Saturday, May 9, 2015

Published: "Two Roman Motets" for brass quintet

My new arrangement for brass quintet, "Two Roman Motets," is now published by Premiere Press. You can view a performance of one of the motets here.


The brothers Fabio and Alessandro Costantini, long thought to have been born in the small Italian town of Staffolo, were prominent church composers in 17th-century Rome. After my thrilling week in Staffolo  playing, conducting, and teaching as part of Staffolo's 20th annual Music Festival in June 2014  I decided to honor Staffolo and my many new friends there by arranging and publishing an arrangement for brass quintet of two 17th-century motets, one by Fabio Costantini and one by Alessandro Costantini. The publication is dedicated to the conductor of the Staffolo Town Band, Maestro Samuele Faini. Each motet lasts about 2.5 minutes.

Elsewhere in this blog, you can read my posts about my 2014 Italian adventure, more about how I came to write Two Roman Motets and my new composition Ricordi d'Italia, and all about their world premieres in January 2015.

Enjoy!
Dr. Ray

Published: "Ricordi d'Italia" for brass quintet

Ricordi d'Italia (Memories of Italy), my new composition for brass quintet, is now published by Premiere Press. You can view excerpts of its world premiere on YouTube here.

New logo by Emilie Pallos Graphic Design

The four movements of Ricordi d'Italia are based on experiences I enjoyed in Italy during the summer of 2014. The first movement (Staffolo Fanfare) is a flashy opening that honors the small hilltop town where I spent one of the best weeks of my life. The second movement (The Ancient Wall) ponders the mysteries of the many Roman walls that surround towns like Staffolo. The third movement (Bella Valentina) is a joyous waltz with optional sing-along, sort of a valentine from me to the lovely women of Italy. The fourth movement (Canzon San Marco) honors the music of the great Venetian composer, Giovanni Gabrieli, and Basilica San Marco, where his timeless antiphonal music was played. The overall duration is about 11'30".

Elsewhere in this blog I have written about my 2014 Italian adventure, how Ricordi d'Italia came to be composed, and of its world premiere.

Ciao!
Dr. Ray