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£10.00The Once and Future King
DescriptionThe Once and Future King is a suite of three movements; each movement was inspired by an Arthurian legend. The first movement, 'Tintagel', concerns the famous Cornish promontory said to be the birthplace of King Arthur. In Arthur's time, Tintagel was part of the court of King Mark of Cornwall and the music imagines a visit by the King of the Britons to his Cornish neighbour and the place of his birth, reflecting the ceremony and drama of such an occasion; the music is strongly antiphonal, contrasting the more strident fanfares of the cornets and trombones with the warmth of the saxhorns and tubas.The second movement, 'Lyonesse', takes its inspiration from the mythical land which once joined Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly. One legend claims that after the disastrous battle of Camlan where Arthur and Mordred were both killed, the remnants of Arthur's army were pursued across Lyonesse to Scilly, whereupon Merlin cast a spell to sink Lyonesse behind them and drown the pursuers. Some say the bells of the 140 churches inundated that day can still be heard ringing. All the material in this movement derives from two short motifs heard in counterpoint at the very beginning, which are intentionally dissonant and bitonal in character.The final movement, 'Badon Hill', takes its title from the legendary site of Arthur's last battle with the Saxons and is a lively toccata based on the medieval secular song L'Homme Armee ('The Armed Man'). The music uses a number of medieval devices including "hocketing" (passing melody from one voice to another). The actual site of Badon Hill is unknown but it has been associated with Badbury Rings in Dorset and a lot of evidence now points towards the town of Bath. Arthur's victory at Badon Hill was the last great victory for Celtic Britain over the Saxon invaders, but in the end only set the conquest back by a few decades. Arthur himself was dead by then, betrayed and defeated by his nephew Mordred, but it is said that Arthur only sleeps and will return in a time of dire need - hence the legend that Arthur's dying words were: Bury me in Britain, for I am the Once and Future King.Performance NotesWhere space and practicality permits the opening movement should be played with cornets and trombones standing behind the band facing the audience; they should retake their seats for the second and third movements.PercussionConcert Bass Drum (ideally NOT Kit/Pedal Bass Drum), Suspended Cymbal, pair of Clash Cymbals, Glockenspiel, Snare Drum, Tambourine, 2 x Timpani (Eb-G, Bb-D), 2 x Tom-toms, Triangle, Tam-Tam* (only if available), Tubular Bells *(only if available).MutesBaritones, all cornets and trombones will require metal straight mutes; all trombones and cornets will require cup mutes.*The Once and Future King was set as the test-piece for the 3rd section of the Swiss National Championships in 2007. The score was then slightly revised in July 2008, the main alteration being the exclusion of the tubular bells part for the Regional Championships of Great Britain in 2009. Some parts which were optional (or cued on other instruments) at the request of the Swiss Brass Band Association were restored to their original octaves and instruments. In 2015 the tubular bells part was restored in the optional Percussion 3 part; all parts in Percussion 3 are optional, although some are cued in the percussion 1 & 2 parts (and the cues should be played if only two players are available).Listen to a preview and follow along with the score below!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£15.04Jingle Boogie-Woogie Bells (Brass Band - Ukraine Charity Release) Ovcharenko
This piece was arranged by Halyna Ovcharenko, a Ukrainian composer who was born in Lugansk, a Ukrainian city that is currently under occupation by the Russian Federation. All the proceeds from this sale will go towards the 'A family for every orphan' appeal, which is providing emergency relief services to thousands of children and families in Ukraine. For more information about the charity please visit https://afamilyforeveryorphan.org/ukraine/ Halyna Ovcharenko has been composing music since she was 11. Many of her compositions of various genres have received international awards, but she discovered the world of brass band music with its specific timbre and huge range of musical colors only recently, in 2022, while composing her Vyshyvanka for Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Halyna comments: "I enjoyed my experience. Since then I have had an appetite to write more for brass bands, and here we are - an arrangement of a traditional English Christmas song which I have done especially to raise money for Ukrainian orphans. Their heroic parents stood for my Lugansk, for our Ukraine and for the whole World. I hope that the World will make these children feel that they are not left alone, giving them love, care and joy." The picture on the front cover was drawn by Victoria Lebed, a Ukrainian girl. This PDF download includes parts and score. Sheet music available from www.brassband.co.uk 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 Percussion 1-2
