Results
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£94.95An Age of Kings (Mezzo-Soprano Solo with Brass Band and optional choir - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
The origins of this work date back to 1988, when I was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to write the music for The Plantagenets trilogy, directed by Adrian Noble in Stratford-upon-Avon. These plays take us from the death of Henry V to the death of Richard III. Later, in 1991, I wrote the music for Henry IV parts 1 and 2, again in Stratford. All of these plays are concerned with the struggle for the throne, and they portray one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the British monarchy.Much of the music used in these productions was adapted into two large symphonic suites for wind band - The Sword and the Crown (1991) and The Kings Go Forth (1996). An Age of Kings is a new version for brass band incorporating music from both the symphonic suites for wind band. It was specially composed for a recording made by the Black Dyke Band, conducted by Nicholas Childs, in 2004.An Age of Kings is music on a large-scale canvas, scored for augmented brass band, with the addition of harp, piano, mezzo-soprano solo, male chorus, as well as two off-stage trumpets. The music is also organized on a large-scale structure, in three movements, which play without a break - "Church and State", "At the Welsh Court", and "Battle Music and Hymn of Thanksgiving".The first movement, "Church and State", opens with a brief fanfare for two antiphonal trumpets (off-stage), but this only acts as a preface to a Requiem aeternam (the death of Henry V) before changing mood to the English army on the march to France; this subsides into a French victory march, but with the English army music returning in counterpoint. A brief reminder of the Requiem music leads to the triumphal music for Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, father of Edward IV and Richard III (the opening fanfare transformed). However, the mood changes dramatically once again, with the horrors of war being portrayed in the darkly-drawn Dies Irae and Dance of Death, leading to the final section of the first movement, a funeral march for Henry VI.The second movement, "At the Welsh Court", takes music from the Welsh Court in Henry IV part 1 with a simple Welsh folk tune sung by mezzo-soprano to the inevitable accompaniment of a harp. This love song is interrupted by distant fanfares, forewarning of battles to come. However, the folk song returns with variation in the musical fabric. The movement ends as it began with off-stage horn and gentle percussion.The final movement, "Battle Music and Hymn of Thanksgiving", starts with two sets of antiphonally placed timpani, drums and tam-tam, portraying the 'war machine' and savagery of battle. Trumpet fanfares and horn calls herald an heroic battle theme which, by the end of the movement, transforms itself into a triumphant hymn for Henry IV's defeat of the rebellious forces.- Edward GregsonDuration - 22'00"Optional TTBB available separately.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Powerhouse (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Downie, Kenneth
Spirit divine, come as of old. So begins the song by Brindley Boon, and that phrase becomes the message of this piece, and an important motif in the music. It appears at the very beginning of the work and recurs at important points during the piece. The theme of the need for spiritual power is further underlined by the use of the hymns Show your power, Wonder-working power and the very old chorus Send a new touch of power on my soul, Lord.The composer first heard Boon's song Spirit Divine when it was sung by Parkhead Songsters in the Sunday morning meeting at his home Corps of Greenock Citadel. They were visiting for the weekend from Glasgow, and were conducted by Songster Leader Walter Chalmers, himself a beautiful lyric tenor soloist. They sang it in a moving fashion, unaccompanied, and such was the impact that, at the conclusion, many people went to the mercy seat. It made a huge impression on the young composer. It was the first time that Downie discovered the enormous power of music in worship. It also serves as a reminder to us all that young people of a tender age are very capable of grasping deeply significant events happening around them. This music was written for the 2020 UK Territorial Youth Band course.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£42.95Crimbledance (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
Silent Night, Ding, Dong Merrily on High, The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy and I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In receive the Riverdance treatment together with some snippets of other carols thrown in for good measure in this challenging but fun arrangement. It was first written for the Central Band of the RAF to play on their Christmas concert tour in 1998 and has been consistently performed ever since.Duration: 4.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£49.95Mountain Day (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Himes, William
