SKU: A0.869328

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasoboelee/videos

When the Reed sisters, Elizabeth & Lydia, asked me to write a new work for two pianos, I wasn't quite sure where or how to begin. Then I came upon a book on numerology by Annemarie Schimmel, The Mystery of Numbers. In it I discovered a lot of fascinating things, mystical and magical, associated with each number from one to 10,000.

Since I would be writing a piece for a duo, double digits would do the trick. Number 22 stood out. It has two important associations: the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, and there are 22 major arcana cards or allegories of the Tarot. Perfect! I could write 22 pieces, each a musical rendering of a card.  And, coincidentally, this work will opus 66.

For pictorial inspiration, I bought a Pierpont Morgan Library copy of the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards from 15th century Italy.

For musical inspiration, I listened to the wonderful salon music of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and the Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth.

The 22 pieces in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards are:

Zero Il Matto The Fool entertains the gathered guests with a tarantella.
I. Il Saltimbanco The Mountebank shuffles his cards and does a samba.
II. La Papessa The High Priestess concocts a magic potion.
III. L'Imperatrice The Empress dances all night.
IV. L'Imperatore The Emperor promenades into the Great Hall and inspects the courtiers.
V. Il Papa The Pope makes a proclamation that all sinners will be pardoned.
VI. L'Amore Love in a tropical paradise.
VII. Il Carro Triumphant in battle, the gladiators ride into town on chariots.
VIII. La Giustizia Justice is swift and unrelenting.
IX. Il Vecchio The Old Man reminisces.
X. La Ruota della Fortuna Fortunes rise and fall unpredictably.
XI. La Fortezza Strength and fortitude will prevail.
XII. Il Penduto Lamentation for the Hanged Man.
XIII. Il Morte Death lurks around the corner.
XIV. La Temperanza Temperance in A major.
XV. Il Diavolo The Devil seduces with his charm and wit.
XVI. La Torre The tower topples and crashes onto the populace gathered below.
XVII. La Stella Twinkle, twinkle, little star ...
XVIII. La Luna Minuet for moonstruck lovers.
XIX Il Sole Sunshine, margaritas and salsa cubana.
XX Il Giudizio On the Day of Judgment, the angels blow their trumpets ...
XXI. Il Mondo The world would be a happier place if we all dance together.

Performance option: Shuffle the 22 allegory cards from the Tarot deck to determine the order of performance.

SKU: A0.869342

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasoboelee/videos

When the Reed sisters, Elizabeth & Lydia, asked me to write a new work for two pianos, I wasn't quite sure where or how to begin. Then I came upon a book on numerology by Annemarie Schimmel, The Mystery of Numbers. In it I discovered a lot of fascinating things, mystical and magical, associated with each number from one to 10,000.

Since I would be writing a piece for a duo, double digits would do the trick. Number 22 stood out. It has two important associations: the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, and there are 22 major arcana cards or allegories of the Tarot. Perfect! I could write 22 pieces, each a musical rendering of a card.  And, coincidentally, this work will opus 66.

For pictorial inspiration, I bought a Pierpont Morgan Library copy of the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards from 15th century Italy.

For musical inspiration, I listened to the wonderful salon music of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and the Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth.

The 22 pieces in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards are:

Zero Il Matto The Fool entertains the gathered guests with a tarantella.
I. Il Saltimbanco The Mountebank shuffles his cards and does a samba.
II. La Papessa The High Priestess concocts a magic potion.
III. L'Imperatrice The Empress dances all night.
IV. L'Imperatore The Emperor promenades into the Great Hall and inspects the courtiers.
V. Il Papa The Pope makes a proclamation that all sinners will be pardoned.
VI. L'Amore Love in a tropical paradise.
VII. Il Carro Triumphant in battle, the gladiators ride into town on chariots.
VIII. La Giustizia Justice is swift and unrelenting.
IX. Il Vecchio The Old Man reminisces.
X. La Ruota della Fortuna Fortunes rise and fall unpredictably.
XI. La Fortezza Strength and fortitude will prevail.
XII. Il Penduto Lamentation for the Hanged Man.
XIII. Il Morte Death lurks around the corner.
XIV. La Temperanza Temperance in A major.
XV. Il Diavolo The Devil seduces with his charm and wit.
XVI. La Torre The tower topples and crashes onto the populace gathered below.
XVII. La Stella Twinkle, twinkle, little star ...
XVIII. La Luna Minuet for moonstruck lovers.
XIX Il Sole Sunshine, margaritas and salsa cubana.
XX Il Giudizio On the Day of Judgment, the angels blow their trumpets ...
XXI. Il Mondo The world would be a happier place if we all dance together.

