sextet

Ecstasy, Op.19 No.2, by Mrs. H. H. A. Beach

Two versions, for "Low voice (in Db)" or "High voice (in Eb)", with Alto Flute Obbligato (transcribed) and Piano.
Alternative parts for Alto Flute Solo and Bb Clarinet Obbligato.
Program Notes by Peter H. Bloom.

Piano Scores, Voice Parts, Alto Flute Obbligato Parts, and alternative Alto Flute Solo Parts and Clarinet Obbligato Parts; PDF $8.99

Noteworthy Sheet Music was thrilled to publish our edition of Amy Marcy Cheney Beach's song Ecstasy in 2017, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth. The idea to make Ecstasy available to a broader combination of players and singers came from flutist Peter H. Bloom, who proposed that the piece would be an excellent vehicle with which instructors might inform students (early and advanced alike) about interpretation of the highly romantic late 19th century idiom. To that end, we have packaged together in a single edition Mrs. H. H. A. Beach's two versions of Ecstasy, for "low voice (in Db)" and "high voice (in Eb)", with each version including transcriptions of the obbligato (originally for violin) for either alto flute in G or clarinet in Bb, and an alternative solo part in the form of an alto flute transcription of the voice line. Thus, multiple performance variations are possible, including high or low voice and piano with either alto flute or clarinet obbligato, or fully instrumental versions for alto flute and piano, or two alto flutes and piano, or alto flute, clarinet, and piano. 

Scores, 8 pages (4 pages each version); Voice parts, 2 pages (1 page each version); Alto Flute Obbligatos, 2 pages (1 page each version); Clarinet Obbligatos, 2 pages (1 page each version); Alto Flute solo parts, 2 pages (1 page each version); Total, 20 pages.

From the Drawer, for Voice and Saxophones, by Peter H. Bloom

Contemporary Composition for Tenor or Soprano, with Saxophone Quartet

Score and Parts, PDF $13.99

Boston-based flutist Peter H. Bloom created two versions of his composition From the Drawer, the edition listed here for Tenor or Soprano with Saxophone Quartet (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone) and a second edition for Tenor or Soprano with Flute (doubling Piccolo), Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn; both editions have been published by Noteworthy Sheet Music. The score provides a musical setting for the intensely emotional poem by Constantine Cavafy. The composer suggests that the vocalist (depending on his or her performance style/background/aesthetic judgment) should free to employ amplification at his/her discretion. 

Here are Mr. Bloom's comments about From the Drawer, taken from his preface (Copyright © 2015) to the edition:

"Constantine Cavafy’s 1923 poem, From the Drawer, captures the acerbic condition of longing, the impossibly private nature of affection, and the occultation of time. Its poignancy is universal; transcending gender, age, era, place, and even translation. Rather than rely on one particular translation of Cavafy’s text, I’ve drawn on a number of versions to arrive at a paraphrase that both informs and is shaped by the musical score.

The musical setting is a sonic image of the intensely emotional response to a flood of memory that informs the poet’s narrative: now pensive, now anxious, now wistful, now joyous, now fraught, now resigned, and ever mercurial."  P. H. Bloom, September 19, 2015

Score, 14 pages; Tenor or Soprano part, 2 pages; Soprano Saxophone part, 4 pages; Alto Saxophone part, 3 pages; Tenor Saxophone part, 3 pages; Baritone Saxophone part, 3 pages; Total, 29 pages.

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We also offer a professionally-printed hard copy edition of From the Drawer for $23.78 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee. Due to prohibitively high international shipping rates, we ship print editions only to addresses in the USA. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

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From the Drawer, by Peter H. Bloom

Contemporary Composition for Tenor or Soprano, with Flute (doubling Piccolo), Clarinet in B-flat, Bassoon, and Horn in F

Score and Parts, PDF $13.99

Peter H. Bloom is a Boston-based flutist, whose original compositions and arrangements are published by Noteworthy Sheet Music.  From the Drawer was written for Tenor or Soprano, with Flute (doubling Piccolo), Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn, and provides a musical setting for the intensely emotional poem by Constantine Cavafy.

The musical setting is a sonic image of the intensely emotional response to a flood of memory that informs the poet’s narrative: now pensive, now anxious, now wistful, now joyous, now fraught, now resigned, and ever mercurial."  P. H. Bloom, September 19, 2015

Our sheet music edition of From the Drawer was featured on the New Products page of the Summer 2016 edition of "The Flutist Quarterly", journal of The National Flute Association.

