News & Views Thursday, May 17, 2012

Attention Adults:  If you’ve ever wanted to learn to play the piano on your own…you should look at Alfred’s Self-Teaching Adult Piano Course.  Over the years, we have heard customers say that they would love to learn to play the piano, or that they wish to pick up the piano again but think it’s too late.  It’s never too late to start a new hobby or return to one of your favorite interests that will give you years of enjoyment and a new challenge in life!

Alfred’s Self-Teaching Adult Piano Course is a take-off from their Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course with the addition of study-guide pages.  These study-guide pages help the student to learn as if a piano teacher is sitting right beside them.  Also, the course includes a CD which helps you to hear how the music sounds.  Besides learning a new hobby, playing the piano can help to improve your memory, promote finger dexterity, relieve stress and make you the life of any party!

For more information on these or other piano materials, contact us!

Easter is drawing nigh!  If you need piano music for Palm Sunday and Holy Week that will help your congregation connect with the Divine  and enhance your worship services, this carefully crafted , advanced level suite arranged by Mark Hayes will be just the thing.  Palms and Passion Suite includes three pieces:  ”All Glory, Laud and Honor” is perfect for Palm Sunday.  “Let Us Break Bread Together” brings to mind the first communion at the Passover table earlier in the evening before Jesus was arrested.  “There is a Fountain” reminds us not only of the cross, but the redemptive work done there.  To inquire about this book or other Easter or sacred piano books, email us  at keyboard@stantons.com or contact the piano department at 1-800-224-4257, extension 3.

Nobody tells a story like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And nobody plays and sings a story like the TSO. The story in “Night Castle“  is  told to a seven-year-old girl on a beach at night.  The  teller comes from far away, and the story is set on at least two continents.   A  fantasy epic,  it speaks to the heart of loss, self-sacrificing love, evil deeds and redemption. 

The songs lend themselves to the piano,  and this collection of 36 pieces is written for intermediate to advanced piano.  If you love TSO,  this 240 page book will keep you happily occupied for hours!

 Now that Harry’s story has been told from start to finish on film, you can get the musical highlights from all eight movies in one book.  Arranged for intermediate to advanced piano, this collection of  piano sheet music from the Harry Potter film series includes pieces  from The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows Part 2.  Enjoy playing the soaring melody of “Hedwig’s Theme“,  recreate the unsettled feeling in “Courtyard Apocalypse”, or enjoy any of the 36 pieces included in this volume. Over the years it took to produce the eight epic films, four composers wrote for the film series: John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat. Eight pages of color stills from each movie are included in the front of the book.

Contact us for more information on this collection, or the wealth of other sheet music from the Harry Potter series!

This weekend, we celebrate the birthday of Lawrence Welk (3/11/1903-5/17/1992), American bandleader and accordion player, whose effervescent brand of “champagne music” was featured for more than 30 years on his successful show.

Welk, who was raised in a German-speaking hamlet in North Dakota, did not learn English until he was 21, developing an accent that would later contribute to his homespun appeal. From the age of 13, he earned money playing the accordion, and he later formed two groups, the Biggest Little Band in America and the Hotsy-Totsy Boys, before leading bands and orchestras, mainly in the Midwest.

Welk then moved to Los Angeles, where The Lawrence Welk Show, a program of band music with vocalists, dancers, and featured instrumental soloists, helped make him one of the wealthiest performers in show business. Welk was a demanding taskmaster dedicated to producing a nostalgic, wholesome show. He maintained a roster of musical regulars, including the Champagne Lady (vocalist Alice Lon) and the Lennon Sisters. When the network dropped the program, he contracted with more than 250 independent television stations in the United States and Canada to broadcast Memories with Lawrence Welk until 1982. From 1987 the program appeared on public television. Welk accumulated a vast real-estate empire and acquired royalty rights to 20,000 songs, including the entire body of Jerome Kern’s work. Welk titled his two autobiographies after his trademark phrases, Wunnerful, Wunnerful! (1971) and Ah-One, Ah-Two! (1974). (from Britannica.com)

If you want to personally celebrate Lawrence Welk, check out “Lawrence Welk, The American Music Maker,” a fantastic piano/vocal/guitar collection of over 200 nostalgic songs performed on the show. Here in Columbus, PBS usually airs Lawrence Welk reruns on Saturday evenings–check your local listings to see if you can still view this “Wunnerful” music!

