Results
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£19.65Adam Zero, Suite from (Brass Band - Study Score) - 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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£64.95
Adam 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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£26.95Paseo (Cornet Solo with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
A gentle solo for cornet with band accompaniment.Paseo is a Spanish word for a leisurely walk or stroll. The soloist takes the musical line for a walk with no great sense of hurry. There is one moment where the pleasantness of the stroll is threatened but it quickly passes and the good mood is resumed. Technically this needs a good sense of cantabile and control over the range from low D to D two octaves higher. In order to allow the soloist to sing through without fighting the accompaniment, cornets and percussion are omitted.Duration: 4.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£35.00A Song for Bram (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
A Song for Bram is a short work, originally composed piano and brass band, and is dedicated to the memory of Bramwell Tovey, a close friend and colleague of the composer, and a conductor, composer, pianist and musician of huge talent, who sadly passed away before his time in the summer of 2022. In this short piece the composer has tried to imagine what kind of tune Bram would have improvised at the piano, something he frequently engaged in. No doubt it would have been a mixture of bluesy jazz, hymn tune, and love song, and this is how the solo piano takes off. In the middle section of a what is a simple tertiary structure, introduced are quotes from two hymn tunes Bram particularly loved, never having forgotten his Salvation Army roots. Bram's 'Song' returns, this time on a plaintive flugelhorn horn, and which reaches a climax with the full band before receding, literally, into the distance.....(to a new life beyond?).Duration: 6.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Glorified (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wainwright, Andrew
Glorified was composed for the Canadian Staff Band's 50th Anniversary celebrations. This work is based on two tunes, Lord, be glorified and Great is thy faithfulness. This song celebrates and signifies the faithfulness to all associated with the Canadian Staff Band, and the commitment shown by its members through the years.The first half of the work harkens back to those members of the band who tragically perished in the early days on RMS Empress of Ireland, which was en route to England for the 1914 International Congress when it was struck by another vessel and sank. The rhythmic ostinatos heard represent the passing of time over the years. After the somewhat dark introduction, the music settles into a reflective rendition of In my life, Lord, be glorified, before bursting into a rhythmic and jagged mixed-metre section. A yearning elegy pays tribute to those who lost their lives.The second half of the piece is celebratory in nature and commemorates the reformation of the band and the rich history which has ensued in the subsequent years. The rhythmic energy found in this section builds to a majestic presentation of the tune Lord, be glorified, which leads into the return of Great is thy faithfulness but in an optimistic fashion.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£83.99Anima Negra (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Schwarz, Otto M.
Two boys from Felanitx: Pere Obrador and Miquel Angel Cerda. Having finished school, one stayed in Mallorca, while the other one left to study in Madrid. Some years later, homesickness and a yearning for the sea brought Miquel back. The turning point in their lives came in 1994. They realised their dream and produced their first wine. Their vision was to produce a real "Balearic Wine" from native grapes such as Callet, Mantonegro and Fogoneu. Anima Negra captures the stunning landscape of Mallorca in a single glass of wine. It reflects the sun, salinity and energy of the island and has conquered the world.Duration: 9.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£54.95Cornish Pastiche (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
A three movement suite depicting aspects of Cornish life and culture.The first movement, Sea Shanties, uses two contrasting call-and-response melodies. The second of these is playful in nature and appears in a number of guises, some more discordant than others, reflecting the crew's use of the shanty to let the captain know what they thought of him! Having passed by, the ship disappears into the sea mist. Laments were traditionally reserved for occasions of the death of a member of the clan. In forming the melody for Celtic Lament I had in mind the type of sorrowful song that would suite the elegiac nature of such an occasion.The last movement of the suite attempts to catch the spirit of the Furry Dance, the ancient dance that heralds the coming of spring. It resembles a farandole but is probably better described as an unashamed romp.My intention was to make Cornish Pastiche readily accessible to both players and listeners. The language is unashamedly tonal but is treated with some harmonic twists to add occasional piquancy. The technical demands on the players are meant to be moderate but conductors and players are asked to observe the different layers, especially in the Basse Dance, and not overload the texture with over-zealous weight on the melodic line.- Rob WiffinDuration: 11.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£42.95The Platinum Jubilee March (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Shelton, Chris G.
The Platinum Jubilee March was written to celebrate Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II's seventy-year reign as monarch of the United Kingdom. Its premiere was televised live around the world as part of the Queen's Birthday Parade which marked the start of the national Platinum Jubilee celebrations.The Queen's Birthday Parade 2022 saw the First Battalion of the Irish Guards trooping their colour. To reflect this, the march begins in a celebratory style and features a melody based around the opening motif of Let Erin Remember - the regimental slow march of the Irish Guards. In traditional style, the march develops excitement both harmonically and melodically, creating a strong sense of drive before reaching a stately trio. This section has a very regal and noble feel, lending subtle harmonic nods to two of the most quintessentially British composers, Gustav Holst, and Sir William Walton. The march culminates in a bold grandioso, featuring semi-quaver lines that are underpinned by a driving trombone countermelody. A forthright restatement of the introductory fanfare brings the march to a very definite and resolved ending.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£40.50A Song for Bram (Piano Solo with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
A Song for Bram is a short work, originally composed piano and brass band, and is dedicated to the memory of Bramwell Tovey, a close friend and colleague of the composer, and a conductor, composer, pianist and musician of huge talent, who sadly passed away before his time in the summer of 2022. In this short piece the composer has tried to imagine what kind of tune Bram would have improvised at the piano, something he frequently engaged in. No doubt it would have been a mixture of bluesy jazz, hymn tune, and love song, and this is how the solo piano takes off. In the middle section of a what is a simple tertiary structure, introduced are quotes from two hymn tunes Bram particularly loved, never having forgotten his Salvation Army roots. Bram's 'Song' returns, this time on a plaintive flugelhorn horn, and which reaches a climax with the full band before receding, literally, into the distance.....(to a new life beyond?).Duration: 6.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£53.50Hypernikon (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Van der Roost, Jan
The Greek word hypernikon roughly translates as More Than Conquerors, the motto of Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, the commissioner of this piece. The work is inspired by David Rox's very own name, the first two letters of his name, D and A, sets the first theme is in D major, with these notes being the tonic and dominant of the scale. After the stately intrada, the tempo accelerates and the festive feel of the march emerges. The trio melody serves as a beautiful contrast before finally ending with the opening theme in a grand tutti.Duration: 3.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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