Mountain Day was inspired by the composer's firsthand experiences walking, hiking, biking and skiing the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA.The soaring and noble opening theme is in fact a musical representation of what a mountain silhouette might look like when traced on a musical staff. This overture features four continuous sections with virtually all of the themes having come to the composer's mind while in the Colorado Rockies:dawn - a slow unfolding of sun on the mountainsascent - a joyful and energetic hiking tunesummit vista - an expanded version of the opening themedescent - a lyrical walking tune, bursting with fulfilment and the love of lifeThis work was commissioned in 2014 by the Western State Colorado University - Colorado Brass Band for their 40th anniversary in honour of Mr. John Kincaid, conductor emeritus, mentor and friend.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.95Strange New Worlds (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Graham, Peter
Strange New Worlds was commissioned by Nicholas Childs for the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain with funds provided by Arts Council England.The COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary for the 2020 course to transition from residential to virtual and the work was designed to accommodate this change. The participants individually filmed themselves to a click track and the videos were collated to create a "virtual" performance. The premiere was streamed live on YouTube on August 7, 2020.The work is in 5 movements with a narrative dictated by the individual movement titles. Although to me this narrative is clearly defined, multiple scenarios present themselves. Some may interpret the story as being one from the ancients while others might identify with the science-fiction of H.G. Wells. Others still will relate to the recent surge of interest in 1980s culture and the Netflix series Stranger Things (to which the title of my work pays homage). Nor would it be unreasonable to consider the piece an analogy reflecting events in 2020. Listeners will decide the story (or message) for themselves.The five movements are: I. Things to Come; II. Descent to Darkness (featuring Cornets, Trombones and Percussion); III. Resistance (featuring Horns, Baritones, Euphoniums, Basses and Percussion); IV/V. Aftermath/A New HopeDuration: 8.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£124.95Dynasty (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Graham, Peter
Dynasty takes the form of a Symphonic Poem, a musical form first introduced to a contest audience at the Crystal Palace in 1913 by Percy Fletcher in his work Labour and Love.Using key passages from the autobiography of Harry Mortimer, On Brass, as the source for the narrative, the work opens with a four-note leitmotif (Harry's theme, "as if descending from the heavens"), and the timeline unfolds as follows:Harry - One's destiny decided at birth "I'll make him the best cornet player in England"War - Why do the nations so furiously rage together? Fred volunteers for military serviceTheatre - And suddenly "I dashed to the rescue like a hero in the silent movies I was about to get to know so well"Journey - Comfort Ye A new life and new challengesTogether - Come unto me "A golden age"Farewell - For behold, darkness "Fred's death surely marked the passing of an era"Amen - The Trumpet shall soundListeners familiar with brass band repertoire will recognise a few pertinent quotes within the piece.In my imagination Harry is joined by Fred on cornet and the euphoniums of Alex and Rex for the quartet cadenza from Sovereign Heritage by Jack Beaver in Together.The Amen section from Handel's Messiah provides the basis for a contrapuntal flight of fancy as the work moves towards a conclusion. Other less overt fragments contribute to the story.Dynasty was co-commissioned by the British Open Brass Band Championships for the September 2019 contest, and the Brass Band Committee VLAMO for the Belgian Brass Band Championships 2019.- Peter GrahamDuration: 17.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£76.99Oregon (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - De Haan, Jacob
This fantasy tells the story of Oregon, one of America's north-western states. Traveling by train on the Northern Pacific Railroad, the listener is taken through the fascinating Oregon landscape. Indians, cowboys, golddiggers and hooded wagons will file past on this adventurous journey. The piece has some similarities with a soundtrack of a movie. Various melodies, which could be the main themes of a movie, pass the review.The piece begins in a slow movement, introducing the first theme in minor. Then we hear in the following fast movement the trombones imitate the train, whistling the steam-flute. We hear the characteristic minor theme again, but now in different variants (also in major). The rhythmic structure of "western" stile and rock succeed each other. This is leading to the slow movement, where the signals of horns and trumpets introduce a wonderful vocal melody. After this characteristic melody, the fast movement appears shortly again, the trombones whistling the steam-flute again (now in major). We hear also some musical elements, that plays a part in the following Presto. Barchanges, jazzy chords, interesting rhythmic patterns (with bongo) and an original theme are the characteristics of this Presto. After this, the horns announce the last section of the piece. Interesting is the fact that we hear in this Allegro section a variant of the vocal melody in the slow movement. Also the Presto theme returns shortly, followed by the Allargando, which is a grand characteristic end of a soundtrack. The movie of our travelling fantasy has come to an end.Duration: 9:10
