News & Views Friday, March 29, 2024

10!…9!…8!…7!… 31 December, 2011

As we gear up to celebrate the close of 2011, Stanton’s is still open today to serve your sheet music needs (but we’ll be closed tomorrow). You can always browse and shop on our website or contact us by email, although we won’t respond until next year…

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Stephen Foster – American Masterpieces: Choral Music 30 December, 2011

The National Endowment for the ArtsAmerican Masterpieces: Choral Music initiative is designed to celebrate our national musical heritage by highlighting significant American choral composers and their works of the past 250 years.  Stanton’s Sheet Music is proud to present this series highlighting the composers and their works featured in this groundbreaking project.

(from NEA.gov)
Although he wrote a few solo piano pieces in his short life, Stephen Foster (1826-1864) produced songs almost exclusively – over 200 of them. His simple, moving melodies have the distinct flavor of a bygone day and yet seem to stay fresh forever. They have such a timeless quality that many have assumed they were folk songs. Years after his tragic story became known – how he wrote most of his best songs in a period of ten years and died at age 38 with 37 cents in his pocket – he became a figure of American myth.

He was not, as legend has it, an untutored genius who dashed off miracles of melody in flashes of divine inspiration. He came from a solid middle-class family in Pennsylvania where he was schooled in private academies, had some formal music study, and labored long hours over his scores, often agonizing over the minutest details. This is not to say he was not precocious: his first song, “Open Thy Lattice Love,” was published when he was 18. He was 20 when he had his first hit, “Oh! Susanna,” although he realized only $100 for it. The absence of enforceable copyright for his songs meant royalties were rare.

“Old Folks at Home” (also known as “Swanee River”) was the biggest success of his lifetime. It was felt that this was the definitive lyrical expression of longing for the Old South, and yet, Foster had been there only briefly, once, on his honeymoon. Scores of other heartfelt songs, including “Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming,” “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” “Hard Times Come Again No More,” “Camptown Races,” and “Beautiful Dreamer” continue to touch listeners in their original versions and in countless fine choral arrangements.

Selected Works:
A Stephen Foster Medley
Beautiful Dreamer
Camptown Races
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Hard Times Come Again No More
Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair
Three Portraits by Stephen Foster

For more distinguished choral repertoire suggestions, please contact us.

Freddie the Frog and the Flying Jazz Kitten 29 December, 2011

Many of you may already be familiar with the “Freddie the Frog” classroom music resources created by Sharon Burch, so you’ll hopefully be as excited as we are that the 5th Freddie Adventure is NOW AVAILABLE:

Freddie the Frog and the Flying Jazz Kitten
Freddie the Frog finds adventure again when some cool jazz cats fly their plane to Treble Clef Island to pick up a new horn. With the help of the Flying Jazz Kitten and a swingin’ beat, Freddie becomes a jazz sensation. Freddie the Frog and the Flying Jazz Kitten introduces children to jazz through interactive scat. The enclosed audio CD includes the dramatized story, sing-along songs and an instrumental blues track to create your own special scat. Recommended for ages 4-9.

For more information on Freddie and his friends, check out his website, or contact Stanton’s!

Dream Theater**A Dramatic Turn of Events 28 December, 2011

Judging from the orders pouring into Stanton’s Sheet Music for Dream Theater’s latest album, “A Dramatic Turn of Events”, this  is their most popular album yet.  From December 16, 2011 to today, December 28, we have already sold 33 copies of the Keyboard Transcription/Vocal book, catalog number 38966, price $22.99.  We have reserved 22 copies of the guitar book, catalog number 39005, price $24.99.  Please note that the guitar book is not off the press yet, but we expect it in mid-January. The orders have come from the USA and from Europe.  If you would like to order one of these books, please call long distance at 800-42-MUSIC, call locally at 224-4257, email us at greatservice@stantons.com, or check out our website, www.stantons.com.

