Results
-
£102.99Sinfonietta No. 1 - Marc Jeanbourquin
Sinfonietta No.1 won first prize in the 2023 Composition Competition organized by the Swiss Brass Band Association. Various melodic themes and rhythmic motifs develop throughout the work. They combine with the numerous dynamic effects to bring a certain unity, from the beginning to the end of this competition piece. The technical and melodic difficulties allow the different soloists to show their virtuosity and musical prowess over five uninterrupted parts. After a first slow and misterioso part, there is a contrast with the following energico sequence based on an ostinato, creatings both a progression and a tension, to drive everything towards the third part mesto (sad), then lento, where some cadenzas and numerous dissonnances can be heard. The energico transition announces the fifth part, a ternary and fast con fuoco. This last part will lead the audience to a final apotheosis.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£65.00Four Sketches - Simon Dobson
Simon Dobson wrote his 'Four Sketches' at the request of Peter Bossano, Head of Brass at the Royal College of Music, in recognition of the 25th anniversary of Benjamin Britten's death. The first movement, 'Fanfare',quotes directly from the opening violin melody from Britten's song cycle Les Illuminations. This melodic line is superimposed upon sonorous Lydian mode chords to project a majestic sound. The second movement, 'Prayer', is adefinite contrast, being and much more reflective and pensive in it's mood, and featuring a dream like euphonium cadenza. The third movement, 'Funeral March', builds from a soft chordal opening to a chaotic andconfusedfortississimo climax with flourishes in the cornets and pounding tri-tones across the basses, before plunging into silence for a flugel cadenza to finish. The final Finale movement is much more positive from the off, withits jaunty melodies over a Brittenesque ostinato. The block chordal passages offer a crashing climax, making for an exciting conclusion to an excellent new work for the medium. Simon Dobson's 'Four Sketches' was the winningentry in the European Brass Band Composer Competition held in Brussels in March 2002.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£76.99
Jubilant Prelude - Toon Hagen - Dirk Annema
'Jubilant Prelude' is an orchestration of the 'Preludium over Psalm 150' originally composed for organ by Toon Hagen. Since 1998 Toon Hagen has been organ-player of the 'Grote or Sint Michaelskerk' in Zwolle (the Netherlands). He has written several 'contemporary' compositions for organ.'Jubilant Prelude' has a capricious character by the use of irregular measures and its many measure changes. The structure of the Prelude is that of a fugue and is based on motives from the psalm.After the first climax, which is both dynamic and harmonic, the theme in the Andante Jubiloso is clearly audible and it is alternated with erratic motifs. Tension increases until at last the psalm itself isheard in all its glory. The melody of the psalm sounds as a cantus firmus in tenor register, with motifs in ornamentation for saxophones, bugles and trumpets. The finale, like the prelude is capricious and vehement.The instrumentation for brassband was made by Dirk Annema. It is particularly colourful and has a surprising role for the percussion section.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£69.99South Down Pictures - Philip Sparke
South Down Pictures was commissioned by Millenium Brass 2000, an organisation comprising three brass bands from the county of Sussex, England.The bands (Patcham Silver, Hangleton and Brighton Silver) had got together to organise many events to mark the new millennium and these culminated in a concert in Hove Town Hall on July 9th 2000 when all three bands combined to give the first performance of South Down Pictures. The composer spent much of his childhood amongst the South Downs, a range of hills in Sussex which runs parallel to the sea.Opening with a strong unison passage, interrupted briefly by faster figures based on the interval of a fifth, South Down Picturesdevelops with an often-passionate legato melody. Reaching a climax, this is then followed by the main vivo section of the work, whose main theme is based on the earlier 'fifth' figures. A bridge passage leads to a short chorale figure and a rhythmic climax which dissolves into a plaintive cornet solo over staccato chords. This theme is taken up by the whole band and leads back to a recapitulation of the main theme and earlier material. The cornet tune returns triumphantly in the major key before the opening unison passage reappears to provide a stirring coda.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£54.99Jamaica - Timothy Travis
Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean. In 1494 it was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who used it as private property until 1509. After some skirmishes it fell under British rule and the sugar trade on the island flourished. After the abolition of slavery in 1834 it was only granted Home Rule in 1944, but it remained a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Whereas the export of cane sugar used to be Jamaica's main export product for many years, nowadays music has taken over this role. At first American music used to be very popular on the island. Later, however, Jamaican musicians started to experiment and thus in the end created their ownmusical style called Reggae. Well-known Reggae musicians are Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. The most important instruments used in Reggae are the bass and the drums. Together they form the base for the style: the riddim. A bass drum accent on the second and fourth beat are characteristic of a typically reggae drum beat. To this syncopic patterns are often added. The rhythm guitarist plays chords in a characteristic Reggae rhythm, not on, but between the beats.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£164.99Diamond Concerto - Philip Sparke
Diamond Concerto was commissioned by Musikverein Morschied from Germany - Dr. Eric Grandjean, conductor - for a special concert featuring Steven Mead as guest soloist. Together they gave the world premiere on 28th April 2012 in the town theatre of Idar-Oberstein.The commission is a highlight in the 30-year friendship between composer and soloist, which has included many mutual CD projects and concerts and, now, a concerto. Sparke had Steven Mead's special euphonium sound in his head throughout the composition process and made free use of the variety of styles which the world-renowned virtuoso has made his own during his highly successful solo career.The village ofMorschied lies to the west of Frankfurt am Main in the area known as the German Road of Precious Stones, which is famous for its thriving gem industry. Because of this it was decided to give the commission a local connection by choosing the title, Diamond Concerto. Each of the three movements is named after a famous diamond:1 EARTH STARis rather stern in mood, opening with a free fantasy for the soloist over a static chord from the band. This leads to an Allegro Moderato in minor mode where small motives are gradually repeated and developed by both band and soloist.2 OCEAN DREAMuses a varied quote from the composer's Music for Battle Creek, including a melting slow melody that was originally written with Steven Mead in mind.3 BLUE HEARTwas written, at Steven Mead's suggestion, in bebop style and takes the form of a jazz waltz. The quasi-improvisatory central section features a call-and-response passage for the soloist and upper woodwinds.Soloist: Difficulty 6Diamond Concerto is available for euphonium and piano (AMP 374-401) as well as for euphonium and concert band (AMP 354-010).
