Festive Piece on "Simple Gifts" for piano, four hands.

Festive Piece on "Simple Gifts" for piano, four hands. arranged by Joseph M. Martin. GlorySound/Shawnee Press, Inc. (49 Waring Dr., P.O. Box 690, Delaware Water Gap Delaware Water Gap(dĕl`əwâr, –wər), scenic gorge, 2 mi (3.2 km) long, cut by the Delaware River through Kittatinny Mt., on the N.J.–Pa. line; located in a mountain resort area around Stroudsburg, Pa. , PA 18327), 2002. 10 pp., $9.95. Advanced. Inspired by the occasion of the arranger's twentieth wedding anniversary and certainly the worlds "my gift from the Lord," this short (five pages for each part) four-hand composition reflects the compositional style. The piece has frequent half-step upward modulations, as well as a generally exhilarating and fervent celebratory mood. Beginning in F major and ending triumphantly in D major with double thirds, augmentation and diminution of the familiar melody, this version of "Simple Gifts" is far from the original Shaker ShakerMember of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, a celibate millenarian sect. Derived from a branch of the radical English Quakers (see Society of Friends), the movement was brought to the U.S. tune composed in 1848 by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, Jr. Usually performed as a round, the Martin version begins with an imitative im��i��ta��tive?adj.1. Of or involving imitation.2. Not original; derivative.3. Tending to imitate.4. Onomatopoeic. use of the theme for an introduction followed by several variations. Perhaps the most famous use of this melody is in Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring Appalachian Spring is a ballet score by Aaron Copland that premiered in October 1944, and achieved widespread popularity as an orchestral suite. The ballet, scored for a thirteen-member chamber orchestra, was created at the request of choreographer and dancer Martha Graham ." Copland does it far better. The simple beauty and joy of this melody are embarrassingly "modernized" in the Martin version. If your tastes run to this genre, you will certainly enjoy playing this not-too-difficult work for moderately advanced pupils. The fine clarity of the printing and the high quality of the paper are commendable, but the enigmatic metronome marking Noun 1. metronome marking - the pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 secondsbeats per minute, bpm, M.M.music - musical activity (singing or whistling etc. (quarter note=ca.) [no number] only in the upper part, is surely an oversight. Frankly, the price seems high, but the market for this type of work will probably be willing to pay it. Reviewed by Arno Drucker, Baltimore, Maryland "Baltimore" redirects here. For the surrounding county, see Baltimore County, Maryland. For other uses, see Baltimore (disambiguation).Baltimore is an independent city located in the state of Maryland in the United States. .