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The Five Zero Hartt Project

I began thinking about “chamber symphony” several years ago somewhat after the fact. I had written an extended 3 section song called Epitafio a un Pájaro for voice, flute, and 2 guitars. Sometime after it was done I was compelled to write another piece using the same motivic ideas – they were based on the name of the poet of Epitafio, Federico García Lorca. This was Un Establo de Oro for two guitars, flute and cello.  La Perla del Pico for flute and guitar quartet, a guitar duo called Sombra para mis Gritos and finally a piece for narrator and guitar, De la Muerte Oscura, followed. I had written a small “chamber symphony” without knowing it!

I was left with the desire to “do it again.” Perhaps with more intention, as the first time I had no idea that I was going to go so far. My ensuing proposal to several ensembles in the Hartford area, with the steadfast support of Richard Provost and the Hartt School, led to the Hartt Five Zero Project, a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Guitar Department with five local ensembles participating. The Augustin Foundation has generously supported the commission of seven works for the following groups to be performed on April 12, 2012 at the Hartt School in Hartford. CT: Phenix Ensemble: Richard Provost, guitar; Anton Miller, violin; Rita Porfiris, viola Pandora Duo: Christopher Ladd, guitar; Janet Arms, flute New England Guitar Quartet: Nick Cutroneo; Jeremy Milligan; Daniel Hartington; Christopher Ladd  Alturas Duo Scott Hill, guitar; Carlos Boltes, viola and charango  Kaleidos: Yovianna Garcia, voice and guitar: Sayun Chang, voice and percussion.

New Releases in the New Year

Gyre is excited to announce the release of several new CDs this winter/spring.

ELEMENTAL  Frank Wallace, classical guitar
The long-awaited third volume of Frank Wallace’s new solo works, featuring an exquisite 1931 Herman Hauser guitar.  Download a free preview of A Heavy Sleep (2013) below.

THE NAKED VOICE   Nancy Knowles, mezzosoprano, bansuri flute
Lullabies, traditional and ancient songs in the time-honored way of women everywhere, a voce sola.  A rare opportunity to hear Knowles’ haunting flute playing as well.

GARGOYLES  Mare Duo and Friends play Frank Wallace
Annika Hinsche (mandolin) and Fabian Hirsche (guitar) from Dusseldorf Germany in a spectacular showcase of Wallace’s compositions… Mark Davis writes, “It is a really good sound… Wow!  This is revolutionary for the mandolin/guitar repertoire!”

New Guitar Solo for #Britten100

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Detlev Bork, guitarist

Detlev Bork, guitarist

The world celebrates the 100th anniversary of the incomparable Benjamin Britten on November 22, 2013. In honor of the event Gyre is pleased to announce the release of A Heavy Sleep. The work is a 4:30 fantasy commissioned by and written for German guitarist Detlev Bork by Frank Wallace. The world premiere was given November 9, 2013 by Detlev at Kammermusiksaal der Musik- und Singschule Heidelberg, Germany. The title and motivic content of the piece were derived from Britten’s monumental work Nocturnal from 1963.

Go to product page to read more and purchase a PDF or Deluxe Edition of A Heavy Sleep. Read more about events for the Anniversary on Twitter.

An old Star still Shines!

Finally, Gyre has MP3s for sale here on the Gyre Music website. We begin with an old friend, Trio LiveOak’s classic Star Shining on the Mountain from 1980. Music of medieval and renaissance Spain played and sung by Nancy Knowles, John Fleagle, and Frank Wallace.  Pay what you want –  $1-$100 – anything at all.  We appreciate your support and will use funds make other old recordings, and even unfinished records, available to you. For example:

COMING SOON  A compilation EP of lute and vihuela solos from Art of Flemish Song, Ay de Mi, Piva as well as 7 unreleased recordings.