Get Ready for School Musicals! 28 December, 2011

If your school/organization is putting on a musical this spring and you’re not ALREADY planning it–it’s certainly time to get started. But what kind of musical is right for your situation? Check our handy “cheat sheet” to find out:

High School or Community Theater Groups: You will likely require a traditional, full-length musical which must be contracted with a musical licensing company–check our previous blog for all the details.

Junior High/Middle Schools: Depending on the ability/requirements of your students and your budget, you may choose to do a full-length licensed musical, a Broadway Junior production or a 4-8 Classroom Musical. All of these options vary in difficulty, duration and cost, so you should be able to find one to fit your needs.

Elementary Schools: Your best bet is probably the traditional Classroom Musical for either K-4 or 4-8. If you want a more elaborate production, try one of the “Disney Kids” programs that are part of the Broadway Junior line-up.

Stanton’s can help you with either preview materials or vocal collections for any of these types of musicals–just contact us to help with your planning!

Stanton’s “21-Day Trial” Program 27 December, 2011

Did you know that you can preview music from Stanton’s before you decide to buy? We know that it’s difficult to tell if a particular piece of music will fit your needs without actually reading it through, so similar to checking things out from a library, you can “borrow” resources from our store using the “21 Day Trial” program!

Each of Stanton’s departments has slightly different guidelines about what/how many items can be sent on “21 Day Trial,” but in general we can send printed sheet music that is currently in stock. You can request items for trial by phone, email, fax, online or in person—any of the ways that you can place a regular order—but make sure that you specify “21 Day Trial.” You can list the music you’d like to peruse, or you can give us some specifications (like “Christmas piano solos,” “SSA choral music on the theme of friendship,” or “new publications for 8th grade jazz band”) and Stanton’s knowledgeable staff will find some suggestions for you!

Sacred product 14We require account or credit card information so that if you choose to keep the music we can charge you accordingly, or return the music within 21 days of your invoice date and you’ll never be charged! (You’ll just have to pay return shipping to get the music back to us.)

As you return from Winter break and begin programming the rest of your school or church year, remember that Stanton’s Sheet Music is here to help!

The 34th Kennedy Center Honors Airs Tomorrow 26 December, 2011

The 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors airs tomorrow night on CBS.  The 2011 honorees feature four musicians – singer Barbara Cook, singer/songwriter Neil Diamond, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and legendary jazz saxophonist/composer Sonny Rollins – making this a broadcast no musician or music educator should miss.

From the Kennedy Center website, “This year, the Kennedy Center celebrates its 40th anniversary by selecting five extraordinary individuals whose collective artistry has contributed significantly to the cultural life of our nation and the world,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. “With her sublime voice and rich performances, Barbara Cook has defined all that is best and brightest in the Great American Songbook. Neil Diamond’s songwriting genius has created one of the most enduring catalogs of American popular music and his live performances have captivated audiences for five decades. Yo-Yo Ma’s sterling musicianship makes him one of the most versatile and popular classical music performers in the world and his Silk Road Project has inspired students across the world to love and honor music. Saxophonist Sonny Rollins’ masterful improvisation and powerful presence have infused the truly American art form of jazz with passion and energy.”

In addition to all the pomp and pageantry, the broadcast is sure to feature some top-notch musical tribute performances.  Visit Stantons.com and our digital delivery site for music by and for each of these performers, and don’t forget to tune in or set your DVR!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 24 December, 2011

Merry Christmas Stanton’s fans! We are still open today–Dec 24th–for your last minute sheet music needs. You can browse and shop anytime on our website, and we’ll process and ship your orders on Tuesday when UPS resumes service.

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Norman Luboff – American Masterpieces: Choral Music 23 December, 2011

The National Endowment for the ArtsAmerican Masterpieces: Choral Music initiative is designed to celebrate our national musical heritage by highlighting significant American choral composers and their works of the past 250 years.  Stanton’s Sheet Music is proud to present this series highlighting the composers and their works featured in this groundbreaking project.

(from NEA.gov)
The days are gone when association with Hollywood and popular culture was a mark against the “serious” musician: the great Wagnerian soprano Helen Traubel’s career at the Met in the 1950s, for example, was doomed after she dared to sing at a night club on an off night.