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£39.95Liberty Trail (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Bulla, Stephen
The Melbourne Staff Band celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015 and this work was commissioned by Staff Bandmaster Ken Waterworth to feature in their programmes throughout the year.The music opens with fiery rhythmic figures, drawing on the band's technical brilliance. As the music progresses there are hits of traditional marches from early years, both in form and the minor key harmony used.The Trio section features The Homeward Trail, a song from the pen of Colonel Arthur Arnott, a Salvation Army officer who spent the majority of his career serving in Australia. The tune is then developed thematically and, following an interlude and key change, receives another treatment filled with fanfare and flourish that leads into the concluding moments of the work.Just prior to the closing bars, the music pays a brief homage to Australian composer Arthur Gullidge with a quote from his classic march Liberty, published in 1948, as a final salute to the great music that has come from this country.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Trombone Concerto (Trombone Solo with Brass Band - Score only) - Wiffin, Rob
My Trombone Concerto was commissioned by Brett Baker following an earlier piece I had written for him called Shout! It was composed in Spain in the summer of 2010. Once I started writing I realised that this concerto was inevitably going to draw on my own experiences as a trombone player. The first movement was really a matter of getting the right thematic ideas and balancing the tutti and solo passages so, for formal structure, I studied the Gordon Jacob Trombone Concerto. There is a lyrical section preceding the first Allegro that owes much in spirit (but not in the actual music) to The Eternal Quest, Ray Steadman-Allen's Salvation Army solo. The slow movement seemed determined to come out in the vein of a Richard Strauss song. I wanted to write something ineluctably 'cantabile' as we trombone players rarely get a chance to play the melody. There is a brief allusion to that wonderful moment when the trombone gets to sing above the orchestra in Sibelius' seventh symphony. Arthur Wilson, that great exponent of the singing style in trombone-playing and my teacher at college died in the summer of 2010 so it seemed appropriate to dedicate this movement to him. The last movement is the lightest of the three in style and is slightly jazz-inflected, hopefully providing some fun for the soloist. While wanting to test the instrument I did not set out with the intention of making the concerto difficult but there are undoubtedly challenges of technique, range and style to be met by the soloist.- Rob Wiffin
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£87.95
Trombone Concerto (Trombone Solo with Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
My Trombone Concerto was commissioned by Brett Baker following an earlier piece I had written for him called Shout! It was composed in Spain in the summer of 2010. Once I started writing I realised that this concerto was inevitably going to draw on my own experiences as a trombone player.The first movement was really a matter of getting the right thematic ideas and balancing the tutti and solo passages so, for formal structure, I studied the Gordon Jacob Trombone Concerto. There is a lyrical section preceding the first Allegro that owes much in spirit (but not in the actual music) to The Eternal Quest, Ray Steadman-Allen's Salvation Army solo.The slow movement seemed determined to come out in the vein of a Richard Strauss song. I wanted to write something ineluctably 'cantabile' as we trombone players rarely get a chance to play the melody. There is a brief allusion to that wonderful moment when the trombone gets to sing above the orchestra in Sibelius' seventh symphony. Arthur Wilson, that great exponent of the singing style in trombone-playing and my teacher at college died in the summer of 2010 so it seemed appropriate to dedicate this movement to him.The last movement is the lightest of the three in style and is slightly jazz-inflected, hopefully providing some fun for the soloist.While wanting to test the instrument I did not set out with the intention of making the concerto difficult but there are undoubtedly challenges of technique, range and style to be met by the soloist.- Rob Wiffin
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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