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£271.60Aubade - Dawn Songs of the Fabulous Birds - Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Commissioned by The Norwegian Band Federation for The European Brass Band Championship 2003, in Bergen, Norway (Third edition) I remember as a kid the very early morning wake-up ceremonies caused by Seagulls having a "party" outside our home. Very few would describe it as beautiful, particularly not at 4:30 in the morning... But by listening carefully to birds I was fascinated by their diversity and musical language: they dont sing tunes or long phrases, they rather make sounds and signals, based on short motives. Aubade is based on musical pictures of the imaginary birds: the creatures with wings that exists only in myths and legends. The whole story starts with aBaritone-cadenza that evoke all the sleeping creatures. Very soon they all start to sing their songs in one way or another. The composition has a burlesque scherzo-character including slow espressive intersections. Traditional elements like melody and harmony is combined with extensive sounds and textural effects created by use of multiple muting, singing and playing at the same time. I am not too concerned about having a program for the piece. I just know that by thinking of the unheard dragon-songs, griffin-songs, the sound of the dodo, my creativity was stimultated. As a piece of music, Aubade follows its own rules based on well-known elements like melodies, arpeggio-figures, harmonies, rhythms, variations and recapitulation of ideas. - Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£107.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
Selected as the Championship Section test piece for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2025This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£64.95Platform to the Heavens
The piece takes its inspiration from the mountain ranges from one of my favourite countries, Switzerland.I have visited the Swiss Alps on many occasions and I am still taken back by its sheer awesome beauty with every visit. This commission gave me the opportunity to pay homage to this wonderful landscape and paint my own musical picture of it.The piece opens with what I imagine daybreak would be like at one of its many peaks. With the sun growing behind the mountain range, the piece builds from a single note to a huge climatic chord revealing Mother Nature's creation.Then at rehearsal figure 'C' the tempo changes dramatically as we fly through the many slopes of the mountains as if on a manic skiing expedition, revealing the many dangers within the Swiss Alps.The twists, turns and climaxes begin to die away as we enter rehearsal figure 'M' - nightfall over the mountains. As the sun disappears, the sky darkens to reveal the beautiful starlit sky above the mountain range. This middle section starts with the various cadenzas that serve as echoes around the Alps. It then leads to a lyrical solo at rehearsal figure 'O' as the moonlight illuminates the icy mountain peaks. A final cadenza to conclude this section highlights the end of nightfall as the sun starts to rise again.This recapitulation from the opening, signals a new dawn as the sun rises above the snowy peaks once again. The music at this point in its slightly altered state highlights the dawn of a new day in the Alps. The fast manic ski ride follows which takes the piece to its grand finale conclusion.The idea behind the title of this piece is that the Swiss Alps are so beautiful and vast; I can only imagine that they could be a platform connecting the earth to the heavens above.Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£109.99Fantasy for Brassband and Organ - Jan Bosveld
When I was approached to compose a work for brassband and church organ I already envisioned the concept I would use. It would indeed literally become a work for brassband and organ. Without the traditional solos, the organ would form an addition to the brassband orchestration as would the brassband provide an extra register for the organ. In short a homogeneous entity. The most important reason for doing this is quite simple. Since this work can only be performed in a church and because of the specific acoustics of the church, the brassband would sound in al its tone colour like an organ. By using certain registers of the organ and combining these with the brassband a wonderfulsound palette can be created. The use of complementary or contrasting tone quality is also possible. The primary theme of this composition is based on these three methods of "colouring". As far as structure is concerned this work consists of two parts. slow fast. It is built on a number of motifs in which some behave like a consecutive canon. In the fast movement the primary motif develops into a fugue-like section. The canon and fugato are techniques frequently used in classical and contemporary organ literature. The liberal use of structure and motif has lead to the title. "Fantasy for Brassband and Organ".
