SKU: A0.902425

J S Bach Italian Concerto arrangement for String Quartet
The Italian Concerto, BWV 971, originally titled Concerto nach Italienischen Gusto (Concerto in the Italian taste), is a three-movement concerto for two-manual harpsichord solo composed by Johann Sebastian Bach and published in 1735 as the first half of Clavier-Ãœbung II (the second half being the French Overture). The Italian Concerto has become popular among Bach's keyboard works, and has been widely recorded both on the harpsichord and the piano.

SKU: A0.1487810

Artaria Editions AE198

For flute, violin, cello, harpsichord, and basso (usually a second cello)

The present work was advertised by Breitkopf (Supplement IV) in 1769 along with two of the composer's keyboard concerti.Most of Hofmann's keyboard music appears to date from his years as Hofklaviermeister (1769-1774) and we can assume that a good deal of it was intended as teaching material. In the circumstances it is tempting to suggest that this attractive and unusually-scored work was composed for Hofmann's imperial pupils and that Joseph II perhaps played the cello part in a domestic concert at court.

This edition is based on a set of MS parts now preserved in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin under the shelfmark Mus.ms. 10733/3. The wrapper reads: 'A/ Concertino / a / Cembalo / Flauto Traverso / Violino / Violoncello / e / Basso / del Sigr. Leop: Hoffmann / Grave' . The intended 'basso' instrument is uncertain but in all likelihood it was played by a second cello. In the absence of both the autograph score and an authentic set of parts, this edition presents as faithfully as possible the intentions of the composer as transmitted in the Berlin copy. The simple continuo realisation, printed here in smaller type, has been added by a later hand and is certainly not the work of the composer.

As is often the case in Hofmann's chamber music there are few dynamic markings in the parts although considerable care is taken with articulation. The style and notation of these have been standardised throughout, and, where missing from the source, markings have been reconstructed from parallel passages. These are indicated by the use of dotted slurs or brackets. Like most eighteenth-century sources, the present manuscript is inconsistent at times in its notation of appoggiature ; these too have been standardised to minimise confusion.

Obvious wrong notes have been corrected without comment; editorial emendations with no authority from the source are placed within brackets.

Allan Badley.

SKU: A0.756533

Originally for violin, tenor voice and continuo. Arranged for alto recorder and organ (or harpsichord or piano).

SKU: A0.1227711

Dances from Terpsichore (Michael Praetorius)

These are eleven of the most well-known dances of the Renaissance, selected from the famous collection entitled Terpsichore, pubished in 1612 by Michael Praetorius. They are sure to be a welcome addition to the elementary cellist’s repertoire. Some of them can be played in first position. The highest note is the “F� above the bass clef which occurs in only two of the pieces.

By the time Michael Praetorius published his dance collection, he was one of the most famous musicians in Germany. The name is pronounced “terp-SI-cory� and rhymes with the word “hickory�. The original publication consisted of 312 dances in four, five and six parts. Although the dances were probably conceived for string ensemble Praetorius was well aware that in practice, they would be played by any instruments that happened to be available.

These arrangements for cello and keyboard are based on the original 1612 publication. The music sounds more authentic using a harpsichord rather than a piano, or the harpsichord sound of a digital keyboard. The keyboard part may be interpreted quite freely with ornamentation added as appropriate. During the Renaissance, it was common practice to combine separate dances to create something of more substantial duration. A similar practice is used in these arrangements which are as follows: 1. Three Gavottes; 2. Two Ballets; 3. Two Bourées; 4. Two Courantes and 5. Two Voltas. The audio sample contains numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5.

SKU: A0.1097064

A clarinet duet that includes accompaniment consisting of harpsichord and bass guitar. An electronic keyboard often has a harpsichord setting that may be used.

SKU: A0.1234007

Baroque tango for Violin with either Harpsichord or Piano
inspired by the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven.

SKU: A0.1148465

A new composition by Philip Le Bas for the standard baroque ensemble of treble recorder, (baroque) bassoon and harpsichord in a modern idiom! The inspiration for the work is a poem by G K Chesterton entitled A Christmas Carol (see below), contrasting the tranquility and brilliance of the Christ-child lying on his mother Mary's lap with the weariness of the rest of the world. The music draws on a simple setting the composer wrote of these words (The Christ Child) but disrupts the flow with occasional non-harmonic notes and some surprising key changes, gradually shifting the tonality downwards to a more peaceful ending. A Christmas Carol poem by G.K.Chesterton The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap, His hair was like a light. (O weary, weary were the world, But here is all aright.) The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast His hair was like a star. (O stern and cunning are the kings, But here the true hearts are.) The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart, His hair was like a fire. (O weary, weary is the world, But here the world's desire.) The Christ-child stood on Mary's knee, His hair was like a crown, And all the flowers looked up at Him, And all the stars looked down.

SKU: D3.SM-17-0010AX

8.5 x 11 inches.

Parts package for Andromaque chamber opera for baroque ensemble. Baroque ensemble version scored for traverso (substitute flute OK), violin, bass viol (with low A string), and harpsichord. One copy of each part. Available separately: Full score for Baroque Ensemble SM-17-0010A. Available separately: Piano/Vocal score SM-17-0010.