This acclaimed study, available in English for the first time, looks at the music of Jean Sibelius in its biographical context. Myths have surrounded Sibelius (1865-1957) and his work, for more than 100 years, often diverting attention away from his creative output. Drawing on many unpublished sources, Makela's study leads us back to Sibelius as a musician and a 'poet' of universal validity. Chapters examine the composer's creativity, inspiration, influence, aspects of genre, as well as the relationship of the artist with nature and homeland. Those who knew Sibelius at an early age tell of a youthful bohemian in the midst of European decadence. This 'age of Carmen' (Eduard Munch) marked Sibelius's formative years. The composer's most important works, dating from a time between his third symphony and Tapiola, reflect the modernistic mainstream. Sibelius's last three decades, known as the 'Silence of Ainola', have inspired the masculine cliches that this book deconstructs. Sibelius was one of the least political artists of his time who nevertheless became heavily politicized. The first supreme musical talent in the region, he gave his nation a genuine sound. Europeans of the late nineteenth century showed increasing affinity with Nordic culture. Aino, Sibelius's wife, was instrumental in creating the image of her husband as a Nordic icon. The book closely scrutinizes this popular image. In an Anglo-American artistic context his mix of regionalism and modernity remained attractive even when these elements went out of fashion in the art movement of continental Europe. Ideas of Finland and the North vastly influenced the interpretation of meaning in Sibelius's music, a music that until this day remains enigmatic. BR TOMI MAKELA is the author of several books and essays on Finnish music, Romanticism, and Western modernism. From 1996-2008 he was professor of music in Magdeburg. Since 2009 he has been professor of music at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg.

for upper-voice choir, SATB choir, piano, and optional timpani Setting a newly written text by Charles Bennett, this fifteen-minute choral work takes singers on a journey through five historical events: the invention of printing, the abolition of slavery, the first powered flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first man in space. In each movement, music and words come together to create a strikingly vivid and personal account of each protagonist's experience, from the printer seeing 'each letter like a person' to the astronaut commenting on the beauty of our planet from space. Chilcott's music is as captivating as ever, with energy in abundance alongside moments of clarity and stillness. This is an ideal concert work for choirs looking to perform with an upper-voice group, or for larger SATB choruses with divisi sopranos and altos. The optional timpani part is printed separately at the back of the score.

In recent years the music of minimalist composers such as La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Philip Glass has, increasingly, become the subject of important musicological reflection, research and debate. Scholars have also been turning their attention to the work of lesser-known contemporaries such as Phill Niblock and Eliane Radigue, or to second and third generation minimalists such as John Adams, Louis Andriessen, Michael Nyman and William Duckworth, whose range of styles may undermine any sense of shared aesthetic approach but whose output is still to a large extent informed by the innovative work of their minimalist predecessors. Attempts have also been made by a number of academics to contextualise the work of composers who have moved in parallel with these developments while remaining resolutely outside its immediate environment, including such diverse figures as Karel Goeyvaerts, Robert Ashley, Arvo PArt and Brian Eno. Theory has reflected practice in many respects, with the multimedia works of Reich and Glass encouraging interdisciplinary approaches, associations and interconnections. Minimalism's role in culture and society has also become the subject of recent interest and debate, complementing existing scholarship, which addressed the subject from the perspective of historiography, analysis, aesthetics and philosophy. The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music provides an authoritative overview of established research in this area, while also offering new and innovative approaches to the subject.

A crucial year in the Britten/Auden relationship, which reshaped and redefined artistic direction in the immediate pre-war period. Benjamin Britten and W.H. Auden were key figures of the 1930s, and here Donald Mitchell traces their lives during one crucial year, 1936. They worked hard to establish themselves, first through the GPO film unit, in a collaboration which flowered and spilled over into the theatre, and then radio - a new medium that the liveliest creative minds of the time were exploring and exploiting. Britten and Auden also joined forces in works destined for the recital room and concert hall, among them Our Hunting Fathers, the political symbolism of which Donald Mitchell examines in depth, and On the Island, settings of early Auden that comprised Britten's first important set of songs to English texts. Much use is made of Britten's private diaries, which he kept on a daily basis, and a revealing portrait emerges of the two men's relationship, of their work together in many different fields, and of the reflection within that work of political ideas current at the time. DONALD MITCHELL was Britten's close friend and publisher from 1964 until the end of the composer's life, and his authorised biographer. The T S Eliot Memorial Lectures delivered in 1979

for SATB and organ or orchestra or unaccompanied This anthology of 9 mixed-voice anthems combines new material written specially for the collection with established favourites from the Oxford catalogue, some of which appear here for the first time with SATB scoring. Containing both accompanied and a cappella pieces, and with festive anthems (with keyboard or orchestral accompaniment) alongside short, gentle blessings, Mack Wilberg Anthems contains an attractive selection of pieces suitable for a variety of liturgical seasons and will appeal to all mixed-voice church choirs.