Perhaps something of the same was suffered by Norman Luboff (1917-1987), one of America’s great choral directors and arrangers, who dared to make much of his living working in the popular culture media of his era. And maybe that is why today he is being reassessed and newly appreciated for the sterling musician he was, and for his enormous contributions to American choral music.

Luboff was born in Chicago and studied at the University of Chicago and Central College, doing graduate work with Leo Sowerby. He put himself through school by singing and composing for local radio stations. He moved to New York City hoping to make a career in radio music, then was lured to Hollywood to direct choral music for a popular national radio show, The Railroad Hour.

Soon he was scoring for early television programs and for more than 80 Hollywood films. His Norman Luboff Choir recorded more than 75 albums over a period of 25 years, sometimes featuring solos by singers such as Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, and Jo Stafford. He took pains also to record classical choral music from the Renaissance to recent times as well; these recordings, however, did not receive the critical attention they deserved.

One of his most important legacies is his prolific output of engaging and accessible folk song arrangements, which helped preserve these beloved melodies from generation to generation. His vast and invaluable collection of scores and memorabilia was donated to the Library of Congress in 1993.

Selected Works:
A Capital Ship
All Through the Night
A-Roving
Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair
Dixie
Riders in the Sky
Skip to My Lou
Vigolin
Whoopee Ti Yi Yo
Yellow Bird

For more distinguished choral repertoire suggestions, please contact us.

Expressive Techniques for Orchestra 22 December, 2011

We don’t usually get very excited about string class technique books, but a new one has come out that has really caught our attention!

The name Sandra Dackow has been associated with outstanding string and full orchestra arrangements for decades.  If her name is on an arrangement, you can count on it being pedagogically sound, true to the original piece, and immensely programmable.  She now offers her expertise in an exciting new way – as co-author, with Kathleen DeBerry Brungard, Michael Alexander and Gerald E. Anderson, of an amazingly thorough high school string class technique book – Expressive Techniques for Orchestra.  This book covers areas never explored by technique books in the past.  It naturally includes standard and solid string pedagogy as well, but its originality sets it apart.

To start with, inside the front cover are arm and finger stretching exercises designed specifically for string players to warm the muscles for the physical contortions players encounter when asking their bodies to play their instrument.  The first page jumps right into String Calisthenics which include finger patterns in not only major and minor scale patterns, but also Lydian, augmented and diminished patterns, which not only exercise the fingers, but the ears as well.  Various bowings are then explored and some basic shifting which involves reading various clefs.  Viola and bass get some work in treble clef, cellos get tenor clef, and – hold on to your hat! – the violins actually get introduced to alto clef as well as 8va reading.  If you have students that plan to go on in music, the violinists will need to learn alto clef at some point, and this is the perfect introduction!

The book proceeds with rhythm studies and chorales in six major and six minor keys.  Natural harmonics are then explored leading into an extensive section on shifting using various finger patterns in various positions, which are then incorporated in well know melodies from classic and folk repertoire.  Same finger shifts as well as lower to higher finger and higher to lower finger shifts are drilled.  Cellos and basses have some thumb position work too.

On to scales – two and three octave scales and arpeggios in major and minor keys, stepwise and in thirds with solid fingerings and notated shifts, but otherwise very cleanly printed.  The last several pages are then devoted to short history lessons in the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, each with a string-relevant piece that could even be programmed at a concert – selections from “Messiah” for the Baroque, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusic” for the Classical and “St. Paul’s Suite” for the Romantic.  First and Second violin parts are included in the violin book, so the correlating pages in the viola, cello and bass books include some instrument specific literature with which every player should become familiar.

The inside of the back cover isn’t wasted – it includes a chart showing what to look for when sight-reading – identifying various marking (time and key signatures, tempi) and scanning the music for unique musical specifics (“roadmap” issues, key and tempo changes, dynamics, expressive bowings etc.)  Also printed on the inside of the back cover is a picture of a piano keyboard to help in any music theory questions that might come up in the course of the book.

