Category Archives: String Trio

City Vignettes – Revised 2023

Patrick Neher’s 2008 composition for contrabass flute, double bass and piano, has been revised, re-edited, and arranged for two contrabasses and piano. This jazzy piece has received a face-lift!

After numerous performances and two recordings by the eminent contrabass flute player, Peter Sheridan, Patrick Neher came to the conclusion that the piece could likely be more accessible and would do well arranged for two basses. So, during the pandemic, he revised and re-edit the composition. With a few “tweaks” and some judicious editing, Mr. Neher has released the 2023 version. City Vignettes is now available for two contrabasses and piano, as well as the original composition for contrabass flute, double bass, and piano.

The three movements are: I – Corner Encounter, II – Lunàcité, and III – Block Party. As with many of Patrick Neher’s compositions, very competent players are required, and jazz is the primary genre, but there are many episodes of lyrical contemporary harmonies. This is a wonderful addition to the double bass duet repertory! Please see our contrabass in ensembles page to purchase either version.

Borodin – Trio in G Major for 2 Vln & Cello

Aleksandr Borodin‘s lovely (no longer “unfinished”) Grand Trio in G Major for two violins and cello (circa 1860), has just been completed and realized this New Year by Patrick Neher. Neher’s compositional addition to the Trio includes a Minuet and Finale, as third and forth movements, making the Trio completed, accessible, and performable!

ISG Publications / ISG Music Promotions has carefully edited and reissued the four movement composition in a clear, easily readable concert score and archival-quality parts format. The parts have sensible page turns ready for your performance (unlike other versions, where three or more pages are required to be spread way out across the stands – ach!). This new publication is also available by PDF for tablets (parts only). The new Grand Trio in G Major is a welcome addition to the two violin and cello repertory, with a performance time of about 27 minutes.

The cello part has been newly revised and edited by Lloyd Smith, formerly with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The violin parts have been edited by Nancy Bean, also a former member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. And, for virtuoso double bass players, ISG Publications has produced a specially edited and transposed contrabass part.

This Special Edition is NOW AVAILABLE for purchase. Purchase the Trio on ISG Publications’ sheet music for violin or music for cello pages. The contrabass alternative to cello, is available (with the complete Trio) on our Contrabass in Ensembles page. PDF license with all Trio parts, but no score, will be available on the Downloadable page (coming soon).

NEW RELEASE: Richard Heller-String Trio

Richard Heller – Statement for String Trio

Richard Heller’s work, Statement for String Trio, is the fifth work in our new series of publications, Continually Advancing Music.

This older composition (1977) is for the first time published in the United States, and explores the entire range of each instrument. The short work (under 5 minutes) is virtuosic and has an extended solo for the viola. Though tradition in its form, it is an energetic and intimate “conversation” among the instruments.

Richard Heller (Austrian born living in Germany), born in 1954, has received numerous accolades for his compositions, and has been performed around the world. It is Richard Heller’s aim to balance emotion and construction in his works. He describes the; “starting point for composing is mostly the imagination of instrumental colors (therefore the sense for rare combinations) leading to motif materials which in their turn lead to the architecture of the pieces.” See more at richard-heller.eu

Purchase Richard Heller’s Statement for String Trio on our Violin, Viola, or Cello page.

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.