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£64.95Adam Zero, Suite from (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Bliss, Arthur - Childs, Robert
Selected as the Section 2 test piece for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2025Following his ballet Checkmate, Bliss composed another score for the, by then, Sadler's Wells Ballet, Miracle in the Gorbals, which was choreographed by Robert Helpmann, to a scenario by Michael Benthall. Premired in 1944, the ballet made a considerable impact and was a box-office success. It was followed in turn by a further collaboration with Helpmann and Benthall, Adam Zero. This would serve Helpmann, in the eponymous role, as a vehicle in two respects: demonstrating his gifts as a dancer-actor and as a choreographer. First performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on 8 April 1946, Adam Zero was conducted by Constant Lambert, the work's dedicatee. Bliss considered it 'his most varied and exciting ballet score'. Benthall provided a synopsis for the programme:There is a philosophy that life moves in an endless series of timeless cycles. As Nature passes through Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, so man is born, makes a success in his own particular sphere, loses his position to a younger generation, sees his world crumble before his eyes and only finds peace in death. This age-old story is told in terms of a Company creating a ballet and calling on the resources of the theatre to do so. Lighting, stage mechanism, dance conventions, musical forms and costumes and scenery of all periods are used to symbolize the world of 'Adam Zero'.Apart from Adam, as the Principal Dancer, other main roles included the Stage Director (representing Omnipotence), and Adam's Fates (Designer, Wardrobe Mistress, and Dresser). 'The Woman in this allegory', wrote Bliss, 'under the symbol of the Choreographer, was both the creator and destroyer of Adam: his first love, his wife, his mistress, and finally the figure of beneficent Death.' When the curtain rose, the 'audience saw the Covent Garden stage right back to the wall, completely empty except for the protagonists, 'the Company poised, still and expectant, as they await the birth of... Adam Zero.'Unfortunately, soon after the premire, Helpmann injured himself and had to withdraw from the remaining performances. Despite generally positive reviews, the ballet did not capture the imagination of audiences and, to Bliss's considerable disappointment, was not revived. Seventy years would elapse before its first major return to the stage, in 2016, performed by the ballet company of Stadttheater Bremerhaven with choreography by Sergei Vanaev.Bliss extracted a concert suite from the ballet, conducting its first performance with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on 28 October 1948. For his own suite, arranged for brass band in 2023, Dr Robert Childs chose three dances linked to the seasons, book-ending them with the ebullient 'Fanfare Overture' and 'Fanfare Coda'. After Adam has grown to manhood, his Fates clothe him in a costume synonymous with confident youth, appropriate for the virile, ardent 'Dance of Spring'. In the 'Approach of Autumn', Adam, now wearing a sombre costume, has grown older: his Fates have streaked grey in his hair and put lines on his face. But they had earlier raised Adam to the zenith of his power, and the 'Dance of Summer' depicts him in the prime of life, in music of sweeping grandeur. The 'Fanfare Coda' signals that the next cycle of life is about to begin.Duration: 10.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£52.50Broadheath (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Sparke, Philip
Broadheath was commissioned by the Elgar International Brass Band Summer School for their 2024 course. The premiere took place in the Routh Hall at Bromsgrove School on Friday 26 July.It is in conventional march form, opening with a brief fanfare before the horns take up the main theme. This is then repeated by the full band before euphoniums and baritone announce the second subject. This builds to a stirring tutti passage utilising elements of the opening theme, which brings the opening section to a close.In honour of the summer school's tribute to Sir Edward Elgar (it is held in 'Elgar country'), the trio uses the opening melody of his 1st symphony as its main theme, decorating it with filigree work from the cornets. This is repeated on the full band and leads to a varied recapitulation of the opening material to bring the march full circle.Duration: 5.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£154.99Concerto for Euphonium (Euphonium Solo with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Harper, Philip
This Concerto for Euphonium casts the euphonium soloist as one of the young soldiers in a World War I battalion for an intensely intimate and visceral experience of events. However the music also portrays a more general human journey, and will appeal on a number of levels.There are three movements which have the following subtitles:Summer 1916 - Days of YouthWinter 1916 - The Weight of Maturity4th February 1917 - ReleaseAlthough challenging, the solo part is designed to be achievable by all ambitious euphonium soloists.Duration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£40.00Two Aquarelles (Euphonium Feature with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Delius, Frederick - Hindmarsh, Paul
In the late spring of 1917, the Bradford born composer, Frederick Delius (1856 - 1934) composed two short part-songs at his home in Grez-sur-Loing. The river ran along the bottom of his garden and he called the two miniatures To be sung of a summer night on the water. The First World War was at its height, but one would never guess that from the languid and serene quality of these richly textured nocturnes. The songs were first heard in London on 28 June, sung by the Oriana Madrigal Society, conducted by Charles Kennedy Scott. In 1932 Delius's amanuensis, Eric Fenby, arranged them for string orchestra as Two Aquarelles. While I have taken Fenby's title, my arrangement is a note-for-note transcription of the choral original. It was prepared in early in 1993 for Besses o' th' Barn Band, of which I was Musical Director at the time. In the second song, the prominent tenor solo has been given to the solo euphonium, who should stand apart from the band in performance.- Paul HindmarshDuration: 5.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£51.00Atlantic Zephyrs (Trombone Solo with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Simons, Gardell - Wilkinson, Keith M.
