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Score Spotlight: March & April 2013

Colin Cronin — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:52 +0000

Here’s a recap of the scores we released in the months of March and April:

Gastoldi A lieta vita for Cello Quintet

Hans Erik Deckert arranged Giovanni Gastoldi’s A lieta vita, which translates to “A happy life.” The first verse of the work in English is:

A Happy Life
Love calls us, Fa la la
Whose long days,
If the heart loves
Give to the foundation
In such a Lord, Fa la la

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As the words clearly indicate, this madrigal is a happy and dancing movement in which the cello quintet assumes the role of the a cappella choir. The arrangement is quite simple and particularly suitable for children.

Schumann Romanze for 12 Celli

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Robert Schumann’s Romanze from Three Romances for Piano, Op. 28 comes to Ovation Press as an arrangement for 12 celli. This arrangement is transposed down a half-step (from F-sharp to F major), while retaining the same tonal experience and delicate transparent sound of the original. Editor Gerhard Roither comments that one should “visualize the cello concerto” when playing this arrangement.

Though not a composition written for the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic like Roither’s previous two scores, he used the same instrumental arrangement of 12 celli for this Schumann rendition.

Chopin Etude in E-flat Minor for Cello Quartet

The sixth in Chopin’s first collection of etudes (Op. 10), the E-flat minor is a more moderate tempo work compared to many of his other etudes. In many ways it resembles the nocturnes (which Chopin is so famous for), with an expressively chromatic structure and polyphonic layers. The dark and somber timbre of the work has been commented by some to represent a form of “meditated grief,” speaking almost as an elegy would.(see Casella, Alfredo. F. Chopin. Studi per pianoforte. Milano: Edizioni Curci, 1946, p. 38.)

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Four Chorales from the Renaissance and early-Baroque

Continuing the theme from the first work above, Hans Erik Deckert also released four chorale arrangements from the Renaissance & Baroque periods. For the source material, Deckert has drawn upon some of the most prolific chorale composers of the age: Palestrina, Ockeghem, Praetorius, and Purcell.

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Score Spotlight: February 2013

Colin Cronin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:12:50 +0000

Here’s a recap of the scores we released this month:

Delius Elegy for Cello Septet

Delius’ Elegy is a composition that dates from the composer’s final years when he was extremely ill. It was originally written for cello and chamber orchestra and also arranged for cello and piano. In this arrangement for cello ensemble by editor Hans Erik Deckert, the solo cello is the original solo part, while the other cellos perform the orchestral parts.

The Elegy is a powerful work, perhaps stemming from the nature in which it was composed. Delius was near the end of his life, having battled a long illness and already paralyzed and blind from syphilis. He composed this work by dictating, first to his wife, and eventually to the young composer Eric Fenby. Elegy was written for and dedicated to Beatrice Harrison, a cellist for whom Delius wrote his Cello Concerto and Cello Sonata. Elegy was originally composed and published with a Caprice, but in separating itself from the Caprice, it would find itself in an important role in British history. This was the work that filled the silence after Neville Chamberlain’s broadcast announcement that Britain would enter the second World War.

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At a time of mounting chaos and confusion, there were few works that could have broken that silence. Delius’ Elegy, with its great intensity overwhelming harmonic richness, was able to embody and express both the tragedy of times and virtue of fighting through them.

Aus tiefer Not by Bach and Reger

Aus tiefer Not is a Lutheran chorale of which the words were written by Martin Luther himself as a paraphrase of Psalm 130. Published in 1524, it was part of the first Lutheran hymnal and has since them become a part of many subsequent hymnals.

Translated, the text of the first verse reads:

From deep affliction I cry out to you,
Lord God, hear my call;
incline your merciful ear here to me
and be open to my prayer!
For if you want to look at this,
what sin and injustice is done,
who can, Lord, remain before you?

Many composers have set Luther’s text to music, including Johann Sebastian Bach and Max Reger. Arranged by Hans Erik Deckert, these works have taken multiple musical settings. For the Bach chorale, Deckert has given two versions: one for cello quintet and another for cello sextet. For Reger’s treatment Deckert brings us a cello quintet arrangement.

While the essence of the work is consistent through all the versions, both Bach and Reger infuse their very different styles. For Bach, the arrangements for cello ensemble are written with exactly the same pitches as the choir’s original voices, allowing Bach’s polyphony to unfold with overwhelming beauty. On the other hand Reger, being an organist and having made this an organ chorale, placed the cantus firmus in the bass pedal. A performance of this work with cello quintet requires expressive tonal colors while maintaining stoic calmness in order to bring out the complex and rich harmonic texture.