for SAATTBB unaccompanied What sweeter music is an atmospheric setting of Robert Herrick's popular Christmas text. The carol opens with hushed, interweaving choral lines, creating a soft veil of sound that expands texturally and dynamically into an expressive central section. The sustained melodic interest in every part combines to create a gorgeous work that choirs will find a true pleasure to sing. What sweeter music will be included on a forthcoming CD by Commotio.

for SAATBB unaccompanied This touching piece sets Yeats' beautiful words describing the love of a parent for their child. Switching between major and minor tonalities, A Cradle Song is quiet and understated, with sensitive a cappella scoring that makes the sentiments seem all the more real. This is an impressive and sophisticated debut from Swedish singer and composer Joel Nilson.

Sounding the Gallery explores the first decade of creative video work, focusing on the ways in which video technology was used to dissolve the boundaries between art and music. Becoming commercially available in the mid 1960s, video quickly became integral to the intense experimentalism of New York City's music and art scenes. The medium was able to record image and sound at the same time, which allowed composers to visualize their music and artists to sound their images in a quick and easy manner. But video not only provided artists and composers with the opportunity to produce unprecedented forms of audiovisuality; it also allowed them to create interactive spaces that questioned conventional habits of music and art consumption. Early video's audiovisual synergy could be projected, manipulated and processed live. The closed-circuit video feed drew audience members into the heart of the audiovisual experience, from where they could influence the flow, structure and sound of the video performance. Such activated spectatorship resulted in improvisatory and performative events in which the space between artists, composers, performers and visitors collapsed into a single, yet expansive, intermedial experience. Many believed that such audiovisual video work signalled a brand-new art form that only began in 1965. Using early video work as an example, this book suggests that this is inaccurate. During the twentieth century, composers were experimenting with spatializing their sounds, while artists were attempting to include time as a creative element in their visual work. Pioneering video work allowed these two disciplines to come together, acting as a conduit that facilitated the fusion and manipulation of pre-existing elements. Shifting the focus from object to spatial process, Sounding the Gallery uses theories of intermedia, film, architecture, drama and performance practice to create an interdisciplinary history of music and art that culminates in the rise of video art-music in the late 1960s.

An updated edition of the first book on this subject, covering influences, key works and reception history. From the start of the English musical renaissance, British composers were preoccupied with Germanic principles of sonata writing, despite their subsequent exposure to influences outside this tradition, among them late romantic music, French impressionism, Russian nationalism, Scriabin, British folk music, African-American music and neo-classicism. Regardless of education - or the climate, fully explored here, at the Royal College and the Royal Academy - the Austro-German tradition proved inescapable. This first study of the subject offers detailed commentary on key works, with plentiful musical examples, revealing influences and techniques and demonstrating composers' attitudes towards the genre. The reception history of the piano sonata is also discussed, to build up a picture of public musical taste. The appendix contains transcripts of interviews, including one with Sir Michael Tippett; these are particularly significant, as most of the subjects are now dead. Also included is a useful reference section, cataloguing the sonatas, as well as a full discography chronicling the recording history of each sonata, updated in 2012. Lisa Hardy studied music, mathematics and education at the University of Keele and researched her PhD at Goldsmiths' College, London, under the supervision of Professor Peter Dickinson. She works as a freelance piano and flute teacher and piano accompanist in the North East of England and teaches music at Durham High School for Girls.

for SSA unaccompanied Songbird sets an evocative text by the composer describing songbirds that spin tunes of gold. The catchy, colourful melody is first presented by tutti voices, and is then woven through the vocal parts, often to scat accompaniment.

for SAATBB unaccompanied The signature tune for the award-winning Swedish a cappella group Vocado, this poignant love song is characterized by mixed messages: the lover wants to leave, but can't quite bring himself to walk out the door. The flavour of the music reflects the dilemma, with emotions ranging from muted acceptance in the verses to highly charged indecision in the passionate chorus. With classic a cappella rhythms and textures, along with melodies that will stay with you for days, this dual-language publication in the Voice Junction series is perfect for vocal groups and choirs singing in Swedish or English. Hall mig kvar has been recorded by Vocado on the CD 'Northern Lights'.

The state of contemporary music is dizzyingly diverse in terms of style, media, traditions, and techniques. How have trends in music developed over the past decades? Music Composition in the 21st Century is a guide for composers and students that helps them navigate the often daunting complexity and abundance of resources and influences that confront them as they work to achieve a personal expression. From pop to classical, the book speaks to the creative ways that new composers mix and synthesize music, creating a music that exists along a more continuous spectrum rather than in a series of siloed practices. It pays special attention to a series of critical issues that have surfaced in recent years, including harmony, the influence of minimalism, the impact of technology, strategies of "openness," sound art, collaboration, and improvisation. Robert Carl identifies an emerging common practice that allows creators to make more informed aesthetic and technical decisions and also fosters an inherently positive approach to new methods.

