Rodney Trudgeon's Concert Notes is a collection of essays on famous classical, orchestral compositions. The pieces in this collection have appeared in concert programmes that have accompanied performances by the Cape Town and Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestras.

Rodney Trudgeon is a well-known radio host and presenter on Fine Music Radio. He is an expert on the range of musical genres that broadly fall under the category "classical music". The text that comprises Rodney Trudgeon's Concert Notes is structured alphabetically according to composer and gives a broad overview of the development of classical music, starting with the Baroque period and ending with modern, atonal music. Each piece is dedicated to a particular musical composition, describing its highlights, its history, and what makes it unique.

Broadly, the pieces are grouped together according to the following three broad categories: ouvertures, concertos, and symphonies, mimicking the structure of concert programmes. Each entry also includes a short biography of its composer. Trudgeon's style is easy to read and accessible to all readers: from those who listen to classical music regularly to those who are unfamiliar with it. Overall, this collection is a useful and informative musical guide, making a case for listening to orchestral music.

for SATB and piano/small orchestra Christmas Lullaby was commissioned in 1989 by the Bach Choir in celebration of the seventieth birthday of its conductor, Sir David Willcocks. The haunting melody of the verses and the reflective refrain of 'Ave Maria' have made this an immensely popular carol.

This book starts at the very beginning and ends with some remarkably profound insights on conductorial subtleties. An experienced conductor is one in whom detection, diagnosis, and remedy take place simultaneously; as he hears the error, he realizes where the fault lies and what to do about it. This book gives valuable hints about these three basic conductorial functions from the viewpoint of chorus and orchestra alike. McElheran leads the student toward mastery of the problems at hand, with firmness and gentle humour.

Originally intended as the first piece in a cycle of four impressions entitled In the New Forest, Burley Heath was written in 1902 but never finished. The manuscript represents a 168-bar fragment, which James Francis Brown, the editor of this edition, has completed by inserting a recapitulation of the initial material. Marking the first publication of this previously little-known early work, this edition also contains an introduction by the editor. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental form the hire library or appropriate agent.

The story of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is here told by its musical director from its inception to its eventual end. The NYOI came through the most difficult and dangerous of times to produce fine music not only in Iraq but also in Britain, Germany and France. A beacon of hope and achievement the young musicians and their tutors made bridges across their own ethnic divisions, made great music in the most trying and tragic of circumstances, and became their country's best ambassadors in 5000 years.

for SATB wordless chorus, viola solo, and orchestra A suite for solo viola, wordless chorus (SATB), and small orchestra, Flos Campi is one of Vaughan Williams's most enigmatic pieces. Although the six movements all borrow their titles from the Old Testament's Song of Solomon, the chorus never articulates a single word. Instead, it serves as a section of the orchestra, creating an elegant vocal texture and backdrop to the viola's haunting solo lines. The work was premiered in October 1925 by the violist Lionel Tertis, singers from the RCM, and the Queen's Hall Orchestra, directed by Sir Henry Wood.

Marking the first publication of an early work for chamber orchestra, this study score presents Vaughan Williams's The Solent, composed in 1903. The main theme from this work will be recognisable to many listeners, as it later found its way into both the Sea Symphony and the Ninth Symphony, albeit in a somewhat altered form. This duplication has intrigued many Vaughan Williams' scholars, as has the Philip Marston quotation that prefaces the scores: 'Passion and sorrow in the deep sea's voice, A mighty mystery saddening all the wind?'. The score has been edited by James Francis Brown and includes an introduction by the editor. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental form the hire library or appropriate agent.

Symphony No. 9 in E minor was the last symphony written by Ralph Vaughan Williams and was premiered by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent on 2nd April 1958. It is described in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as 'the most impressive achievement' of the composer's final decade. This scholarly edition replaces the original 1958 edition, and includes detailed preliminary matter comprising a preface, sources and editorial method, and detailed textual notes. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

Vaughan Williams's 6th Symphony was composed immediately after the Second World War and its dramatic and at times violent musical language was long felt to be a comment on that conflict (though the composer denied it had any programmatic intent). Its power and invention were immediately recognized and it has remained part of the concert repertoire ever since. For this newly engraved edition, editor David Lloyd-Jones has consulted all extant sources and materials to create a score matching the composer's intentions. Fully compatible orchestral parts are available on hire.

