pedagogy

Two Springtime Arias for basses

Patrick Neher’s new Two Springtime Arias for Two Contrabasses and Piano is now available on our contrabass in ensembles page. (be sure to scroll down the page to find it!)

This lyrical work, written in the spring of 2022, reflects on emotions of hope, sadness, joyfulness, frivolity, and curiousness. It is in two movements: “After Noon’s Lament” and “Reminiscence.” Performance time is just over 13 minutes. The composition is written for accomplished bassists of equal playing ability; amateurs and professionals. It is a good pedagogical piece as well but is designed for performance. The piano part requires a good command of the piano but is not terribly challenging – an accomplished student of accompanying will enjoy the expressive yet co-collaborative nature of the part.

Patrick Neher says; “Two Springtime Arias was written during the world-wide pandemic of Covid 19. When there was a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel, in the spring of 2022, I was inspired to compose an uplifting and challenging duet for basses, that expresses hope for a return to adventurousness; hope for a return to questing for knowledge (and shuttering of popular complacency). The duet is to be romantically interpreted with liberal tempo changes and rubato. While playing and working together, bassists will enjoy the comradship combined with feelings of accomplishment that they have created something meaningful… And they will have fun playing toegther!” ~PN, Dec. 2022

Audio Examples: Mvt.1 “After Noon’s Lament” and Mvt.2 “Reminiscence” both examples performed by Patrick Neher but are not intended to be the only “proper” interpretation. We’d like to hear Your Way!

Go to ISG’s contrabass in ensembles page to purchase.

April 23, 2023 by Chamber Music Composers double bass Duets News Pedagogy Sheet Music

More on Carl Flesch Distilled by Mark Rush

Mark Rush’s Latest Violin Book

Rush-Carl Flesch Distilled
Carl Flesch Distilled – Mark Rush

ISG Publications is honored to present and to release a fabulous re-visioning of one of the most important staples of the violin repertory; Mark Rush’s new book, Carl Flesch Distilled, A User-Friendly Approach to the Flesch Scale System. This is the first violin pedagogy title in our Premiere Pedagogy Series.

Mark Rush has a distinguished career as a professor of violin and chamber music, an internationally traveled performer, and a recording artist with numerous albums. His new book is an innovative detail yet simplification of the Flesch Scale System, and focuses on the essence of this system to make scale study for violinists much more productive and less tedious. This is a superb practice book to reside on every violinist’s music stand. Available in PDF also, for tablets.
Read Stephen Brivati’s review of Carl Flesch Distilled on Violinist.com.
Read Mark Rush’s article on the creation of Carl Flesch Distilled on Violinist.com.

With accolades from professional and amateur violinists alike, here are what just a few celebrated performers are saying about Mark Rush’s new book:
“I thoroughly enjoyed this well conceived and beautifully executed re-imagining of one of the essential building blocks of violin technique. I look forward to sharing this with my students and also working on it myself as well. Bravo!” ~ Steven Moeckel, Concert Master, Phoenix Symphony, Santa Fe Opera

“Carl Flesch Distilled is a welcome addition to the library of violin technical studies. Mark Rush has taken the Flesch Scale System and simplified the format into a logical visual and theoretical sequence easily understood by students.” ~ Mimi Zweig, Professor, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University

“… a fresh and imaginative presentation of the Carl Flesch Scale System that makes the benefits of this classic fully accessible to any violinist.” ~ Kevin Lawrence, Professor, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Artistic Director, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival

“The Flesch scale system has been a go-to resource for violin teachers for almost 100 years. Professor Rush introduces scale practice in a more gradual way, and his ideas on fingerings help with the process of memorization and gaining confidence with intonation. I highly recommend this volume for any teacher… or for students who have been frustrated with the complexity of the original.” ~ Charles Wetherbee, Associate Professor of Violin, Colorado University – Boulder

“Mark Rush has taken the beloved Carl Flesch Scale System and has reverently preserved its most essential core, while providing wonderfully clear and helpful additions; perfect for students of all levels, making this classic book more approachable and useable for everyone. What a great idea, wonderfully executed!” ~ Lina Bahn, Associate Professor of Violin, Thornton School of Music, Univ. of Southern California

“What a pleasure to see this valuable contribution to the pedagogical literature which is exactly what it advertises: distilled, thoughtful, and above all,  accessible, while retaining the original inspiration and intent of Carl Flesch. Well done, indeed!” ~ Paul Kantor, Professor of Violin, Shepard School of Music, Rice University

See all of ISG Publications titles at: https://isgpublications.com

August 31, 2022 by Composers News Pedagogy Sheet Music Solo Music violin

Swing Set for Contrabass (2021)

ISG Publications is please to announce the new release of Patrick Neher’s concert etude, Swing Set for Contrabass. As part of our Virtuoso Creation series and our Premiere Pedagogy series, these challenging set of four lyrical etudes can be performed as a short (about 07:00 minutes) concert solo, or can be part of your daily study to facilitate both your technique and musical interpretation skills. There are some “extended techniques” required of the piece, including some humming/singing in pitch.

