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£59.95
REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING (Brass Band Set) - Kenneth Downie
The title of this work comes from the first line of Charles Wesley's hymn 'Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore' which is set to Handel's majestic tune, Gopsal. The Handelian influence shows in more than the use of the tune itself as the opening pays homage to the Coronation Anthem 'Zadok the Priest' after which the free variations flow in quick succession. This major work was written for The International Staff Band which gave the first performance at the Epic Brass Gala Concert which followed the 2001 National Brass Band Championships.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£70.00
Episodes and Echoes - Peter Meechan
Episodes and Echoes is a concerto in three movements for tuba. The title of the work relates directly to the way the composer approached writing the piece.aAlthough the work is scored with piano and wind band accompaniments, Episodes and Echoes was originally written for tuba and brass band. I had several problems to overcome - the brass band contains 4 tubas, and 2 euphoniums, all of which could obscure the solo line, so I decided to write for the soloist in a manner that meant they were either playing alone, in episodes, or repeating/echoing phrases.aIn addition to this, the composer combined the characteristics of the tuba with other instruments: in the second movement the tuba is similar to a singer performing an aria and a recitative, and third movement a bass guitar.Episodes and Echoes was commissioned by, and dedicated to, Les Neish who premiered the work in 2005, accompanied by the Beaumaris Brass Band, conducted by Gwyn Evans.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£70.00
Fire in the Sky - Peter Meechan
Fire in the Sky takes its inspiration from the stunning town of Montreux in Switzerland. I was commissioned to write the work 5 days before I visited this Montreux and was at work forming ideas for the piece as I arrived on the shore of Lake Geneva and its amazing views of the Alps.Whilst the scenery is without doubt some of the most incredible views I have ever witnessed, it was the history of the town that set Fire in the Sky in motion. Whilst there, it occurred to me that many of my musical heroes had lived or performed there, and three of them in particular had a strong connection with the town. Miles Davis, Igor Stravinsky and Freddie Mercury graced Montreux - the large convention centre, where the famous summer jazz festival is held, named its two halls after Davis and Stravinsky, and there is a quite breathtaking statue of Mercury in the town too.Each musician also commemorates an anniversary in 2011, the year of the premiere of Fire in the Sky; it is 40 years since the death of Stravinsky and both Miles Davis and Freddie Mercury died in 1991, making it 20 years since their deaths. So it seemed fitting to write a piece that in some way acknowledges them, and is a kind of personal athanksa for all they have given, and continue to give, me.The title comes from the famous Deep Purple song, Smoke on the Water - whose second line is aFire in the Skya and is a reference to the night the townas casino was set alight by a Frank Zappa fan. The piece tries to recreate the atmosphere of that night, paint a picture of fire in the sky (and smoke on the water) and also uses small anuggetsa of the music of my three greatest musical heroes, Miles Davis, Freddie Mercury and Igor Stravinsky.Fire in the Sky was commissioned by the Tomra Brass Band, Norway, and is dedicated to Stijn BerbeA and Nick Ost - both of whom are connected with the band (teaching and conducting), and both have been close friends - personally and musicaly - for many years. I am indebted to them for the opportunity to write this piece.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£35.00
Sentinel - Peter Meechan
Sentinel was written in the summer of 2010 and follows on from another work by the composer, The Karman Line - a piece which describes the point where the earthas atmosphere ends and Outer Space begins.Sentinel goes further into space and takes the idea that the stars are somehow guardians of the sky that we can see, and Space further beyond.The opening section, which prominently features metallic percussion and broad melodies, portrays the grand open space that the stars inhabit. The middle, slower, section is more reflective depicting the isolation of Space, before we hear a reprise of the first section as the finale.Sentinel was written for the 2011 National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£70.00
Shine - Peter Meechan