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Roither Seven Spirituals for 12 Celli

This month, Gerhard Roither joined the ranks of Ovation Press editors, publishing world-class arrangements of folk songs for cello ensemble. Included among them are two written for the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic, one of the world’s most highly regarded cello ensembles. This collaboration came about in 1972 when, during a tour with the Berlin Philharmonic, Mr. Roither was asked by the chamber group to compose several short pieces to use as encores. This inspired Mr. Roither to arrange the Seven Spirituals.

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The Seven Spirituals are Roither’s sophisticated take on seven African-American folk songs. They take full advantage of the complete tonal range of the cello and all the possibilities that a cello ensemble has to offer, including wonderful modulations. Roither succeeds in capturing the warm-hearted atmosphere of the original music. The inspiration for this set of works came from a memory Roither had: when he was younger his mother-in-law would play a record of African-American vocalists singing spirituals to him. That initial spark would blossom into the arrangements the Berlin Philharmonic cellists would first perform.

Roither Ack Värmeland, du sköna for 12 Celli

In addition to the Seven Spirituals, Roither also arranged the Swedish folk song Ack Värmeland, du sköna for 12 celli. Though the original folk song was written by the Swedish historian Anders Fryxell, it has experienced a number of renditions by various jazz artists including: Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Paul Chambers and John Coltrane. The song is about the Swedish county Värmland. Inside the country, this composition is often performed as an anonymous treasure of the Swedish folk tradition.

Ack Värmeland, du sköna was performed by the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic in Stockholm for the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia of Sweden (who was born in Germany).

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Best of Ovation Press Scores 2012

Colin Cronin — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:00:36 +0000

With the arrival of 2013, we at Ovation Press took some time to look back at the whirlwind year that was 2012 and see what the top scores of the year were for each instrument.

VIOLIN

Voyage à deux, volume 2 (composed by Helmut Lipsky)

Our multi-part interview series with Mr. Lipsky and the Canadian ensemble Duo Philia earlier last year was a huge hit with our readers, and it gave us all an opportunity to take a deeper look at his many compositions. The second volume of Voyage à deux (Trip for Two), continues where the first book leaves off, both in terms of the musical journey and the technical challenge. Exploring playing in higher positions and in double stops, this work is meant for more intermediate and advanced musicians. It also reflects Mr. Lipsky’s more mature musical evolution, incorporating many of his focus points of the last few years: namely jazz, Latin music, tango, the folk music of various cultures, and film music.

Purchase Lipsky’s Voyage à deux, volume 2 today!

Visit Helmut Lipsky’s editor profile

Rodríguez’ La Cumparsita (edited by Ruggiero Ricci)

As one of the most famous tangos of all times, La Cumparsita is a fantastic encore work written in the early 20th century by Uruguayan musician Gerardo Matos Rodríguez. The song was originally a Uruguayan carnival march, composed on an uncertain date between 1915-1916 for the carnival marching band to play during upcoming celebrations. When a local orchestra leader saw it he saw that it could be made into a tango. The first sheet music for the tune was published in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1916 and the following year in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Published for the first time, this virtuosic violin solo was arranged by Vicente Zito in Mendoza, Argentina and edited by Ruggierro Ricci.

Purchase Rodríguez’ La Cumparsita today!

Visit Ruggiero Ricci’s editor profile

Tárrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra (transcribed by Ruggiero Ricci)

Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Memories of the Alhambra) was originally written for classical guitar by Spanish composer and guitarist Francisco Tárrega. Known as the “Sarasate of the guitar,” Tárrega’s repertoire included many original compositions for the guitar during a time when it was still seen as very much “outside” the realm of classical instrumentation. He wrote numerous guitar arrangements of works written for other instruments by composers such as Beethoven, Chopin and Mendelssohn. Ruggierro Ricci’s transcription of Alhambra remains very true to the original composition, including the famous guitar tremolo and use of left hand Pizzicati to bring out the melodic line.

Purchase Tárrega’s Recuerdos de la Alhambra today!

Visit Ruggiero Ricci’s editor profile

VIOLA

Schumann Fünf Stücke im Volkston (transcribed and edited by Michael Tree)

Michael Tree joined us last year by shining a light into Robert Schumann’s more obscure compositional period. Fünf Stücke im Volkston (Five Pieces in Popular Style) is a rarity among Schumann’s more famous and established compositions. Originally written for cello, Mr. Tree brought an outstanding arrangement of this hidden jewel to viola and piano. It consists of five short pieces in the form of songs without words. While the first is believed by some to have been inspired by Goethe’s poem “Vanitas! Vanitatum Vanitas!” the others are distinguished only by tempo markings. Mr. Tree once remarked on his hope that “this unique, seldom heard work will earn a permanent place in the viola repertoire.” The five pieces are as follows:

Vanitas vanitatum: Mit Humor (Vanity of Vanities: With Humor)
Langsam (Slow)
Nicht schnell, mit viel Ton zu spielen (Not quick, to be played with much feeling)
Nicht zu rasch (Not too quickly)
Stark und markirt (Strong and emphatic)

Purchase Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston today!