Now you can see why we are so impressed with this new addition to the repertoire!  We don’t think you will ever find a more extensive string technique book than this one.  We highly recommend that you check it out at your earliest opportunity.

Happy Hanukkah! 21 December, 2011

Tonight marks the first night of Hanukkah! Stanton’s is still open today to meet all your sheet music needs. If you need to brush up on your Hanukkah history, check out this handy parody:

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Glee Season 2, Volume 6 20 December, 2011

The music of Glee,  Season Two is now available for easy piano.  If you have a youngster in the early grades of piano study, and he/she loves Glee, this could keep your youngster interested and engaged in piano playing.  Eighteen songs from the popular series are included in this collection, from  “Bella Note”  to  ”Born This Way”.   For the Glee lover, this has what you want!  Also now available is the collection for Vocal/Piano/Guitar for Glee Season 2, Volume 6.   For more information about these or other Glee collections, call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or locally at 224-4257,  email us at greatservice.com, or visit our website at www.stantons.com.

WOW Hits 2011 19 December, 2011

Here is a songbook of thirty hits from 2011, hot off the press.  From “Beautiful Beautiful”  by Francesca Battistelli to “Your Love is a Song”  by Switchfoot WOW Hits 2011 contains the best of today’s Christian artists.  Written in medium ranges with intermediate to advanced piano accompaniments, these songs are sure to please whether you sing at home for fun, or in church.  For more information about this book or other sacred/praise songbooks, call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC, email us or check out our website.

River Flows in You-Yiruma 17 December, 2011

Ever since “River Flows in You” by Yiruma has been heard on youtube, people have called us  asking for the sheet music.  In July of 2011, the piano solo came out, and now the easy piano arrangement is off the press!  The melody sounds very like a river flowing, what with its sixteenth notes rising and falling.  If you have been looking for this tune, we have it for you.  You can call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or locally at 224-4257, visit our website at stantons.com, or email us at greatservice@stantons.com.

Vandoren and Vandojazz Etude and Exercise Books for Saxophone 16 December, 2011

Celebrating the 2007 launch of the Vandojazz line, reed and saxophone accessory manufacturer Vandoren teamed up with music publisher Carl Fischer and ten of the finest jazz saxophonists in the world who use and endorse Vandoren products to produce a one-of-a-kind jazz etude and exercise book.  In the manner of the Vandojazz Etude and Exercise Book for Saxophone, Vandoren and Carl Fischer have joined forces once again along with ten Vandoren endorsed classical saxophonists to produce another unique etude and exercise book, this time from the classical point-of-view.  Each of these master saxophonists shares their own specific approach to playing the saxophone.

The Vandojazz Etude and Exercise Book for Saxophone features etudes to improve improvisation, technique, lyricism, and overall musicianship on the horn, and includes descriptions of the exercises, as well as philosophical explanations from world-renowned players including Don Aliquo, Frank Catalano, Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band; Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), Denis DiBlasio, Gary Foster, and more. 

The Vandoren Etude and Exercise Book for Saxophone features specific approaches and exercises to develop tone, technique, and overall mastery of the saxophone from world-renowned classical saxophonists including James Bunte, Claude Delangle, Otis Murphy, Neal Ramsey, and more. 

Valuable for their individual insights alone, these once-in-a-lifetime collections will be great additions to your library, and make great holiday gifts.  They are available for order via Stantons.com, or add them to your wish list!

New OMEA Required Concert Band Preview #4 - High School Class C 15 December, 2011

This last preview of the new required pieces on the OMEA high school concert band lists features the new Class C titles. After the holidays we will preview the new required pieces for junior high/middle school band, and Stanton's recommendations for the best new marches. You can view and listen to the complete OMEA required concert band lists by clicking on the OMEA Required Music Lists option on our concert band webpage, and selecting the list you wish to view. We hope you find this preview to be useful, and look forward to helping you plan a successful contest program.


