News
Recital Music plus... TERMS & CONDITIONS
Recital Music plus... is a new initiative to allow greater freedom to purchasers of string orchestra sets.
a) Each publication includes a score and one copy of each individual part (to indicate the correct page layout and page turns) and a licence to make as many copies of the individual parts for your own needs and for as long as the copy exists.
b) Recital Music understands the need for orchestras to make extra copies, often at short notice, and Recital Music plus... is in direct response to the many conductors and orchestral managers who have contacted us about this particular problem.
c) Full scores are not included as part of this licence and extra scores are available from Recital Music. The licence does not allow for copies of the score or parts to be made for other orchestras or ensembles.
Please contact Recital Music (doublebass@tiscali.co.uk) if you have any questions.
Recital Music has just launched the 2011 Composition Competition for Double Bass and details are available on the 2010/11 Competition page.
Katrina Gordon's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra [RM423] was premiered on 21 August 2010 by Ross Montgomery and the Highland Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Susan Dingle.
Described as "vibrant", "full of melody and pathos" and with "a catchy motif that the audience were humming over their interval refreshments", it was a great success and is newly published by Recital Music. There are talks about a possible recording, and two editions for string accompaniment or piano accompaniment are in preparation.
Bottesini's Passione Amorosa for 2 double basses and piano has become a firm concert favourite in recent years and now exists in a number of editions and publications. Recital Music is preparing a new edition with an accompaniment by the English film composer, Ernest Irving. Written in the mid-1920's for the bassist Victor Watson, it has remained in manuscript for over 80 years, but was performed a number of times between the 1920s and 1970s. A modern 'premiere' is planned and details will be announced when all details are confirmed.
American bassist and teacher Miriam Chong has long been a supporter of Recital Music, and also performs and teaches a wide and eclectic range of solo repertoire. A recent recital on 29 June 2010 at the 17th Annual Hammond Ashley Memorial Double Bass Workshop (USA) featured six works published by Recital Music. An impressive programme of solo and ensemble works was carefully chosen to demonstrate that 'modern' music can be both challenging and accessible, playable and intriguing, and Miriam was joined by Matt Heller (Db), Anna Doak (Db) and Robin Watson (Pno).
Tony Osborne's Aria & Choros Brasileiros (Db/Pno) opened the recital followed by three lively and atmospheric ensembles by John Alexander - bass cleft (2Db), smile off-line (3Db) and blue patches (3Db). Two works after the intermission, both by Tony Osborne, also received their US premieres. St Kilda (Db/Pno) is a set of four wonderfully evocative miniature tone-poems ( to be published in 2011) and Sir John - His Gig (2Db) is a lively and jazzy three-movement pizzicato work dedicated to the memory of Sir John Dankworth, and composed in February 2010.
Miriam's informative and very readable programme notes added to the enjoyment of this unique and compelling recital.
One audience member from Britain and visiting friends in Seattle and whose son was at the bass camp, commented about 'the very beautiful St Kilda Suite which I thought was the best piece in the programme, so evocative, so honest.'
David Heyes' recent arrangement of Erbarme Dich from J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion is included on a new CD, released in June 2010. Commissioned by saxophonist Ed Leaker for his new ensemble BLAZE, this arrangement for Saxophone and String Quartet has been performed many times over the past few months. The CD was released on the EL label (ELCD001) and copies are available from www.edwardleaker.com
Please contact Recital Music if you are interested to buy a copy of the new arrangement.
When is a work by Bottesini not by Bottesini? When it is an arrangement...
Did you know that Bottesini's Une Bouche Aimée for Soprano, Double Bass and Piano is originally for Soprano, Cello and Piano and was composed by another composer living in London in the early 1870s? A manuscript exists in the Bottesini archives, in Bottesini's hand, but it makes no mention that this is an arrangement, although the vocal text may be by Bottesini or an unknown author. The piece exists in at least two publications but neither mention that Bottesini was the arranger and not the composer.
The original version has an English text, based on lines from the 'Song of Solomon', and an early publication states that the song was composed sometime between '1st May 1871, and the 31st December, 1872.' For more details contact doublebass@tiscali.co.uk
Young bassist Oscar Howe gave the world premiere of Tony Osborne's Walkabout for double bass and piano on Friday 9 July 2010 at the Music Assembly at Butleigh Village School in Somerset. Written for open strings only, the premiere was such a success with the capacity audience that they demanded a second performance! Well done, Oscar.
The Silk Road Concerto for Double Bass and String Orchestra is Tony Osborne's most recent work for double bass. It was commissioned by David Heyes, to celebrate his 50th birthday later in 2010, alongside generous funding from Dan Styffe (Norway), Miriam Chong (USA) and Ben Groenevelt (UK).
Tony Osborne writes: "The Silk Road has captivated the imagination of countless people the world over for many centuries, embracing a vast history, geographical breadth and cultural diversity, and probably the most important trading route, from the Far East to Europe, and beyond - indeed influencing the entire world in one way or another.
The Silk Road was, in fact, many interconnected routes, covering areas from China to Java through India, Persia, the Caucasus, Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean.
The work is rhapsodic in nature, adhering to no formal structure. It does not attempt to follow the entire rout, or describe day-to-day activities. Rather, it is intended to create an overall sense, or atmosphere: exotic, sometimes mysterious, other times exuberant."
Tony Osborne is three-quarters of the way through his 'The Four Jazz Seasons' project. Scored for solo double bass, string orchestra and optional harpsichord, each concerto is in three short movements and offer new and exciting music for the advanced bassist. Tony Osborne is a past master at writing lively, jazzy and accessible music for double bass and these concertos can be performed singly (c.12-15 minutes each) or as a four-part suite.
