Results
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£29.50Eden (Score Only)
This work was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust as the test piece for the final of the 2005 Besson National Brass Band Championship, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London.The score is prefaced by the final lines from Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (completed in 1663), in which Adam and Eve, expelled from Paradise, make their uncertain way into the outside world:"...The world was all before them, where to chooseTheir place of rest, and providence their guide:They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow,Through Eden took their solitary way."My work is in three linked sections. In the first, the characters of Adam, Eve and the serpent guarding the Tree of Knowledge are respectively represented by solo euphonium, cornet and trombone. The music opens in an idyllic and tranquil mood and leads into a duet between euphonium and cornet. Throughout this passage the prevailing mood darkens, though the soloists seem to remain oblivious to the increasingly fraught atmosphere. A whip-crack announces the malevolent appearance of the solo trombone who proceeds to engage the solo cornet in a sinister dialogue.The second section interprets the Eden story as a modern metaphor for the havoc mankind has inflicted upon the world, exploiting and abusing its resources in the pursuit of wealth. Though certainly intended here as a comment on the present-day, it is by no means a new idea: Milton himself had an almost prescient awareness of it in Book I of his poem, where men, led on by Mammon:"...Ransacked the centre and with impious handsRifled the bowels of their mother earthFor treasures better hid. Soon had his crewOpened into the hill a spacious woundAnd digged out ribs of gold."So this section is fast and violent, at times almost manic in its destructive energy. At length a furious climax subsides and a tolling bell ushers in the third and final section.This final part is slow, beginning with an intense lament featuring solos for tenor-horn, flgel-horn and repiano cornet and joined later by solo baritone, soprano cornet, Eb-bass and Bb-bass.At one stage in the planning of the work it seemed likely that the music would end here - in despair. Then, mid-way through writing it, I visited the extraordinary Eden Project in Cornwall. Here, in a disused quarry - a huge man-made wound in the earth - immense biomes, containing an abundance of plant species from every region of the globe, together with an inspirational education programme, perhaps offer a small ray of hope for the future. This is the image behind the work's conclusion and the optimism it aims to express is real enough, though it is hard-won and challenged to the last.John Pickard 2005
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£65.00A Hebridean Suite by Andrew Duncan
Recommended for - Championship & 1st Section bands A Hebridean Suite is a colourful and descriptive musical journey through the evocative Scottish islands, the Outer Hebrides. A Hebridean Suite is in four movements. Stornoway The Old Shepherdess and the Norse Maiden's Spirit Mouth Music Ceilidh-Rondo. A Hebridean Suite was used used as the test piece for the First Section at the 2010 Butlins Mineworkers Open Championships.
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£40.00Losgaintir. For solo Baritone/Euphonium and brass band
Recommended - Championship to 2nd Section Written for Katrina Marzella and the Black Dyke band, Losgaintir (or Luskentyre in English) is one of my favourite places in Scotland. Losgaintir is on the west coast of the isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides and has an outstanding beach widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world. Losgaintir is a wonderful place to be on warm sunny days with its long stretch of white sands, aqua marine seas, the incredible mountain backdrop of south Lewis and the uninhabited island of Taransaigh in view. The weather in Harris is notorious for changing very quickly and this piece tries to reflect this. Although idyllic on a calm, sunny days, on stormy days Losgaintir's character becomes dark and foreboding, with low dark clouds and sweeping winds from the Atlantic creating a dark, brooding atmosphere. The opening melody (written modally like a traditional Scottish Gaelic air) depicts the calm serenity of Losgaintir on a beautiful summer's day. The character of the fast section that follows portrays winter in Losgaintir during a tempestuous storm with bracing winds. Includes score & parts Also see: Losgaintir for Solo Baritone/Euphonium & Piano
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£40.00Reflections of Freedom. Andrew Duncan
Recommended - Championship & 1st Section Reflections of Freedom depicts the feelings and emotions of the many migrant farmers who left 19th Century Scotland to set up a new life in the 'New World'. In particular, the joy experienced on reaping their first harvest, so the American folk tune, Bringing in the Sheaves in featured throughout the piece. Reflections of Freedom was Written for the US Army Brass Band in Washington DC and premiered by them in 1997. Reflections of Freedom was the title track on the Whitburn Band CD of the same name, recorded in 2004. Suitable as a test piece for 1st section brass bands. Includes score & parts
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£35.00The water is wide. Trad. Arr Andrew Duncan
Recommended - Championship to 3rd Section The Water is Wide or, Oh Wally Wally, is an arrangement for brass band of the popular and hauntingly beautiful traditional song. This arrangement is a feature for the Solo Cornet section of the band, beginning with just one solo cornet then adding another until all four are playing the melody line together. Includes Score & Parts
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£65.00
A Hebridean Suite - Andrew Duncan
A colourful and light-hearted musical journey through the evocative Scottish islands, Andrew Duncan's A Hebridean Suite is in four concise movements: Stornaway, The Old Shepherdess and the Norse Maiden's Spirit, Mouth Music and Ceilidh-Rondo. It is suitable both as a concert suite for more advanced adult and youth bands and has also been used as a test piece in the First Section at the 2010 Butlins Mineworkers Open Championship.Brass Band Grade 5: 1st SectionDuration: 11 minutes
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£39.95Panic on Pudding Lane - Jonathan Bates
DURATION: 5 minutes. DIFFICULTY: Championship. Panic on Pudding Lane was composed for the 2016 RNCM Festival of Brass, for the Black Dyke Band and Prof. Nicholas Childs. The work was composed to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London in 1666. Following the frantic panicking, and hustle and bustle of the emergency service vehicles, a moment of reflection and tranquility is found in the core of the work, with a feature for Soprano Cornet and Flugelhorn in a section that almost pleads and mourns over the damage and devastation which surrounds them, as they stand amongst the burning rubble and debris (enhanced by a CD sound effect backing track). Whilst this section proves to be the calming point of the piece, the chaos and destruction is still never far from the ear, with distant echoes of sirens in the background towards the section's close. . Panic once again returns as the piece builds to a chaotic and driving close, with a huge sweeping recapitulation of the 'London's Burning' motif taking the lead before a wild,dischordant and frenzied finale brings the work to it's end. .
