More Publications for 2014!

2014 looks like a promising year!  Forton Music have accepted what will become my Op. 6 Partita in G for Oboe, Cor Anglais, and Bassoon, and my Op. 7 Four Romances for Cor Anglais and Piano.  Needless to say, I am extremely gratified by this news!  Meanwhile, my father's magnificent chorale prelude for organ, "Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten," will be published by Wayne Leupold editions. 

Summer Update (belated)

I am now in possession of another short CD, this one comprised entirely of compositions for winds.  My colleagues [Audrey Markowitz, oboe; Kyoko Hida-Battaglia, English horn (and oboe); Patricia Yee, bassoon] and I recorded these eleven pieces at Futura Productions in Roslindale, and I am once again quite pleased with the results.

I patched together what may ultimately form the Partita in G for Double-Reed Trio -- Invention in G minor, Rondo in G Major, Fugue #1 in G minor, Renaissance Dance in G Major, and Fugue #2 in G minor.  As a group, these are certainly somewhat unusual -- three baroque contrapuntal works (in minor mode) with a classical rondo and Renaissance dance (the latter two in major mode).  Moreover, the second fugue has already been published as my Op. 3, #3 "Fugue for Cor Anglais and Piano."  However, I think the assembly works quite nicely, and the concluding fugue probably sounds better with the three woodwinds than with English horn and piano.

I finally got to record my transcription of my father's song, "A Man-Child's Lullaby" (with oboe; published for oboe or flute & piano).  I also completed my Op. 3 recordings with the second (and best) piece, "Song Without Words."

The new works -- all of which came to me in dreams -- formed a set:  Four Romances for Cor Anglais and Piano.  Of these, the most interesting is #1 in F, which begins with a short excerpt from Beethoven's first cello sonata (but branches off in a totally different direction).  The third, in b minor, derived from my earlier setting of "Heartbreak Hill," by Celia Thaxter, and clearly works quite nicely for English horn.

I am very excited about these new compositions (as well as the two already published), and hope they will be performed in near future. 

Novel about Paganini beats books on Biber, Khalifa

Here is --> an amusing news blurb about my mother's novel (based on the life of Paganini), which I edited and revised:  http://janusliteraryagency.blogspot.com/2012/12/paganini-tops-bieber-khalifa.html .

Three Recent Interviews With Violinists!

I have written three interviews with violinists for the newsletter of Stay Thirsty Press, publishers of Paganini's Fire.

The interview with Alexander Markov can be found at:

http://www.staythirstymedia.com/201209-073/html/201209-cavallaro-markov-int.html

The two-part interview with Stephanie Chase is reached thusly:

http://www.staythirstymedia.com/201211-075/html/201211-cavallaro-chase.html   and http://www.staythirstymedia.com/201212-076/html/201212-cavallaro-chase2.html

Finally, the interview with Joshua Bell can be accessed via
http://www.staythirstymedia.com/201302-078/html/201302-cavallaro-bell.html 

These were all most enjoyable, and well received.  

Cavallaro Music for Winds Has Been Published, and is also on Youtube!

Forton Music has released three volumes of my music, along with a posthumous volume of my father's.  Available now are my:  (1) Sonata for Oboe (or Flute) in a minor, Op. 1; (2) Three Songs Without Words for Flute or Oboe,  Op. 2; and (3) Three Pieces for Cor Anglais, Op. 3 -- along with Three Pieces for Oboe or Flute, Op. Posth., by Alfonso Cavallaro.  The link to the publisher is:  http://www.fortonmusic.co.uk/Files/doublereedcatalogue.htm . 

Some (alas, not all) of these can also be heard on my Youtube channel at the following url:  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCimiO7ycp83KIsOZYyxJzdQ .

I am profoundly grateful to Forton Music for the wonderful opportunity they have afforded me.  I devoutly hope that my own music, which adheres to eighteenth and early nineteenth century harmonic idiom and style, will inspire other composers to return to our musical roots!

The Ironic Story of Alfonso Cavallaro’s Forthcoming Publications

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Here is that true story from the family saga.  In 1942, my father submitted his “Serenade, “Tango,” and Theme, Variations, and Finale for publication to Carl Fischer Music.  He was advised that the latter – a magnificent composition, in my opinion – could not be considered at the time, because it was too difficult and would probably not generate a reasonable number of sales.  The publishers did accept the two shorter works, although they also requested that he agree to accept responsibility for distributing a set number of them himself (not an uncommon practice in the industry).  My father, who had a good number of private students, was not upset about the latter clause, but he was furious about the rejection of his finest composition for violin, so he declined the offer. 

Please fast-forward seventy years.  In 2012, I submitted the same three works to Broadbent and Dunn.  I have, of course, been overjoyed by their acceptance of the “Serenade,” and “Tango,” and I was not surprised that they wish to hold the major work in abeyance – at least long enough to see whether there is any interest in the composer’s shorter pieces.  This is certainly quite reasonable, and I have not even been asked to purchase any copies.  

I suspect that if my father were alive, he would be quite satisfied with my decision.  I certainly hope so!

Music For Winds Under Editorial Revision

I was thrilled to receive a four-volume package from Forton Music this week.  The texts were "preview" copies of the music that will be released in early 2013, and I have eagerly begun to edit -- carefully!

This process has led to an interesting realization.  While readers routinely encounter -- and overlook or forgive -- a few "typos" in a published text, musicians simply cannot indulge in such a luxury.  Indeed, if a novelist writes about how a character  "had gone to Paris last spring" and misspells the verb (e.g., perhaps with an extra "n"), no one will misinterpret what the author intended.  In fact, many readers will be unaware of the error!  However, if music is published with a "sharp" where a "flat" was needed, or with a note misplaced on a given space or line, the sound will be completely different than what the composer wished to convey. 

Naturally, I shall endeavor to do as accurate a job as I possibly can.  [In truth, I'd rather spend my time creating more music!]