Category Archives: Chamber Music

NEW RELEASE for Bass Duet

Patrick Neher – April in G for Contrabass Duet

  • Neher - April in G bass duet
    Cover
  • Score and parts

April was supposed to be a beautiful month of creative endeavors, concerts, and flowering trees. Instead it is a bit dreary – never the less, Patrick Neher has composed a wonderfully fun duet for double bass players, April in G. The composition uses the entire range of the bass (of course) and explores passionate lyricism, virtuosic technique, and expansive chordal textures. The piece is truly fun to play and to listen to, but requires a professional skill level of playing (or of those aspiring to be professional).

A challenging and fun new duet for the repertory, April in G is ready to be performed when we start going to concerts again.

Purchase the sheet music (basses in ensembles) here.

NEW RELEASE: Jean Ahn – Froggy, Froggy for Piano Trio

Jean Ahn’s “Froggy, Froggy” for Piano Trio

The second new composition in our Continually Advancing Music Series; Froggy, Froggy for Piano Trio by Jean Ahn, promises to be an immensely popular piece for contemporary music concerts. Dr. Ahn was influenced by Korean folk lore and poetry, and brings the well-known “Froggy, Froggy …” to life in her 2009 composition adapted in 2013 for piano trio.

Jean Ahn composer
Dr. Jean Ahn

From an international call that resulted in more than 50 submissions, Jean Ahn is one of five composers that ISG Publications has chosen to highlight in our new series of chamber music publications, Continually Advancing Music.

Purchase the music on our sheet music sales web site, here.

NEW RELEASE – CAM Series: Donald Wheelock – String Trio

Wheelock String Trio (violin, viola, cello) – 2003/2019

Donald Wheelock presents his 2003 trio in a new revised edition (2019), prepared specifically for ISG Publication’s new series, Continually Advancing Music (CAM). This wonderful addition to the string trio repertory was written for the Forester Trio, and is a superb example of carefully crafted lyricism and counterpoint – following in the tradition of the great string trio composers, such as Beethoven. Listen to audio examples performed by the Forester Trio:
Mvt. 1, Mvt 2, Mvt. 3, Mvt. 4, Mvt. 5

This beautiful publication comes with a full-size (10×13″ pages), readable score and concert parts with intelligent page turns. PDFs (for reading on your tablet) are also available.

For professional musicians, and those aspiring to be, ISG Publications provides stunning and compelling concert repertory. Purchase this exclusive publication on our site:
LINK TO PURCHASE Full Sheet Music (link to viola page. Same on vln, and cello)
PDFs

ISG Publications Announces New Series of Compositions for Professionals: CAM

CONTINUALLY ADVANCING MUSIC (CAM)

ISG Publications / ISG Music Promotions’ new series of sheet music and productions for professional performers, Continually Advancing Music (CAM) will, for the next decade, support composers by publishing works that advance the cause of new music for cellists and double bass players. During this premiere set of publications, we are promoting new music from five living composers. After an international call to composers, where we received more than 50 submissions from around the world, we have chosen five compositions that fit our criteria of: must have one cello or one double bass that plays a prominent role in the composition, must be interesting and challenging to all the performers, must hold the interest and be accessible for today’s new music concert audiences, must be lyrical, and must be marketable (in our opinion).

The five composers chosen for this premiere set are:
Donald Wheelock (USA) – String Trio (2003/2019)
Jean Ahn (USA) – Froggy, Froggy for Piano Trio (2009/2013)
Michele Bernabei (ITALY) – Affinita Ferrose for Piano Trio (2019)
Randall Snyder (USA) – Forest Paths for String Trio (2018)
Richard Heller (GERMANY) – Statement for String Trio (2003)

ISG Publications / ISG Music Promotions wishes to thank all the composers that submitted to our call. Though we are unable to publish more than five compositions at this time, we hope to advance the series for another decade with up to 20 compositions. This exclusive series will expand to include greater instrumentation and media, but will always keep focused on presenting the finest (in our opinion, of course) of new music compositions; providing challenge for our performers and accessibility and interest for our listeners.

Sonatina #4 for Contrabass

Patrick Neher’s latest opus is Sonatina #4 for Contrabass and Piano. This lyrical but virtuosic work is about 24 minutes total and includes two movements: February (Moderato, rhapsodic and very lyrical) and March (Allegro vivace giocoso). Completed in January of 2019, the Sonatina was written for the Dixie State University bass festival (February, 2019), and is dedicated to composer and bass player, Frank Proto. See video example. Buy the sheet music here.

ISG Publications Launches New Web Site

Our new web site: ISG Publications / ISG Music Promotions has just been launched! See the new look at: https://isgpublications.com or https://isgmusic.com.

