Results
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£25.95Hymn for Africa - Peter Meechan
Part of the Brass Band Aid SeriesBrass Band Aid is a Charitable Organisation formed by members of Stanhope Silver Band, based in the North of England. From an original aim to raise awareness of the Make Poverty History campaign in their local area, a brass band CD recording was planned. The initiative took on a whole new dimension when the collection of local bands performing on CD were then joined by, what is now known as, The Brass Band Aid Celebrity Band, made up of many of the top brass musicians in the country.Following the success of this initial project the Celebrity Band has come together again to record a new CD - "Into Africa". This is a compilation of pieces especially written for the recording by some of the most esteemed brass band writers of today. 'Hymn for Africa' is one such piece, generously contributed by Peter Meechan in support of the ongoing work of the charity."Hymn for Africa is inspired by the the release of Nelson Mandela in the early 1990's and the effect it had upon not only South Africa, but all over the continent of Africa, as well as the World as a whole. The fact that one man can achieve this with peace and great dignity will always be an inspiration, not only to me, but many, many millions of humans around the globe.sense of dignity and peace the composer . A simple 8 bar melody, first heard on an unaccompanied flugel horn at the beginning, is the basis of the composition. A drone is then added, before a chorale, and finally a rousing climax when the percussion and full band enter. The piece ends at it began, with a peaceful, unaccompanied, flugel solo." (Peter Meechan).All sets sold raise money for Brass Band Aid - a charity The Music Company has continued to actively support since 25.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Judd: Turris Fortissima
The geographical position of Plymouth (the composer's home city) means that, at various times in history, the city has been the United Kingdom's first line of defence. A series of forts around the coast bears testimony to this and forts have featured on the city's coat of arms ever since. However, the city's forefathers believed that physical security was worthless without a faith in God's protection and this is reflected in the city motto; Turris fortissima est nomen Jehovah (The name of Jehovah is our strongest tower) (Proverbs 18:10). Written for Enfield Citadel Band's tour of the USA in 2007, the music attempts to portray this assurance with the use of the tune Ein' Fest Burg (A mighty fortress is our God) along with the more contemporary Blessed be the Name of the Lord and Shout to the Lord. There is also an apt reference to Dean Goffin's My Strength, My Tower as the music builds to its dramatic final bars.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£89.95Revelation (Score and Parts)
Symphony for Double Brass on a theme of Purcell 1995 marked the tercentenary of Purcell's death, and my new score Revelation has been written as a tribute to his music and the ornate and confident spirit of his age. There are five major sections: 1 Prologue 2 Variations on a ground bass I 3 Fugue 4 Variations on a ground bass II 5 Epilogue and Resurrection The score uses many features of the Baroque Concerto Grosso, and arranges players in two equal groups from which soloists emerge to play in a variety ofvirtuoso ensembles. It quotes freely from Purcell's own piece Three Parts on a Ground in which he has composed a brilliant sequence of variations over a repeating six-note bass figure. This original motif can be heard most clearly beneath the duet for Cornet 5 and Soprano at the beginning of the 2nd section. There is, of course, a religious dimension to Revelation as the title suggests, and the score is prefaced by lines by the 17th century poet John Donne. His Holy Sonnet paraphrases the Book of Revelation in which the dead are raised at the sounds of the last trumpet. Donne's trumpets are themselves placed stereophonically ". . . At the round Earth's imagined corners" and it is this feature that today's players represent as they move around the performing area. Their final apocalyptic fanfares can be heard at the close of the score, as Purcell's music re-enters in a lasting tribute to England's first composer of genius. Philip Wilby September 1995 At the round Earth imagined corners, blow your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise from death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go. All whom the flood did, and fire shall o 'erthrow All whom war, dearth, age, agues, tyrannies, Despair, law, chance hath slain, and you whose eyes Shall Behold God, and never taste death woe. John Donne after Revelation Ch. 11 v.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Revelation (Score Only)
Symphony for Double Brass on a theme of Purcell 1995 marked the tercentenary of Purcell's death, and my new score Revelation has been written as a tribute to his music and the ornate and confident spirit of his age. There are five major sections: 1 Prologue 2 Variations on a ground bass I 3 Fugue 4 Variations on a ground bass II 5 Epilogue and Resurrection The score uses many features of the Baroque Concerto Grosso, and arranges players in two equal groups from which soloists emerge to play in a variety ofvirtuoso ensembles. It quotes freely from Purcell's own piece Three Parts on a Ground in which he has composed a brilliant sequence of variations over a repeating six-note bass figure. This original motif can be heard most clearly beneath the duet for Cornet 5 and Soprano at the beginning of the 2nd section. There is, of course, a religious dimension to Revelation as the title suggests, and the score is prefaced by lines by the 17th century poet John Donne. His Holy Sonnet paraphrases the Book of Revelation in which the dead are raised at the sounds of the last trumpet. Donne's trumpets are themselves placed stereophonically ". . . At the round Earth's imagined corners" and it is this feature that today's players represent as they move around the performing area. Their final apocalyptic fanfares can be heard at the close of the score, as Purcell's music re-enters in a lasting tribute to England's first composer of genius. Philip Wilby September 1995 At the round Earth imagined corners, blow your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise from death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go. All whom the flood did, and fire shall o 'erthrow All whom war, dearth, age, agues, tyrannies, Despair, law, chance hath slain, and you whose eyes Shall Behold God, and never taste death woe. John Donne after Revelation Ch. 11 v.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£78.71Blaenwern Diversions (Brass Band) Karl Whelan
Commissioned by Micah Dominic Parsons, Blaenwern Diversions is based on the well loved hymn, Love Divine. The composer writes: 'Originally intended to be a set of variations, I found myself wandering around the notes of the hymn tune at the piano and found that the variations almost took on a life of their own resulting in what we have here - diversions. There are 8 diversions in total; the introductory diversion; diversions 1 - 6; and the finale which are divided into three linked movements. Blaenwern Diversions represents my entry into the world of contest works, so even though the piece aims to test the band, it is important that the band enjoy the music within no matter how treacherous!' To view a follow-the-score video please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X5gTMTHkfg PDF download includes score and parts. Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Difficulty Level: Championship Instrumentation: Soprano Cornet Eb Solo Cornet Bb Repiano Cornet Bb 2nd Cornet Bb 3rd Cornet Bb Flugel Horn Bb Solo Horn Eb 1st Horn Eb 2nd Horn Eb 1st Baritone Bb 2nd Baritone Bb 1st Trombone Bb 2nd Trombone Bb Bass Trombone Euphonium Bb Bass Eb Bass Bb Timpani Percussion 1-3
In stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 days
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£30.00Roots - Lucy Pankhurst
Commissioned by Katrina Marzella in 2008, this modern 'duet' for Baritone and Euphonium soloists with brass band accompaniment has been inspired by 'nature and environment' as its primary muse. The music takes the listener through 7 stages of environmental atmosphere, in its combination of sounds and effects. It is a very uplifting work and with the back-story in mind (see programme notes below), it makes for an incredibly effective concert feature.Programme notes from the composer, Lucy Pankhurst:There are 7 main sections in the piece :RainGerminationGrowthTransionSunshineRainstormRestThe work begins with Rain, symbolised by the rainstick and 'rain sounds' in the brass , which allows the themes to germinate. The 'roots' of the music themselves, are firmly established in the tonic (root Eb) and 5ths in the low brass, from which the solo lines eventually grow, using triads and 5ths.During Growth, the solo baritone and euphonium begin with separate melodies which begin to twist around each other (much like tree roots), interlocking to produce harmonies and counterpoint, complimenting one another and firmly keeping the music in Eb major. Muted cornets and trombones continue to play overlapping semiquavers, reflecting the raindrops as they fall from the trees and leaves.A brief interlude, featuring brass sextet drives the music back to its Germination stage - here, named Transion, as it grows once more, evolving into something new. The Sunshine section is a dance. Moving rapidly through different keys, the warm sunlight catches on the dewy foliage, creating dazzling moments of clarity and beauty.However, the change in conditions also lead to brief moments of uncertainty, as the various creatures tentatively reappear from their shelter to bask as the earth is warmed. Birdsong can be heard in the solo lines as the entire band join in the celebrations.The jollity does not last long, however, as a Rainstorm, more violent than the last , ensues - stopping the dance in its tracks. The tam-tam and bass drum signify thunder, crashing into the music abruptly. However, the music still survives and re-emerges from the storm, delicately but securely establishing itself into a new key (C major), before softly concluding with the two soloists in rhythmic unison as the rain subsides and the world is at Rest.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£29.50
Huntingtower - Ottorino Respighi - Alastair Wheeler
Whilst best known in the Brass Band world for The Pines of Rome, Respighi wrote Huntingtower in 1932 for Concert (wind) Band for a special concert in memory of John Philip Sousa, who had passed away on March 6 of that year. The work was premiered by the US Army Band. With only around 6 weeks to compose the work, his inspiration for the piece came from a visit to Huntingtower Castle in Scotland. A standard in the wind & military band repetoire, the work is available for Brass Band and is a great alternative to some of the traditional Overtures.
In stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 days
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£45.00strange geometry
Descriptionstrange geometrywas commissioned by Morgan Griffiths and the Hammonds Saltaire Band for their performance at the Brass in Concert Championships of 2015.As a bit of a space/sci-fi geek, as well as a musician, two events during the summer of 2015 had a particular effect on me. The first was the tragic early death in a plane crash of the famous film composer James Horner. Horner's music, particularly in films like 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan', 'Avatar', 'Apollo 13' and even his debut in Roger Corman's 1980 budget film 'Battle Beyond the Stars', defined for a generation the sound of sci-fi at the cinema. Along with John Williams he created the vocabulary for those who wish to express other-worldly wonder in music and his inventive talent will be much missed in an industry where originality has become something of a dirty word in recent years.The second event was the epic flyby of Pluto by the NASA New Horizons spacecraft. There are many reasons to find this mission inspiring - for example, the scientists and engineers behind it created a craft that has travelled at 37,000 mph for nine years and three billion miles to arrive within seventy-two seconds of the predicted time for the flyby. That they achieved this with such accuracy is an outstanding tribute to humanity's ingenuity and insatiable curiosity. However, the most exciting aspect of the mission was the clear, high resolution pictures of this unthinkably remote and inhospitable world beamed back to mission control. The best previous image of Pluto was an indistinct fuzzy blob - suddenly we could see mountains made of ice, glaciers of methane and carbon monoxide and nitrogen fog - features previously unimagined on a world thought to be a slightly dull ball of cold rock. The BBC's venerable astronomy programme 'The Sky at Night' waxed lyrical about these newly discovered features, referring to "the surprising discoveries of mountains and strange geometry on the surface of this cold distant world".I like to think that Horner would have been as inspired as I have been by this real-life science story, and this piece uses some of the vocabulary of the sci-fi movie soundtrack in a tribute to the memory of a great musician and to the inspirational geeks at NASA who have boldly taken us where no-one has gone before.Note: This work comes with a B4 portrait score. Listen to a preview and follow the music below!Performance Notes:The cornet section should play this piece standing up in a roughly semicircular arrangement around the outside of the band facing towards the audience, starting with solo cornets 1&2 to the conductor's left (roughy behind the normal repiano cornet seat) then 2nd cornets, repiano, soprano, 3rd cornets and finishing with solo cornets 3&4 standing roughly behind the normal 2nd trombone seat. If time and logistics permit, the trombones should occupy the first three solo cornet seats, although this is optional. A suggested band layout (with percussion) is given here.Solo cornets 1&2, repiano cornet, 2nd cornets, 3rd cornets, flugel, solo and 1st horn, 1st baritone and euphoniums will require fibre straight mutes - ideally NOT metal ones. Soprano cornet, all solo cornets, 3rd cornets and all trombones will require cup mutes - ideally the cornet mutes should be the adjustable cup type and these should have the cup adjusted quite tight to the bell to give a 'closed' sound. Soprano cornet, solo cornet 3&4 and repiano cornet will require harmon mutes - TE indicates 'Tube Extended', TR indicates 'Tube Removed'. Soprano and repiano cornets will also require metal straight mutes. Vibrato should only be used very sparingly throughout, and never in muted passages.Percussion Requirements:Percussion 1: tubular bells, concert bass drum (not a kit pedal drum), tam tam, clash cymbals, 3 x tom toms, 1 x suspended (clash) cymbal and snare drum.Percussion 2: vibraphone (bowed and with mallets), bass drum and tam tam (shared with perc. 1), additional suspended (clash) cymbal and snare drum.Percussion 3: glockenspiel, 4 x timpani (ideally 23", 25", 28" and 30")Approximate duration 5'50"
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£30.00Jerusalem - C. Hubert H. Parry arr. Phillip Littlemore
Sir Hubert Parry wrote the music to the hymn Jerusalem in 1916, during the gloom of World War I. It uses William Blake's poem And Did Those Feet In Ancient Times which itself was written around 1804, and first published in 1808.Parry's hymn was originally written for the 'Fight for Right' movement, formed to sustain the resolve of Britain during the Great War. The hymn received its premiere on the 28th March 1916 in the Queen's Hall, London at a 'Fight for Right' meeting. In 1917, Parry conducted it for the ladies of the Albert Hall choir as part of a call in favour of National Service for Women. This signalled a closer relationship with the women's suffrage movement which Parry and his wife, Maude, supported. A year later, Jerusalem was sung at a suffrage demonstration concert and was adopted by the Women's' Institute as their anthem in 1924.There are regular calls for the hymn to be adopted as the official National Anthem of England, but this is not new. The first such call can be traced back to the centenary of Blake's death in 1927 and the call continues undimmed to this present day. This brass band arrangement is based on Parry's original orchestration from 1916.Duration: 2'20"Difficulty: Suitable for all grades
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days
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£34.95Aristotles Air (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
The Ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: earth, water, air and fire. This theory was suggested around 450 BC, and was later supported and added to by Aristotle. The idea that these four elements - earth, water, air and fire - made up all matter was the cornerstone of philosophy, science, and medicine for two thousand years.Air was considered a pure element, but in fact the air that's all around us is made up of a variety of gasses. Of course, in music, air has a different meaning; a beautiful song-like melody or tune and Aristotle's Air is just that.The work was commissioned by and written for The Cory Band as part of their winning 2015 Brass in Concert programme The Four Elements of the Universe, being premiered at the contest at The Sage, Gateshead, on 15th November 2015. The work was awarded the Cyril Beere Memorial Trophy for the Best New Composition or Arrangement.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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