Results
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£9.99Christmas Collection - Soprano Cornet Eb - Large Print A4
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll I want for Christmas is youAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldAuld lang syneA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)A winter's taleBethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the bellsCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians Awake!Christ is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDeck the hallDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Frosty the snowmanGabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Happy Christmas (War is over)Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHave yourself a merry little ChristmasHere we come a-wassailingHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw mommy kissing Santa ClausI saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon a midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon a midnight clear (Willis)It's beginning to look a lot like ChristmasIt's the most wonderful time of the yearI wish it could be Christmas everydayI wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJingle BellsJingle bell rockJoy to the world!Last ChristmasLet it snow!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallMerry Christmas everyoneMistletoe and wineNoelO Christmas treeO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPatapanPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Rockin' around the Christmas treeRudolph, the red-nosed reindeerSans day carolSanta Claus is comin' to townSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Sleigh RideSoftly the night is sleepingSo here it is, merry ChristmasStars are shiningStill, still, stillStop the cavalrySussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe Christmas songThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe twelve days of ChristmasThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWalking in the airWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWe wish you a merry ChristmasWhat child is this?When a child is bornWhen Santa got stuck up the chimneyWhence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)White ChristmasWho is he?Winter WonderlandWorldwide Christmas messageZither CarolA starry nightChristmas JoyChristmas PraiseCoventry CarolInfant HolyMid-winterRudolph, the red-nosed reindeerThe everlasting lightTo celebrate his birthYuletide Rag
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£7.99
Christmas Collection - Soprano Cornet Eb - March Card Size
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll I want for Christmas is youAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldAuld lang syneA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)A winter's taleBethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the bellsCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians Awake!Christ is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDeck the hallDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Frosty the snowmanGabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Happy Christmas (War is over)Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHave yourself a merry little ChristmasHere we come a-wassailingHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw mommy kissing Santa ClausI saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon a midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon a midnight clear (Willis)It's beginning to look a lot like ChristmasIt's the most wonderful time of the yearI wish it could be Christmas everydayI wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJingle BellsJingle bell rockJoy to the world!Last ChristmasLet it snow!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallMerry Christmas everyoneMistletoe and wineNoelO Christmas treeO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPatapanPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Rockin' around the Christmas treeRudolph, the red-nosed reindeerSans day carolSanta Claus is comin' to townSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Sleigh RideSoftly the night is sleepingSo here it is, merry ChristmasStars are shiningStill, still, stillStop the cavalrySussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe Christmas songThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe twelve days of ChristmasThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWalking in the airWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWe wish you a merry ChristmasWhat child is this?When a child is bornWhen Santa got stuck up the chimneyWhence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)White ChristmasWho is he?Winter WonderlandWorldwide Christmas messageZither CarolA starry nightChristmas JoyChristmas PraiseCoventry CarolInfant HolyMid-winterRudolph, the red-nosed reindeerThe everlasting lightTo celebrate his birthYuletide Rag
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£9.99Christmas Collection - Words and music (piano)
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£0.99Christmas Collection - Words only
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£0.99
Christmas Collection - Words only - Large Print
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£107.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
Selected as the Championship Section test piece for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2025This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score only) - Gregson, Edward
Selected as the Championship Section test piece for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2025This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.95Sinfonietta - Saints and Devils (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