New OMEA Class C Required Selections

Beyond the Clouds -Chandler Comer
A heroic and expansive overture that, as its title implies, sails far and wide in its pursuit of musical excellence. Proud brasses, sweeping woodwinds, and energetic percussion writing offer splendid interest for all players, and combine for a fresh, well-balanced and inspiring musical experience.

Joy Revisited - Frank Ticheli
(from the publisher notes) Joy Revisited, and its companion piece, Joy, are the results of an experiment I have wanted to try for many years: the creation of two works using the same general melodic and expressive content...Despite some differences between the two works, both come from the same essential cut of cloth, both were composed more or less simultaneously, and both were born out of the same source of inspiration. In short, Joy and Joy Revisited serve as two expressions of the feelings experienced by one expectant father (who happens also to be a composer) on one wonderfully anxious and exciting day.

Nevermore - Brian Balmages
This truly distinctive work brings the eerie story of Poe’s The Raven to programmatic musical life. Filled with intriguing contemporary effects, unsettling dissonances, and haunting piano nuances, we follow the slow descent into madness as it takes its toll. A welcome & refreshing dramatic alternative, it will thoroughly engage your students and audience.

A Scottish Portrait - James Swearingen
Three of Scotland’s finest musical tartans dress up this splendid suite, showcasing the varied moods & contrasting spirits of an ageless realm. From the lighthearted dances & whimsical folk tunes that skip across the lochs, to the far-off drone of the bagpipes, to a truly inspired lyrical chorale treatment of Scotland the Brave, this portrait is rich with color & heritage.

Symphonic Overture - Charles Carter
(from the publisher notes) Charles Carter is a pioneer of school band music, and this classic work of his is on the required music lists across most of the United States. With a fresh new recording this year, band directors will remember that you can't go wrong with a classic.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone (1-800-426-8742). Don't forget to order your judges' scores - ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print). Keep following the Stanton's blog for our remaining concert band previews.

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie 14 December, 2011

Glee’s popularity continues!  This song book includes two dozen tunes from Glee’s first two seasons as performed in “Glee, The 3D Concert Movie”.  If you loved the movie, you will love to own the book and sing the songs.  For this book or other Glee songbooks, call us at 1-800-72-MUSIC or 224-4257, extension 3, locally.  You may also check out our website, www.stantons.com.

New Advanced Charts from Belwin Jazz 13 December, 2011

When you need some new material for your advanced jazz ensemble, “The Jazz Guy” suggests that you reach for one of these new pieces from Belwin Jazz:

BEGIN THE BEQUINE
arr. Mike Crotty, Premier Jazz Series Gr.4
Saw the title, wasn’t excited. Heard the chart… IT’S FANTASTIC! This is a tenor sax feature, arranged for “The Airmen of Note,” as a ballad moving into a straight-eighth groove at around 160 BPM. There are some great solis with tight harmonies, lush chords in the introduction and interesting lines all through this exciting chart!

PEACEFUL THUNDER
arr. George Stone, Premier Jazz Series Gr.5
This Louis Bellson chart is a swinger with a samba bridge that will challenge the band. Features include solo space for tenor, trumpet and obviously, drums!

For more great ideas, contact us!

Super Mario Bros. Piano Sheet Music has Arrived! 12 December, 2011

If you are a video game fanatic, you will know the music of Super Mario Bros. games.  The theme of the game, “Super Mario Bros. Ground Background Music” was developed by Koji Kondo, and it proved to be a difficult track to compose.  Now, it has been recognized worldwide with its calypso rhythm by even those who don’t play the game.  For the first time, you can now buy the officially licensed collectible sheet music of Super Mario Bros. video game series.  With 34 note-for-note transcriptions, the intermediate advanced edition of “Super Mario Series for Piano” is sure to be enjoyed. The easy piano folio “Super Mario Series for Easy Piano” also contains 34 piano pieces from the beloved Super Mario Bros. games that have been simplified from the original compositions. You will be sure to impress your family and friends by playing these pieces!