Over the past seventeen years, Ben Folds has been distinguishing himself as a different flavor of singer/songwriter.  This book, The Best Imitation of  Myself, which matches the recording of the same title, includes an overview of his works so far.  There are songs  from his 1990s indie rock recordings, from live performances of  Ben Folds Five, some of  his solo work and three new Ben Folds Five songs.  This book of sheet music includes 22 songs arranged with guitar chords and piano accompaniments for the solo vocal lines. The  piano solo interludes are included in these songs, which is refreshing, since it is a rarity to find piano solos included like this.

For more information on this or other Ben Folds collections, contact our keyboard department!

This new release from Hal Leonard contains over one hundred folk songs from around the world.  If you teach general music, you will find that the “World Music Songbook” is a valuable resource. Some songs have the words in the original language, enhancing the world music experience.  The melody is in the right hand for the pianist, so it’s easy to lead the song if you are playing for a music class.  Whether you are a teacher, or simply love world music, this book of international sheet music will catch your attention!

Do you ever need sheet music in a big hurry?  Check out Stanton’s Digital Delivery to browse our digital sheet music library. There are pop songs, Broadway songs, sacred songs, guitar tabs, and much more!

You’ll need to download a free Scorch program that allows you to see the first page of each song you look up, and it allows you to print on your own printer.  Many songs can also be transposed to whatever key you need! Just pay with a credit card, download and print.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Happy browsing!

If you don’t want the same old standards for your special day,  Today’s Hits for Weddings is the book for you!  ”God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton, “Lucky” by Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz, “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts, “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, plus 21 more currrent songs are in this collection.

The songs may be sung with the piano part, or played as piano solos. Are you ready for an update in your wedding music? At  Stanton’s Sheet Music, we are ready to help you find “something old” or “something new.”  Give us a call at1-800-42-MUSIC, or email us for more details.

Copyright law and its implications affect musicians and educators every day, yet most of us have little to no understanding of it.  Whether majoring in performance or education, undergraduate courses of study rarely present an introduction to the subject, let alone offer any courses that study it in detail.  It is challenging to know what is permissible under the law, and what exactly is allowed under the doctrine of ‘fair use.’  Violations of copyright occur frequently in our schools mostly due to the lack of education on the subject, and, like it or not, use in an educational setting alone does not necessarily constitute compliance with the ‘fair use’ provision of the law.  With increased scrutiny and debate over copyright infringement on the internet, the staff at Stanton’s would like to recommend the following resources to shed light on the subject for musicians and educators alike.  They are presented in order of increasing detail, and we highly recommend The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law for music educators.  In addition, YouTube in Music Education is a great resource for those looking to use this technology to enhance their programs, but have concerns about how to do so appropriately.

Music Copyright Basics – Joel Leach
What is copyright?  This seemingly simple question often causes confusion with its complex answers.  In Music Copyright Basics, professor and expert copyright witness Joel Leach answers frequent questions in a straightforward, easy-to-use format.  Whether you are searching for a simple answer to a common question or want a general knowledge of the copyright procedure, this book will quickly provide you with the information you want.  Music Copyright Basics features: a convenient question-and-answer format; easy-to-understand answers to all your copyright questions; coverage of copyright basics, copyright submission process, copyright ownership, copyright and earnings potential, and international copyright; and a compact, portable design that keeps information easily at hand. (2003)

The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law – James Frankel
The easy-to-understand guide for teachers using copyrighted music and media in the classroom.  In this era of unprecedented access to information, teachers have a wealth of readily available resources for lesson planning, but determining what you can and can’t use legally in the classroom is a difficult task.  Written by a 15-year veteran of the New Jerseypublic schools, The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law helps explain just how information, images, video, and music can be incorporated into any kind of lesson plan without running afoul of copyright laws.  This resource includes: what resources you can use without obtaining permission, how to obtain and license the works you need permission to use, how to check the copyright status of any media item, and how to apply copyright legality examples to real classroom situations. (2009)