Score, 14 pages; Tenor or Soprano part, 2 pages; Flute part, 4 pages; Clarinet part, 3 pages; Bassoon part, 3 pages; Horn part, 3 pages; Total, 29 pages.

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We also offer a professionally-printed hard copy edition of From the Drawer for $23.78 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee. Due to prohibitively high international shipping rates, we ship print editions only to addresses in the USA. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

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Drei Duette, Op.20, by Johannes Brahms

Transcribed for Mixed Voice, Instruments, and Piano by John W. Pratt

Score for Soprano, Alto, and Piano; Transcribed upper voice Parts for Violin/Oboe, Alto Flute, and A-Clarinet; and Transcribed lower voice Parts for Violin/Oboe, Alto Flute, A-Clarinet, and Viola; PDF $12.99

Composed in 1858–1860, the Drei Duette, Op. 20, for soprano and alto are the earliest of Johannes Brahms' duets and quartets for solo voices and piano. The three songs are titled Weg der Liebe (1. Teil), Weg der Liebe (2.Teil), and Die Meere. Except for brief canonic passages in No. 1, the voices have the same words, sung simultaneously, mostly in parallel thirds and sixths. The accompaniments are straightforward, without Brahmsian ensemble challenges but not without harmonic interest. Many have found the songs Mendelssohnian. The words come from the collection Stimmen der Völker of Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803). The first two are translations by Herder of two parts of a Northern English folk poem Love will find out the Way. The third is Italian in origin.

The vocal parts lie well for many instruments, opening the possibility of mixed voice and instrument, as well as fully-instrumental, performances. If one voice is replaced by an instrument, no words will be lost and the result will be a song with wonderful instrumental obbligato and piano accompaniment. If two instruments are used, the result is a beautiful "song without words." We include in our edition transcriptions of both voices for oboe/violin, alto flute in G, and clarinet in A, and of the lower voice for viola as well. Our transcriptions provide slurs to suggest a vocal style to instrumental players and to facilitate coordination of the instrumental parts with those of the voices. We also provide a re-notated piano/vocal score, in which repeat signs are used in the second and third songs to save page turns, rather than writing out the multiple stanzas as in the original. For those needing only the piano/vocal score, the Breitkopf & Härtel edition is in the public domain and freely available on imslp.org.

Piano/Vocal Score, 10 pages; Instrumental Parts, 3 pages each; Total, 42 pages.

Three Songs, by Frank Bridge

Transcribed parts for Clarinet by C. A. Vater (originally for viola)

Alternative Parts for A-Clarinet or B-flat-Clarinet (no score), PDF $8.99

Frank Bridge composed his Three Songs for Voice, Viola, and Piano in 1906-1907, setting to music one poem each by Matthew Arnold (Far, far from each other), Heinrich Heine (Where is it that our soul doth go?), and Percy Bysshe Shelley (Music when soft voices die).  Both the poetry and the music are richly romantic, addressing with high emotion the various stages of grief experienced over the loss of a loved one.  Bridge is an accessible post-romantic composer who should be better known.  We at Noteworthy Sheet Music thought his Three Songs would work equally well with clarinet substituting for the original viola, thereby creating a new opportunity for its performance by the appealing ensemble of voice, clarinet and piano.  We prepared transcribed parts for both A-clarinet and B-flat-clarinet, so players can choose which instrument they prefer for each of the three movements.  Our edition includes both of the clarinet part options but no score, as a good quality PDF of the Bridge score for voice, viola and piano is available as a free download from imslp.org and our clarinet parts work well with the original score’s piano and voice lines.

A-Clarinet part, 4 pages; B-flat-Clarinet part, 4 pages; Total, 14 pages. 

