SAILING WIND
For Solo Vibraphone
In Three Movements
|
|
|
The title Sailing Wind is
inspired by the desire to ride the wind (the vibrations of the
vibraphone) and to sail with it to visit the twenty-three
percussionists from across North America who commissioned the work. It
is written in 3 movements - From the East (meditative), From the West
(soulful, jazz and blues influence), and From North and South (joyful).
See this new work performed by
Jason Edwards at the University of Arkansas on March 21, 2010
(performance
link below). |
SEE THE MUSIC
SEE THE PERFORMANCE
$
2200
Purchase the Printed Score from STEVE
WEISS MUSIC
$
2000
Purchase Score in PDF Format from HALIM EL-DABH MUSIC
SECRETS OF
THE SKY AND EARTH
For
Marimba
|
|
|
Secrets of the Sky and Earth was
conceived as an explorataion of the vibrational possibilities of the
marimba. Performance of this piece requires the player to be extremely
in-tune with the instrument and the space they are performing in and to
strive to create a connection with the listeners.
Secrets of the Sky and Earth was
written by Halim El-Dabh at the request of Blake Tyson. After Tyson was
accepted at the Eastman School of Music, he contacted El-Dabh and asked
him to write a piece for him to premier at Eastman.
This piece calls for multiple
roll types (esp. independent rolls) and requires the player to be very
smooth when changing techniques. An excellent performance piece that
will connect with the audience as well as show off technical
proficiency. |
SEE THE MUSIC
$
1200
Purchase the Printed Score from STEVE
WEISS MUSIC
$ 1000
Purchase Score in PDF Format from HALIM EL-DABH MUSIC
ARIA FOR
STRINGS
|
|
|
Aria
For Strings was written by Halim El-Dabh in 1949 when he was 28 years
old. He wrote the pieces during a deep reflective moment, experiencing
feelings about leaving his beloved Egypt for the creative industrial
United States.
The
work opens up with the first violins in A major expressing a soft tender
theme over an F sharp minor suspended chord treated like a
petal point. The work continues with subtle contrapunctual relations
featuring the violas while retaining the overall tapestry of nostalgia.
It ends with the celli over suspended strings supported by the basses.
El-Dabh attended informal
performances of his Aria For Strings at The Institute of Oriental Music
in Cairo in 1949. |
The piece was not performed
again until Nov. 17, 2007
at a program by the Rocky River Chamber Music Society at The West Shore
Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River, OH, performed by the
Hausman Quartet comprised of Isaac Allen - violin, Bram Goldstein -
violin, Laura Burns - viola, Yuan Zhang - cello with guest Bryan Thomas
on bass. This performance appears on the CD Chambers &
Concertos, 2009 by Halim El-Dabh Music LLC.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 1200
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 1000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
STRING
QUARTET
|
|
|
The quartet opens with cello
playing low pizzicato allowing for a delicate sound decay. These
plucked notes are repeated to express a determination to stay
on the course. To this the first violin resonates with the Egyptian
folk tune in high artificial harmonics. This is expressed on a two
quarter tones maqam bespeaking the thirst for finding oneself. The
Egyptian folk tune translates into "I'm thirsty oh my countrymen -
please show me the way to quench my thirst." It is a thirst for
knowledge and for the unknown. It is also a search for self
realization. The second violin and the viola interact in a battle with
each other with harsh tremolos played near the bridge of their
instruments expressing restlessness of what might be in store
ahead. |
Again it is delicately
overshadowed by the main theme of hope on high harmonics.
In the second movement musicians
are seated on the edge of their chairs asserting a strong will for all
open possibilities.
In
the third movement all the strings play sordini except the 'cello,
creating a sonorus dark tapestry with a touch of meloncholy. Over such
fabric the 'cello sings an undetermined melody of longing, a melody
which has no beginning and no end.
In
the fourth movement, excitement sets in with dancing intricate rythmic
nuances for joy. It expresses hope and the release of tension.
In
the fifth movement it is nighttime in the hot desert bringing mystery
into the environment with unexpected tiny sparks of light.
Finally
all the instruments join together into a fugue of long phrases
interwoven and coiling with one another with occasional clusters based
on Arabic maqam scales. This brings the quartet to its accomplished
journey.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 6500
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 6000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
TWO MINUTES
TRIO FOR STRINGS
|
|
|
Two
Minutes Trio for Strings opens with strong rhythmic dissonances. The
dissonances are the driving force of the piece from beginning to end.
They are interrupted by quiet lyrical violin themes in counterpoint
with reflective responses from viola and cello. The piece ends with a
powerful unison of short dramatic statements tapering off with cello
pizzicato snapping against the wood of the instrument while the violin
is tapping the wood of the back of the bow against the open G string.
Two
Minutes Trio for Strings was written in 1956 by Halim El-Dabh while on
his way to a party at the home of Harold Rogers, the music critic for
The Christian Science Monitor.
|
El-Dabh
had been informed that there would be a three string players present.
So he set out to writing an impromptu piece for them to perform. The
piece was not performed again until Nov. 17, 2007 at a program by the
Rocky River Chamber Music Society at The West Shore Unitarian
Universalist Church in Rocky River, Ohio. It was performed by the
Hausman Quartet (Isaac Allen - violin, Bram Goldstein - violin, Laura
Burns - viola, Yuan Zhang - cello). This performance was released on
the CD Chambers & Concertos, 2009 by Halim El-Dabh Music LLC.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 1200
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 1000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
THE QUEST
|
|
|
The
Quest, composed in 2006, is scored for full symphonic orchestra. It is
written in three movements, The Globe, The Land Beyond and
Celebrations. The idea of the title The Quest is to bring all the
energies of the three movements together into one.