Visit Michael Tree’s editor profile

Strauss Don Quixote (edited by Yizhak Schotten)

The legendary Yizhak Schotten, named by Strad Magazine as “one of America’s finest viola players… a leading light of the U.S. viola establishment,” has brought some truly remarkable editions of orchestral parts for viola to our catalog including Richard Strauss’Don Quixote, Op. 35. As the former principal violist of the Cincinnati and Houston Symphony Orchestras, Schotten’s bowings, fingerings and other editorial markings are valuable learning tools for any violist teaching or learning orchestral repertoire.

Purchase Strauss’ Don Quixote viola part today!

Visit Yizhak Schotten’s editor profile

Sarasate Caprice Basque (transcribed and edited by Viacheslav Dinerchtein)

Mr. Dinerchtein is, as Wikipedia describes, an “avid promoter of both novel and overlooked viola repertoire.” He lives out that philosophy in his work, including his decision to transcribe Sarasate’s Caprice Basque for viola. His breathtaking rendition represents the unrestrained attitude that the viola can musically conceive of the violin’s possibilities and perspectives, and the score’s release has excited performers and listeners alike. Dinerchtein himself has commented that: “this arrangement will best suit an advanced player, prepared to set aside all prejudices of what can or cannot be played on the viola.”

Purchase Sarasate’s Caprice Basque today!

Visit Viacheslav Dinerchtein’s editor profile

CELLO

Bach Six Cello Suites (edited by Pablo Casals)

No list of top cello scores would be complete without a mention of the legendary Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor Pablo Casals. Casals is typically regarded as the preeminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century and arguably of all time. One of the most prominent aspects of his enduring legacy are the recordings of the Bach Cello Suites he made from 1936 to 1939. Ovation Press helps carry that legacy on with Casals’ edition of the Bach Suites in sheet music form complete with his own editorial markings! As the cellist himself once said: “Bach is forever – and nobody, nobody will reach the greatness and the profoundness and the diversity of Bach.” These masterpieces, along with the spirit of Casals, live on in our catalog.

Visit Pablo Casals’ profile page to purchase the six Bach Cello Suites today!

Tchaikovsky Suite from Album for the Young(transcribed and edited by Valter Dešpalj)

This past year, cellist and editor Valter Dešpalj brought us many fantastic scores to the instrumental medium that is the cello ensemble. Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Album for the Young, Op. 39 has been one of the more popular gems in our growing body of literature for multiple celli. Instead of a literal translation from the original piano versions, Dešpalj sought to adapt these pieces to the specific colors, possibilities, and sonorities of a cello quartet. As is common in Dešpalj’s arrangements, the first cello part is the most demanding, and the others provide a relatively easy-to-play accompaniment.

Purchase Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Album for the Young today!

Visit Valter Dešpalj’s editor profile

Rachmaninoff Vocalise (transcribed and edited by Roland Pidoux)

Roland Pidoux was introduced to Ovation Press fans in 2012 through an exclusive interview here on String Visions in which Mr. Pidoux shared his experiences as a professional musician and thoughts on works he has published. Vocalise is a popular vocal work by Sergei Rachmaninoff, published in 1912 as the last of his Fourteen Songs, Op. 34. It is so popular that a number of different instrumental arrangements have been done, including our very own cello octet version!

I was very enthusiastic about, for instance, the Rachmaninoff Vocalise, which is the first score published by Ovation Press, because it’s a piece that is already very beautiful when you play it with piano. I find that with eight cellos— well what I’m about to say is a bit pretentious, so I say it very objectively— I find that sometimes playing together with several cellos is somehow transcendent. It’s incredible because you find yourself in a unified sound world. This is what really appealed to me for the Vocalise.
–Roland Pidoux

Purchase Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise today!

Visit Roland Pidoux’s editor profile

BASS

Bruch Kol Nidrei (transcribed and edited by Jeff Bradetich)

Originally scored for cello and orchestra with harp, Jeff Bradetich has arranged it for solo bass with piano. The work is a series of variations on two main themes of Jewish origin. In fact, the name Kol Nidrei comes from the Kol Nidrei prayer recited during the evening service on Yom Kippur, also the basis of the first theme in Bruch’s composition. In this setting of this melody, the cello imitates the rhapsodical voice of the hazzan who chants the liturgy in the synagogue. The second theme is a musical quote from the middle section of Isaac Nathan’s arrangement of “O Weep for those that wept on Babel’s stream,” a lyric penned by Byron in a collection called Hebrew Melodies.

