SKU: A0.1308790

*THIS ACCOMPANIES THE VOCAL ARRANGEMENT* 

This arrangement came to me over a number of weeks in a very organic way that began with the ostinato piano figure that prevails throughout the piece. I began playing it unattached to any tune and I just liked the way the line descended in the left hand and how I had to find voicings in the right hand that made harmonic sense – like a puzzle. As I was playing around with this puzzle, thoughts of my father were swirling around in my head – I was at the end of a 4 year period of separation from my parents owing to the fact that I’m a Canadian expat living in the US and the borders were closed for a long time because of Covid, and then I had work visa issues and my parents were getting older before my eyes. They were also losing friends to cancer and other ailments and my dad, in particular, had experienced the loss of many close family members and friends during our separation and it was taking a toll.

 

One day I sat down and played the now familiar-to-me ostinato but randomly I started to sing “Beyond the Sea� over it and it fit perfectly. I thought it a happy coincidence. As the days went on I committed to putting my ostinato with Beyond the Sea and the lyrics started to seep into my brain. I have, of course, heard these lyrics many times before, (who hasn’t seen Finding Nemo?) but the lyrics didn’t mean what I thought they meant… They’re NOT about the ocean, they are about my dad!!! Well, kind of… I realized, through careful reflection and by slowing the words down, that the lyrics are talking about a person in heaven who is patiently waiting for their partner to join them.

 

Somewhere beyond the sea

She’s there watching for me

…

It’s far beyond the stars

It’s near beyond the moon

 

And the lyrics end with them meeting, “We’ll meet beyond the shore, we’ll kiss just like before,� and the song ends with: “and never again I’ll go sailing.� It’s like the big bang went off in my head about why all these thoughts of my dad, and his friends, and this arrangement, and what it all meant suddenly just MADE SENSE and I was able to start formulating a plan.

 

Performance Suggestions: 

The improvisation solo in the middle should be free of any traditional “scat syllables� and should be more of a lament. Listen to singers like Aubrey Johnson improvise on ballads for inspiration. An idea for that improv section might be to have a male singer start the improv, then a female singer joins (as if together in heaven) then they sing letter F together (warning: will cause tears…). All solo sections do not have to be sung as written – soloists can take liberties with the melody as the spirit moves.

SKU: A0.1433342

In 1920, Ralph Vaughan Williams composed a set of three organ preludes based on Welsh hymn tunes. Of those three, Rhosymedre quickly became established in organ repertoire and has had enduring popularity. Shortly after the publication for organ, an arrangement for string orchestra with some optional wind parts was available from the same publisher. In the decades since, many other arrangements of it have appeared for various ensembles including brass band, wind ensemble, flute choir, and even handbell ensemble.

This gorgeous 4 minute long setting of Rhosymedre for Trombone Choir arranged by Russell McKinney is very approachable by most trombone ensembles with all 10 parts in bass clef and presents no technical or endurance issues. Instrumentation is for 7 tenors and 3 bass trombones.

SKU: A0.1257964

The High Priestess is a chamber work for mixed instrumentation, including an F Horn with piano, violin, and flute. This piece is inspired by the artwork of the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, specifically the less credited illustrator of the world famous deck, Pamela Colman Smith. The music represents the symbolism and feeling behind the High Priestess card, with keywords of strength, adaptability, seriousness, intuition, loving understanding, knowledge, introspection, and self-trust. Each instrument is featured throughout, as the main melody and distinct rhythms are traded and dovetailed around the ensemble. The piece begins with a feeling of watery calm (e.g. Venetian Boat songs), ascends to a hopeful journey, moves through tense trials, then returning back to the distant flute melody, followed by a piano “solo� that ultimately inspired this chamber work in the first place. 

This work is great for high school, collegiate, amateur, or professional ensembles, as well as very advanced young chamber players looking for something new and fresh. Rhythms are simple, while expression and musicality can be explored. In performance, be mindful of balance issues, so seating arrangement can be adjusted. I recommend the horn player be seated on the outside, so as not to cover up the flute. Average performance time: ca. 4:30

Other instrumentations are in progress, so please check back for updated editions. The original instrumentation involved the oboe and cello. There is also another version with trombone substituting the F horn.

Please leave a review here below and reach out via my website listed in the score for any feedback or questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram @jwupiano or my YouTube Channel, JwuPiano.