jerusalem. The New Testament likewise speaks of deliverance from
bondage – bondage from sin, and healing of the breach between God and humanity. It is
through the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus that this deliverance is
accomplished. In both cases, there is cause for great joy.
Musically, movement from the more subdued preface (part 1) to the festive Latin groove
(part 2) conveys the transition from journey to jubilation.
The present rendition, written for SATB choir and piano with optional flute and oboe
marks the latest evolution in the work's arrangement history. The original
accompaniment included guitar, bass, drum, flute and electric violin. However, in 2009,
through a collaboration with bassist/arranger, Perry Orfanella, a full orchestral score was
developed. Most recently, in order to make the piece more accessible to church choirs
and other choral groups, Phil Sims (musician/arranger and partner of Imagine Music
Publishing) reduced the orchestral score and completed the present arrangement for
piano and SATB choir.