Music

For this beloved Cantata, the Novello vocal score prepared by the eminent English organist John Ebenezer West was re-engraved by G. Schirmer in the early part of the 20th century with Henry Drinker's English translation added beneath the original German...

The most famous of three settings of the Gloria text by Vivaldi, this one (RV 589) most likely dates from about the same time as its predecessor, during the composer's tenure at the Ospedale della Piet? convent in Venice (1713-40). It's also notable for...

This oratorio by a youthful Camille Saint-Saens was first performed by soloists, chorus and small string orchestra for the 1858 Christmas service at the ?glise de la Madeleine in Paris. The composer's colleague Eugene Gigout arranged the vocal score,...

Composed originally in 1869, this Bruckner mass is unique in its wind ensemble accompaniment. The composer made revisions in 1882 and the new version was premiered in 1885 at the same venue of the original premiere 16 years before - the Cathedral of the...

The second in Smetana's "Ma Vlast" a six-part series of tone poems inspired by his Czech homeland, Vltava (Die Moldau in German) is named for the river that flows through the heart of Prague. This new study score is a digitally-enhanced reprint of the...

Debussy composed his "Sc?ne lyrique" in 1884 for his Prix de Rome cantata entry. It was given its premiere that same year at the Institut de France in Paris followed with publication by Durand. He revised the work some 23 years later, even engaging his...

The second of four tone poems for orchestra inspired by those of Franz Liszt, Phaeton was composed in 1873 and like its predecessor is named after a figure in Greek mythology. The tragic tale concerns Phaeton, the son of Helios (the Sun God) and Clymene,...

Liszt's fourth entry in his revolutionary series of thirteen symphonic poems, Orpheus was penned to serve as an introduction to the Weimar premiere of Gluck's opera on the same story Ofeo ed Euridice. Composed in 1853-54, it was given its premiere in...

The final work in the revolutionary series of thirteen tone poems Liszt composed for orchestra, Von der Wiege bis zum Grabe (From the Cradle to the Grave) was composed in 1881-82 - late in the composer's life. The three movement work, dedicated to Count...

Vaughan Williams' masterpiece for string orchestra was given its premiere on September 6th, 1910 at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral with the London Symphony Orchestra under the composer's direction. It was an immediate success, but the...

Vaughan Williams' setting of three traditional English carols, The Truth sent from Above, Come All You Worthy Gentlemen, and On Christmas Night all Christians Sing was composed in 1912. The premiere was given under the composer's direction on September...

Gustav Holst's first excursion into music for band (known as "military band" at the time) was composed in 1909. Despite there being very little standardization of the instruments and number of players used in such ensembles, Holst managed to score his...

Inspired by the painting by the Swiss artist Arnold B?cklin, Rachmaninoff composed his symphonic poem in the spring of 1909, completing it while on tour in Dresden just two weeks before the premiere - given in Moscow on 1 May 1909 with the composer...

Haydn's "Grosses Te Deum" was probably composed in 1800 for a performance given at Eisenstadt in the fall of that year. Scored with a full orchestral accompaniment, it was first published in 1802 by Breitkopf und Hartel. The score here is a newly...

This work was once credited to Mozart but later discounted as being by him and attributed instead to the composer Jan Zach (1699-1773). Rcent Zach scholarship has largely discredited the idea of Zach being the composer. In any case, this work has...

Mozart composed this offertory to the Virgin Mary in the summer or fall of 1777, not long before his departure on a concert tour to Paris - and his resignation his position at the Salzburg Cathedral. The study score offered here is a newly engraved,...

Composed at while returning from a concert trip to Italy, this setting of the Latin hymn text was possibly heard for the first time on 21 March of 1767 at the Kloster Seeon in Bavaria. The score offered here is a newly engraved one, carefully edited by...

Composed over the space of just 12 days (May 3-14, 1875), Dvorak's five-movement serenade has been a favorite since its first performance was given in Prague under the baton of Adolf Cech with the combined string sections of the orchestras of the Czech...

Dvorak composed this deservedly popular work 1878 shortly after the premiere of his opera The Cunning Peasant. Scored for a 'harmonie' ensemble of 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 horns and contrabassoon, with an cello and string bass added to support...

The first of four late tone poems inspired by "Bouquet", a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, The Water Goblin was composed from January 6 to February 11 of 1896. The folk legend concerns a horrific tale about a water...

The third of the four late tone poems inspired by "Bouquet", a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, The Noon Witch was composed from January 11 to February 27 of 1896 and formally premiered in London on November 21 of...

Last of the four late tone poems inspired by Bouquet, a collection of ballads by Karel Jaromir Erben based upon Czech folklore, Wild Dove was composed from October 22 to November 18 of 1896 and given its first performance in Brno on March 20, 1898 under...

Falla's showpiece El Amor Brujo (The Phantom Lover) was first composed as a gitaneria for voice, actors and chamber orchestra in 1914-15. He later prepared a version for voice and orchestra which was premiered the next year. This was in turn transformed...

Composed for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Sea Pictures was heard for the first time on October 5, 1899 with also Clara Butt accompanied by the Festival Orchestra under the composer's direction. Elgar chose a five poems from five authors, including...

Otto Taubmann's classic vocal score of Mozart's Coronation Mass was first issued in the early 20th century and has become the standard edition in continuous use by performers all over the world for more than a century. This digitally-enhanced reissue has...

Probably the most famous march in history, Stars and Stripes Forever was composed on Christmas Day 1896 while Sousa was traveling aboard the SS Teutonic bound for New York. In his autobiography, Sousa wites that he imagined the music while at sea and set...

For the Credo in E minor, RV 591, Vivaldi borrowed some material composed for his own Magnificat, which places it later - probably after 1727. This completely choral work has much in common stylistically with the very famous Gloria (RV 589) and with his...

Percy Grainger, much like his contemporary Bela Bartok, was intensely interested in folk music and became a member of the English Folk-Song Society soon after his arrival in London in the first decade of the 20th century. He produced numerous works based...

Started in 1867 and first conceived of as an oratorio, Camille Saint-Sa?ns completed his most famous opera Samson et Dalila in 1877 with the encouragement of Franz Liszt. It was Liszt who arranged to have the opera staged in Weimar. The story focuses...

Vaughan Williams' setting of four poems from George Herbert's 1633 collection, The Temple: Sacred Poems was done between 1906 and 1911. The premiere was given under the composer's direction on September 14, 1911 at the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester...