Treble Clef

Paleta

On Internet Archive at On Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/schirmerslibrary00unse_omr
On Soundslice at https://www.soundslice.com/slices/89f4c/

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer and keyboardist. A notable child prodigy, he became one of the foremost composers of the early romantic period but was also a conservative artist who helped reignite interest in earlier composers he admired, including J.S. and C.P.E. Bach. His Lieder ohne Wortes (Songs without Words) are among his best know piano compositions. Mendelssohn published Opus 30 in 1835.

Public Domain. No Rights Reserved.

Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words) Opus 30, No. 5 in D Major - Felix Mendelssohn

The last movement of the Sonata for Double Bass and Piano (2024).

Pawel Strzelecki: 3. Finale [Sonata for Double Bass and Piano (2024)].

"When the Great Red Dawn is Shining" was composed by Evelyn Sharpe with lyrics by Edward Lockton. Published in 1917, this song is associated with the war weary soldiers of the first World War dreaming of returning home.

Unlike many of the musical compositions in our series from the silent film era, this was a wistful popular song and there are many recordings available online. This clip on YouTube puts it into context: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153400458187507.

This all-new recording was produced by @MLucas using OMR, starting out with scans of the original theater (pit) orchestra sheet music dated 1917. The composition is presented free from the heartbreak and horrors of trench warfare, with a lighthearted theatrical sound.

Cover image from a photo by MLucas.

Public Domain, No Rights Reserved.

When the Great Red Dawn is Shining (Sharpe)

Prolific photoplay composer Gaston Borch penned "Uneasiness" in 1919 for Carl Fischer, New York. It's in 2/4 time with tempo allegro agitato, meaning uptempo with a sense of nervousness and emotional intensity. We recorded it at 124 BPM.

"Uneasiness" was written for a theater orchestra in the late romantic style. To me the main theme is similar to the US Civil War era folk song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", first published by Patrick S. Gilmore, bandmaster of the U.S. Army Band. Gilmore said he believed the melody to be African American in origin.

For our recording of Borch's “Uneasiness” we opted for a seven-piece chamber orchestra, seeking a clean and precise sound. Percussion, brass, inner strings and clarinets were omitted. The sound is re-imagined rather freely, with compression and chorusing effects and additional layering and a lo-fi piano approach. “Uneasiness” is subtitled "Allegro agitato misterioso".

Cover art by MLucas.

Public Domain, No Rights Reserved

Uneasiness (Gaston Borch)

Public Resource is a non-profit organization based in California. We believe universal access to human knowledge is the great promise of our time.

When the Great Red Dawn is Shining (Sharpe)

Public Resource

Related tracks