Purchase Bruch’s Kol Nidrei today!

Visit Jeff Bradetich’s editor profile

Check out an Ovation Press produced video (below) where Bradetich shares his thoughts on this work:

Paganini Caprice No. 9 (transcribed and edited by Anthony Stoops)

Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices is a famous set of solo violin works composed in the early 1800s. The caprices take the form of études, with each number studying individual skills (double stopped trills, extremely fast switching of positions and strings, etc.) Caprice No. 9 bears the nickname “La Chasse (The Hunt)” for the imitation of a pair of hunting horns in the second part of the main melody that opens the work. Stoops’ technical advice for this piece is to be “economical with your bow usage” to help keep all of the technical challenges under control.

Purchase Paganini’s Caprice No. 9 today!

Visit Anthony Stoops’ editor profile

Massenet Meditation from Thais (transcribed and edited by DaXun Zhang)

Massenet’s Meditation from Thais is a “symphonic intermezzo” from his opera Thais. Written for solo violin and orchestra, this work is performed between the scenes during Act II of the opera. The Meditation is considered one of the great encore pieces and has been transcribed for many different instrumental arrangements. DaXun Zhang – who has performed extensively as a soloist and with the Silk Road Project, and who has been labeled as “champion” and “headliner” of the double bass – has brought this work to his instrument.

Purchase Massenet’s Meditation from Thais today!

Visit DaXun Zhang’s editor profile

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at our top scores of 2012. We’re excited to see what 2013 brings. To join our mailing list and receive exclusive first updates on new and upcoming scores subscribe to Ovation Press.

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Take a Trip for Two with Helmut Lipsky

Colin Cronin — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:05:24 +0000

Over the last few weeks we have focused on the work of highly acclaimed Ovation Press editor, violinist, composer, and pedagogue Helmut Lipsky: in a two-part interview with Mr. Lipsky himself, as well as another two-part interview with Montreal-based Duo Philia, comprised of inspiring young violinists Caroline Chéhadé and Ana Drobac who have collaborated with Mr. Lipsky. It’s been a fantastic experience for Ovation Press to sit down with all of these incredible musicians, to listen and learn from them, and to be exposed to the musical work that have produced independently and together.

To wrap up this series on Helmut Lipsky, Ovation Press is excited to take you on a journey for two with Mr. Lipsky’s composition: Voyage à deux (“Trip for Two”). Voyage à deux – currently comprised of two volumes with an upcoming third volume in the works – are suites of small pieces, each with a unique style, which invoke various imagery and paint the scene for our musical journey.

Voyage à deux complements etudes and solo repertoire and aims to make the aspiring musicians discover almost from the beginning, the joy of playing together with other violinists, starting out with pieces which can be played in first position.

Short and fun to play, contrasting in mood, style and character, the pieces in this collection attempt to stimulate the imagination to search for appropriate sounds and colours, and to develop sensitivity for various articulations, dynamics, phrasings and musical styles.

More advanced students can concentrate early on the musical aspects and focus their attention on listening to each other, thereby furthering the skills necessary for the playing of chamber music. The pieces in the first volume are all playable in the first position. Volume 2 explores all the positions and widens the stylistic spectrum to an even broader extent, providing many new challenges, especially on the rhythmic level and for the development of intonation and the use of double-stops.

–Helmut Lipsky

Volume 1 – Beginner to Intermediate

The first volume of Voyage à deux appeals more to beginner to intermediate students. The book is entirely playable in first position, and the musicality required of the player is quite manageable for students at a younger level of playing. Nevertheless, Mr. Lipsky has cut no corners with the thought and consideration in writing these pieces. Knowing that the music needed to convey the imagery of a journey, he drew upon sources in our own world to inspire the music of the voyage. Mr. Lipsky also encourages more advanced students to explore alternate fingerings.

In part one of the interview, Mr. Lipsky discusses the way in which the world inspires his music:

I wanted to give to young string players material that’s a bit out of the ordinary, introducing them to different musical languages. I never try to imitate a style – it is my own musical language – but I take inspiration, for example, from my travels to Japan or through experiencing the movements of the waves of the sea.

These passages refer to two works from Lipsky’s first volume of Voyage à deux: Japanese Tale and Waves

Japanese Tale can be purchased as part of Voyage à deux vol. 1, part 1.

Waves can be purchased as part of Voyage à deux vol. 1, part 2.

Although the second volume is written for intermediate and advanced musicians, students of volume 1 will no doubt notice that the work Jam Session sets itself apart from many of the other works in the first volume as a technically – and especially rhythmically – more challenging piece, introducing the element of jazz and to be played here with a swing feel.

In many respects, Jam Session resembles and approaches the style and complexity of Lipsky’s second volume of Voyage à deux.