Shine is my second large scale work for solo tuba, following on from my concerto Episodes and Echoes. Like the concerto, Shine was commissioned and premiered (with the Grimethorpe Brass Band, conducted by Howard Evans) by Les Neish - the title being an anagram of the soloist surname.Although in one movement, Shine has 3 broad sections, each requiring virtuosic skill and dexterity from the soloist. The opening section features lots of bright, metallic sounds - especially in the percussion section - providing the accompaniment to soloist as they demonstrate the range and flexibility of the tuba.The second section gives the soloist the opportunity to demonstrate the considerable lyricism that the tuba is capable of. The solo line weaves in and out of textures in the accompaniment, exchanging snippets of melody with other players in the ensemble.After a short unaccompanied passage, the final section emerges juxtaposing new solo lines and material from the opening section. This builds in momentum - and difficulty for the soloist - as the piece reaches its climatic ending.Shine is dedicated to my good friend, fellow Liverpool supporter, and amazing musician, Les Neish.Peter Meechan, 2011
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£40.00Bass Trombone Concerto - Gareth Wood
Written in 2006 for Roger Argente, Gareth Wood brings his considerable experience of writing for brass, and brass bands in particular, to an instrument not often blessed with opportunities for solo exposure. It is scored for soloist accompanied by traditional brass band line-up, including timpani and two percussion, and follows the standard three-movement pattern. In the first movement, the soloist launches straight into the musical argument with a low-lying repeated quaver figure punctuated by the band. A lyrical second subject in the high register is also entrusted to the soloist, and the movement comes to a thrilling conclusion. The slow movement opens softly with the percussion, and a mournful bass line sets the mood for a thoughtful long melody. It reaches a powerful climax, which subsides to a return of the opening mood. In the march-like finale, the soloist is pitted against a number of solo instruments from the band and a driving ostinato carries the momentum through to the blazing ending.
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£30.00Building on Sand - Jock McKenzie
This piece was composed with the intention of replicating some of the sounds of the New Orleans Brass Bands; particularly those whose music has a funky, riff-based edge to their sound e.g. the Hot 8, Rebirth, Dirty Dozen and Soul Rebels brass bands. As well as elements of the second line parade, the music also has a full-on, swing out section.
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£30.00Django - Jock McKenzie
Django is inspired by the sounds of 'Hot Club Jazz'. The origins of this style also known as Gypsy Swing or Jazz Manouche were to be found in France in the 1930s. Indeed, the most famous group, based in Paris was the "Quintette du Hot Club de France" and featured in its ranks the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli. My composition Django seeks to provide a 'beginners guide' to some of the typical elements of this musical style: After a 'faux improvised' opening flourish, the main theme is in the characteristic minor key, including use of arpeggio figures to point the direction of the melodic line. The melodies throughout the piece are presented in a duet-like manner, spaced in intervals of 3rds and 6ths. The accompaniment based strongly around the minor 6th chords is designed to imitate the role of the rhythm section in a typical gypsy swing band.
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£30.00Icebreaker - Tom Harrold
Icebreaker was originally scored for brass dectet and percussion and was completed in March 2012. The work begins with tumultuous fanfare written for the four trumpets, shrouded by thick chords in the lower brass. This fanfare-like material leads to a biting statement from the trombones. An 'icy' gritty section, once again played by the trombones grows in energy, punctuated by the return of the trumpets' fanfares. The horn, providing a little respite, emerges in a quiet restrained solo line, which is coloured by the rest of the ensemble. Before fully coming to fruition, the horn is quickly cut-short and subsumed by the sudden return of the energetic material from the instruments, which grows to the end of the piece.
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£30.00Joy to the World - George Frideric Handel
"Joy to the World" is a popular Christmas Carol with words by Isaac Watts. As of the late 20th century, "Joy to the World" was the most published Christmas hymn in North America. The words of the hymn are by the English writer Watts are based on Psalm 98, 96:11-12 and Genesis 3: 17-18. The version of this carol usually heard today is from an edition by Lowell Mason and is named "Antioch" and attributed as "arranged by Handel". This tune has the first four notes in common with the chorus "Lift up your heads" from the Messiah and the third line recalls "Comfort ye" from the same work. But this resemblance is often dismissed as a chance resemblance by Handel scholars today. Another theory is its similarity to a tune called "Comfort" and associated with Charles Wesley's hymn "O Joyful Sound", which was written some three years earlier than Lowell Mason's "Antioch" in 1833. This carol has been recorded by many artists such as Andy Williams, The Supremes, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Mariah Carey.