Patrick Neher’s new piece, Swing Set for Contrabass, is a lyrical and dynamic solo work that can be a wonderful addition to any bass player’s library, but a professional level of performance is required.

Purchase Swing Set for Contrabass on our contrabass page or our pedagogy page.

June 8, 2022 by Composers double bass News Pedagogy Sheet Music Solo Music

Character Suite for Contrabass and Piano

Patrick Neher – Character Suite for Contrabass and Piano, (or for Contrabass Solo, or for Contrabass with another bassist accompanying), is the latest title added to ISG Publications’ Premiere Pedagogy Series of innovative compositions for students and teachers.

Written for Cielito de Jesus and her students, this composition explores four “characters” and how to develop musical personality. The four movements can be performed individually or as a group and total approximately 10:00 minutes. The movement titles indicate the characteristics to develop: Foup and Twils (allegro moderato), Under Dripping Palms (andante), Plumb Foup (allegro), and G’mma’s Waltz (allegro). The solo bassist can perform in orchestral or solo tuning, as both piano parts and accompaniment bassist parts come with both tunings. Hear demonstration recordings of Character Suite on Patrick Neher’s personal web page (click the Book Two tab).

Bassists are encourage to study the pieces with a teacher, and the teacher can play the accompaniment bass part or the piano. But these pieces can also be rewarding to perform solo, with no accompaniment. This innovative way of making music provides potential for spontaneous creativity. In fact, the soloist could specify where he/she wants to be accompanied and by whom – the bassist or the pianist. Fun!

The level of skill required to play these pieces is in the moderate to advanced junior high or high school range, but college students and professionals alike will be challenged to be creative with the material. Thus, the four character tunes are oriented toward multi-skill level, they are listenable, and are especially fun to play!

Purchase Patrick Neher’s new Character Suite at our contrabass solos page.

May 7, 2022 by Chamber Music Composers double bass News Pedagogy Sheet Music Solo Music

Bottesini Melodia #2 and Introduction & Gavotte – Second Editions

Bottesini’s lovely Melodia #2 for Contrabass and Piano (ISG ©1999) has been reissued. The Second Edition of Melodia #2 includes both piano parts for the contrabass in orchestral and solo tuning, and is carefully edited to reflect Patrick Neher’s concert recording of the work. This re-issue is in beautiful print and on standard concert folio sized archival paper. A PDF version is in the works.

And ISG has reissued Bottesini’s Introduction and Gavotte. The Second Edition provides this popular work with both solo tuning and orchestra tuning piano parts. Carefully edited, this edition is a reflection of the recordings and live performances of Patrick Neher.

Purchase the Second Edition of Bottesini Melodia #2 and Bottesini’s Introduction and Gavotte from ISG’s contrabass solos page.

November 24, 2021 by Chamber Music Composers News Sheet Music Solo Music

New Release Pedagogy – Negri Two Studies

LUIGI NEGRI was a not-so-famous bassist of the 19th century. Born in 1837, he managed to make a name for himself even though overshadowed by Giovanni Bottesini. As a former student of Bottesini’s teacher, Luigi Rossi, and as successor to the head of the conservatory in Milan, he had a fair number of bass students and produced numerous compositions and etudes.

These two studies, Gran Studio no.1 and Studio no. 24, are from a compilation of studies that Negri produced around the year 1862. The book consisted of mostly violin studies (by such teachers as Kreisler), adapted by Negri for bass. But the two published here by ISG Publications are his original compositions and deserve to be re-published. They give us insight into the demands of bassists at the time – when Donizetti, Puccini, and Verdi were writing operas with very challenging (sometimes) bass parts!

Though not the most inspired of compositions, bassist will today be mightily challenged by these two studies, to play in the 19th century opera buffa style and Play in Tune!! You can obtain your copy of these two studies of Luigi Negri at our Pedagogy Page or our solo contrabass compositions page.

July 22, 2021 by double bass News Pedagogy Sheet Music Solo Music

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