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£33.44E lucevan le stelle (Cornet/Euphonium Duet with Brass Band) Puccini arr.Bushnell
Tosca is an opera in three acts by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The opera is set in June 1800 in Rome, and tells the story of the Kingdom of Naples and the threat to its control of Rome by Napoleon's invasion of Italy. Some of Puccini's best-known arias can be found in Tosca. The opera is based on Victorien Sardou's dramatic play of the same name (La Tosca). Puccini saw the play at least twice in 1889 and begged his publisher, Giulio Ricordi, to obtain the rights to turn it into an opera, which were secured in 1891 - although Puccini relinquished the rights to Alberto Franchetti before being recommissioned in 1895. Puccini wrote "I see in this Tosca the opera I need, with no overblown proportions, no elaborate spectacle, nor will it call for the usual excessive amount of music." It took four years to write, with Puccini arguing with his librettists (Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa) and his publisher. Although the first performance was delayed by a day due to the unrest in Rome at the time, the opera was premiered on 14 January 1900 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. The critics reviews were indifferent, but it was an immediate success with the public. The opera is through-composed, with the different musical elements weaved from piece to piece. Puccini used the Wagner's leitmotif concept to identity different parts of the opera. Taken from Act 3, E lucevan le stelle is sung by Cavaradossi, a painter, who has fallen for the singer Tosca. The corrupt Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia, longs for Tosca himself and, upon suspecting Cavaradossi of helping a political prisoner escape, he takes the opportunity to get rid of Cavaradossi and blackmail Tosca into being with him. The guards lead Cavaradossi to the roof of Castel Sant'Angelo, where he is told he has 1 hour to live before being executed. He asks to write a letter to Tosca, overcome by memories, he sings E lucevan le stelle (And the stars shone). It was selected by the tenor Wynne Evans as one of the most romantic songs for his top ten arias for Classic FM. He described it as "another tenor classic, both tragic and beautiful." This arrangement (for cornet and euphonium duet with brass band) includes alternative parts for horns in F and lower brass in bass clef. A recording of the original song can be found here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAqHQMX7GHY
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£120.00
Rhapsody in Black (Bra) - Andi Cook
The primary inspiration for this work comes from the composer's first encounter with the genre of Symphonic Metal - the opening track of the 2004 Nightwish album 'Once', entitled Dark chest of Wonders. The combination of full orchestra, operatically trained female vocals and the raw power of a Scandinavian metal band was a potent mix that instantly had me hooked.That same dark and powerful sound is one that a brass band can generate, and I've tried to capture that in this composition. Heavy Rock/Metal as a genre is arguably fifty years old now, but symphonic metal is a newer concept, and I feel possibly the one that can bridge the gap between two musical styles very dear to me.Composer Gilbert Vinter had explored through music the connotations that different colours held for him, and his movement Purple from 'Spectrum' gave me an idea for the structure of 'Rhapsody in Black'. Andi Cook explored the different connotations of one colour within his own life, black being an easy choice due to the personal dichotomy of the black leather jacket he wore to the rock club on Friday night and the black suit jacket and tie he wore to the concert hall the next day.To avoid repetition the word 'black' is omitted from the five movement titles, each of which is a different episode. '...as Thunder' is a furious argument between two people - the top and bottom of the band - set against the backdrop of a storm, with lightning flashing outside while barbs, insults, sarcasm, tears and even violence is traded inside. Following that '...Satin and Pearls' is an old black-and-white movie with a wistful character to it as if we're looking back a screen icon with fondness long after their career or even their life has ended. '...as the Raven's Wing.' is deliberately gothic and funereal, hinting at Edgar Allen Poe's similarly named poem, with undertones of death and afterlife. The shift into F/C Minor (band pitch) represents the descent - alive - into the grave that Poe had a paranoid fear of his entire life. Family and friends standing around grieving, oblivious as we're lowered into the earth despite frantic attempts to make ourselves heard. '...and Chrome' is an unashamed motorcycle reference with all its born-to-be-wild, open air, high speed and freedom overtones. In a deliberate contrast to what went before it continues several of the same motifs though this time in the major key. Lastly, we reprise the second movement with '...as the Night Sky' which is simply the feeling of walking home under the summer stars, with someone important - who that is, is left to the listener, but a walk under the stars is always that bit special.There's an old saying that very few things are black and white. I hope this work will prove that even black alone isn't quite as simple as it's often made out....'Rhapsody in Black' is dedicated to the composer's friend and mentor John Roberts, who shares his love of both brass and rock.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£30.00Janacek's 'Taras Bulba' - Janacek
