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£69.95
Ceremony - Jonathan Bates
DIFFICULTY: 2nd+. DURATION: 10'00". 'Ceremony' was commisioned by Musica da Domat, Switzerland and their Musical Director Gian Stecher in 2019. The concept of the work revolves around a number of religious processions which take place around the mountainous region of Graubunden in the south of the country and in more musical terms, a specific setting of the 'Stabat Mater' (heard in fragments throughout the piece, but only at the finale is it heard in it's entirety) which is traditionally the ceremonies around this area. Through-composed yet in 4 clear sections, 'Ceremony' opens with 3 fanafare trumpets/cornets positioned antiphonally across the back of the stage, each paired with a different pitched tenor drum, and in a different key - inspired by the idea of being able to hear the different ceremonies from all regions of Graubunden echoing up the valley in equal strength. Following this opening fanfare section, the procession around the hills begins with a tongue-in-cheek quasi-march in a far more upbeat and jovial mood. The centrepiece of the work is simply entitled 'Echoes', and once again returns to the idea of music breaking the almost eerie-silence as it reverberates around the vast valleys, before the culmination of the piece returns to material from the opening 'Ceremony' section in a more grandioso and bold style. . .
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£15.00
Dragon Dances
DescriptionDragon Dances was commissioned by Owen Farr, who is also the work's dedicatee, gave the first performance with the Cornwall Youth Band conducted by Richard Evans on 5 April 2010 and has recorded it on his solo CD "A New Dawn" accompanied by the Cory Band conducted by Philip Harper.Being a Welsh composer, writing music for a Welsh soloist, I was naturally keen to reflect this in the music, and I drew inspiration from two particularly Welsh concepts - "hiraeth" and "hwyl". "Hiraeth" is a word that has no direct translation into English, but an approximation would be 'yearning for home'. Like the other celtic nations, Wales has a widespread diaspora of people who left to seek new lives out in the empire and "hiraeth" is a way of summing up the homesickness felt by these exiles, some of whom return each year for a special ceremony at the Royal National Eisteddfod. "Hwyl" is an even more complicated word, variously meaning ecstatic joy, fervour, equable temperament and even the characteristic sing-song oration style of the great Welsh Methodist preachers.I have attempted to make the music reflect both of these, with the melancholy first part of the work inspired by the hymns and solo songs for which Wales is famous, and the second part having a much more dance-like, joyful quality.Performance Notes:2 solo cornets, 2nd and 3rd cornets require cup mutes. 2 solo cornets require harmon mutes with tubes removed (marked 'TR' in the score).1st horn and 1st baritone require straight mutes, preferably fibre. 1st trombone requires a straight mute, 2nd and bass require cup mutes.Percussion instruments required are vibraphone, glockenspiel, timpani, snare drum, suspended cymbal and tam tamWatch/Listen to the score below:
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£60.00
Epitaph (for Hillsborough) - Peter Meechan
Epitaph (for Hillsborough) was written on the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster, April 15 1989, in memory of the 96 victims. All of the victims were fans of Liverpool Football Club, the club I have supported since I was a young child.The disaster unfolded in front of the BBC television cameras, and due to the importance of the match (FA Cup semi final), millions, including myself, witnessed it first hand, leaving a lasting impression in the public psyche.Several features of the piece were determined by the tragedy. The length of the piece, 6 and a half minutes, represents the minutes of the game that were played that day (The match was abandoned after 6 minutes), and the final thirty seconds of the work, where the band gently applaud, is a reference to the first match played after the tragedy, a European Cup semi final between AC Milan and Real Madrid.After 6 minutes, the referee blew his whistle and all the players stood still where they were, both sets of fans applauded in memory of the perished, and the fans of AC Milan began singing Youall Never Walk Alone, the anthem of Liverpool Football Club.The work also features 96 strikes of the tubular bells, in memory of each person who lost their life.Epitaph is dedicated to the 96 people who died that day, and to their families whose fight for justice is an inspiration to all.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£59.95
BEULAH LAND (Brass Band Set) - Wilfred Heaton - Paul Hindmarsh
Wilfred Heaton began to assemble material for 'Beulah Land' in the early 1990s following a request from the Amsterdam Staff Band for a new work. Despite reminding himself on the manuscript that he should either complete or destroy the work before his death, ultimately he did not manage either. This edition was subsequently realised in 2003 for the tour of the USA Western States by the Amsterdam Staff Band.'Beulah Land' is Heaton's vision of the joy that awaits the Christian in Heaven and, according to his family, is reminiscent of the kind of music he often improvised at the piano. The three movements are as follows;1. Better World; a waltz sequence on the tune 'Zealley' to which the words 'There is a better world, they say' are sung.2. Heavenly Home; an elegiac cortege using the tunes 'My home is in Heaven', 'I have a home that is fairer than day' and 'The home over there'.3. Happy Land; Beginning in waltz rhythm this soon gives way to a sequence of free variations on the song 'There is a happy land, Far, far away'.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.50
Erin's Isle - Philip Sparke
Erin's Isle was commissioned by euphonium player Micah Parsons and premiered by him in June 2024. The idea was to write a slow melody with an Irish flavour and the title is a romantic, 19th century name often used to refer to the island of Ireland itself. The work opens with fluttering, muted cornets, under which a tentative theme appears. This leads to an accompanied cadenza for the soloist, out of which the main theme emerges. This is a long and expansive melody, which winds through several related phrases with a folk-like flavour. A change of key heralds snatches of the theme by the band with interjections from the soloist, leading to a second cadenza. Eventually the band takes up the main theme again, over which the euphonium weaves an elaborate counter melody. The fluttering cornets return to allow the soloist to close the work with a brief and flowery coda.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£94.99