The
Globe opens with large suspended cymbals and three large tam tams
uniquely performed by rubbing superballs on the inner circular rough
side of the tam tam. This creates a special friction vibration that can
subtly fill up the concert hall.
The
second movement, The Land Beyond, starts with string basses
establishing an articulate compelling theme which gradually builds up
with the rest of the strings, creating interactions with short motifs
from woodwinds and brass. |
The movement ends with a reprise
from The Globe with tam tam vibrations.
The
third movement, Celebrations, opens with extended vibrations with the
special effect of all the strings playing behind the bridge. The
tension increases with wind like undulations which are played by
woodwinds and brass blowing air into the tubes of their instruments
with short vocal utterances inviting the people of the world to
celebrate.
Lively
repeated rythms are played as solo musicians leave the stage and greet
the visiting dignitaries. The work ends with continual resonances in
the concert hall reminding the audience of what was experienced.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 15000
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 14000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
POMEGRANATE
CONCERTO
For Alto Sax and Strings
|
|
|
The
Pomegranate Concerto is composed for alto sax and string orchestra. The
work focuses on the shape and structure of the delightfully tasty
pomegranate fruit. Ideas and themes are expressed in dialogues between
the sax and string group. The fruit has a copper-toned cover protecting
the jewel like seeds in small compartments; expressing a mystery of
relationship according to Egyptian riddle. The saxophone utilizes
lyrical themes with sparkling responses from strings and at times
dissonances and clusters of multiphonic tones.
The
work is in three continuous movements. Layers Over Layers in Oceans
Submarine, Pearls Within, and Tones of Copper. The Pomegranate Concerto
was commissioned by the Rocky River Chamber Music Society, Ohio. It
premiered on |
November 19, 2007 at The West
Shore Unitarian Universalist
Church in Rocky River, Ohio, performed by alto sax soloist Greg Banazak
with
The Hausman Quartet - violinists Isaac Allen and Bram Goldstein,
violist Lauren Burns, cellist Yuan Zhang plus Bryan Thomas on bass.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 7500
Purchase the Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 7000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
THE
MIRACULOUS TALE
|
|
|
The
Miraculous Tale was written by Halim El-Dabh in 2006 for alto saxophone
and derabucca drum. It is written in three movements entitled
Lightening, Tenderness and Stratosphere.
Although
the derabucca is small, it possesses an almost infinitely wide range of
tones and timbres, ranging from very high, delicate and crystaline
tones to powerful, deep and resonant ones. The three main pitch levels
used in The Miraculous Tale are dum, ma and tak representing a
continuum
ranging from low to high. The small note heads represent an
embellishment to the main rhythm. The "slap" technique is executed by
slapping the outstretched hand, with fingers together, against the drum
head.
|
The sound should be particularly
sharp and works best if the hand is slightly cupped (with thumb
underneath), with the fingertips contacting the drum head near the
center. This technique takes somewhat more practice and cultivation to
get it just right. When the technique of inserting the hand into the
bell to vary the pitch is called for, either hand may be used for this
purpose, according to the player's preference.
The quarter tone featured in the
saxophone part of the second movement represents a pitch that is midway
between F sharp and A actually one quarter tone lower than the G sharp.
It is part of the Arabic maqam known as Bayati.
The Miraculous Tale was
commissioned by the World-Wide Concurrent Premieres and Commissioning
Fund, Inc. El-Dabh attended the performance on his birthday on March 4,
2007 at Granoff Hall at Tuffs University with Ken Radnofsky on alto sax
and Takaaki Masuko on derabucca.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 2500
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 2300
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
IT IS DARK
AND DAMP ON THE FRONT
|
|
|
It
Is Dark and Damp on the Front is a solo piano work expressing the
darkness and dampness that are germinated in the very psyche of
humanity whilst fighting at a war front, a murky front that exists in
reality inside every human being.
The
world premiere took place with the composer at the piano in Cairo,
Egypt at The Assembly Hall of All Saints Cathedral on Friday February
11, 1949. Halim El-Dabh performed his composition on a nine foot Pleyel
piano equipped with three pedals. He shook the audience into a standing
ovation. This single work changed his life from an agricultural
engineer to a music composer.
|
The composition fell into the
hands of Aaron Copland. Intrigued
by El-Dabh's ultra modern style, he invited him to become his
composition student at Tanglewood at The Berkshire Music Festival in
the USA. There he also studied with Irving Fine, Luigi Dallapiccola and
Leonard Bernstein.
A French critic, A. J. Patry
wrote in La Bourse
Egyptienne, commending the composer for his innovative use of sound and
pedal techniques stated that "El-Dabh touches the instrument in a
fashion of his own. He molds and fuses the sonorities of the piano
producing sounds and feelings pertaining to a basic culture. He has
exposed the European ear to a different way of playing. One must notice
the way he uses the pedals, producing from simple elements, complex
superpositions of harmonies." (Feb. 15, 1949).
El-Dabh describes his
technique of composing as "heteroharmony", a term he coined by
combining heterophony and chordal harmony in an interaction of chords
and clusters with a focus on the unison.
SEE THE MUSIC
$ 1200
Purchase the Printed Score from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
$ 1000
Purchase the Score in PDF format from HALIM
EL-DABH MUSIC
|
|
 |