Here We Come A-Wassailing! 10 December, 2011

Need a last-minute solution for a Holiday Concert? Are you headed out for some Christmas Caroling? Even with limited rehearsal time, you're sure to find something for your group in one of these collections:

The new SATB collection Sing a Merry Christmas by John Leavitt is perfect for many performance occasions. The tasteful and creative arrangements exemplify Leavitt's choral expertise. Whether you're caroling door-to-door or looking for tasteful a cappella arrangements for your concert, this is a sure-fire winner.

The Christmas Caroling Songbook contains 50 well-known carols arranged for any combination of voices. Ideal for holiday sing-alongs, community or family get-togethers, or house-to-house singing, this collection makes it simple to have a successful caroling experience.

For younger groups, the 3-part mixed collection A-Caroling We Go is a perfect choice. Ten carol favorites are arranged in easy-to-sing a cappella settings, each with a special choral introduction and coda. Also available for SSA voices.

Contact us for more choral collections for Christmas!

Christmas Jazz Play-Alongs to Make Your Spirits Bright 09 December, 2011

The selection of Christmas jazz play-alongs is better than ever!  They make great gifts for the instrumental ‘jazz head' in your family, are a fun approach to Christmas songs for people who play for recreation, and work really well for Christmas jazz gigs and social events this time of year.

Two new Christmas play-alongs are available.  A Jazzy Christmas is the third Christmas volume from jazz play-along originator, Jamey Aebersold.  It features many popular Christmas songs including Frosty the Snowman, Here Comes Santa Claus, Over the River and Through the Woods, Snowfall, and more.  The other, from Hal Leonard, is the Big Christmas Collection featuring 2 play-along CDs and 16 popular titles including Baby It's Cold Outside, Holly Jolly Christmas, It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, and more.

Other fantastic options include Jazz Holiday Classics and Christmas Carol Classics from Jamey Aebersold, and A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Jazz, and Yuletide Jazz from Hal Leonard.  Ideal for the jazz gig and loaded with lead sheets for 150 Christmas tunes is the Real Christmas Book.  Published in the format and style of the original Real Books, the Real Christmas Book is now available in transposed editions for Bb, Eb, and Bass Clef, and 3 volumes of play-along CDs are also available separately.

You can order these titles via Stantons.com, or by phone.  The Stanton's Staff wishes you a Jazz-filled Christmas, and a Swingin' New Year!!

Christian Hits 08 December, 2011

Christian Hits is right off the press! From Stephen Curtis Chapman’s “I Will Be Here”, released in 1989, to Laura Story’s recent hit, “Blessings”, this collection contains forty hits by today’s top Christian artists. “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe, “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin, “In Christ Alone” by Newsboys are included here, plus more. If you are part of a praise team, or if you love these songs, this is a valuable resource. Look for this book on our web site, stantons.com. For more information, call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or locally at 224-4257.

Sacred Clinic in ONE MONTH! 07 December, 2011

We know that you’re busy with the hustle and bustle of the season, but when the holidays are over, plan to attend Stanton's Sacred Choral Clinic on Saturday, January 7th, 2012!

We will be featuring the best new choral publications for Lent, Easter and beyond, as chosen by Stanton's sacred choral staff. The clinic will be held in its usual place at the Battelle Fine Arts Center at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH.

Attending this clinic is a fantastic way for you to choose new church anthems for your choir by hearing the music read live. This January's clinicians will be Stanton's own Judy Henry and president emeritus Jim Strouse. Please feel free to contact Stanton's at 1-800-42-MUSIC and speak with a choral staff member for the details of the event. We look forward to seeing you at 8:30 for registration, coffee and doughnuts followed by a wonderful morning of singing!

New OMEA Required Concert Band Preview #3 - High School Class B 06 December, 2011

This latest preview of the new required pieces on the OMEA concert band lists features new titles on the High School Class B list.  Next week we will preview the new required titles for High School Class C, with new required pieces for junior high/middle school and Stanton's recommendations for the best new marches following after the holidays.  You can view and listen to the complete OMEA required concert band lists by clicking on the OMEA Required Music Lists option on our concert band webpage, and selecting the list you wish to view.  We hope you find this preview to be useful, and look forward to helping you plan a successful contest program.