Music Copyright Law – Moser & Slay
Music Copyright Law will help you gain an in-depth understanding of a topic that is vital to the success of anyone in or entering the music industry.  From songwriters and performers to managers, producers, and agents, everyone is affected by the issues covered in this book.  Avoiding the technical jargon and “legalese” that bogs down other books on the subject, this book explores the world of copyright law and homes in on how it applies to music.  It begins by building a foundational knowledge of the fundamentals of copyright law – what it protects, the benefits of registering a copyright, and what to do when copyright has been infringed.  Once the fundamentals are established, coverage expands to include controversies involving copyright and music in the digital age and the debates over online music.  Packed with practical examples that bring complex concepts to life, this book is a must-have for any professional in or entering the music business. (2012)

Do you have a significant other that makes you smile with your heart?  Their looks may be laughable (and even unphotographable) yet they’re your favorite work of art?  Then you could call them “My Funny Valentine.”

With lyrics close to those written above, the well known song, “My Funny Valentine,” has become a staple for the day set aside to honor your favorite loved one.  Written in 1937 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for their musical, Babes in Arms, it is sung in the show by the female lead, Billie Smith, to her love interest, Valentine “Val” LaMar.  She pokes gentle fun at some of his characteristics, but ultimately tells him not to change, because they are what gives him his charm.  Just about everyone can relate to that set of circumstances.  After all, love reigns supreme – especially on Valentine’s Day!

If you would like to perform this wonderful song, there are many settings from which to choose. There are versions for vocal solo with piano, as well as arrangements for choir, jazz ensemble (with or without vocal solo), jazz combo, concert band and full or string orchestra.  You can find these all on Stanton’s website, or try our Digital Delivery option if there’s no time to lose!

Are you already thinking about music for Lent and Easter? From Ash Wednesday to Easter,  Stanton’s Sheet Music has a good selection of  piano sheet music for the holidays. Among many choices, two  collections come quickly to mind:

Jan Sanborn has a book of advanced arrangements called  ”A Month of Sundays-Easter and Lent.” Jan has arranged a prelude, an offertory, and a postlude for each Sunday in Lent.  These beautiful arrangements are sure to enhance your congregation’s worship experience.

“What Can I Play for Easter?”  is a collection of intermediate level pieces for Holy Week  designed to provide 10 pieces that are easily prepared for this busy week. The music strives to reflect the emotions of the events of Holy Week. Arranged by Cindy Berry, these pieces cover Palm Sunday through Easter morning.

Visit our dedicated website, sacredpianomusiconly.com  to look at the rest of the Lent/Easter selections.  Start choosing your music now for a good head start, and avoid the stress of last minute preparations.

We’re always talking about our knowledgeable staff—you’ll find that very phrase on much of our printed advertising, as well as on our website. Stanton’s sales staff is separated into departments to ensure that each staff member is well informed about a specific area of the wide variety of music that we carry. So when you call and ask about music for trumpet, you’ll be speaking with someone who has first-hand knowledge of repertoire, not just a phone operator with no musical experience. Here’s what you’ll find in each department:

CHORAL DEPARTMENT (ex. 1)
Church Choral Music
School Choral Music
Elementary Classroom Music
Classical Solo Vocal
Handbell

BAND DEPARTMENT (ex. 2)
Concert Band
Marching Band
Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra
Solos for all concert instruments
Instrumental Method Books
Music Software/Technology

POP/KEYBOARD (ex. 3)
Sacred & Secular Piano
Organ
Piano Method Books
Popular/Broadway Solo Vocal
Contemporary Christian Vocal
Guitar Solos and Methods
Music for Folk Instruments

BILLING AND ACCOUNTS (ex. 4)

You can direct emails to the exact department you need by clicking the links above, or press the appropriate extension when you call 1-800-42-MUSIC (1-800-426-8742). If you’re unsure of which department to choose, we’re always happy to direct you to whoever can best address your needs; press “0″ to have your call directed, or send a general email. At Stanton’s, it is important to us that you receive the most educated answers to your questions and the finest music recommendations.

After 25 years, the music for The Legend of Zelda Series has finally been produced in print. Alfred  Music Publishing Co. Inc. has put together a collection of 33 transcriptions of music from the Legend of Zelda video game series.  The first to be released is the intermediate/advanced piano book. The title page of each piece includes graphics from the corresponding games.  If you have enjoyed the video games and the music associated with them, you will be delighted with this collection. No more guessing at “how the music goes!”  If you are interested in finding out more about this music book, visit us online, email us , or call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC.

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.