Performance option: Shuffle the 22 allegory cards from the Tarot deck to determine the order of performance.

SKU: A0.869317

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasoboelee/videos

When the Reed sisters, Elizabeth & Lydia, asked me to write a new work for two pianos, I wasn't quite sure where or how to begin. Then I came upon a book on numerology by Annemarie Schimmel, The Mystery of Numbers. In it I discovered a lot of fascinating things, mystical and magical, associated with each number from one to 10,000.

Since I would be writing a piece for a duo, double digits would do the trick. Number 22 stood out. It has two important associations: the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, and there are 22 major arcana cards or allegories of the Tarot. Perfect! I could write 22 pieces, each a musical rendering of a card.  And, coincidentally, this work will opus 66.

For pictorial inspiration, I bought a Pierpont Morgan Library copy of the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards from 15th century Italy.

For musical inspiration, I listened to the wonderful salon music of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and the Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth.

The 22 pieces in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards are:

Zero Il Matto The Fool entertains the gathered guests with a tarantella.
I. Il Saltimbanco The Mountebank shuffles his cards and does a samba.
II. La Papessa The High Priestess concocts a magic potion.
III. L'Imperatrice The Empress dances all night.
IV. L'Imperatore The Emperor promenades into the Great Hall and inspects the courtiers.
V. Il Papa The Pope makes a proclamation that all sinners will be pardoned.
VI. L'Amore Love in a tropical paradise.
VII. Il Carro Triumphant in battle, the gladiators ride into town on chariots.
VIII. La Giustizia Justice is swift and unrelenting.
IX. Il Vecchio The Old Man reminisces.
X. La Ruota della Fortuna Fortunes rise and fall unpredictably.
XI. La Fortezza Strength and fortitude will prevail.
XII. Il Penduto Lamentation for the Hanged Man.
XIII. Il Morte Death lurks around the corner.
XIV. La Temperanza Temperance in A major.
XV. Il Diavolo The Devil seduces with his charm and wit.
XVI. La Torre The tower topples and crashes onto the populace gathered below.
XVII. La Stella Twinkle, twinkle, little star ...
XVIII. La Luna Minuet for moonstruck lovers.
XIX Il Sole Sunshine, margaritas and salsa cubana.
XX Il Giudizio On the Day of Judgment, the angels blow their trumpets ...
XXI. Il Mondo The world would be a happier place if we all dance together.

Performance option: Shuffle the 22 allegory cards from the Tarot deck to determine the order of performance.

SKU: A0.869319

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasoboelee/videos

When the Reed sisters, Elizabeth & Lydia, asked me to write a new work for two pianos, I wasn't quite sure where or how to begin. Then I came upon a book on numerology by Annemarie Schimmel, The Mystery of Numbers. In it I discovered a lot of fascinating things, mystical and magical, associated with each number from one to 10,000.

Since I would be writing a piece for a duo, double digits would do the trick. Number 22 stood out. It has two important associations: the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, and there are 22 major arcana cards or allegories of the Tarot. Perfect! I could write 22 pieces, each a musical rendering of a card.  And, coincidentally, this work will opus 66.

For pictorial inspiration, I bought a Pierpont Morgan Library copy of the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards from 15th century Italy.

For musical inspiration, I listened to the wonderful salon music of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and the Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth.