New OMEA Class B Required Selections

Foundry - John Mackey
Bold, rhythmic, and contemporary, Foundry sounds like the sonic incarnation of its title - imagine the forging of iron weaponry for a Lord of the Rings-style epic battle.  From the composer's blog – “Wouldn't it be cool, as a percussionist, when you first realized that playing percussion wasn't just hitting a snare drum or playing a glockenspiel, but it also meant finding non-traditional instruments like trash cans and brake drums? Why not write the piece that could be the first to expose young percussionists to this concept?”  This is what AEJ said to me probably two years ago. Thanks to her idea, and Facebook, I have a new piece: “Foundry,” for concert band with “found” percussion.

Proclamations - Rob Romeyn
A magnificent way to open or close your special concert. The celebration begins with sparkling woodwinds dancing above towering pillars of brass & percussion, setting the stage for the lush and varied chorales which become the heart of the work. Interspersed within them, an impressive range of styles & character, colors and emotions, from fanfares to songlike melodies to joyous revelry, each as fresh & charming as they are unique. Powerful and inspirational.

Song of Loudest Praise - Andrew Boysen
(from the publisher notes) This diverse selection has something for everyone. The delicate, sweet melody of the opening has a music-box quality to it, but before long, the piece transforms itself into something heroic and spirited, building to a mighty roar. In the end, the crystalline textures of the opening reappear to bring the work to a gentle close.

Songs from the Heartland - Mikkelson/Galvin/Roberts/Sze
Daniel Decatur Emmett (b. 1815, Mt. Vernon, OH) made a name for himself in minstrel shows, circus bands, and the U.S. Army. Along the way, he composed songs that would become integral to the fabric of America’s folk music heritage. Featured in this homespun medley are Old Dan Tucker, The Boatman’s Dance, and the historical milestone Dixie.

Windjammer - Robert Buckley
Windjammers were the last of the great sailing tall ships, and this piece from the pen of Robert Buckley captures the majesty and excitement of these amazing vessels. The voyage begins announced by three solo trumpets surrounding the audience and bouncing musical phrases off one another. The sails are raised, the ship is underway, and the audience is taken on a colorful and exciting musical voyage. This is effective and skillfully scored programmatic music at its best.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone (1-800-426-8742).  Don't forget to order your judges' scores - ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print).  Keep following the Stanton's blog for our remaining concert band previews.

Anthology of Children's Songs 05 December, 2011

Anthology of Children’s Songs is a collection of 100 children’s songs to delight children, parents and elementary music teachers!  There are folk songs including  ”Buffalo Gals” ,  Disney tunes including “Whistle While You Work” and “Be Our Guest”, children’s songs including “Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?”,  TV songs including “The Addams Family Theme”, Broadway songs including “Edelweiss” and pop songs including “Purple People Eater”. Â You can view the complete table of contents on our website. You may also call us at 1-800-426-8742 for more information about this collection. If you have children or teach young children, this is a great book to have at hand!

MORE New Music for Advanced Jazz Ensemble 03 December, 2011

Stanton’s “Jazz Guy” recommends any of these challenging new charts for your advanced jazz ensemble:

LIFEBLOOD
Rick Hirsch, Jazz Ensemble Series Gr.5
Stanton’s Sheet Music is now distributing the music of writer, Rick Hirsch. This chart is a lovely, programmatic piece with a light ethereal feeling. Written for five flugelhorns throughout, this is a great chart for your tenor sax soloist to stretch out a bit.

BODYSNATCHERS
arr. Fred strum, Radiohead Jazz Project Gr.4
One of the coolest new things out there this year comes from Sierra Music Publications. It’s called the Radiohead Jazz Project, featuring incredible arrangements of music of the band Radiohead from all of the top writers represented by Sierra. See and listen to the entire listing by going to www.stantons.com and typing Radiohead Jazz Project into the keyword field in the Advanced Search.

