SKU: A0.551676

I. Sonata in G Major. Duration: 6:45, Score: 19 pages. In four movements:
1. Cantabile 2. Allegro 3. Affettuoso 4. Allegro

II. Sonata in C Minor. Duration: 11:47, Score: 22 pages. 209 measures. In five movements:  1. Allegro 2. Adagio 3. Allegro assai 4. Ondeggiando, ma non adagio 5. Allegro

III. Sonata in F Major. Score: 8 pages, Duration: 5:40. In three movements:
1. Vivace 2. Largo 3. Allegro

IV. Sonata in Bb Major. Score: 17 pages, duration: ca. 9:30. In five movements:
1. Largo 2. Allegro 3. Allegretto 4. Vivace 5. Allegro.

SKU: A0.549568

Duration: ca. 3:20, Score: 10 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. A delicate masterpiece, not very difficult - suitable for a recital encore.

Grieg Background

In the first place, Edvard Grieg (1843 –1907) was a Norwegian composer as well as a concert pianist. As a matter of fact, most music historians consider him one of the foremost Romantic era composers. Consequently, his music is part of the international standard classical repertoire. Grieg moreover used Norwegian folk music in his own compositions.  Consequently, he ushered Norwegian music to transnational consciousness. Furthermore, he forged a national musical identity for Norway. It is important to realize that he did this in a manner similar to Jean Sibelius in Finland, and BedÅ™ich Smetana in Bohemia.

Legacy

Grieg is especially celebrated in the city of Bergen. For example, the city has erected numerous statues depicting Grieg. Specifically, the city has named a concert hall (Grieg Hall), a music school (Grieg Academy) and a professional choir (Edvard Grieg Kor) after him. As a matter of fact, there is also a museum located at his former home in Troldhaugen.

Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 (Op. 46)

Grieg wrote incidental music for the purpose of illustrating a play by Ibsen known as Peer Gynt. The play includes, in particular, the famous selection entitled, In the Hall of the Mountain King. In this composition, Grieg indeed depicts the exploits of the scoundrel, Peer Gynt. In one famous episode, for example, Peer steals a bride at her wedding. For this reason, the people chase him, but soon Peer falls, thereupon striking his skull on a boulder. He wakens forthwith in a highland bounded by angry gnomes. Consequently, the music of In the Hall of the Mountain King represents the mad gnomes taunting Peer. Therefore, each time the theme repeats it gets louder and faster. In the end, Peer surprisingly escapes from the mountain.

Holberg Suite and Misc. Summary

It must be remembered that Grieg originally wrote his Holberg Suite for the piano. In other words, he only later arranged it for strings. Further, Grieg composed by and large many songs with lyrics by famous writers such as Heine, Goethe, Ibsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Rudyard Kipling, and others. On balance, Norwegian pianist Eva Knardahl recorded altogether Grieg’s whole piano catalog on LP in 1980. These recordings were released again on CD in 2006. In any event, Grieg himself performed and recorded the bulk of these pieces toward the end of his life.

SKU: A0.1298852

Five Pieces, Op. 3 by Carl Nielsen is the composer's first collection of piano music. It was published during the 1890-91 period while he was traveling through Europe to study. The movements are:

1 Folktune, 2. Humoresque, 3. Arabesque, 4. Mignon and 5. Elf's Dance

The five movements beautifully arranged by Ralph Sauer for Euphonium and Piano contain lots of character and even at this early stage show the composer's immense talent. This work of about 7 minutes in length is appropriate for advanced performers.

SKU: A0.550460

Sonata da Chiesa No. 3 in A Minor for Baritone Horn & Piano by Antonio Vivaldi in Four movements. Duration: ca. 15:38. Score: 15 pages. 206 measures. Baritone Horn in treble clef.

Antonio Vivaldi 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: A0.550461

Sonata da Chiesa No. 3 in A Minor for Euphonium & Piano by Antonio Vivaldi in Four movements. Duration: ca. 15:38. Score: 15 pages. 206 measures.

Antonio Vivaldi 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: R0.46662

SKU: A0.549481

Alexander Scriabin Op. 11 No. 2. Score: 8 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 2 pages. Duration: 3:10. An introspective and meditative work with a lot of dynamic and phrasing nuance. Works well for church meditations or recital encores.