Star Shining on the Mountain

$

New Products

New Products

  • There are two new EPs and one of an old favorite:   Spotlight One includes four recordings of Spanish-lyric songs;
    The Song of Albin  is a six-movement suite that Frank Wallace recorded in 2004 but never finished a full CD; and an old favorite, Trio LiveOak’s first professional LP recording from 1980, Star Shining on the Mountain
  • Renaissance Duets for two guitars; original two-part works from the 12th to 16th century, perfect sightreading material with various clefs
  • Mandolin section with new works including Blue Heron and Night Owl for solo mandolin
  • Three new solo guitar works:   Black Falcon, written for Edel Muñoz and coming soon: White Albatross, for Fabian Hinsche and A Heavy Sleep for Detlev Bork
  • New wind quintet: The Bells

Gyre Special Features

Here are some useful guidelines to our new site…

Special Features

  • We now offer most products in digital or hard copy versions. The default price for sheet music is a PDF download.
  • All digital products, MP3s or PDFs will be delivered via a link in your emailed receipt. Sheet music with parts or combination products of MP3s and PDFs will be in a zip file: simply download to desktop and double click on the file.
  • When you order a deluxe hand-made Printed Edition you will also receive a complimentary PDF of the same music. Again, a link to that PDF will be found in your email receipt. We like to keep original editions clean, so this saves the effort of copying for daily use. Please support our work by not sharing PDFs or MP3s with friends – send them to our site instead – only you have the right to print from the PDF.
  • The new Video page features performances of Gyre publications; each title has a link to the sheet music if you want to learn more or purchase; send us your video of works by Frank Wallace to include on the page.
  • There is audio and video on product pages when possible; some audio is a midi file from Finale / Garritan Personal Orchestra. Although this program does an incredible job (with a little dynamics etc. tweaking by the composer), we need YOUR help to keep updating the listening experience with live performances.

 

ANNOUNCING TWO NEW WEBSITES

Nancy Knowles has long been recognized for her smooth, rich mezzo-soprano voice. She has also been the visual coordinator, designer and photographer for Duo LiveOak and Gyre Music for decades. And then there is the poetry, the painting, the flute playing… Explore the vivid and limitless imagination of Nancy’s work on her gorgeous new website by Spherical: www.nancyknowles.com

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Starting his career as a classical guitarist, Frank Wallace has constantly sought new ways to express himself using the the guitar, the lute, the vihuela, his voice and his pencil to create a rich life of song, solo and chamber music.  Check out his new website:  www.frankwallace.com

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New Mandolin Music

Gyre is thrilled to present two new virtuoso solos for mandolin. Night Owl was written for and recently debuted by Annika Hinsche; Blue Heron was written for and debuted last spring by Robert Margo. Annika just recorded Night Owl which will be included on the upcoming Gyre CD “Mare Duo and Friends play Wallace”. Blue Heron is also arranged for solo violin – both parts are included in the PDF version. All Gyre publications are available for purchase as PDFs or deluxe Printed Editions, handmade, bound works with fine photography of Nancy Knowles on the cover.

Annika Hinsche and composer Frank Wallace

Annika and Frank

 

Gyre Launches New Site

Nancy-Knowles and Frank Wallace of Duo LiveOak...contemporary musical emancipation...NewMusicBox.org

welcome

We hope you are as excited as we with the design work of Adam Wallace’s  Spherical (Brooklyn) on our new site, in conjunction with our very own photographer/designer Nancy Knowles. There is a lot of depth behind its visual simplicity.  Click on an avatar to read the story of each piece or to hear the compositions either on MP3 or in performance on video. You can now purchase PDF versions of any work or order our handmade, beautiful printed editions. There are three new EPs in digital only format and many more to come. As you explore the site, please share your ideas. In the next few weeks I will be blogging here about my latest compositions – guitar solos, chamber music, and songs.  And stay tuned for our two upcoming solo recordings (solo guitar from me, solo voice and flute from Nancy).

Meanwhile, please enjoy this video of the spectacular debut performance by Mobius Trio of my 2012 guitar ensemble piece, More Gargoyles.

– Frank Wallace