Summer will be premiered with orchestra on 12 March 2011 at St. Bartholomew's Church in Bath (UK) by David Heyes (double bass) with the Argyll Strings. Contact doublebass@tiscali.co.uk for more details. The concert also features Seasons by Vivaldi and Piazolla.
Tony Osborne has recently started work on Winter and a performance is planned towards the end of 2011.
Recital Music has just launched a new Song Writing Competition. This exciting new project aims to create a wealth of new vocal music for singers of all ages and abilities, and to inspire composers to create new songs to an eclectic range of texts. Details are available on the 2010 Competition page.
BassLines is a new initiative for double bass by David Heyes and Recital Music, to create a new, exciting and accessible repertoire for bassists in the earliest stages of study.
The introduction of the mini-bass in the mid-1980s generated more interest and awareness in repertoire for beginners, particularly younger players, and a wealth of solo and ensemble material is now available. Recital Music has pursued a positive and pro-active policy of commissioning new music for double bass over the past two decades - works from 1 - 20 players and for every level of bassist, but this is the first time that Recital Music has focused particularly on music for beginners.
BassLines is supported by a number of composers in Britain, America, Finland, Canada and the Czech Republic. The first piece, by British composer Andrew Gustar, arrived by email barely 12 hours after the call for new repertoire, it was edited that evening and taught to 10-year old Chloe Hart the following day. The project aims to create a new and exciting repertoire for young bassists, in many styles and idioms, which will be published in a series of books in 2010.
The brief asked composers to each write two pieces for double bass and piano, with accompaniments playable by the average bass teacher.
1) a piece using open strings; pizzicato or arco; using crotchets and minims; some rests; 12-16 bars plus a short piano introduction
2) a piece for about Grade 1 level using a limited number of notes in First Position (open A / open D, E, F natural, F sharp / open G, A, B flat, B natural); using minims, crotchets and quavers; pizzicato or arco; some rests; 16-24 bars plus a short piano introduction
Although there were many restrictions on the composers the works received to date are excellent and will offer useful and accessible teaching or concert music for bassists in the earliest stages of study. Each composer has tackled the project in a different way and they have successfully managed to retain their own style or idiom even when writing for young players.
PIECES FOR OPEN STRINGS
ANDREW GUSTAR (UK) - Out at night... / Open String Blues
MARY RAE (USA) - Nice and Slow / By the Pond
MARK GODDARD (UK) - 12 Blue Bars
ARMAND RUSSELL (USA) - Spring Daydreams / Summer Sports (from 4 Easy Pieces for Double Bass & Piano)
JOHN ALEXANDER (UK) - My Grandad's Beard / Open March / The No.19 Bus
TONY OSBORNE (UK) - Walkabout / Bell Chorus
HOWARD JONES (UK) - Time Flies
KATRINA GORDON (UK) - Some Swing Special
JAMES S. TATE (UK) - The Mournful Princess
IAN DAVIES (UK) - March of the Ants
TEPPO HAUTA-AHO (Finland) - String of Pearls
GRADE 1-2 LEVEL PIECES
ARMAND RUSSELL (USA) - Autumn Moods / Winter Festival (from 4 Easy Pieces for Double Bass & Piano)
JAMES D'ANGELO (UK) - Waltz for Katharine
JOHN ALEXANDER (UK) - Dub-Step Waltz / Rugged Rock / Morning Ritual / Outing Cancelled
TONY OSBORNE (UK) - A Happy Song / A Special Occasion
HOWARD JONES (UK) - Caterpillars
ANDREW GUSTAR (UK) - Longing... / Waking Up
IAN DAVIES (UK) - Cat and Mouse / D-Light Blues
KATRINA GORDON (UK) - Feathered Friends - 12 Pieces for Beginner Bass & Piano - 1. Mrs Blackbird's Feathered Nest 2. The Patient Heron 3. Swan Swim 4. Gander's March 5. Flight of the Swallows 6. Twittering Sparrows 7. Penguin Parade 8. Circling Seagulls 9. The Lonely Albatross 10. Hungry Old Owl 11. Rooster Strut 12. Swirling Starlings
CHRISTINE DONKIN (Canada) - Ogre Dance / Evening Star / Romance / Masquerade Ball / Summer Day
Recital Music would be very happy to hear from any other composers who would be interested to write music for the BassLines project and the second stage is to create a new repertoire for grade 2-3 bassists. Please contact doublebass@tiscali.co.uk
DATES FOR THE DIARY...
2010 Frantisek Cerny - 150th anniversary of birth / Peter Lamb - 85th birthday / Karel Reiner - 100th anniversary of birth / Luigi Cherubini - 250th anniversary of birth / Bretislav Lvovsky - 100th anniversary of death / Frederick Chopin - 200th anniversary of birth / Robert Schumann - 200th anniversary of birth
2011 Recital Music - 25th year / Prague Conservatoire - 200th anniversary / Teppo Hauta-aho - 70th birthday / Humphrey Clucas - 70th birthday / Frank Bayford - 70th birthday / Judith Bailey - 70th birthday / Johann Svendsen - 100th anniversary of death
2012 J.M. Sperger - 200th anniversary of death / Frantisek Simandl - 100th anniversary of death / Jules Massenet - 100th anniversary of death / Frantisek Gregora - 125th anniversary of death / Max Dauthage - 150th anniversary of birth / Armand Russell - 80th birthday / John Alexander - 70th birthday
2013 Domenico Dragonetti - 250th anniversary of birth / David Ellis - 80th birthday / Bertram Turetzky - 80th birthday
2011 is significant for Recital Music as we celebrate our 25th year. A number of workshops and concerts are planned to feature a wide range of Recital Music publications, particularly works by Teppo Hauta-aho, Frank Bayford, Judith Bailey and Humphrey Clucas, who each celebrate significant birthdays that year.