AS IT IS
arr. Bob Curnow, Pat Metheny Series Gr.5
Pat Metheny’s music lends itself to the big band genre and Bob Curnow has proven to be a master of doing just that. This a a multi-meter work with an inspiring, uplifting theme that repeats and crescendos to a powerful and affirming ending. Big, expansive tenor sax solo!

Contact us for more great ideas!

Leonard Bernstein's Peter Pan 02 December, 2011

In 1950, Leonard Bernstein wrote songs and incidental music for J M Barrie’s play “Peter Pan”, which opened on Broadway on April 24, 1950. There had been six previous Broadway productions of this popular story between 1905 and 1928, so this was the seventh and newest telling of the story.  The tour was cancelled mid-run, and Bernstein’s music for it was largely forgotten, overshadowed by the  1954 “Peter Pan”, the music for which was written by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne, and  starred Mary Martin as Peter Pan.  In 2001, the conductor Alexander Frey approached the Leonard Bernstein Office with the proposal to record Bernstein’s score for the 1950 “Peter Pan”.  The recording proved to be a success.  Here is the collection of vocal selections for Bernstein’s “Peter Pan”, available for the first time in recent memory.  If you have heard the recording, you will be delighted with these vocal selections.  If you have not, it will be worth giving  the recording a listen!  For the table of contents, see our website at stantons.com, or call us at 1-800-42- MUSIC  for more information.

Improve Your Band with These Recommended Warm-up Tools 01 December, 2011

With concert band season fully underway, the band staff at Stanton's would like to recommend the following warm-up tools to help your band grow and improve:

Classic Chorales for Band by James Swearingen – Over the years, band directors from around the world have expressed appreciation for the many teaching opportunities that have resulted from using James Swearingen’s First Chorales for Band.  Now, sixteen of his all-time favorite hymns have been added to a brand new collection that will further enhance the value of using quality chorales as part of your daily warm-ups.  Classic Chorales for Band includes sixteen warm-up chorales in eight major and relative minor keys, is skillfully designed to be playable by any size group, includes inspirational quotes with each chorale, and features a comprehensive list of musical terms, rehearsal suggestions, and performance tips.

Five Progressive Chorales for Developing Bands by Brian Balmages – This set of chorales was written to embrace a wide range of musical concepts, allowing directors multiple opportunities for working on ensemble sound, intonation, and phrasing.  Each chorale includes various tempo and dynamic markings, while additional elements, such as fermatas, are introduced throughout.  These chorales will work in a variety of situations - from beginning band (the first chorales use only 6 notes) to accomplished middle school groups.  Two mallet parts are included - an easier part and a more advanced part that includes multiple notes and rolls.  In addition, an auxiliary percussion part is included so students may secure proper techniques on triangle, suspended cymbal, and crash cymbals.  Finally, the piano part is useful for directors wishing to either supplement the ensemble or assist during singing.

Refining the March Style by Larry Clark – Improve your band’s march performance and concept with these 10 exercises/lessons designed to develop and reinforce characteristic march-style elements including specific patterns, phrases, rhythms, and articulations within familiar, stylistically harmonized scale patterns.

Warm-up Fundamentals by Gregg Gausline and Brian Balmages – A daily ensemble routine in a practical format!  Warm-up Fundamentals was conceived as a tool for directors to use as part of a daily ensemble routine.  It covers important fundamental concepts such as breathing, long tones, interval slurs, articulation, flexibility, chords, and chorales.  Each section breaks concepts down to their most fundamental elements before integrating them together.  This gradual approach to the ensemble warm-up helps extend the practical applications of these exercises well into rehearsals and performances.  Each instrument part fits on one folded piece of paper, so it’s extremely practical in size and can fit easily inside a folder without issue.  These warm-ups are also ideal for guest conducting appearances such as honor bands, where conductors need to achieve a uniform sound in a short amount of time.

Visit our concert band page for listings of other band warm-up sets, as well as chorale, technique, rhythm studies, and comprehensive warm-up series.