Comments from Tim Paton, the arranger of Janacek's 'Taras Bulba': "I will never forget the day in 1967 when I was introduced to the music of Leos Janacek, a Czech composer born in 1854, who died in 1928. Janacek was little known in Britain until the 1960's, when the conductor Charles Macherras introduced his unique music. I heard a recording of Macherras conducting the Pro Arte Orchestra in a performance of Janacek's "Sinfonietta".It was in 1969 that I first heard Janacek's Symphonic Rhapsody, "Taras Bulba".Janacek's music is exciting, powerful, emotive, impassioned and unpredictable.I have taken the first and third movements of this piece, and adapted them for Brass Band, which was at times extremely difficult, but rewarding. It sometimes took up to an hour to be satisfied that a mere several bars had been reproduced to convey the composer's intentions.The Death of AndriThe Cossaks, under the leadership of Taras Bulba, are fighting against the Poles in the 17th century. Taras's son Andri seeks to rescue his love, a Polish princess, from a city which is being besieged by the Cossaks. Having found her, he throws in his lot with the Poles, but is finally captured by his father, who executes him as a traitor before riding off again to battle.Prophesy and Death of Taras BulbaTaras himself is finally captured and condemned to be nailed to a tree and burned alive. As the flames creep around him, Taras has the satisfaction of seeing histroops escape, and as he dies, sees a vision of his country freed at last.This is incredibly descriptive music. The mood is constantly changing, creating feelings of love and anger, celebration and melancholy, despair and triumph.This Brass Band EditionThe duration of the original symphonic rhapsody, three movements, is approximately 23 minutes. I chose the first and third movements, so the Brass Band edition is approximately 14 minutes. The main reason is twofold: Being realistic about the demands this music would place on the stamina of the brass player; Keeping the piece less than 15 minutes, so that, if desired, it could be used on the contest platform.Two unique qualities of Janacek's music had to be taken into account when preparing this brass band version. His compositional technique was individual, at times not sticking to traditional expectations, in both form and orchestration. I imagined what the genius himself would have said looking at my work, and how to tackle a particular section to emulate his original intentions. This was particularly the case when dealing with high woodwind and violin parts, the use of tremolo in string parts, and the orchestral harp.Percussion: Janacek included timpani, side drum, cymbals, triangle and tubular bells. For reasons stated previously, I have also included xylophone and glockenspiel. I have also added the gong in a couple of places to enhance the dramatic effect of the music.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£132.00
Myte - Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Commissioned by Radoy Brass for their 20 years anniversary.This version was first performed by Manger Skulemusikklag in 2005.The Work is devided into Five Scenes:1. Sverdet (The Sword) 3:452. Advarsel - fra en vis mann (Warning - from a Wise Man) 2:303. Dragen (The Dragon) 3:004. Advarsel II - fra syngende fugler (Warning II - from singing birds) 1:355. Gull - forbannelsen (Gold - The Curse) 2:50Total durata 13:30This work is based on five scenes from the tale about "Sigurd Favnesbane" (Sigurd the dragonslayer). Moods and atmospheres in the piece represent my way of retelling the old myth.1. The SwordThe dwarf blacksmith Regin is hammering and sharpening the edges of the magical sword Gram. After three attempts the sword is finally sharp enough to kill a dragon. 2. Warning - from a Wise manRichard Wagners opera Sigfried is based on the same story. In the opera the hero get warned by a wise man. He tells the secret of how to survive an attack of the dragon by hiding in a hole in the pathway and then kill the dragon with the sword as the dragon passes on its way to the river to drink water.3. DragonThe Dragon (Favne) guards a fantastic treasure, but he is also the brother of the blacksmith Regin. Favne get killed and his blood flows slowly while he laments (trombone/bass trombone).4. Warning II - from singing birdsWhile frying the heart, Sigurd burns his thumb and put it into his mouth to cool it down. Then he swallow a drop of fresh magic dragon blood which transfers the ability to understand the birdlanguage. The birds sing warnings to Sigurd telling him that Regin will betray him and later kill him. Sigurd then kills Regin instead.5. Gold - the CurseSigurd takes the gold treasure and escapes on the horseback of Grane. But his robbery of the gold lead him into trouble: The gold is banned and a curse will hit everyone whotakes it...Myth is a programmatic work where the story is quite clearly illustrated throughout the piece:In the first movement you can hear the blacksmith working with hammer on ambolt while the heat is intense from the glows. The dwarf has got his own theme i lower brass (bar 4-5). The hero Sigurd has his own identifying chord (2 bars before F). The chord is also a symbol of the sword.In the second movement the warning from the wise man is expressed in the lyric bass line.The airblow in instruments illustrate the dragon Favne on his way out of his cave, and later the blood flows slowly. The dragon takes his last deep breath after a painful duet in trombones. The birds sing their motifs (lightly, but not cheerful though), until Sigurd cuts the head off Regin and it hits the ground.The last movement describes the atmosphere andstate of mind as the curse infects the obsessed thief.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£42.95Scaff! (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Berlioz, Hector - Wheeler, Alastair
While in the Oxford University Jazz Orchestra, trumpeter Alex Gallafent confided that he had always wished there was a big band arrangement of 'March to the Scaffold' opening with Gene Kruppa toms. Fast forward several years to the Kew Wind Orchestra, where Andy Black is a chartered surveyor who "loves a nice piece of scaff...". Here is a great arrangement done for brass band.The protagonist in the story of this 4th movement is having a nightmare that he has killed his loved one, that he is condemned and he is being led to execution where he will witness his own guillotining.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£30.00A Million Love Songs - Gary Barlow