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£70.00
Macbeth - Peter Meechan
Commissioned by the Scottish Brass Band Association for the 2007 Scottish Open Championship, Macbeth takes itsa inspiration from the Shakespeare play of the same name. Character portraits (Of the three witches as well as Macbeth himself), abstractions (The lament), and scenes (Macbethas final battle with Macduff) make up the nine sections of the piece.i: WitchesThe prophecies of the three witches are an integral part of the play, and in this opening section, these mysterious characters are represented by three different sections of music that introduces the listener to the musical material of the piece.ii: DaggerMacbethas aIs this a dagger I see before theea speech, where an imaginary dagger leads him to contemplate the pending murder, builds in intensity before the bell tolls at itsa conclusion - a sign from Lady Macbeth that Duncan is now alone.iii: General MacbethA character portrait of Macbeth - a fearless General who has led his armies to defeat foes from all over Europe. His ambition and flair that make him such a great General are also the characteristics that lead to his eventual downfall.iv: Contemplations of Lady MacbethAlone and mad, Lady Macbeth ponders all that has gone, before taking her own life.v: LamentAlthough the play tells of Macbeth not feeling the pain of his wifeas death, this lament ponders not only her death, but the tale as a whole.vi: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrowIt is in this final soliloquy that we see the ultimate tragedy of Macbeth - the realisation that his life is ultimately worthless.vii: A spell still castThis acts as an prologue to section eight, restating the original awitchesa music, before heading into Macbethas final battle.viii: Final BattleMacbethas final battle, where he locks swords with Macduff.ix: Not of woman bornMacbethas realisation that the witches have misled him comes all too late, as Macduff beheads Macbeth, fulfilling the last prophecy.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£64.95A Day in the Life of a Knight (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Lawrence, Phil
Here we have a most descriptive piece of writing - a story through music. A fantastic 1st section test piece and championship concert work:The opening scene would depict standing on the battlements of a castle hearing the thundering hoofs of our brave Knight's horse miles in the distance. His arrival is expected, and his reputation is known across many lands. Today, he is to joust amongst mere mortal knights and compete for the hand of the fair (and local) Princess.He vanquishes all competitors and wins the day. The scene moves to evening and court where reception and dance is to be held for our winning knight. Both Knight and Princess become centre of attention during the dance. Their eyes only for each other.At last, the Knight has a chance to be a lone with his Princess as they steal away from the celebrations to a star lit rampart above the castle gardens, where the Knight declares his ever-lasting love and pledges his life and of honour to her. He asks her hand, meanwhile monks pray in the below chapel hoping for union. She say's yes. It is announced in court, then blown from the battlements.Day breaks; he is brought word of evil doings back in his own land. He leaves word to the Princess that he will be back soon to take her hand. The trouble back home was a rouse to get him away from the Princes so one of the vanquished, a dark knight in yesterdays joust, has summoned a dragon to kidnap the princess for his own.As the truth of the deception reaches our Knight he quickly returns to face the varlet that has taken his Lady. This time tis no joust, but a fight to the death with the dark knight and dragon. Our champion proves his best once again and wins the day and the hand of his Princess forever!- Phil LawrenceSuitable for 1st Section Bands and aboveDuration: 11.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£74.95Triptych (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Sparke, Philip
Regionals 2024 - 2nd Section test pieceTriptych was commissioned by the Swiss Band Federation for Section 2 of the 16th Brass Band Championship in Montreux, 1990Includes:PageantFantasy on One NoteFestivalRecorded on Polyphonic QPRL089D Harmony MusicDuration: 11:30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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