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£109.99The Power of the Megatsunami - Carl Wittrock
The word 'tsunami' is of Japanese origin. When you look it up in a dictionary, you will find that it means 'a great sea wave produced by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption'. A megatsunami is the superlative of this awesome expressionof power that nature can create, and has catastrophic consequences. When Carl Wittrock completed this composition not many such big earth movements had occurred, but since then we have become all too familiar with the disastrousconsequences which a tsunami may have. On the 26th of December 2004 a heavy seaquake took place near the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Tidal waves 10 meters in height ravaged the coastal regions of many countries for miles around. The tsunamitook the lives of thousands of people and destroyed many villages and towns. There are more areas which run the risk of being struck by a tsunami, such as the island of La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. This island is based on oceaniccrust at a fracture zone and as such is one of nature's time bombs. The consequences of a natural calamity like a megatsunami are immense. In the case of La Palma, the tidal wave will move in the direction of South America, where it may reach 50km inland, destroying everything on its way. In his composition Wittrock describes an ordinary day which will have an unexpected ending. Right from the beginning there seems to be something in the air, the music creating an oppressiveatmosphere of impending disaster. Themes are interrupted, broken off suddenly, followed by silence, suggesting the calm before the storm. Suddenly a short climax (glissandi in the trombone part) indicates the seaquake, and the megatsunami isa fact. Hereafter follows a turbulent passage symbolising the huge rolling waves. After nature's force has spent itself, resignation sets in and the composition ends with a majestic ode to nature.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£94.9920,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Harper, Philip
Frenchman Jules Verne was a pioneer in science fiction during the late 19th Century, penning some classic stories such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days - both of which have already been the subject of brass band test-pieces. It was therefore natural for me to choose Verne's 1869 watery magnum opus as the subject for this piece to which there are five sections, as well as an introduction and a finale.THE NAUTILUS. After a mysterious introduction we are introduced to The Nautilus - a fantastical submarine.THE CORAL KINGDOM. We visit awe-inspiring underwater coral formations.SQUID ATTACK. The Nautilus is attacked by a school of giant squid, or 'devilfish'.CAPTAIN NEMO. Captain Nemo is a loner and an eccentric. Some say he is a madman. Soloists of the band help to uncover the character of this enigmatic but powerful figure.MAELSTROM. The Nautilus is dragged into the ocean's deadliest whirlpool but Captain Nemo lives to fight another day.Duration: 12.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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Das Boot - Klaus Doldinger - Len Jenkins
Traditionally, submarines are referred to as 'boats' rather than 'ships' and the German U- boat (Unterseeboot) was originally a craft primarily designed for surface attack that also had an underwater capability, an aspect that was subsequently developed into the submarine craft that we now know. Das Boot was a 1980's TV series/film that followed the patrol of U-96 and is reckoned by many to be the best (anti) war film produced. Authenticity was achieved by filming in a full size replica with actors who were denied washing or shaving to get the right 'atmosphere' of life in a U-boat. Despite the havoc and distress caused by attacks on Allied shipping by U-boats one cannot but be saddened by the fact that out of 40,000 who went to sea in them, 30,000 never returned. The music is characterised by a theme that has a haunting, deep, sonorous quality penetrated by the sharp, regular 'ping' of ASDIC (sonar) that was used by surface vessels to echo-locate submarines prior to attacking them with depth-charges. This 'ping' may be approximated to, at modest cost, by the percussion section using either a cymbal dome (select an appropriate beater) or a high-pitched wooden 'agogo'. Alternatively, more complex and expensive electronics may be employed. The piece needs to be played with confidence because of its discordant and intentionally sombre nature.
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