This edition of Walton's Cello Concerto has been off-printed from the Wiliam Walton Edition full score, and combines the scholarship of the Edition (including an introduction by the editor) with the practical benefits of a study score format. Dating from 1956, the work was commissioned by Gregor Piatigorsky and premiered by him the following year. Walton regarded this work as the best of his three solo concertos. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

Vaughan Williams began this work - his earliest known piece for a solo instrument with orchestra - in 1896, shortly after returning to the Royal College of Music to study composition with Stanford, and completed it in 1904. After his death, the manuscript was donated to the British Library, and it was here that the pianist Mark Bebbington rediscovered it in 2010, subsequently recording it for Somm Records. The work shows influences of late nineteenth-century composers, but also hallmarks of Vaughan Williams's later style and maturity. As such, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the composer's development, as well as being a powerful work in its own right. This is its first publication; a reduction for two pianos is also available on sale. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

Described by Walton as the 'greatest symphony since Beethoven', Vaughan Williams's fourth symphony was composed in 1935 and is noted for its abrasively dissonant harmonic language, unlike much of the composer's other work. This new, scholarly edition, edited by David Matthews, will replace the existing OUP edition from 1935 and the Eulenburg edition from 1983. The preliminary text will include a preface, sources and editorial method, and detailed textual notes.

This book answers questions from real classical music lovers about things they have always wondered but didn't know whom to ask. The information in this book is not readily found in music history or appreciation books, nor can it be found on line. Questions explored are: Do string players in orchestras get paid more because they play more than other instruments? Why does an orchestra tune to an oboe when there are electronic tuners? How does a composer decide what key to compose in? Why is the 1812 Overture played on the 4th of July? And many, many more! The answers represent behind the scenes, real world, insights into how classical musicians view and discuss these questions. There is even some insight into the jokes classical musicians find funny. This book is intended for the person who loves listening to classical music, either live or recorded and will provide hours of enjoyment as the reader invariably shakes his or her head and asks in wonderment "Who knew!"

During the 1930s Arturo Toscanini conducted many concerts broadcast by the BBC from London's Queen's Hall, where he also made some unsurpassed recordings. Drawing on newly researched material in British and American archives, Christopher Dyment reveals how the most renowned and influential conductor of the twentieth century, notoriously microphone-shy though he was, came to conduct so frequently in London, a tale replete with unexpected twists, turns and ingenious stratagems. Toscanini's dominating influence on London critics and audiences in the period covered by the narrative, extending through to his final appearances at the Royal Festival Hall in 1952, is copiously documented from contemporary sources. Dyment also presents fresh evidence showing how the remarkable combination of passionate conviction and architectural mastery that characterised Toscanini's conducting was grounded not only in his obsessive study of the score but also in his awareness of performing traditions dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. This book will fascinate those with a particular interest in Toscanini's career and recorded legacy. It is also essential reading for anyone with an interest in the history of conducting and recording in the first half of the twentieth century, set against the vividly evoked backdrop of London's concert scene of the period. This comprehensive study includes both an annotated table of all Toscanini's London concerts and his EMI discography. CHRISTOPHER DYMENT has written extensively about historic conductors since the 1970s, particularly Felix Weingartner and Arturo Toscanini. His first book, on Weingartner, was published in 1976.

This edition of Walton's Facade: First and Second Suites for Orchestra has been off-printed from the William Walton Edition full scores. It combines the scholarship of the main edition with the practical benefits of a study score format, and includes an introduction by the editor. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

Vaughan Williams's 6th Symphony was composed immediately after the Second World War and its dramatic and at times violent musical language was long felt to be a comment on that conflict (though the composer denied it had any programmatic intent). Its power and invention were immediately recognized and it has remained part of the concert repertoire ever since. For this newly engraved edition, editor David Lloyd-Jones has consulted all extant sources and materials to create a score matching the composer's intentions. The full score is completed with Textual Notes and Preface, and accompanying orchestral parts are available on hire.

