Results
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£49.95Malcolm Arnold Variations (Score Only)
MALCOLM ARNOLD VARIATIONS was commissioned by Philip Biggs and Richard Franklin for the 20th All England Masters International Brass Band Championship held in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge on 25 May 2008. The work is dedicated to Anthony Day, long time carer of Sir Malcolm Arnold in his final years. I first met Malcolm and Anthony in 1990 and remained in constant touch until Malcolm's passing in 2006. Anthony, of course, remains a friend and plays his own role subliminally in this piece. The work is not based on any of Malcolm Arnold's own themes, rather it is a portrait of him (and by association Anthony Day) through my eyes and as a result of my friendship with both parties over some 18 years. If there is any theme as such it is the personalities of the players, the protagonist and his carer placed together by my own efforts coloured and influenced by aspects of Arnold's style and technique without recourse to direct quotation but through allusion and parody. It is of course designed as a brass band test piece but in my eyes is first and foremost a musical challenge. The pyrotechnical elements are there but always secondary to the musical thrust of the work's structure. I have long beforehand submerged myself in Malcolm Arnold's music and ultimately delivered this tribute. Music Directors will be advised to acquaint themselves with the composer's personal music, particularly the film scores, symphonies, concertos and ballets: the solutions towards a successful interpretation of my piece are all in there - and YES, I want, and sanction, this piece to be interpreted, and therein lies the challenge for those of you 'up front'! The challenge for players is that of virtuosity, ensemble and careful attention to where they are individually in relation to their colleagues - a question of balance, taste and insight. With regard to tempi, as is my usual custom, I have indicated all metronome marks with the prefix circa. I would suggest that the fast music is played at these tempos but that the more rubato moments can be allowed some freedom in expression and fluidity of line. With regard to the type of mutes to be employed - this decision I leave to the discretion of players and conductors. Structurally the work is cast as an Introduction, 20 Variations and a Finale. Some variations are self contained, others run into each other as sequences in the same tempo. In other variations, segments are repeated and developed. I could describe the overall concept as a miniature ballet or a condensed film score - there is much drama and character and the repeated elements assist this in driving the action forward. I have deliberately avoided the more extremely dark qualities of Malcolm's own music in this, my celebration of this master-composer, as I have always viewed (and evidenced by my previous Masters scores Tristan Encounters and Chivalry) that the Cambridge contest is a 'sunshine- affair' and firmly believe that Malcolm Arnold would have had it no other way too!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£70.00
A Tallis Anthem - Geert Jan Kroon
A Tallis Anthem is based on If Ye Love Me by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585). He was one of the first who set English words to the Rites of the Church of England. If Ye Love Me is a classic example of the new English anthems: mainly homophonic, but with brief moments of imitation. The opening is a triumphant version of the first homophonic phrases of the song, interrupted by a calm melody build with material from a motive from the original. The anthem is played by a quartet placed in front of the band or of stage for efect. This is followed by a more modern anthem leading to a triumphant finale.
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£32.00Elegy
A piece for brass band featuring the soprano cornet. Slow and solemn, yet dignified and graceful, this allows the soloist to shine in front of the whole brass band. The band stays in the background for just about the whole piece, coming slightly to the fore in the more turbulent middle section. Lasting 4'30" a nice change of pace for a concert.
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£44.95Christmas Truce, The - Jonathan Bates
DURATION: 7'30". DIFFICULTY: 2nd Section+. 'The Christmas Truce' was composed in 2018 for the Strata Brass Band and was used as part of their Christmas programme to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War. On the 24th December 1914, just a few weeks after war broke out, one of the most notable events of the 4-year conflict took place on the front line as the guns from both sides fell silent and soldiers came together on Christmas Eve. This composition for brass band and narrator tells the story of that night, painting a musical picture of the events as they unfolded. Using material from the carols 'In The Bleak Midwinter', 'O Tannenbaum' and 'Silent Night', the music weaves it's way around the events leading upto, during, and directly following the Christmas Truce, before culminating in a grand finale which incorporates the famous "the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God" quote from Eric Ball's 'Resurgam'. . .
In stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 days
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£20.00Christmas Concerto
DescriptionThis arrangement of Corelli's famous "Christmas Concerto" features soprano cornet, two solo cornets and solo euphonium. Arcangelo Corelli was one of the first masters of the baroque period, a skilled violinist much admired by fellow composers like Bach and Handel. He was born in Fusignano, near Ferrara in Northern Italy in 1653. He studied in nearby Bologna where he became an extremely competent violinist. By the 1670s he was working in Rome and building a reputation as a composer at the important and powerful Papal court. By the late 1600s he was widely famous all over Europe, regularly invited to important courts and palaces. Although he had a huge influence on the virtuoso writing of later composers, his writing for string instruments was designed to be playable by average, often amateur players.His set of Concerti Grossi known as Opus 6 was not published in his lifetime. We think they were written around 1690, and they were first published in Amsterdam in 1714, a year after Corelli's death. A 'Concerto Grosso' is a concerto for a group of soloists (the "concertino" group) accompanied by an ensemble (the "ripieno" group) and was an important form in the Baroque era. Handel's very successful examples were modelled on Corelli's example. Number 8 from the Opus 6 set was commissioned by the Venetian Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and bears the inscriptionFatto per la notte di Natale('made for the night of Christmas'). It was used as part of the soundtrack for the 2003 film 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World".Performance Notes.In this arrangement the 'Concertino' group are the soprano cornet, solo cornets 1 & 2 and the solo euphonium. If logistics allow they should stand either at the front of or some distance away from the band. There is no percussion in this arrangement. All tutti cornets will require cup mutes.Duration approximately 3'15".You can listen to a preview while following the score below:
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£25.00Ariel
DescriptionAll hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I comeTo answer thy best pleasure, be 't to fly,To swim, to dive into the fire, to rideOn the curled cloud. To thy strong bidding, taskAriel and all his quality.- William Shakespeare: The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 2Ariel was written for the Hammonds Band to open their programme at the 2019 Brass in Concert Championships at The Sage Concert Hall in Gateshead, where it received its premiere. The title is taken from the character in Shakespeare's play 'The Tempest'. Ariel is an immensely powerful "air spirit" or demon bound to serve Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, after being released by Prospero from imprisonment in a tree. In the play Ariel's magical abilities are used to help Prospero revenge himself on his enemies and reclaim his dukedom, whereupon Ariel finally regains his freedom.You can hear an audio preview and follow the score below:Performance notes:The cornets and horns are split into two "choirs" to be placed left and right of the band. It may be possible for the choirs to play their opening flourish offstage, and the optional repeated sections in the opening are to accommodate stage movement if required. Trombones form a third "choir" which should ideally stand centrally between basses and percussion, and the euphoniums and baritones should sit in front of the basses. The work requires four percussionists, although if four are not available the 2nd part may be omitted.Percussion 1: Kit - bass drum, snare, 3 x toms, hi-hat, suspended cymbal - and 3 x temple blocksPercussion 2: Tam tam and orchestral bass drum.Percussion 3: Glockenspiel and timpaniPercussion 4: Tubular bellsSoprano, solo cornets and 3rd cornets require cup mutes. Solo trombone requires a cup mute, second trombone requires a metal straight mute.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£61.00
Last Christmas - George Michael - Haakon Esplo
Who does not know the big hit Last Christmas from the pop group Wham! The duo sold 25 million albums between 1982 until they dissolved in 1986.The front figure, vocalist George Michael and guitarist/singer Andrew Ridgeley is also known for hits such as Club Tropicana and Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go which was their first song to reache the top on both the UK and US hitlists.Last Christmas is a natural choice for the next Christmas concert. And the audience will definitely sing along....
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£35.00
Epitaph (for Hillsborough) - Peter Meechan
Epitaph (for Hillsborough) was written on the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster, April 15 1989, in memory of the 96 victims. All of the victims were fans of Liverpool Football Club, the club I have supported since I was a young child.The disaster unfolded in front of the BBC television cameras, and due to the importance of the match (FA Cup semi final), millions, including myself, witnessed it first hand, leaving a lasting impression in the public psyche.Several features of the piece were determined by the tragedy. The length of the piece, 6 and a half minutes, represents the minutes of the game that were played that day (The match was abandoned after 6 minutes), and the final thirty seconds of the work, where the band gently applaud, is a reference to the first match played after the tragedy, a European Cup semi final between AC Milan and Real Madrid.After 6 minutes, the referee blew his whistle and all the players stood still where they were, both sets of fans applauded in memory of the perished, and the fans of AC Milan began singing Youall Never Walk Alone, the anthem of Liverpool Football Club.The work also features 96 strikes of the tubular bells, in memory of each person who lost their life.Epitaph is dedicated to the 96 people who died that day, and to their families whose fight for justice is an inspiration to all.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 days
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£59.95
ON RATCLIFF HIGHWAY (Brass Band Set) - Ray Steadman-Allen
Written for the centenary of Salvation Army bands in 1978, On Ratcliff Highway was premiered by The International Staff Band (and simultaneously by Melbourne Staff Band in another venue). It was inspired by a sketch on the front page of a copy of The War Cry from 1886 which depicted the Whitechapel Salvation Army band marching through the notorious highway, surrounded by crowds, with the masts of ships seen beyond the East London slums.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£35.00Money, Money (Makes The World Go Round)
This fun and quirky arrangement was premiered at the 2011 West Lothian Challenge by Kingdom Brass and helped to lead them to victory in the first round! A great show-piece for the band which lends itself to creativity on the drama and choreography front if desired.A definite highlight for a concert programme with opportunities to mix great music with pure entertainment.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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