You can purchase Jam Session as part of Voyage à deux volume 1, part 3.

Also check out this video of Jam Session performed by Duo Philia in May 2011.

Full score lists are below

Vol. 1, Part 1
The Caravan
Hunting Song
In the Evening
Folk Dance
Country Fair
Japanese Tale
In the Alps
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Vol. 1, Part 2
Waves
The Clown
Yodeling
The Castle
The Bullfight
Ragtime in 3/4
Astray
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Vol. 1, Part 3
The Snake-Charmer
Legend
The Butterfly
Jam Session
Wind Song
Temple Dance
Homesick
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Volume 2 – Intermediate to Advanced

Readers may already be somewhat familiar with volume 2. The work Fiesta! from volume 2 was featured in our recent interviews with Helmut Lipsky and the Duo Philia through the fantastic video production that they collaborated on together (see below for video).

Just as a musician grows, matures, and improves on his or her journey, the difficulties and obstacles along their path become more challenging. That is exactly what happens in volume 2 of Voyage à deux. In the second book, students technically explore the higher positions and playing in double stops, while stylistically taking detours “further away off the beaten track” in a “reflection of [Mr. Lipsky's] own musical preoccupations of the last years.” As a versatile musician and composer, these detours include jazz, latin music, tango, the folk music of various cultures, and even film music.

L’Irlandaise opens up the second volume of Voyage à deux. In French, the title translates essentially to an Irish woman, and the influence of Irish music is apparent in this composition.

Later in the set, players encounter Big Shuffle, synthesizing jazz-like rhythms with the flavor of country music. Duo Philia’s performance below helps us to understand the vivid imagination of the composer.

And of course, the much-talked about and much-watched Fiesta! closes out the set.

In volume 2, each of these small works offers a challenge to the player – achieve the particular style of the piece. To do this, the player must discover the right colors of sound, the right combination of techniques, the right sense of rhythm… all in order to communicate to the listener what the music has to say.

Voyage à deux, Volume 2 is available for purchase as an entire collection or as individual pieces

Vol. 2
L’Irlandaise
Tango in Blues
Obstinando
Lamentation
Daydream
Big Shuffle
Nocturno Español
Latingo
Jeux de couleurs
Fiesta!

Purchase Entire Volume!

We hope you have enjoyed this multi-part series including the interviews with Helmut Lipsky and Duo Philia, and that you will continue to enjoy the music for many more days to come! To see more about Helmut Lipsky and a listing of all his music visit his Ovation Press Editor Profile

Helmut Lipsky Editor Profile

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A Journey Through the Musical Ages with Cello

Colin Cronin — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:30:47 +0000

Four Dynamic Arrangements for Cello Ensemble from Valter Dešpalj

In the latest batch of releases from acclaimed cello editor, pedagogue, and performer Valter Dešpalj, we have a series of four scores spanning a range of musical styles from the Baroque to the post-Romantic. Starting with Georg Philipp Telemann and ending with Edouard Lalo, these new scores for cello ensemble display a breadth of musical wisdom that showcases Mr. Dešpalj’s knowledge of the various stylistic movements in music history, as well as his mastery at arranging for the cello.

Valter Dešpalj has arranged the following scores:

Georg Philipp Telemann – Sonata in D minor (Cello Trio)
Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata Op. 6 (Cello Trio)
Felix Mendelssohn – Andante religioso (Cello Quartet)
Edouard Lalo – Intermezzo from the Cello Concerto (Cello Octet)

Telemann’s Sonata in D minor arranged for Cello Trio

We begin here with the Baroque and Telemann’s D minor sonata. This trio sonata is one of many that Telemann wrote for different combinations of instruments, making it a fitting work to be arranged yet again. The outer fast movements and the slow, vocal inner movement – though contrasting in atmosphere – demonstrate a consistent compositional technique. Indeed, this combination of musical flavors seem to be especially well suited for the sonority of a cello trio.

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Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 6 arranged for Cello Trio

Moving into the Classical-proper era, we come upon a rarely-heard jewel in Beethoven’s chest of musical treasures. This work is originally scored for piano 4-hands, itself a less-frequently heard arrangement. The original texture of this Sonata consists of three essential parts, with many octave doublings typical of four hand piano writing. Therefore, the transcription for cello trio called only for modifications which would make things more cellistic, without touching the essence.

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Mendelssohn’s Andante religioso arranged for Cello Quartet

Our next stop is the early Romantic era and Felix Mendelssohn. Although well-known for several of his symphonic works, his Violin Concerto, String Octet, and piano concertos, Mendelssohn was a master organist. His repertoire holds a certain pedagogical importance for organists that is not quite matched in any other instrumental field. That’s what makes Andante religioso (from Organ Sonata in B-flat major Op. 65, no. 4) the perfect work to represent Mendelssohn on the cello quartet!