Ralph Vaughan Williams originally wrote three Norfolk Rhapsodies with the intention of turning them into a three-movement Norfolk Symphony. This, the second rhapsody, is a telescoped slow movement and scherzo, which has been completed and edited by Stephen Hogger. The first has long been in the repertoire, but numbers two and three have not been performed since 1914. The third rhapsody unfortunately did not survive.

Symphony No. 9 in E minor was the last symphony written by Ralph Vaughan Williams and was premiered by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent on 2nd April 1958. It is described in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as 'the most impressive achievement' of the composer's final decade. This scholarly edition replaces the original 1958 edition, and includes detailed preliminary matter comprising a preface, sources and editorial method, and detailed textual notes. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

for SSA and piano or strings Versions for unison and SATB are also available. Instrumental material is available on hire.

for SATB wordless chorus, viola solo, and orchestra A suite for solo viola, wordless chorus (SATB), and small orchestra, Flos Campi is one of Vaughan Williams's most enigmatic pieces. Although the six movements all borrow their titles from the Old Testament's Song of Solomon, the chorus never articulates a single word. Instead, it serves as a section of the orchestra, creating an elegant vocal texture and backdrop to the viola's haunting solo lines. The work was premiered in October 1925 by the violist Lionel Tertis, singers from the RCM, and the Queen's Hall Orchestra, directed by Sir Henry Wood.

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.

This is a groundbreaking study of the prestigious Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics during the Third Reich. Making extensive use of archival material, including some discussed here for the very first time, Fritz Tr mpi offers new insight into the orchestras' place in the larger political constellation. Tr mpi looks first at the decades preceding National Socialist rule, when the competing orchestras, whose rivalry mirrored a larger rivalry between Berlin and Vienna, were called on to represent "superior" Austro-German music and were integrated into the administrative and social structures of their respective cities becoming vulnerable to political manipulation in the process. He then turns to the Nazi period, when the orchestras came to play a major role. As he shows, each philharmonic, in its own unique way, became a tool of soft power by showcasing Germanic culture through the mass media, performances for troops and the general public, and fictional representations in literature and film. Accompanying these propaganda efforts was an increasing radicalization of the orchestras, which ranged from the dismissal of Jewish members to the programming of ideologically appropriate repertory all in the name of racial and cultural purity. Richly documented and refreshingly nuanced, The Political Orchestra is a bold exploration of the ties between music and politics under fascism.

Widely considered a classic, Beyond Talent is the "go to" guide for musicians. This newly revised and updated 3rd edition cracks the code of how to build a creatively fulfilling career in music. With key insights into the mindset issues that often plague musicians, veteran career coach Angela Myles Beeching provides a wealth of strategies, examples, and real-world solutions. Step-by-step instructions detail how to design promotional materials, book performances, fund your projects, and cultivate a community of support so you can manage your career like a pro-without losing your soul. And this edition goes further: it unpacks how to deal head on with the typical "inner" challenges musicians face. From getting past perfectionism and fear, to sustaining motivation, finding your artistic voice, managing projects, time, and money, and setting achievable goals. With her straight-shooting, energizing approach, Beeching presents a wealth of practical solutions to help musicians take charge of their careers and get past the obstacles that have held them back. Whether you're an emerging artist or a mid-career professional, this edition offers the inspiration to transform your music career journey so you can get more of your best work out into the world and finally become the artist you are meant to be. Includes a free downloadable companion workbook.

This beautifully illustrated reference is a guide to the history of music, instruments of the orchestra and the most influential classical composers. All sections of the orchestra are covered: strings, woodwind and brass, percussion, keyboards and the voice, as well as historical, rare and non-Western instruments. An authoritative guide to over 100 of the most famous classic composers then follows. From Bach to Xenakis all styles of compositions from medieval times to the present day are included. The fascinating lives of the great composers are detailed, the places where they lived and worked, scenes from their ballets or operas, and examples of original scripts. This comprehensively updated new edition is illustrated with over 1000 photographs and illustrations.

The popular "Unfinished" Symphony and Schubert's final symphonic creation are time-honored standards of the orchestral repertoire. This portable and inexpensive miniature version of both of these beloved works features the full scores in a high-quality edition that's perfect for classroom or concert hall use.