3 Pagan Dances, by Walter A. Finlayson

Contemporary Compositions for Percussion Ensemble
I. Goddess of the Earth: Score and Parts, PDF $8.99
II. Rain Forest: Score and Parts, PDF $6.99
III. Temple of the Sun: Score and Parts, PDF $13.99

Noteworthy Sheet Music's chief editorial consultant Peter H. Bloom received Walter Finlayson's previously-unpublished score for 3 Pagan Dances from the composer's daughter, and we were delighted for the opportunity to become acquainted with this rousing, intoxicating work.  For our publications, we've opted to create separate editions for the three pieces, giving players the choice of acquiring only one or two of the 3 Pagan Dances at a time, depending on their level of interest and performance needs.  In each case we have maintained the composer's allocation of instruments per player. Pagan Dance I. Goddess of the Earth is scored for (1) snare drum/suspension cymbal/gong, (2) tom-toms, (3) temple blocks/xylophone/cowbell, (4) bells, (5) chimes, and (6) timpani.  Pagan Dance II. Rain Forest is scored for (1) bongos/claves, (2) finger cymbals/suspension cymbal, (3) maracas/gong/wind chimes, (4) bells/tom-toms/gourd, (5) xylophone/timpani, and (6) vibraphone.  Pagan Dance III. Temple of the Sun is scored for (1) xylophone, (2) tom-toms, (3) temple blocks, (4) gong/suspension cymbal, (5) chimes/crash cymbal, and (6) timpani. Our editions of the 3 Pagan Dances include both scores and parts.
Click on the MP3 icons below to listen to audio samples from a 1964 performance of the work:
I. Goddess of the Earth audio 
II. Rain Forest
III. Temple of the Sun
We at NSM are pleased to aid in the re-discovery of some of Walter Finlayson's compositions; for additional biographical information about this remarkable composer, please visit the Our Composers page.

I. Goddess of the Earth: Score, 8 pages; Parts for (1) snare drum/suspension cymbal/gong, (2) tom-toms, (3) temple blocks/xylophone/cowbell, (4) bells, (5) chimes, and (6) timpani, 1 page each; Total, 16 pages
Preview I

 
II. Rain Forest: Score, 6 pages; Parts for (1) bongos/claves, (2) finger cymbals/suspension cymbal, (3) maracas/gong/wind chimes, (4) bells/tom-toms/gourd, (5) xylophone/timpani, and (6) vibraphone, 1 page each; Total, 14 pages.
Preview II

III. Temple of the Sun: Score, 13 pages; Parts for (1) xylophone, 2 pages, (2) tom-toms, 2 pages, (3) temple blocks, 2 pages, (4) gong/suspension cymbal, 1 page, (5) chimes/crash cymbal, 1 page, and (6) timpani, 2 pages; Total, 26 pages.

Preview III

The Pied Piper of Hamelin, by Marjorie Otis Gifford

An Operetta, from the Poem by Robert Browning
Facsimile Edition by Noteworthy Sheet Music, LLC, PDF $24.99

Marjorie Otis Gifford (1909-2003) was a composer, choirmaster, and long-time music and piano teacher in CT and NY.  At age 24, she put music to Robert Browning's classic poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin, creating a children's operetta for her students.  In her preface to the operetta, Mrs. Gifford states that perhaps the best performance of The Pied Piper was at the Lenox School in NYC, where she was teaching in 1938; that production was directed by Antoinette Perry, who later became known as 'Tony' of the Tony Awards.  Indeed, there are additional famous personalities and much fascinating history associated with the remarkable life of Marjorie Otis Gifford.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin operetta was brought to NSM's attention by Gale Finlayson, daughter of composer and music educator Walter Finlayson, and we created our facsimile edition of the operetta at Gale's request.  Marjorie Otis Gifford and Walter Finlayson were great friends, and in her preface Mrs. Gifford credits Mr. Finlayson with putting her operetta down on paper.  NSM has received permission to publish the operetta from both the executor of Mrs. Gifford's estate and from Deborah O'Connor, the artist who created the charming illustrations that grace the internal pages of the operetta.  We hope that, in publishing our facsimile edition, we can contribute to sustaining the legacy of Marjorie Otis Gifford and enabling future generations of young music students to perform and enjoy her work.

Marjorie Otis Gifford's The Pied Piper of Hamelin operetta was performed by the Rutland Youth Theatre of Rutland, VT, on March 2, 2018; click the link to visit YouTube and watch clips of this performance videotaped and posted by Ms. Finlayson.

Score with music and lyrics for voices and piano accompaniment, 67 pages; text of the Robert Browning poem addendum, 7 pages; Total, 78 pages.