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Lalo’s Intermezzo from the Cello Concerto arranged for Cello Octet

We conclude our journey through the musical ages in the mid-to-late 18th-century with Edouardo Lalo. Though not one of the more immediately recognized names, Lalo’s distinctive style has earned him some degree of popularity. In this transcription of the Intermezzo from his Cello Concerto in D minor, the first cello assumes the soloist part while the others play accompanying parts more or less in the original register. The score’s simple texture makes it very suitable for such an adaptation.

Purchase Today!

About the Editor – Valter Dešpalj

Valter Dešpalj is professor of cello at music academies in Zagreb and Liechtenstein. A graduate from the Juilliard School (where he studied cello under Leonard Rose and chamber music with Felix Galimir and the Juilliard Quartet), he also took master classes with P. Casals, P. Fournier and A. Navarra, and did two years of postgraduate study with G. Kozolupova at the Moscow Conservatory.

Mr. Dešpalj has performed all over the world, including performances at festivals in Gstaad, Lockenhaus, Kuhmo and Dubrovnik, also in some of the most prestigious concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall in London, Sydney Opera House, Amsterdam′s Concertgebouw, Moscow Conservatory Hall etc. Besides teaching in Zagreb and Liechtenstein, he has also been a guest professor at the conservatories in The Hague, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Graz (University of Music), editor of cello music with major music publishers, and member of judging panels at the most prestigious international competitions including Tchaikovsky (Moscow), Bach (Leipzig), Lutoslawski (Warsaw) and ARD (Munich) competitions.

Learn more about the editor, Valter Dešpalj

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Ovation Press Publishes First Arrangement for String Trio!

Colin Cronin — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 14:00:43 +0000

Ovation Press has released its first string trio – Ravel’s Fugue from Le Tombeau de Couperin!

In the last few months we have been greatly expanding our catalog of cello ensemble scores, in no small part thanks to editors like Charles Jacot. Now, Mr. Jacot has collaborated with Ovation Press to publish our first arrangement for string trio: the Fugue from Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin.

As a well-known piano suite that has been arranged for several other ensemble types (including string quartet and orchestra), we are thrilled to bring the Fugue from Le Tombeau de Couperin to the string trio.

About Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin (for String Trio)

During the early part of World War I, Ravel was at work on a French suite for piano. Ravel was a truck and ambulance driver during World War I, serving under dangerous conditions at the front. After he suffered severe illness and surgery, Ravel returned to his suite in 1917. He dedicated each of the movements to friends that were killed in World War I. The Fugue was dedicated to the memory of Jean Cruppi. Ravel had previously dedicated his opera, The Spanish Hour, to Cruppi’s mother.

Said Mr. Jacot, “The Fugue has been a favorite of mine for many years, and I’ve often thought it would make a good arrangement, perhaps for woodwinds within the orchestral suite. While playing string trios in the past couple of years, the idea finally occurred to me to arrange the piece for that ensemble.It is a lovely, delicate, and heartfelt piece, with a mood of poignancy and bittersweet memory. Ravel weaves the simple subject with the winding countersubject material in a masterly way and combines these themes with their inversions as the piece develops.”

Purchase Today!

About the Editor – Charles Jacot

Charles Jacot currently resides in Seattle, where he is a member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and a frequent sub for both the Seattle Opera and Seattle Symphony, with whom he has participated in several recordings in the past decade.

Originally from the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, Charles studied there with Chicago Symphony members Alois Trnka and CSO Principal, Frank Miller. He found a passion for playing orchestral music there, hearing many CSO performances during the Solti years and playing several seasons in the Chicago Civic Orchestra. After meeting Hans Jørgen Jensen at the A.F. of M’s Congress of Strings summer program, Charles went to study with him at the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Music degree and graduating summa cum laude. Charles later earned his Masters degree at the Juilliard School where he studied with Harvey Shapiro.

Learn more about the editor Charles Jacot.

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New Score Releases: June–July 2012

Colin Cronin — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:30:00 +0000

The last couple months have continued to be good for the cello, with several major new score releases (and more to come)!

From Editor Charles Jacot

Over the last few of his scores, Mr. Jacot has proven to be a versatile editor, bringing us a range of different styles. Recently, he explored how to bring two very stylistically different piano works to the cello.

SCORE: Gounod Marche Funèbre d’une Marionnette arranged for cello quartet

Charles Gounod’s Marche Funèbre d’une Marionnette (Funeral March of a Marionette) is well-known to many, with its macabre yet playful atmosphere, as it was used as the theme to the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. The piece works very well for cello quartet. Due to the grotesque mood of the music the general range is low, and the lilting, staccato nature of the piece suits the cello admirably.

