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£30.00Down By The Salley Gardens
A new brass band release for 2023 which also welcomes Fiona Neary as a new member of our ever-growing family of writers!This traditional Irish folk tune has been beautifully arranged for brass band, offering a tranquil moment to your programme with a memorable jaunty jig section to keep your listeners on their toes!Every concert needs that 'Aaahhhh' element, and Down By The Salley Gardens certainly brings all the qualities required to meet that need.This original traditional Irish melody has been referred to by a variety of titles: 'Mourne Shore', 'Moorlough Shore' and 'The Maids of Mourne Shore', and is believed to have dated back to the 17th-18th century.In 1889, William Butler Yeats had his poem 'Down By The Salley Gardens' published in The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems. The verse was then later set to the Irish melody by Herbert Hughes in 1909. Since this combining, the music has become synonymous with the poem and naturally adopted the poem's title.Due to the beauty of the melody and the emotive words of the associated poem, both elements of this work has been embraced by a variety of artistes, including recordings by The Corrs and Sinead O'Connor; John Ireland (1879-1962) set the words to an original melody in his song cycle Songs Sacred and Profane, written in 1929-31; there is a vocal setting by the poet and composer Ivor Gurney, which was published in 1938; and Benjamin Britten published a setting of the poem in 1943.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£30.00On Ilkley Moor Pastiche
I was commissioned to write a piece for the RNCM Trombone Quartet by the bass trombonist Trevor Slade, a true Yorkshireman. I have created a full brass band version. There is an element of comedy, (though not irreverent). The introduction is a direct reference to a well known film theme about bouncing bombs! We then hear the famous Yorkshire melody with overtones of the old BBC Grandstand theme, (for those old enough to remember). A 'patriotic' section is a mixture of "Ilkley Moor", and those bouncing bombs again! We are then taken to a 'Dixieland' treatment, with 'overtones' of a 'Hootenannyish' piece, which every bandsman/woman is familiar with! What follows is a rather pretty 'Edmundo Ross(ish)' beguine. After a brief Beethovian bit, we are taken back once again to the original pastiche, with a BIG ending. A good piece for the lighter element of the concert programme.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£30.00Roots - Lucy Pankhurst
Commissioned by Katrina Marzella in 2008, this modern 'duet' for Baritone and Euphonium soloists with brass band accompaniment has been inspired by 'nature and environment' as its primary muse. The music takes the listener through 7 stages of environmental atmosphere, in its combination of sounds and effects. It is a very uplifting work and with the back-story in mind (see programme notes below), it makes for an incredibly effective concert feature.Programme notes from the composer, Lucy Pankhurst:There are 7 main sections in the piece :RainGerminationGrowthTransionSunshineRainstormRestThe work begins with Rain, symbolised by the rainstick and 'rain sounds' in the brass , which allows the themes to germinate. The 'roots' of the music themselves, are firmly established in the tonic (root Eb) and 5ths in the low brass, from which the solo lines eventually grow, using triads and 5ths.During Growth, the solo baritone and euphonium begin with separate melodies which begin to twist around each other (much like tree roots), interlocking to produce harmonies and counterpoint, complimenting one another and firmly keeping the music in Eb major. Muted cornets and trombones continue to play overlapping semiquavers, reflecting the raindrops as they fall from the trees and leaves.A brief interlude, featuring brass sextet drives the music back to its Germination stage - here, named Transion, as it grows once more, evolving into something new. The Sunshine section is a dance. Moving rapidly through different keys, the warm sunlight catches on the dewy foliage, creating dazzling moments of clarity and beauty.However, the change in conditions also lead to brief moments of uncertainty, as the various creatures tentatively reappear from their shelter to bask as the earth is warmed. Birdsong can be heard in the solo lines as the entire band join in the celebrations.The jollity does not last long, however, as a Rainstorm, more violent than the last , ensues - stopping the dance in its tracks. The tam-tam and bass drum signify thunder, crashing into the music abruptly. However, the music still survives and re-emerges from the storm, delicately but securely establishing itself into a new key (C major), before softly concluding with the two soloists in rhythmic unison as the rain subsides and the world is at Rest.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days