Posted By Rebecca Minor on December 16, 2012

On December 14th, Middle Earth fans got the chance to take in the next installment of Peter Jackson’s imagining of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.  Midnight marked the release of the first of his three films telling the story of The Hobbit.

Howard Shore, just as with Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, scored the new film, whose soundtrack released on December 11th.  Being a huge fan of Mr. Shore’s work, I dove at the chance to get an early listen to the new film’s orchestration.

I have not been disappointed in Shore’s return to Middle Earth.  The Hobbit soundtrack strikes a wonderful balance between resonance and awe.  The interpolation of themes Shore used in The Lord of the Rings creates the exact feeling that readers who return to Tolkien’s work time and time again crave — that sense of immersion in the atmosphere of his story world.  The Hobbit’s warm clarinet rendering of the Shire theme is just as perfect as it was when played on wood flute in The Fellowship of the Ring.  The underscore of Bilbo’s departure on the adventure recalls the flight of the hobbits from Farmer Maggot in Jackson’s first trilogy, and it beautifully sets the tone as yet another hobbit flees from a small set of problems into larger dangers.

The dwarves’ theme is equally soaring and weighty, and is perfectly suited to the serious side of the dwarves that Jackson places on screen, giving them a chance to be majestic and awe-inspiring.  For a long-time Tolkien fan like me, this came as a great relief, since the only dwarf represented in The Lord of the Rings, Gimli, ended up shouldering the bulk of the movie’s comic relief—a decidedly un-dwarvish job.  Sure, there are members of the company that  still inspire laughs, but Shore’s soundtrack helps undergird and remind the viewer of the dwarves’ formidable nature.

When the movie draws characters into deeper peril, Shore does not shy away from the use of instrumental performance for atmospheric sound.  Many of the later tracks in the score contain heavy dissonance, brash playing, and the use of improvised percussion instrumentation — all perfectly suited to clashes with goblins and the darker forces of Middle Earth.  He makes use of dramatic and imposing men’s vocals, and pits them against ethereal women’s choral work (for example, Galadriel’s vaguely eastern-inspired theme) and the purity of boys’ choir.

I did not make it to a midnight show of the new film, but I’m excited to see how the themes I have now had the opportunity to internalize will enhance the visuals Peter Jackson has chosen to depict on screen. My advance familiarity with the score will free me up to appreciate the amazing synergy between sound and image The Hobbit is bound to offer.

If you are a Hobbit fan too, here are some products that might interest you:

http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/search.jsp?weblist=smthehobbit&label=The+Hobbit

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Posted By Karen DeSimone on December 13, 2012

Holiday traditions, while unique in their own right, are what bind us together as a culture.  During the month of December during the hustle and bustle of shopping, eating and entertaining, we all seem to have one main goal:  to celebrate in the company of those we love.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or a combination thereof,  all tend to celebrate at some point during December.

Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights,”, commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the second century.  This year, the observance began at sunset on Saturday, December 8 and will end at nightfall on Sunday, December 16.   Perhaps the most prominent symbol is the nine-branched menorah or hanukiah. One candle is lit each night of the holiday, progressing to a total of eight on the final night.  The ninth extra light, or shamash, is used for utility purposes, for extra light.  The lights of the Hanukkah menorah are a reminder that as winter approaches and the nights grow longer, even in the darkness, there is light.

Christmas, meaning Christ’s Mass, celebrated on December 25, marks the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and is considered by many to be the most holy day of the year.  Many focus on the importance of gift giving and on finding the perfect gift, while also celebrating by attending or performing in concerts and church services, sending Christmas cards, baking cookies, cooking traditional meals, and by hosting festive parties.

There are many signs and symbols which represent the Christmas season.  One of these, the holly branch with its sharp edges, represents the crown of thorns worn by Jesus at His crucifixion.  The red berries represent His blood.  Christmas trees were often brought indoors and decorated in hopes of having a good crop the following year.  They have also been linked to divinity.

Kwanzaa, which began in 1966, is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1.  Each of the seven days is dedicated to one of the seven core principles, or Nguzo Saba, on which the celebration of Kwanzaa is based.  These principles are Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.  These seven days culminate in one final celebration and a ceremonious meal;  gifts are also exchanged.

