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Birch Tree, The

By Diana Weston, Thoroughbass

$25.00 Sale

The theme of this recording is music inspired by folkmusic. Diana Weston (harpsichord) and the ensemble Thoroughbass have recorded this wonderful collection of tunes by composers such as, Mary Mageau, Béla Bartók, May Howlett, Ann Carr-Boyd and Elena Kats-Chernin.
Folk melody and rhythm can be found permeating works from all centuries and genres up to the present. For the French of the 17th and 18th centuries, it formed the backbone of a national style, albeit one with a sophisticated overlay (the dance suite). For some composers, like Bartók, folkmusic became the stuff of their compositional voice. For others like Ann Carr-Boyd, adaptation of folksong was a way of approaching a wide variety of audiences of different ethnic backgrounds. Her new composition, Suite for Diana, follows this trend, as does Elena Kats-Chernin’s The Birch Tree, both composed for Thoroughbass in 2014 and recorded here for the first time. Thematically overlapping Bartók’s miniature pieces ‘For Children’ (arguably ‘about’ children as much as ‘for’ children) are four songs for children by May Howlett. Both composers recognize the complexity of childhood in music that is expressive and authentic, innocent and above all, fun.
Wirr 068

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1 Variations on Scarborough Fair (Mary Mageau)
For Children - Hungarian (Béla Bartók)
2 No. 4 Pillow Dance 
3 No. 6 Study for left hand
4 No. 10 Children's Dance
5 No. 11  6 No. 17 Round Dance
7 No. 18 Soldier's Song
8 No. 26  9 No. 28 Choral  10 No. 31 
11 No. 38 Winter Solstice Song 
12  No. 40 Swineherd's Dance
13  The Littlest Dragon 14  The Cat
15  The Dog  16  Flutter by, My Butterfly
Suite for Diana (Ann Carr-Boyd)
17  The Wild Colonial Boy
18  Interlude 119  Two Latvian Folksongs
20  Interlude 2    21  Gulumkan 22  Interlude 2a
For Children - Slovakian (Béla Bartók)
23  No. 1 24  No. 6 Round Dance
25  No. 7 Sorrow
26  No. 10 Funeral Dance  27  No. 11  28  No. 17  29  No. 18 Teasing Song
30  No. 19. Romance 
31 No. 20 Game of Tag
32  No. 22 Revelry  33  No. 25 Scherzando
34  No. 26 Peasant's Flute
35  No. 28 Choral  36  No. 33
37  No. 34 Farewell  38  No. 38 Dirge
39  The Birch Tree  (Elena Kats-Chernin)

Bird of Paradise

By May Howlett

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Solo flute, c.2'35.  Advanced grade
Composed 2010


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Played by Katrina Emtage, flute - with permission

ISMN 9790720106670
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Bobby-Dazzler

By May Howlett

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Solo piano, c.3'30.  Advanced grade
A fun piece - a trip on a ferry to Manly Beach - the crowds, a picnic, surf, sand and rain!  Composed 2014

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ISMN 9790720151410
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By the Billabong

By May Howlett

$65.00 Sale

For four Flutes:

Flute 1/Piccolo; Flute 1; Alto flute; Bass/contra bass flute in three movements:

  • 1.  By the Billabong
  • 2.  The Old Windmill
  • 3.  Happy Frogs

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    ISMN 9790720249612

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    Cat, The (Howlett)

    By May Howlett

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    Medium to High voice and piano, c.1'50
    Composed 2010


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    ISMN 9790720106328
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    Cathedrals of Flame

    By May Howlett

    $30.00 Sale

    Three pieces for solo piano, virtuoso performance.

    Recorded on May in Black and White (Wirr072) by Alessandra Garosi. Available online

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    ISMN 9790720101354

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    Celebrating May

    By May Howlett

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    > A compilation of only some of the exceptional compositional works by May Howlett recorded over time by well-known Australian and International artists. A member of an audience once remarked that "her music always takes me on a journey", and this CD just does that.  Her writing seeks to enter into an experience or a concept, and to embody response to it with a 'voice' of the instrument or instruments. Although her music is basically lyrical, there is, often, according to Larry Sitsky, "a sting in the tail". 
    Wirr 058

    Sheet music of these works are available online

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    Exhibits - Christine Drager (flute), Katheryn Lambert (piano)
      1  Mobiles
       2  Veil VII
       3  Electric Mouse
       4  Streeton's Noon
    5  Passing the Tower of Aggrievements Jeanell Carrigan (piano)
    6  From Forgotten Stars Rotraud Schneider (violin)
    7  Waves - Sally Mays (piano)
    8  Rosie the Unruffled   Michael Tabrett (viola), Katarina Kroslakova (piano)
    9  Sacred Grove   Robert Llewellyn (bassoon), Katarina Kroslakova (piano)
    10  Baroqua Rag Katie Zhukov (piano) 
    Wings on the Wind - Emma Knott (flute), David Miller (piano)
       11  Thermals
       12  Mistral
       13  Ah! Sirocco
    14  At the Triton's Call   Lotte Latukefu (mezzo- soprano), Louise Scott (piano)
    At the Circus - Katie Zhukov (piano)
       15  Parade
       16  The Pink Ballerina on a White Pony
       17  Catherine Wheels

    Changing Moods

    By May Howlett

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    Cello and piano, and unaccompanied, c.10.30. Suggested grades 5-7.
    The expressive range of the cello is explored technically in light-hearted treatments of a variety of styles. From the sweeping bow for the rich tones required of the Etude; the sharpness of attack in the drama of the tango; and on to the more contemplative, abstract approach in the solo piece, Reflections on Siloam. Three movements:

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    ISMN 9790720078762
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    Chiaroscuro

    By May Howlett

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    Clarinet and piano. Suggested grade 6-7

    Chiaroscuro, an Italian word meaning contrasts of light and dark, is also used to describe a technique in painting, usually where a dark background serves to throw lighter objects in the painting into high relief. Similarly, the sonorities of the clarinet, ranging from the rich chalumeau of the rich lower register to the dazzling brilliance of the high notes can be achieved with an aura of ease and panache which is very exciting.  The work is in three movements:

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    ISMN 9790720072654

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    Epilogue

    By May Howlett

    $35.00 Sale

    Viola, Violoncello and piano, c.2'30
    Disasters of an epic nature are occurring all over the planet - this is a tribute to those who risk their lives in rescuing others and as a memorial to those who were not so fortunate.  Composed 2011


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    ISMN 9790720115191
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    Exhibits

    By May Howlett

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    Suite for flute and piano with optional violoncello, c.13'00.  Advanced grades

    A small, contemporary homage, in four movements, to the magnificent Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Moussorgsky, featuring impressions of modern robotic toys, Salome’s seventh veil and Sir Arthur Streeton’s superb painting, The Purple Noon’s Transparent Might, elements of our past and future on display in our present culture.  
    Composed 2003.

    Recorded on "Celebrating May" (Wirr 058) by Christine Drager, flute, Katheryn Lambert, piano, available online


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    ISMN 9790720146256 

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    Falling

    By May Howlett

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    For Flute ensemble, c.4'00. Grade 6
    An Ode to Gallipoli and the futility of war. As in a ‘still’ photo from a movie, each soldier falls to the earth, a dying leaf from the Tree of Life. So the notes fall on the listener, slowly and wearily. We mourn our loss the more because man’s lust for power through blood will not be so easily appeased by this sacrifice. Composed 2015

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     ISMN 9790720167862

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