This virtuosic sonata, first published in 1934, exploits the viola's technical capabilities to create an expressive and dramatic work in the late Romantic/early twentieth-century idiom. The sonata comprises four movements: the first is flowing yet intense, the second dark and mournful, the third alternates between lively tunes and passages of dazzling virtuosity, and the final movement is measured and contemplative.

for SA and piano I remember sets a text reflecting on the wonder of the natural world and the people who shape our lives. The stirring melody calls to mind the folksong tradition, and is underpinned by a gently flowing piano accompaniment. The middle section brings a contrast of tonality, with the altos accompanying the sopranos' melodic line, before the beguiling melody of the opening returns to bring the setting to a poignant close.

for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied This reflective setting of an evocative text by Charles Bennett uses pastoral and romantic imagery to depict the beauty of a life free from the desire for worldly possessions. The music draws on the words' dream-like character, with lilting scat rhythms and interweaving vocal lines building to a stirring climax before the piece gradually fades as the idyllic vision is enveloped in sleep. With sacred and secular resonances, Marriage to My Lady Poverty is ideal for performance in both services and concerts.

A critical edition of this major work from 1959-1960. The score has been entirely re-set, and new orchestral parts on hire produced to match the new edition. A full score is also available on sale.

for SATB (with divisions) and organ This Easter anthem sets the second part of George Herbert's poem 'Easter', famously set in full by Ralph Vaughan Williams in his Five Mystical Songs. The opening section has an almost pastoral feel, with the sopranos and altos presenting a lilting melody in thirds, underpinned by a flowing organ accompaniment. The anthem becomes progressively more expansive and reflective, with rich textures and harmonies, before drawing to a profound close.

The Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra was composed in 1953-4 to mark the 50th anniversary of the formation of the LSO and was written for the orchestra's principal tuba player, Philip Catelinet. It was the first major concerto to be written for the instrument, and remains today the outstanding work of its kind. This new edition is based on all extant sources and contains full textual notes and a discussion of the editorial method. Notable additions are the inclusion of two sets of phrasing for the Romanza-one from the first publication, largely influenced by Catelinet, and the other from Vaughan Williams's manuscript-and the original cadenza to the first movement. The arrangement for tuba and piano has been updated in light of the research carried out by David Matthews, and all orchestral parts have been revised.

for SAATTB unaccompanied Setting a heart-breaking wartime text by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, Pott has created a beautifully poignant piece befitting any Remembrance occasion. Written in memory of Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, a bomb disposal expert killed in 2009 during the Afghanistan conflict, Lament embodies a sense of timeless commemoration. Combining this with Pott's striking harmonic language and deftly interweaving vocal lines results in a highly compelling work, both emotionally and musically.

for SATB and piano Happy the man's gentle pace, tender harmonies, and flowing piano accompaniment perfectly capture the reflective and uplifting message of John Dryden's text: 'Happy the man...He who, secure within, can say; Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today'. Featuring stirring climaxes, expressive vocal lines, and a fluid piano part, this piece will give rise to a moving performance. Happy the man is featured on the Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir's CD of Bob Chilcott's music.

'A really great book.' Bruce Springsteen With a foreword by Billy Bragg. Few artists have captured the American experience of their time as wholly as folk legend Woody Guthrie. Singer, songwriter and political activist, Guthrie drew a lifetime of inspiration from his roots on the Oklahoma frontier in the years before the Great Depression. His music -- scathingly funny songs and poignant folk ballads -- made heard the unsung life of field hands, migrant workers, and union organisers, and showed it worthy of tribute. Though his career was tragically cut short by the onset of a degenerative disease that ravaged his mind and body, the legacy of his life and music had already made him an American cultural icon, and has resounded with every generation of musician and music lover since. In this definitive biography, renowned journalist Joe Klein creates an unforgettable portrait of a man as gifted, restless and complicated as the American landscape he came from.

for SATB unaccompanied This serene and reflective setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis was commissioned to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells. With expansive harmonies and arching melodic lines, this accessible setting will appeal to any cathedral, chapel, or church choir looking for fresh service material.

For voice and piano or guitar This volume contains newly edited versions of all Walton's songs for voice and piano, together with Anon in Love for voice and guitar and songs from radio plays. It also includes the first publication of the scores of the orchestral versions of Anon in Love and A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table. Walton wrote songs throughout his life, the first, 'Tell me where is Fancy bred?', written when he was a chorister at Christ Church, Oxford, the last, A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table, a song-cycle for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf written in the early 1960s. They all reveal his ear for word-setting, an imaginative response to the text, and an ability to conjure striking musical images from his chosen material.