All who celebrate during the holiday season seem to treasure the same things:  sharing good food, sharing good times, and sharing company.

Add music to your celebrations with these popular holiday favorites.

Season’s Greetings:  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa from all of the staff here at J.W. Pepper!

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Tags: Christmas, culture, Hanukkah, Holidays, Kwanzaa, multi-cultural, tradition

Posted By Jen Tolnay on December 11, 2012

On November 5th of this year, the classical music world lost one of its giants. Elliott Carter would have celebrated his 104th birthday today, most likely by attending a concert or composing a new piece.

Born in New York City on December 11, 1908, Mr. Carter became interested in modern music in his teens. Attending the New York premiere of The Rite of Spring in 1924 was an early inspiration for the aspiring composer.  He found a mentor in Charles Ives who helped him get into Harvard, where he studied with Walter Piston and Gustav Holst.  After completing his master’s degree in music at Harvard, he went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger, and received his doctorate in music from Ecole Normale in Paris.

Over his long career, Mr. Carter taught at the Peabody Conservatory, Queens College, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell and the Juilliard School, and was on the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center.  He received many awards, among them the National Medal of Arts, The Trustees Award (a lifetime achievement award given to non-performers by the Grammy Awards), and two Pulitzer Prizes.

Not slowing down in his later years, Mr. Carter composed over 4o of his 158 works between the ages of 90 and 100, and at least a dozen more after turning 100. His first opera, What Next?, was completed when he was 90 and his last work, 12 Short Epigrams for piano, was completed in August of this year.  He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2008 at Carnegie Hall at a concert which included his Interventions for piano and orchestra written the previous year.  The concert also included a performance of The Rite of Spring.

Often a polarizing force in contemporary  music, Elliott Carter was at times criticized for being too intellectual and inaccessible, but was also celebrated for his complex and challenging compositions.  His music spanned neoclassicism, populism, atonality, rhythmic complexity, and his own form of serialism, eventually arriving at a more lyrical style late in life.

Join us in remembering a life spent reinventing modern music.  We hope you enjoy this selection of Elliott Carter’s compositions.

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Posted By Karen DeSimone on December 4, 2012

How did it all start, you ask?  Well, let me tell you.  It all began about a few thousand years ago when pagan songs were sung to celebrate the Winter Solstice, around December 22, while dancing around stone circles.  A carol, also called a “noel,” actually refers to a dance or song of praise and joy, and used to be written for all four of the seasons;  however, the Christmas season has been the only one where the tradition survives.

A new tradition was adopted by Saint Francis of Assisi when, in 1223, he began doing his Nativity Plays in Italy.  Songs or “canticles” were sung which would tell the storyline of the play.  These choruses were often sung in Latin, but more typically they were sung in the native language of the audience so that they could join in the singing.  These new carols spread to Spain, Germany, France and other parts of Europe.  One of the early carols, “I Saw Three Ships,” was typically sung by minstrels in various home settings and where the words were changed according to the local setting in which it was sung.

In England, the celebration of Christmas and singing carols was stopped when Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans came to power in 1647.  The carols survived, however, as people continued to sing them, but in secret!  Carols remained sparsley sung until the Victorian times, when Davis Gilbert and William Sandys began to gather together old Christmas music from the English villages.

Many orchestras and choirs at this time were being organized in the cities, and people wanted Christmas songs to sing too, so carols once again became popular.  To meet the popular demand, many new carols, such as “Good King Wenceslas,” were written during the Victorian period.  New carol services then became popular along with singing carols out in public on the streets — “Here We Come A-Wassailing”!

The traditional carols we sing have a rich history.  For example, the music and words to “Adeste Fideles,” a.k.a. “O Come All Ye Faithful,” originated in the mid 18th century – with the words going back possibly as far as the 13th century!  Carols such as “The First Noel’” and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” “I Saw Three Ships” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” were in William B. Sandys’ Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern in 1833.  Composers like Arthur Sullivan helped to revitalize the Christmas carol, and it was during this time that my favorite, “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” and “Good King Wenceslas” became popular.