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SCORE: Satie Avant-derniere pensees – Aubade arranged for cello duo

The Aubade is the second piece in a set entitled Avant-dernières pensées (Penultimate Thoughts), written in 1915 by composer Erik Satie. As with much of his music, Satie’s work combines ethereal, wistful, and graceful musical elements with humor, liveliness and satire.

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From Editor Hans Erik Deckert

While Jacot chose to go after piano works, editor Hans Erik Deckert has brought his years of musical experience to translating the “vocal” works of two composers known for their compositions in other mediums.

SCORE: Rachmaninoff Vocalise arranged for cello sextet

Published in 1912 as the last of his Fourteen Songs, Op. 34., the Vocalise contains no words, but is sung using any one vowel. In this adaptation for six celli the solo part is retained in the first cello, while the piano part is distributed among the other five celli. The rich characteristic harmonic textures of Rachmaninoff’s music is very suitable for a cello ensemble.

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SCORE: Wagner Zug zum Munster arranged for cello quartet

Zug zum Münster (‘Procession to the Cathedral’) from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin is a highly successful representation of Wagner’s intense musical language. See how an authentic Wagnerian mood can be created with only four cellos!

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The post New Score Releases: June–July 2012 appeared first on String Visions | from Ovation Press.

The Girl with the Flaxen Hair Comes to Cello Quartet!

Colin Cronin — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:30:05 +0000

May was a fantastic month for the cello ensemble at Ovation Press as we had the opportunity to publish a number of truly innovative and exciting arrangements for celli.

As we continue to expand the catalog of music available for this less-often heard arrangement of instruments, we were excited to mark the start of June early this week with a special collaborative score. Charles Jacot – who brought us the first of last month’s scores when he published his arrangements of Renaissance composer Josquin – has edited Debussy’s La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl With the Flaxen Hair) arranged by another one of our editors: Stephen Watkins.

Hear Debussy’s famous piano work fabulously arranged for cello quartet, imbued with the style of two of our finest editors!

About Debussy’s The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (for Cello Quartet)

The Girl with the Flaxen Hair is the eighth piece from Debussy’s Préludes, Book I. It is one of the most popular of Debussy’s pieces, both in its original version and in numerous arrangements. The prelude is only 39 bars long and lasts about two minutes, making it an ideal encore.

The original key is G-flat major; here in the arrangement for cello quartet it has been transposed to G major. This circumvents some problems by providing opportunities for open strings and natural harmonics to solve voicing issues. Though the piece sounds simple, fitting it into just four cello voices is a challenge at times, and there are some unusual double stops, some involving harmonics, which help to fill out the harmonies. Debussy’s harmonies in this piece are lush and warm, and the frequent double stops in the inner and lower voice create the impression of more than just 4 cellos playing. With the exception of the final statement of the theme (which is down an octave), the voicing has been kept as close to the original as possible.

Girl with the Flaxen Hair, for Cello Quartet

About the Arranger – Stephen Watkins

Stephen Watkins attended the Guidhall School of Music in London where he studied, of all things, trombone and piano. You might be wondering how he came to be writing music for cello. Mr. Watkins’ real interest at the Guidhall School was in composition, where he benefited from the tuition of very diverse professors. However, upon leaving the school, he entered the profession of music education, involved in classroom and instrumental teaching. When Watkins was in his mid-forties, he came to a crossroads in life, encountering a medical situation that ruled out playing brass at the professional level. After some soul-searching, Mr. Watkins changed his primary instrument to the cello.

Stephen Watkins has composed and arranged numerous works that have been published by houses in the US, the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. His output includes works for brass, recorders, and strings.

Learn more about the arranger Stephen Watkins.

About the Editor – Charles Jacot

Originally from the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, Charles studied there with Chicago Symphony members Alois Trnka and CSO Principal, Frank Miller. He found a passion for playing orchestral music there, hearing many CSO performances during the Solti years and playing several seasons in the Chicago Civic Orchestra. After meeting Hans Jorgen Jensen at the A.F. of M’s Congress of Strings summer program, Charles went to study with him at the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Music degree and graduating summa cum laude. Charles later earned his Masters degree at the Juilliard School where he studied with Harvey Shapiro.

Learn more about the editor Charles Jacot.

More recently released scores for cello ensemble:

Hans Erik Deckert original Canzona for 12 Celli and arrangement of Gabrieli’s Canzone e Sonate 1615 for 22 Celli
Valter Dešpalj transcriptions of Leoncavallo’s Serenade for Cello and Guitar and Johann Strauss Sr.’s Jellacic March for Cello Quartet
Charles Jacot arrangements of three works from Renaissance master Josquin – El Grillo and Mille Regretz (both for Cello Quartet), and La déploration de la mort de Johannes Ockeghem, arranged for Cello Quintet

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The post The Girl with the Flaxen Hair Comes to Cello Quartet! appeared first on String Visions | from Ovation Press.