Soloist, composer and teacher Gardell Simons (1878 - 1945) achieved national prominence as trombone soloist with the Sousa Band. He later successfully made the transition to the orchestral world and became principal trombone in the Cleveland Orchestra as well as being professor of trombone at the Curtis Institute Of Music in Philadelphia.This solo dates from 1915 and describes the soft, gentle breezes of Summer. Maybe the atmosphere surrounding the many outdoor concerts in which the composer performed were his inspiration. This brass band arrangement was prepared at the request of Brett Baker for his visit to perform with Brass Band Of The Western Reserve, musical director Dr Keith M Wilkinson, in May 2010.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.99Almshouse Street Blues (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Sparke, Philip
In 2007 Philip Sparke was appointed composer-in-residence to Monmouth School, situated on the Welsh/English border. The school, which has a venerable history dating back to 1614, has a thriving music department which boasts two concert bands, in co-operation with the nearby Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, and a brass band.This exciting and innovative appointment involved three visits by the composer during the year as well as the commissioning of a new piece for each of the bands, all of which were premiered in a concert at the end of the year.Almshouse Street Blues was written for the brass band, whose members were allowed to vote for which type of piece they would get! Monmouth School is based in Almshouse Street and the town has a thriving summer festival which, alongside blues bands, features a wide variety of music including jazz, soul, rock and bangra.Duration: 4.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£55.00Shelter Island (from East Coast Pictures) (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Hess, Nigel - Littlemore, Phillip
Shelter Island is the first movement of East Coast Pictures. It is a depiction of the Shelter Island itself, a few hours' drive east of New York. In the summer it becomes a crowded tourist trap; but in the winter it is gloriously deserted and bravely faces the onslaught of the turbulent Atlantic, shrouded in sea mists and driving rain. This 'picture' is a fond memory of a winter weekend on Shelter Island. Suitable for Premier Youth/2nd Section Bands and above. Duration: 6.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£32.95Dragon Prelude (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
This concert prelude is both abridged and expanded from a selection of Welsh songs Here be Dragons which was commissioned by the Band of the Welsh Guards for their Centenary celebrations in 2016. The work was first performed at the Kneller Hall Summer Concert, 20 July 2016. It contains the following:Rhyfelgyrch Gwyr Harlech - Men of HarlechSosban Fach - Little SaucepanAr Lan y Mor - Down by the Sea (plus Suo Gan - Lullaby)Hen Ferchetan - Old MaidHen Wlad fy Nhadau - Land of my FathersDuration: 4.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£39.00El Capitan (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Sousa, John Philip - Wilkinson, Keith M.
El Capitan was originally an operetta which was first produced in Boston in 1896. It was initially very popular and there are occasional revivals even to this day. The march of the same title uses themes from the opera and was also published in 1896. One notable feature - resulting from the use of themes from the operetta - is the abrupt transition from 6/8 to 2/4 half way through the march.This arrangement was prepared for the 2013 Summer concerts of Brass Band of the Western Reserve, musical director Dr Keith M Wilkinson.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£46.50Semper Fidelis (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Sousa, John Philip - Wilkinson, Keith M.
This march was written in 1888 and dedicated to the US Marine Corps, later being adopted as its official march. At the time of its composition Sousa was director of the US Marine Band.This brass band version contains a small amount of optional movement around the stage and a percussion feature. These will enhance the presentation.The arrangement was prepared for the Summer concerts presented by Brass Band of the Western Reserve, musical director Keith M Wilkinson, in 2008.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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