Our heritage includes the oldest traditional tunes, such as another one of my favorites, “The Holly and the Ivy,” dating back to the Middle Ages, and our more modern Christmas carols, such as the carols written by Alfred Burt (1920-1954).  Just the same, all carols are always well received, cherished, and performed regularly in both sacred as well as secular settings.  Click here to see a complete collection of the Alfred Burt carols. For more Alfred Burt titles, click here.

Some Interesting Facts:

• Did you know that in some countries, if Christmas carols are played before December, or after Christmas Day, it is considered to be extremely bad luck?
• Did you know that carols have often been based on medieval chord patterns which gives them their uniquely characteristic sound?
• Tunes such as “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Away in a Manger” and “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” were written in the U.S.?
• One of the most popular Christmas carols among all age groups and around the world, “Jingle Bells,” copyrighted under the name “One Horse Open Sleigh,” was not written as a Christmas tune initially?  It was actually written by James Lord Pierpoint in 1850 as a Thanksgiving song!
• “Silent Night” is so popular that it has been translated into 140 or so languages around the world?  In fact, the song was sung simultaneously in French, English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914, as it was one carol that soldiers on both sides of the front line knew!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of the staff here at J.W. Pepper!

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Tags: Alfred Burt, carols, choir, Christmas music, history of carols, sing, Singer

Posted By Rebecca Minor on December 4, 2012

Tips for Holiday Concert Season Survival

It’s that time of year again… the time when people love the sound of joyous holiday music to put them in the mood to celebrate with friends and family.  Whether the songs are nostalgic, fun, reflective, or worshipful, no one can deny that music is a big part of what makes the holidays so magical.

The folks who make music this time of year, whether in church, school, or the community, know that the holidays bring with them much behind-the-scenes craziness.  In order to help frazzled musicians develop some strategies to hang onto their sanity during all this busyness, here are a few tips:

Delegate

If you’re a director, you’re used to having many balls in the air at the same time, but you don’t really have to juggle every ball thrown into the mix.  Need someone to shepherd young singers to and from the risers?  Make sure several parents have signed up for that job.  Will there be Christmas trees flanking the stage that need lights?  There is a dad out there waiting to take that on.  Need a program?  Get the information to a tech-savvy volunteer and see how wonderfully it comes out.

Rehearse early and build in extra rehearsal time

Everybody loves to hear, “You know what?  We don’t really need that rehearsal on Wednesday.  Let’s take that day off.”  Certainly more than they like to hear, “Wow, this isn’t even close to ready.  I need to call a couple extra rehearsals.”  Whenever possible, over-schedule your rehearsal time at the beginning of the process.  Better to prepare your ensemble for many rehearsals and then pleasantly surprise them with a reprieve than to suddenly have to scrape for enough rehearsal to present a polished performance.

An ounce of prevention…

Nothing strikes fear into an ensemble like a soloist who’s coming down with bronchitis the week before the performance.  Even though you might feel as though you don’t have time to baby your health, failing to do so can result in more time lost than if you’d made sure to get a full night’s sleep now and then.  It’s not really optional.

Maintain focus

For many, the end of the year is a time of spiritual refection, and keeping this deeper purpose at the center of what we do as musicians can be a big help in managing the frenzy.  In the words of David DiMarino, J.W. Pepper’s vice president of strategic business operations and church musician:  “I seek to find a handful of times throughout the season where I can sit down next to the fireplace with my favorite carols playing in the background and contemplate ‘the reason for the season.’  Taking a few unhurried moments throughout the Christmas season keeps me grounded and focused on why I do all that I do in my crazy life as a church musician.”

With just a little extra attention to managing the inevitable insanity that crops up when musicians are in demand, the music of the season will come out sounding fabulous. And when musicians can jingle those bells without becoming (too) jangled, everybody has a happier holiday!

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Tags: Christmas music, church music, holiday concerts

Posted By Wendy McKee on November 30, 2012

Are you getting ready for Christmas, or are you getting ready for Advent?  Advent is the season of expectant waiting and anticipation that is celebrated by most Western Christian churches beginning the 4^th Sunday before Christmas Day.

You may not realize that what you thought of as your favorite Christmas songs are actually Advent songs.  Songs like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” and “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” are just a few of my personal favorite Advent tunes.