This new look and organization makes it easier for users to review and purchase our exclusive sheet music and recordings. It has been a long time since the site was updated and the update allows for easier perusal of our titles. More detail about our composers, and more detail about each composition is provided. And we will be adding more and more previews or example performances. Finally, we will be adding more PDF, downloadable titles over the next few months (saves on shipping costs and can be printed at home. If you use an iPad for performance – our PDF downloadable sheet music is perfect!)

If you are one of our composers, please contact us. We need to update your biography and contact information. Email us at info@isgpublications.com

Romance for Contrabass and Orchestra

Romance for Contrabass and Orchestra, by Patrick Neher (2018) This short (7:30) vignette is not a difficult piece. Orchestra is small: One of each: oboe, bassoon, clarinet, trumpet, euphonium (or bass trombone), tuba, tympani, triangle, and a moderate strings section.

This piece is published in three additional formats:
~ for solo cello and orchestra.
~ for solo bass and small wind ensemble
~ for chamber orchestra alone (no soloist)

Go to our purchase site to rent or buy

Romance for Violin and Piano – Neher

Vln&PnoPatrick Neher’s latest commission is a virtuosic yet playful Romance for Violin and Piano, written for L.P. How, violinist, and Debra Ayers, pianist. – both residents of Santa Fe, New Mexico and internationally acclaimed soloists and chamber musicians. The three-movement composition explores the entire range of both instruments in somewhat jazzy style for the second movement, and in neo-romantic rhapsodic styles for the first and third movements. ISG Publications has rated the work at a Challenge Level of 8-9 (out of 10), being suitable for professional musicians. The work is scheduled to be recorded and premiered in the 2014-15 performance season, by How and Ayers, produced by ISG Music Promotions

For additional information and to buy the sheet music, go to our sheet music site.

Trio ‘Mimi’ for clarinet, violin, & double bass

mimi1Trio ‘Mimi’ for clarinet, violin, and double bass, by Patrick Neher is playfully described as a “mini-operetta.”  It combines three character roles (where each player must speak and/or sing a bit – along with skillfully playing their instrument) in a short drama about Mimi, the cat. Trio ‘Mimi’ is in one movement divided into four short acts.  The total playing time is about 20 minutes. The piece was composed originally for L.P. How, violin, and Pamela Epple, oboe. It was transcribed for clarinet in 2015 and was premiered at Washington Allegro Vivace Ensemble concerts in Bellingham, WA in 2016, Sarah Brown, clarinet, Yvette Holswarth, violin, and Patrick Neher, double bass. This playful work is a big hit with audiences, as it combines humor and virtuosity is a truly distinctive form. Order it from the double bass in ensemble pages at ISG Publications: isgpublications.com

Dittersdorf Sonata for viola & contrabass, or 2 basses

DittersdorfKarl Ditters Von Dittersdorf composed this Sonata in Eb for viola and contrabass sometime in the 1780s. This new edition is a completely revised editing and arrangement of the work. The editing, done by Patrick Neher, professor of music, takes into account the two existing scores of the piece and adapts much to accommodate the modern double bass. It is thought that the music was composed for the Viennese Contrabass, tuned in D major. So, an edition for two basses has been produced as well. Both editions are available NOW!

DittersPg1To order the new edition of the Dittersdorf Sonata in Eb for viola and contrabass, or the Sonata in D for two contrabasses, go to our sheet music sales site:
ISG Publications

DittersBassesp1

ISG Publications publishes interesting sheet music for concert, and some pedagogical works. All of our titles have cello or double bass play prominent roles, and provide substantial challenge to the players to keep musicians and audience engaged for years.

Findeisen “Nixenreigen Fantasie”

Theodor Albin Findeisen (1881-1936) wrote Nixenreigen Fantasie, for double bass and piano, around 191Findeisen-Portrait0-1912, and the work is his Opus 9. Dr. Robert Matheson, bassist, composer, arranger, and professor has brought this and other works of Findeisen to light in his doctoral thesis.  Dr. Matheson has chosen ISG Publications to disseminate Findeisen’s compositions, that have been out of print or were never published.

Findeisen’s music represents the only compositions for solo double bass from the early twentieth century’s compositional style akin to Richard Strauss or early  Schoenberg. It is rich, full, romantic, and challenging, with full use of chromaticism and counterpoint.

“Nixenreigen” is based on a poem that tells of a musician’s walk home one night through the woods, when met by fairies frolicking about and dancing to his music. To have the double bass play the lead role in this story is quite a feat in itself. The entire range of the instrument is utilized in the composition, and even though the lyricism is beautiful, it is a wonderful technical challenge for any student or professional bassist.

ISG Publications is proud to present this newly published composition.