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£29.95A Little Prayer - Evelyn Glennie
Originally composed for solo marimba, this popular version of A Little Prayer was made in 1998 following Evelyn Glennie's collaboration with Black Dyke Band during the recording of their Grammy nominated Reflected in Brass CD. Robert Childs, then principal euphonium with Black Dyke, requested Evelyn's permission to make the arrangement for his son, David. The composer obliged, and Robert presented the score and parts to his son as a seventeenth birthday present. Evelyn Glennie revealed: "When I wrote this chorale for marimba, it expressed my spiritual feelings and displayed a pleasantly relaxed dimension of the instrument. Over the years my exposure to brass bands has filled me with wonder; their musical diversity is considerable. I had no hesitation in giving A Little Prayer to Robert Childs to bring this little melody to life." Having composed the work when she was only 13, Evelyn continued: "As a child I would never have believed that such a short and simple piece of music, would come to grow this much. A little Prayerserves to prove that one should always bet their chips on what they believe in, for nine out of ten it will be worth it!" After twenty years of exclusivity, Prima Vista Musikk is proud to make this beautiful arrangement available to all. A Little Prayer provides the perfect reflective interlude for concert or devotional use by euphonium soloists and bands of all abilities.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£30.00Flanfayre - Stephen Deazley
I was asked by Music for Youth to write a flexibly scored fanfare for the school proms at the Royal Albert Hall and at their National Festival in Birmingham in 2013. At its first performance at the National Festival, over 200 young brass players performed Flanfayre in Birmingham Town Hall, directed by Roger Argente, members of Superbrass and myself. The score is a progressive romp through some increasingly dance-like grooves, borrowing some of its swing from South America, from marches and big band, moving from a really quite straight opening to a "let-go" moment at the end. It is more like a flan full of different flavours, than a fanfare, hence the title. I set myself a challenge to write 100 bars but ended up with 102, which, after the introduction, can be broken down into 10 easily discernible sections each with their own mini-musical narrative. If you have time feel free to teach the audience the clapping groove. I also modelled the slow moving melody of the final section on the following words; "nothing beats a nice big cheesy, nothing beats a nice big cheesy, nothing beats a nice big cheesy, nothing beats a cheesy flan". Feel free to incorporate these too, and perform only under the strict instruction that you have fun ! - Programme Note copyright of Stephen Deazley
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£30.00National Express
I first heard of the song National Express, which was in the British Top Ten in 1998, when my son Jon mentioned it last year. It was written and sung by Neil Hannon, with his group "The Divine Comedy". Jon said that it would sound good played by a brass band. Tim Benson, solo trombone with Stannington Brass Band, also mentioned it on the internet forum, themouthpiece.com I spoke with Tim, and agreed to do a brass band arrangement with a special feature for solo trombone. In this arrangement, the solo trombone adds extra colour to a band arrangement which is a mixture of big band and country style. The trombone part is well within the capabilities of a good player. There is a comic element to this song, and the cornets and flugel contain an eight bar spoken part, which, if included, would enhance it's entertainment value.Tim Benson took the music to rehearsal at Stannington Brass Band and it instantly became a hit with the band who left whistling the melody. The piece not only retains the fun of the original, but it cleverly uses the band, and a bit of additional vocals from the cornet section. "Tim Benson and the Stannington Brass Band would like to thank Tim Paton for the arrangement." (Tim Benson)."National Express" is on Stannington Brass Band's latest CD, "AND ALL THAT BRASS", available from [email protected]."Pontins was brilliant... one of the highlights of my weekend was playing/performing National Express... absolutely belting arrangement Tim... I love it!" Message from Fiona, who performed with themouthpiece.com scratch band at the Pontins Brass Band Championships in Prestatyn.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£77.00General Series Brass Band Journal, Numbers 2250 - 2253, December 2024
2250: Prelude on 'Rhosymedre' (Ralph Vaughan Williams trs. Douglas Engle)The English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams' work Three Preludes (founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes) was published for the organ in 1920. This is a transcription of the second movement of that work. The words associated with the hymn tune are by Samuel Crossman, My song is love unknown (S.A.S.B. 149), and vividly depict the events of Holy Week. The music is gentle and solemn and would be appropriate for a Good Friday service or as a moment of repose in a concert. 2251: Hosanna Shuffle (Sam Creamer)The half-time shuffle groove is a popular feel developed by alternative rock/pop bands of the 1980s. It marries elements of rock and swing styles together to form a new and infectious feel - Hosannah Shuffle being written as a tribute to this fusion of musical styles. Contrary to a swing style, shuffle brings the pulse back onto the beat while maintaining the swung quaver rhythms to create a rock-type rhythmic drive. 2252: Everlasting Love (Keith Manners)This piece was written for the London North East Music School in 2004. The theme of the week was 'Making a stand for Christ', reminding the school that it only takes one person to make such a stand before others follow. The music starts with a lone Solo Cornet playing the melody of Graham Kendrick's song Such Love (S.A.S.B. 199). One by one, other parts join in with the theme.2253: Festival March (Michael Cooper)This piece represents the first published brass composition of Bandmaster Michael Cooper, who is the Bandmaster at Brisbane City Temple Corps. This imposing festival march features the tunes I want to be a soldier (T.B. 683), Lift up the banner (T.B. 90) and My Jesus, I love thee (T.B. 506). These tunes depict the idea that spiritual warfare is an essential component of one's faith, success of which is articulated in the final verse of My Jesus, I love thee (S.A.S.B. 878).
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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