The 22 pieces in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards are:

Zero Il Matto The Fool entertains the gathered guests with a tarantella.
I. Il Saltimbanco The Mountebank shuffles his cards and does a samba.
II. La Papessa The High Priestess concocts a magic potion.
III. L'Imperatrice The Empress dances all night.
IV. L'Imperatore The Emperor promenades into the Great Hall and inspects the courtiers.
V. Il Papa The Pope makes a proclamation that all sinners will be pardoned.
VI. L'Amore Love in a tropical paradise.
VII. Il Carro Triumphant in battle, the gladiators ride into town on chariots.
VIII. La Giustizia Justice is swift and unrelenting.
IX. Il Vecchio The Old Man reminisces.
X. La Ruota della Fortuna Fortunes rise and fall unpredictably.
XI. La Fortezza Strength and fortitude will prevail.
XII. Il Penduto Lamentation for the Hanged Man.
XIII. Il Morte Death lurks around the corner.
XIV. La Temperanza Temperance in A major.
XV. Il Diavolo The Devil seduces with his charm and wit.
XVI. La Torre The tower topples and crashes onto the populace gathered below.
XVII. La Stella Twinkle, twinkle, little star ...
XVIII. La Luna Minuet for moonstruck lovers.
XIX Il Sole Sunshine, margaritas and salsa cubana.
XX Il Giudizio On the Day of Judgment, the angels blow their trumpets ...
XXI. Il Mondo The world would be a happier place if we all dance together.

Performance option: Shuffle the 22 allegory cards from the Tarot deck to determine the order of performance.

SKU: A0.869300

Program note.
Program note:
Eight Tarot Cards for Madam Rubio! was originally a 22-movement work for two pianos entitled, The Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards. I sent a copy of the two-piano version to Nancy Zeltsman who, with Janis Potter, recently created the marimba duo, Madam Rubio. They thought some of the pieces could translate very well as pieces for marimba duo. I have to give complete credit to Nancy's ingenuity and creativity for this version. The transcription, arrangement and order of Eight Tarot Cards for Madam Rubio! are completely hers. [The numbering of the movements may look bizarre, but it is the original Tarot numbering.] 

I. Il Saltimbanco ... The Mountebank shuffles his cards and does a samba. 
XVI. La Torre ... The Tower topples and crashes onto the populace gathered below. 
II. La Papessa ... The High Priestess concocts a magic potion. 
XXI. Il Mondo ... The World would be a happier place if we all dance together. 
XIII. La Morte ... Death lurks around the corner. 
X. La Ruota della Fortuna ... Fortunes rise and fall unpredictably. 
III. L'Imperatrice ... The Empress dances all night. 
XIX. Il Sole ... Sunshine, margaritas and salsa cubana. And if an encore is requested ... 
XVII. La Stella ... Twinkle, twinkle, little star ... 

[Marimba I requires a 4.5 octave (low E) instrument and Marimba II requires a 5-octave (low C) instrument.]

SKU: A0.886157

A hang is a computer term for the failure of a program to continue to respond to signals, causing the operating system to freeze. Hangs occur in different ways, but this work depicts one common symptom of the hang: 'kernel panic,' a safety measure that stops the system from further data loss due to an internal error. Depicting failing machines, this is music marked by frequent reboots, constant bleeps, bops, clicks, the occasional rude interruption, and makes use of ever-repeating musical figures to help depict an eternal state of stuck.

SKU: A0.886130

A hang is a computer term for the failure of a program to continue to respond to signals, causing the operating system to freeze. Hangs occur in different ways, but this work depicts two common symptoms of the hang: thrashing, the exhaustion of memory from rapidly exchanging data and infinite loop, where a sequence of instructions is in no condition to stop. The work ends with the death knell to any operating system, a crash aptly named, Blue Screen of Death. Depicting failing machines, this is music marked by frequent reboots, constant bleeps, bops, clicks, the occasional rude interruption, and makes use of ever-repeating musical figures to help depict an eternal state of stuck.

SKU: HX.302247