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£59.99Winter Wonderland - Dick Smith - Philip Sparke
This enduringly popular seasonal song has long been a Christmas favourite, even though the lyrics don't mention 'Christmas' at all. The words were by Dick Smith (1901-1935) and the music by Felix Bernard (1897-1944). The inspiration was reportedly a visit by Smith to Honesdale's (his hometown) Central Park when it was covered in snow.The first recording was made by Richard Himber's Ritz-Carlton Orchestra in 1934. The same year Guy Lombardo and his band, The Royal Canadians, took the song to number 2 in the US Billboard Chart, where it stayed for 9 weeks. It has since been recorded by over 150 artists, the most successful versionsbeing by Perry Como and the Andrews Sisters, both released in 1946.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£54.99
Hymnus Antverpiae - Jan Van der Roost
This hymn was commissioned by "Antwerpen 93". And this city, on the banks of the river Schelde has been nominated "Cultural Capital of Europe" for 1993. The work-group "animatie" took the initiative and commissioned a hymn, which -as the finale to a grand open-air event on 27th March- was premiered by hundreds of musicians from all over Europe. Philippe Langlet (France) was the conductor at this majestic occasion.Musically speaking the piece can no doubt be labeled easy. Indeed it is meant to represent a hymn, playable by all in different instrumental combinations. Consequently a variable instrumentation was chosen and a type of music, which by native is easily accessible anduncomplicated.The conductor is free -in the instrumentation- to score this piece according to his own taste. It is perhaps advisable to use the sharp brass in the forte parts, in order to make the range in the sound of the orchestra as colouful as possible. The percussion parts are not absolutely essential, so that the hymn can also be performed without percussion.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£104.99High Flyers - Andrew R. Mackereth
From the composer: High Flyers are regarded as people with promise and potential.They are winners. This is music for winners.The title, as well as being a play-on-words, implies the nature of the work. It is a bright, optimistic, and upbeat piece attempting to depict an exhilarating ride on flying carpet. The opening rising chords immediately suggest the gentle elevation of the carpets' ascent towards unknown heights, leading to a hint of a first theme in the horns at Fig. B. The first four notes provide the thematic material for the whole work: C F G A.A perpetual sense of movement is achieved through accented quaver chords punctuating the melodicmaterial of the first main theme. Fig. E sees the music of the opening bars fully realised, with flourishes from the euphonium and baritones representing swirling clouds, shooting stars, or passing birds in flight.The same subject is developed into a lyrical second theme with a new lush harmonic treatment, evocative of gliding over an expanse of sparse countryside.This section ends with a note of serenity but is shattered by the urgent insistence of the percussion rhythms.The third section introduces a new idea with a slightly distorted fanfare in the cornets and trombones. This figure suggests for the first time that there may be trouble ahead. In fact, there is no need to fear and the journey can continue without aggravation. This fanfare returns near the end to signal a final note of triumph.A new rhythmic variant of the cell motif emerges as the third theme now transformed by the addition of a triplet figure. The music steadily gains momentum before moving inexorably towards the climactic return of the music and tonality of the opening bars of the piece.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£74.99Olympus - Philip Harper
Selected as the test-piece for the 3rd Section Regional contests of the National Brass Band Championships 2012The music begins with a depiction of the exciting Opening Ceremony where noisy fanfares and sudden swells add to the cosmopolitan flag-waving clamour. Without a break the music leads to The Chariot Race, a fast compound-time gallop withthundering hooves in the basses and percussion, and a heroic melody introduced by the tenor horns. Chariot racing was the main equestrian event in the Ancient Greek Games, which were founded in memory of King Oenomaus. In the Greek legend he suffereddefeat in a chariot race to his son-in-law and Zeus' grandson, Pelops, but much of the music is bitter-sweet to symbolise the fact that Pelops had to cheat to win drawing parallels with some of the issues still facing modern-day athletics. A slow, mystical passage follows, describing The Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The statue of Zeus, who was honoured throughout the Ancient Games' history, was housed inside the temple and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Themusic depicts this period of the dawn of one of mankind's most ancient civilisations and there is a series of solo passages above a drone. The next section is called The Olympic Flame and a broad and lyrical anthem-like melody develops slowly in the euphoniums, which gradually ascends until the horns can take it over before passing upwards again to the cornets (Higher). The musicbursts into bright life at the lighting of the flame and the regular rhythmic pattern which has been established goes through an accelerando (Faster). The final section is called The Olympic Truce and aims to capture the cooperative spirit of the ancient practice of ending wars for the duration of the games. The anthem-like melody makes an affirmatory return (Stronger) and the work ends asit began with a blaze of colour and a real sense of optimism and global celebration. "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stonger)NOTES ON PERFORMANCEPercussion requirements: 1 to 3 players (3 Timpani, Snare Drum, Tenor Drum, Cymbals, Glockenspiel, Triangle)
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days