The Wreck of the Hesperus, by J. L. Hatton & H. W. Longfellow

Arranged for theatre or salon orchestra by Peter H. Bloom

Tenor, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, & Double Bass Parts, and Mini-Score ― PDF $19.98

The "dramatic scena" was an especially popular entertainment at its zenith in the mid-nineteenth century throughout the English speaking world.  John Liptrot Hatton's setting of Longfellow's Wreck of the Hesperus is the very model of the dramatic scena at its finest, and a magnificent showcase for an heroic tenor. Longfellow's ballad recounts a chilling tale loosely based on conflated reports of two New England shipwrecks that occurred during a single devastating blizzard in 1839.  This arrangement of Wreck of the Hesperus for theatre or salon orchestra was made for the now retired D.C. Hall's New Concert and Quadrille Band of Boston, and their extraordinary tenor Kevin McDermott.  It can be heard on the Hall's Band's CD recording "Grand Concert," winner of the Noah Greenberg Award of the American Musicological Society. (excerpted from Peter H. Bloom's © foreword)

Click the mp3 icon to listen to an audio clip of Wreck of the Hesperus from the Hall's Band CD recording Grand Concert!.      

The D.C. Hall's Grand Concert! CD is available from NSM - click to access the page. 

Tenor part, 4 pages; Flute part, 2 pages; Bb Clarinet part, 2 pages; Violin part, 2 pages; Viola part, 2 pages; Double bass part, 2 pages; Mini-Score, 8 pages; Total, 26 pages. 

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We also offer a professionally-printed hard copy edition of The Wreck of the Hesperus for $29.97 plus a $5.95 shipping and handling fee to addresses in the USA. Please use the Contact Us form to let us know which hard copy publication(s) you would like to purchase, along with your email contact information and USPS mailing address. We will then send you a PayPal invoice for the sale and, once we receive notice from PayPal that you have paid for the item(s), we will ship your music to the address provided.

Seven Rants, by Peter Van Zandt Lane

Contemporary Composition for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon, and Piano, PDF $0.00

Peter Van Zandt Lane was commissioned to compose this piece for the 67th Composers Conference and Chamber Music Workshop at Wellesley College, which took place in the summer of 2011.   The annual Conference is a wonderful two-week event, which brings together prominent young composers, superb professional musicians, dedicated amateur chamber musicians, and enthusiastic listeners.   The professional musicians premiere the composers' new works and also coach the amateur musicians in chamber ensembles. Concerts are free and open to the public.  For more information on the program, please visit the Composers Conference website.

After the Conference each year, one of the composer fellows is selected to create a new work for the next year's chamber music workshop participants.   That composer returns the following summer to coach two groups of players on the new composition, in preparation for performances in the Saturday evening concerts of Week I and Week II.   Peter Van Zandt Lane's Seven Rants was an enormous success in 2011, absolutely loved by the players and received exceptionally well by the audience.   Written for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, and piano, Seven Rants is a series of seven delightful and diverse movements.  The first and last movements are strict palindromes.  The five middle movements or "rants" are "mini-concertos", each highlighting a different wind instrument.   Great fun to play, and highly accessible.

With permission from both the composer and the Wellesley Composers Conference and Chamber Music Center, Noteworthy Sheet Music is thrilled to offer our customers a free PDF download of Seven Rants by Peter Van Zandt Lane.   And please check out more of this terrific young composer's work, including two other listings in the NSM catalog, Danzas Mecánicas and Transverse Fractures.

Score, 37 pages: Flute part, 10 pages; Oboe part, 9 pages; Clarinet part, 10 pages; Horn part, 9 pages; Bassoon part, 9 pages; Piano part, 15 pages; Total, 103 pages.

On Dit!, by Jules Massenet

Transcribed for Clarinet, Voice and Piano by C. A. Vater

Score for Clarinet, Voice and Piano; Alternative Parts for A-Clarinet and B-flat-Clarinet, PDF $8.99

Massenet’s composition On dit! is a musical setting of the eponymous poem by Jean Roux in which the poet ponders how the word “love” is commonly and inevitably associated with the sweetness and delights of spring. In addition to the vocal line and piano accompaniment, Massenet provided On dit! with a prominent part for cello. The cello line can be readily adapted for clarinet, creating a lovely and suitable new version of the piece for clarinet, voice, and piano. Our Noteworthy Sheet Music edition includes a score in concert pitch, as well as individual parts for either A-clarinet or B-flat-clarinet transcribed from the original cello part. Clarinetists in possession of both A and B-flat instruments may develop a personal preference for playing this piece on one instrument over the other, based on tone quality, complementarity with a particular singer’s sound, etc.

Score, 5 pages; A-Clarinet Part, 2 pages; B-flat-Clarinet Part, 2 pages; Total, 16 pages.