This year, the First Sunday of Advent is December 2.  Some churches have a strict rule of only playing Advent music during the Advent season.  Other churches are anxious for Thanksgiving to be done so that they can start singing Christmas carols.  Whatever your specific tradition might be, I would encourage you to check out some of the new Advent arrangements for this year.  Who knows, you might just find some new favorites!

If you are looking for some suggestions, check out the following:

Mark Hayes has a beautiful new Advent piece, “Awaken and Prepare Us,” that adds an exciting anticipatory feel using the hymn “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” in one of the verses.

Joseph Martin (one of my personal favorite composers) has a beautiful new composition filled with longing titled “O Come to Us, Emmanuel” that uses snippets of the familiar Advent tune.

Maybe you want something that is more like a spiritual?  Then check out this new Larry Shackley a cappella piece with percussion.  “The World’s Been a-Waitin’ So Long” is contagiously catchy and fun.

There are so many fantastic Advent pieces out there.  I invite you to check more of them out using our Editors’ Choice Online. You can listen to complete recordings and see full octavos BEFORE you purchase.  I know you will find the perfect piece to suit your needs.

Happy Singing!

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Tags: Advent, choral music, church choir, sacred music

Posted By Jen Tolnay on November 27, 2012

When tourists visit southern California, their itinerary will more than likely include must-see sights and trips to Disneyland, Hollywood and one of the many beaches that typify Los Angeles.  However, there is growing speculation that making a trip to Pepper Southern California may be trending positively within that list, probably somewhere in between Rodeo Drive and any MTV celebrity home.

Kidding aside, J.W. Pepper has had a presence in southern California since the early 1980s, with previous locations in the cities of Gardena and Santa Fe Springs.  Currently, our store is located in the beautiful city of Norwalk, about 15 miles away from Disneyland and 25 minutes from the beach.  The store also functions as a Regional Marketing Center, where we proudly serve southern California, Arizona and Hawaii.

Our team realizes that when it comes to our customers and their expectations, the little things mean everything.  We make every effort possible to ensure that our customers leave our store knowing that they can always depend on Pepper for all of their sheet music needs.  Our staff of four provides a wide spectrum of services for our customers, including organizing and implementing annual choral workshops and copyright presentations.  Other times, we play host on district in-service days to assist neighboring school districts in choosing their curricula for the year.  For the most part, the store acts as a musical treasure vault, where amateur and professional musicians browse for hours looking for updates to their musical repertoire.

The newest addition to the team is Gloria Zurita, who joined Pepper in 2010.  Gloria is a former clarinet player with an appetite for writing and photography.  Her favorite musical activity at the moment is “listening to and dissecting Eric Whitacre chords” in her car while she sits in L.A. traffic. 

Kristina Real joined Pepper in late 2005.  She played the accordion early in her childhood, as well as percussion in the school band. She is a bona fide music aficionado of nearly every genre.  If a customer is unsure about a song title, once they start to sing a measure or two, Kristina will almost always successfully “name that tune.” 

Valdemar Zamora has been with Pepper for over 20 years.  A proud family man and keyboard player, he once toured professionally with a Mexican pop group.  Presently, he shares his talents with his local church worship group as their keyboardist.

The manager of J.W. Pepper SoCal is Pepper Vice President Sam DeRenzis.  Sam earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Gettysburg College.  His involvement with the industry spans over three decades, and he has been with Pepper for over 20 years.  He is an accomplished saxophone player and a passionate fan of Major League Baseball.

Feel free to stop by whenever you’re in the area.  We would love to see you!

Visit Pepper SoCal’s website.

Hang out with us on Facebook.

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Posted By Doug McComas on November 20, 2012

There’s always discussion about when it is “acceptable” to crack open the first holiday CD and officially ring in the festivities of the season.  Every family has their own traditions, but at our house, there was no Christmas music played on the piano or the stereo, sung or hummed, until after the Thanksgiving turkey was sliced and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was finished!

My folks worked hard to provide the meager things we had, and family time was always very important.  Mother began preparing Thanksgiving dinner days ahead of time with homemade pies and cakes, stuffing, basted turkey and all of the trimmings.  The aromas that came from the kitchen would have our mouths watering, eagerly awaiting the Thanksgiving feast that was to come.