Background

Op.11/2 Alto Clarinet version. First of all, Scriabin composed mostly for the solo piano and also the orchestra. This is probably because he was a gifted pianist and therefore certainly appreciated the piano. Scriabin grew up in the late Romantic period, consequently, he was fond of the great piano masters of the time. As a result, he wrote his first noteworthy compositions in the manner of Chopin and Liszt.

Forms

Likewise, Scriabin used many of the same forms as Chopin. These certainly include the étude, prelude, nocturne, and even the mazurka. In contrast, as he developed his own sense of style his music became more and more unusual. So, the last five of his Piano Sonatas do not have a key signature and therefore lean towards atonality.

Philosophy

Scriabin also developed a keen interest in philosophy and likewise poetry. He was above all particularly fascinated by Nietzsche, Delville, and Blavatsky. Consequently, he finally established his own ideas about metaphysics and certainly mysticism. Scriabin consequently advanced theories about the relationship between color and musical keys.

Synesthesia

He also may have experienced a condition called synesthesia where he could probably sense a response created from a different stimulus. Therefore, it was almost as if he could see music and hear colors. Scriabin, therefore, arranged the colors in a circle similar to the circle-of-fifths and assigned each key area a color. Finally, he assigned the key of C to the color red, while the key of G was orange. Similarly, he assigned D to yellow, A to green, and so forth. Strangely, he did not differentiate between major and minor key colors.

 Multimedia

Hence, his ability to translate colors into music certainly gave Scriabin a most noteworthy interest in creating multimedia events. Furthermore, He designed his biggest work, the Mysterium, to last an entire week. Even more, Scriabin made plans not only for music, but also colored lights, incense, and dancing. He designed the performance to occur in the foothills of the Himalaya mountains. The Mysterium was never performed, and only sketches of the work remain.

Modern Performances

In modern times, we often experience performances of Scriabin’s most famous completed works accompanied by colored laser lights and incense. These are the Poem of Ecstasy (completed in 1908) and the Poem of Fire (completed in 1910). The lighting effects for these early performances were accomplished by the clavier à lumiéres. It was a keyboard instrument that projected colored light onto a screen.

SKU: A0.549480

Alexander Scriabin Op. 11 No. 2. Score: 8 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 2 pages. Duration: 3:10. An introspective and meditative work with a lot of dynamic and phrasing nuance. Works well for church meditations or recital encores.

Background

Op.11/2 Alto Clarinet version. First of all, Scriabin composed mostly for the solo piano and also the orchestra. This is probably because he was a gifted pianist and therefore certainly appreciated the piano. Scriabin grew up in the late Romantic period, consequently, he was fond of the great piano masters of the time. As a result, he wrote his first noteworthy compositions in the manner of Chopin and Liszt.

Forms

Likewise, Scriabin used many of the same forms as Chopin. These certainly include the étude, prelude, nocturne, and even the mazurka. In contrast, as he developed his own sense of style his music became more and more unusual. So, the last five of his Piano Sonatas do not have a key signature and therefore lean towards atonality.

Philosophy

Scriabin also developed a keen interest in philosophy and likewise poetry. He was above all particularly fascinated by Nietzsche, Delville, and Blavatsky. Consequently, he finally established his own ideas about metaphysics and certainly mysticism. Scriabin consequently advanced theories about the relationship between color and musical keys.

Synesthesia

He also may have experienced a condition called synesthesia where he could probably sense a response created from a different stimulus. Therefore, it was almost as if he could see music and hear colors. Scriabin, therefore, arranged the colors in a circle similar to the circle-of-fifths and assigned each key area a color. Finally, he assigned the key of C to the color red, while the key of G was orange. Similarly, he assigned D to yellow, A to green, and so forth. Strangely, he did not differentiate between major and minor key colors.

 Multimedia

Hence, his ability to translate colors into music certainly gave Scriabin a most noteworthy interest in creating multimedia events. Furthermore, He designed his biggest work, the Mysterium, to last an entire week. Even more, Scriabin made plans not only for music, but also colored lights, incense, and dancing. He designed the performance to occur in the foothills of the Himalaya mountains. The Mysterium was never performed, and only sketches of the work remain.

Modern Performances

In modern times, we often experience performances of Scriabin’s most famous completed works accompanied by colored laser lights and incense. These are the Poem of Ecstasy (completed in 1908) and the Poem of Fire (completed in 1910). The lighting effects for these early performances were accomplished by the clavier à lumiéres. It was a keyboard instrument that projected colored light onto a screen.