Saints and Devils is a challenging three movement work:Dance with the Devil (4.30)A Glimpse of Paradise (4.45)Reyes Magos (3.45)I wrote it when I was living in Spain where the Catholic culture is still much more prevalent than in the UK. The first two movements are a transition from dark to light; Dance with the Devil is aggressive and occasionally macabre whereas A Glimpse of Paradise is serene.The first and final parts of the second movement were originally written for a sequence in the Royal Military Tattoo 2000, played under the John Magee poem High Flight - 'Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth ............ Put out my hand, and touched the face of God'- with videos of eagle owls in flight dramatically projected onto the buildings of Horse Guards in Whitehall, London.The last movement, Reyes Magos, is the joyous fiesta of the Three Kings. In Spain, January 6th, rather than Christmas Day, is the main day of present-giving, marking the Epiphany, the arrival of the Kings from the Orient at the Nativity. Saints and Devils is technically and expressively demanding but is written within the realms of tonal language.- Rob WiffinDuration: 13.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£124.95Diary of a Madman (Twenty-Fourth February) (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Clarke, Nigel
From the beginning of history, warlords, emperors and dictators have risen up, some benign but many of them a scourge on humanity. Names that resonate to this day include Julius Caesar, Caligula, Genghis Khan, Ivan IV (The Terrible), Attila the Hun, Vlad IV (The Impaler), Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, all of whom were responsible for wanton destruction and the torture and death of millions of victims, either citizens of invaded countries and territories and or indeed, their own peoples.Diary of a Madman starts with a light-hearted march that gives the impression of toy tin soldiers parading in a brightly-coloured ceremonial pageant from a fairy tale, conveying peace and innocence. This spectacle is abruptly interrupted by a 'shock and awe' fanfare-like march, symbolising aggression and war. This theme grinds slowly to a halt, and an atmosphere of introspection, sadness and despair takes over. Rising above the smoky theatre of war, we then hear a distant cornet give a rendition of the Ukrainian Nation Anthem (The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished. Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians). The solo cornet soon enters a fragile duet with a second cornet accompanied by dark undertones. One by one, we hear short shards of aggressive fanfare-like figures from various instruments in the band. The mood breaks - we hear strident fortissimo whole-tone scales representing pealing church bells, warning of danger. In contrast, we also hear pianissimo whole-tone scales announcing that the enemy's troops are falling back. A counter-offensive soon takes centre stage, and battles and skirmishes are heard, with short quotations from Mussorgsky's `Great Gates of Kyiv' symbolising the defenders' heroic struggle.All sides are victims of the Dictator's ambition! The slow central section offer us moments of melancholic beauty and utilises Henry Purcell's `When I am laid in earth' (`Dido's Lament' from Dido and Aeneas 1688). This music represents the loss of homes, dignity and loved ones. There are occasional hints at better times as the theme of the parading toy tin soldiers is heard from afar, like a distant memory.To announce the final push, we hear a church bell strike and an air raid siren signalling a ferocious musical counter-attack. After one final rendition of the Purcell theme, Diary of a Madman closes with a mood of triumph over tyranny.- Nigel Clarke
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.95
Diary of a Madman (Twenty-Fourth February) (Brass Band - Score only) - Clarke, Nigel
From the beginning of history, warlords, emperors and dictators have risen up, some benign but many of them a scourge on humanity. Names that resonate to this day include Julius Caesar, Caligula, Genghis Khan, Ivan IV (The Terrible), Attila the Hun, Vlad IV (The Impaler), Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, all of whom were responsible for wanton destruction and the torture and death of millions of victims, either citizens of invaded countries and territories and or indeed, their own peoples.Diary of a Madman starts with a light-hearted march that gives the impression of toy tin soldiers parading in a brightly-coloured ceremonial pageant from a fairy tale, conveying peace and innocence. This spectacle is abruptly interrupted by a 'shock and awe' fanfare-like march, symbolising aggression and war. This theme grinds slowly to a halt, and an atmosphere of introspection, sadness and despair takes over. Rising above the smoky theatre of war, we then hear a distant cornet give a rendition of the Ukrainian Nation Anthem (The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished. Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians). The solo cornet soon enters a fragile duet with a second cornet accompanied by dark undertones. One by one, we hear short shards of aggressive fanfare-like figures from various instruments in the band. The mood breaks - we hear strident fortissimo whole-tone scales representing pealing church bells, warning of danger. In contrast, we also hear pianissimo whole-tone scales announcing that the enemy's troops are falling back. A counter-offensive soon takes centre stage, and battles and skirmishes are heard, with short quotations from Mussorgsky's `Great Gates of Kyiv' symbolising the defenders' heroic struggle.All sides are victims of the Dictator's ambition! The slow central section offer us moments of melancholic beauty and utilises Henry Purcell's `When I am laid in earth' (`Dido's Lament' from Dido and Aeneas 1688). This music represents the loss of homes, dignity and loved ones. There are occasional hints at better times as the theme of the parading toy tin soldiers is heard from afar, like a distant memory.To announce the final push, we hear a church bell strike and an air raid siren signalling a ferocious musical counter-attack. After one final rendition of the Purcell theme, Diary of a Madman closes with a mood of triumph over tyranny.- Nigel Clarke
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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