Made famous by the boy band 'Take That', this fantastic new angle on the song from Lucy Pankhurst, creatively features the flugel and tenor horn section with full support from the accompanying band.Take That's Gary Barlow wrote 'A Million Love Songs' when he was 15. He also recorded a rough demo of the track, and was one of the songs he gave to music manager Nigel Martin-Smith on a cassette tape as part of his audition to join a boy-band.In his autobiography A Better Me, Gary revealed that Martin-Smith was so impressed by the tape, that he didn't realise it was Gary singing. As legend has it, the conversation went like this:Martin-Smith: "This tape, who has written the songs?"Barlow: "Me"Martin-Smith: "Who wrote the words, then?"Barlow: "Me. And the music and the backing track."Martin-Smith: "Wow, you'd better come back and see me tomorrow."The ballad became one of the group's most popular songs, and is often voted among the greatest love songs of all time. It peaked at No. 7 in the UK charts, and remains a firm favourite, not just for its sentiment, but for the beautiful melody Barlow created.Lucy's arrangement for brass band brings a whole new dynamic to the music and offers the flugelhorn and tenor horns a golden opportunity to shine.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£54.99They are Coming - John Emerson Blackstone
There are people who are capable of planning well. They live their lives in a well-structured manner and know exactly what they have to do. On the other hand, there are also people who are the exact opposite: they want to do too many things at once and are often somewhat absent-minded, which occasionally results in frantic situations. The outcome of one such situation is 'They are coming'. John Emerson Blackstone had been working on a new composition for some time when he received a telephone call from his editor, who told him that the deadline was approaching rapidly, even worse, that it would expire at the end of that same day and that he would drop by in person to fetch thecomposition! Blackstone set to work in a frenzy and completed the last details. When his editor arrived, the piece was finished ..... and got its definitive title: 'They are coming'.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£78.20The Rocketeer - James Horner - Roland Smeets
Before Titanic,James Horner was not above composing scores for cartoonish family films, and many of those that brought him on their production board owe him greatly. The Rocketeer entails the story of a young pilot during World War II who happens upon a rocket pack that allows him to fly. The film is based on the tradition of old film serials that left theater-goers hanging with "To be continued," and aside from modern production, it is old fashioned and innocent fun. Horner's score begins and ends with the brilliant "Main Title," which is so moving it was used in previews for later films that did not yet have finished scores. Most of th Rocketeersoundtrack elicits the adventure and lifting spirit of the film and reveals how Horner incorporates rich instrumentals in the tiniest crevices. Even when the film involves danger, as in "Jenny's Rescue," the composer takes care when it is hardly even required. Instead of some "duh-duh-duhs," he brings on a full, stunning orchestra and when he overdoes it, it is in a jolly way -- he never exhausts his medium. That is what separates him from inferior composers, and what makes a nice film like The Rocketeer extra nice. It is a soundtrack worth listening to.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£44.95
POLOVTSIAN DANCES, The (Excerpts from Prince Igor) (Brass Band Set) - Alexander Borodin - Kevin Norbury
Alexander Borodin (1883 - 1887) was a Russian composer who made his living as a chemist. He was a member of the group of composers called "The Five" (or "The Mighty Handful") who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music. He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, and his opera "Prince Igor". The opera contains "The Polovtsian Dances" which is often performed as a stand-alone concert work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.99Auld Lang Syne - Menno Haantjes
Whereas 'Auld Lang Syne' may be considered the best-known Scottish song ever, yet at the same time it is an obscure one, for there are but few people who know the complete text by heart. After the familiar 'Should auld acquaintance be forgot .....' many people take their refuge to lyrics like 'rum tee dum ta dee ..... lah, lah, lah ........... for auld lang syne'. Even in Scotland only a handful of persons know the entire text and are able to give a correct rendering of it. The current lyrics have been attributed to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Burns, however, he did not write the whole poem : after he had heard an old man sing the centuries-old Scotchballad, he wrote it down and added a number of stanzas (1788). Historical research teaches us that the ballad served many purposes, both political and religious. Nowadays, 'Auld Lang Syne' is sung as a Christmas Carol and it is also sung on New Year's Eve at the turning of the year. Apart from that, though, the song is also sung on many other occasions sometimes with different lyrics, which usually have Love, Friendship and/or Parting as their themes, as these go well with the fascinating melody. In this arrangement a low-sounding solo instrument is central. The harmonization in the accompaniment fits in perfectly with the sentiments this song will evoke. Should auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind? Should auld acquintance be forgot. And days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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