New Score Releases: May 2012

Colin Cronin — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:04 +0000

For those of you not subscribed to the Ovation Press mailing list (shame on you!), we have been growing our catalog of new scores thanks to the contributions of our amazing editors. Here are highlights of some of our recent releases.

For Viola

We have a new and rather rare work fresh off the press. On Tuesday, we announced an arrangement by world-famous violist and founding member of the Guarneri String Quartet Michael Tree: Robert Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston (Five Pieces in Popular Style). For those of you who have been with us for a while, you might remember that Ovation Press co-founder Hans Jensen did a 3-part interview with Mr. Tree last summer. As a proponent of chamber music and under-represented works, it is fitting that Michael Tree’s first publication with us is a rarity among Schumann’s more famous and established compositions. Thanks to him, we now have an outstanding arrangement of this hidden jewel for viola and piano.

SCORE: Schumann Fünf Stücke im Volkston arranged for Viola and Piano

To learn more about this work, check out our press release – Michael Tree and Ovation Press Publish Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston (Five Pieces in Popular Style).

In addition, earlier this month editor Alan Bodman gave us an exciting opportunity to see how seamlessly the musical ideas of Russian composer Alexander Glazunov can translate from cello to viola. His arrangement of Chant du ménestrel, Op. 71 preserves the lyrical and harmonically interesting style characteristic of Glazunov while presenting it in the lighter timber and tonal light unique to the viola.

SCORE: Glazunov Chant du ménestrel arranged for Viola and Piano

For Bass

Our most recent score for double bass continues to be a big hit: Edwin Barker added a new edition of Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra for bass. After performing the work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in January, Mr. Barker was inspired to add his own editorial markings to the score. His edition now sits alongside another version of Strauss’ famous tone poem by bassist Paul Ellison.

What a fantastic opportunity for everyone to check out and compare two different editions of the same score for the same instrument!

SCORE: Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra, Bass part edited by Edwin Barker

SCORE: Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra, Bass part edited by Paul Ellison

For String Orchestra

Last year we introduced Amy Barlowe, the dynamic composer and Ovation Press editor who brought us the internationally-acclaimed 12 Etude-Caprices in the Styles of Great Composers. Ms. Barlowe has returned to publish two new works, this time for string ensemble. The first – Celebration Suite – is for string orchestra, percussion and sopranos while the second – Suite Celtica – is for string orchestra. Written for intermediate-level musicians (i.e. a middle school orchestra), each suite would be a lively and vibrant part of any concert program. These are significant additions to the Ovation Press catalog of music from a composer who has received rave reviews from musicians all over the world, including faculty at leading musical institutions such as the Juilliard School, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Boston Conservatory.

SCORE: Amy Barlowe Celebration Suite for String Orchestra, Percussion, and Sopranos

SCORE: Amy Barlowe Suite Celtica for String Orchestra

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Celebrate the Piatigorsky Festival with Ovation Press Scores from Pitatigorsky!

Colin Cronin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:15:14 +0000

Just a couple weeks ago we featured the upcoming Piatigorsky International Cello Festival in our Daily Bow segment. In honor of the festival – which begins tomorrow, March 9 – we are highlighting two of our featured scores from Piatigorsky himself!

Piatigorsky Scores from Ovation Press

We have two versions of the Piatigorsky arrangement of the Variations on a Paganini Theme. The first is an arrangement for cello and piano published by the cello master back when he was still alive. We have added nothing and as such preserved his original work.

The second edition is an Ovation Press original. The piano part was arranged for string orchestra, transforming the original duet into a full-fledged chamber piece. The Variations on a Paganini Theme for Cello and String Orchestra is a unique work that can only be found at Ovation Press.

Get these scores while they are fresh off the press to mark the beginning of the festival on Friday. To learn more about it check out the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival website.

The USC Thornton School of Music and the LA Phil in partnership with The Colburn School and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra bring together masters of the cello and young cellists from around the world for a unique celebration of the cello, its music, and its musicians. Twenty-two outstanding artists, representing twelve countries, converge on Los Angeles for ten days to share their artistry and teaching experience through orchestral concerts, chamber music performances, master classes, and interactive events.

The event will kick off with an opening performance featuring seven distinguished international artists led by conductor Hugo Wolff, principal players of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and some of the finest students from the USC Thornton School of Music and The Colburn School.

An underlying theme of the festival will be “Coming Together.”

Words on the 2012 Festival from Artistic Director Ralph Kirshbaum:

A reason to attend the festival, from Swiss cellist & composer Thomas Demenga:

Artistic video created in 2011 about prior festivals:

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