On Thanksgiving Day, as the final preparations were completed, we would sit in front of the television, an old black and white console, and watch each of the floats going by.  We were waiting with great anticipation for the final one, the one with Santa Claus on it.  We knew that meant that Christmas had arrived!  Once the parade was done, I could go to the stereo and put a stack of records on two inches thick!  Elvis, Brenda Lee, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Carpenters, you name it… but never before Santa came to end the parade!

During this time of traditions and family time – we remember fondly so many things that we no longer do.  Each Thanksgiving evening, my father would load us into the car and we would drive to South Main Street in Akron, Ohio, and walk around looking in the Polsky’s and O’Neil’s department store windows at the animated Christmas displays.  They always had magical fairy tale and nursery rhyme displays with moving parts, trains, elves, all while Christmas carols were piped out onto the sidewalk.  If, by chance, there was snow on Thanksgiving Day, it made it all the better.

Looking back I see that music was always such a big part of every holiday.  It defined our celebrations not only at church, but also at home.  My memories always correlate with records I was playing or songs I remember being on the radio at the time.  Gian Carlo Menotti said that, “Music is… a form of remembering, a return to the seasons of the heart long gone.”

Whatever your traditions are during this time of Thanksgiving, everyone at J.W. Pepper hopes you will remember fondly those things that bring a memory to mind and a smile to your face.  When you watch the parade this year and finally see Santa, remember – I’m somewhere, smiling, listening to my first holiday CD of the year!

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Posted By Kathy Fernandes on November 19, 2012

Does your band want to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy?  Pepper and Manhattan Beach Music have teamed up to provide free music for your band so you can host your own benefit concert.  Bands across the country have expressed interest in putting on benefit concerts, and having free band sets can get them on their way.

It’s simple.  Once you perform your concert, send the proceeds to the charity of your choice.  That’s it.  There’s no catch!    Use the special item numbers below to order:

College:  #10346124 – Gaian Visions

High school, community band:  #10346125 – Simple Gifts: Four Shaker Songs

Middle school, junior high, high school:  #10346126 – Joy Revisited

Each of these finely crafted works for band was composed by Frank Ticheli, so you know any one of them will make a wonderful keystone work in your benefit concert program.  There are a limited number of free sets available, so it’s first come, first served.  Free sets are limited to one per customer.   When the inventory of free sets is gone, they’re gone!

Be sure to let us know how your concert turns out.  And, most importantly, thank you for helping those in need!

Update:  All available free sets have been distributed to organizations hosting benefit concerts.   Thank you to all who partipated!

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Tags: concert band, Frank Ticheli

Posted By Paul Smith on November 8, 2012

Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

• On November 11, 1918, the fighting for World War I actually stopped on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month bringing an end to what was called “The War to End All Wars.”
• World War I, known as at the time as “The Great War,” officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919.
• In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.
• On June 4, 1926, the United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution.
• Another act, approved May 13, 1938, made the 11^th of November a legal holiday.  This was to be a day dedicated to world peace and to be known as Armistice Day.
• As World War II and then the Korean War followed, on June 1, 1954, November 11^th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars, now known as Veterans Day.
• President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation on October 8, 1954.
• The Uniform Holiday Bill, which was intended to give federal employees several three-day weekends, was signed on June 28, 1968, moving the observance of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October.
• On September 25, 1971, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day to November 11, beginning in 1978.

As the son of a World War II Army veteran, I am extremely proud of my father, and all veterans, for the sacrifices he endured.  To this day, he presents inspiring programs and musical concerts to his community, constantly stressing the importance of this day and this great country.

On behalf of the entire J.W. Pepper family, we thank all veterans for your sacrifice and dedication to this great country.  If you encounter a veteran or an individual currently serving in the military, please take a moment to thank them for everything they have done – or are currently doing – to ensure future freedoms for us all.

Read more about the history of Veterans Day, from The Department of Veteran Affairs.

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Tags: advocacy, Casual Musician, choral music, Christian music, concert band, General Music, J W Pepper, Marching Band, music, Music education, music student, music teacher, NAfME, Pepper music, sacred music, sheet music, Vocal Music