Wigerathorp - Jan de Haan
Brass Band Gloria Dei, the group that commissioned this work, has its roots in the Frisian town of Gerkesklooster (the Netherlands), where the settlement Wigerathorp used to be. In the 13th century, a monastery was erected here, named Jeruzalem. This inspired the composer to base the work on the well-known melodious hymn Jerusalem by Sir Hubert Parry. Gercke's Overture - the monastery was built by order of landowner Gercke Harkema - is followed by a slow movement in which the founders of the monastery, The Monks of Claercamp, take shape through the Gregorian chant Veni creator spiritus. In the last movement, Monastery Jerusalem, the main theme develops in all its glory.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£183.20
Folklore - Kjetil Djønne
"Folklore" is a work for brass band and percussion loosely based on the story of the Norwegian woman accused of witchcraft, Anne Pedersdotter. She was sentenced to be burned at the stake in Bergen in the spring of 1590 and has since been frequently highlighted as Norway's most famous and talked-about witch.The work begins with the movement "Lyderhorn," depicting the mountain outside Bergen where witches gathered to plan magical actions against the city. Here, we hear the quietness of nature and the wind blowing through the trees before a new theme appears, which will come to life in the next movement. In the distance, the witches have started their ceremony.In the next movement, "Walpurgis Night," the witches perform their rituals to afflict the city with fire, disease, and natural disasters. The ceremony becomes more and more chaotic, violent, and compelling until the darkness of the night envelops us, concluding the section.The third movement describes the women's inner struggle against the harassment they faced when the people of Bergen suspected them of being witches. Rumors often turned into formal accusations from the legal system, and many were sentenced to death after undergoing trial. "From life to death through the fire."The fourth and final movement, "The Pyre," depicts the actual death sentence. You can hear the pyre being ignited and the flames growing and intensifying. It all culminates in a chorale as a memorial to the lives that were taken.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£127.30
Sommernatt ved fjorden - Ketil Bjørnstad - Haakon Esplo
"By the Fjord" is written by the Norwegian composer Kjetil Bjornstad and is the most famous song from the musical work "Leve Patagonia" which was published in 1978. The work is written as a modern suite about the Oslo Bohemians Hans Jaeger and OdaLasson sitting in a pram on the fjord a summer night. Odas sister sees the couple on the sea from her window and tells us the story.Kjetil Bjornstad wrote "By the Fjord" in his house outside Tvedestrand early spring 1978. He was initially notfully satisfied and considered disposing it. The beautiful music has luckily made the song a classic in Norwegian music.To the conductorThis arrangement can be used with both vocal andinstrumental soloist. Its always a challenge toarrange songs with many verses that tells a story if it is to be played by an instrumental soloist instead of a singer. Because of that, please cut the repeats if it's performed without lyrics.Solo-parts included in the set: Vocal Flugelhorn Euphonium - Trombone
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£94.95
Of Men and Mountains - Edward Gregson
Of Men and Mountains was commissioned by the Netherlands Brass Band Championships for their tenth anniversary contest in Drachten in December 1990. In July the previous year, Edward Gregson and his wife took the Trans Canadian Railway from Toronto to Vancouver. The journey through the Rocky Mountains was the starting point for Of Men and Mountains. Gregson writes that: 'its high peaks and shafts of sunlight breaking through the clouds, its canyons and ferocious rapids made me understand a little more about the majesty of nature and the fragility of humanity. The eternal struggle between man and nature was personified in the building of this incredible railway... hence my title (after Blake).' The work is dedicated to the memory of Eric Ball, who died shortly before the writing of the work was commenced. Of Men and Mountains is in one continuous movement with a duration of approximately 17 minutes. Its form is difficult to describe because of its motivic and accumulative nature, but it is essentially a symphonic tone poem in search of a theme, which eventually comes in its final and complete state in the majestic ending after an ever-increasing paced scherzo. Of Men and Mountains has been selected as the test pieces for the 2023 National Brass Championships of Great Britain at the Albert Hall.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.99
Images for Brass - Stephen Bulla
Stephen Bullas highly descriptive work was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, which took place between the 19th February and 26th March 1945.Casualties on both the American and Japanese sides were horrendously high before the famous image of the raising of the flag on top of Mount Suribachi signalled the end of one of the most significant and terrifying Pacific conflicts of the SecondWorld War.The work received its first performance by the brass choir of the U.S. Marine Band at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and is divided into four programmatic sections.The first portrays the sense of anticipation before conflict (Prologue), before the arduous journey to the scene of the battle (Approach by Sea) is followed by introspection and prayer featuring the hymn tune Melita (Chorale Prayer), andfinally, the hostile confrontation itself (Engagement).There are frequent references to the Marines Hymn and the US National Anthem, particularly in the closing bars, depicting the ultimate raising of the American flag.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days