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£154.99The Divine Right - Philip Harper
At the time of composing this piece, the Arab Spring was sweeping through the Middle East. It seemed that almost every week a new countrys people had risen up against the regimes and dictatorships which had prevailed for generations, leaving manynations at a defining crossroads in their history. There were so many possible ways ahead: so many hopes, yet so many uncertainties.My music is a depiction of these revolutionary times, and several musical themes are in turn presented, discussed, considered, fought over, altered, rejected or accepted. Most nations have had, or probably will have, their own Arab Spring, including my own, the United Kingdom. Events of 17th Century Britain provide the context for this piece, particularly those following the execution of the tyrant King Charles I on30 January 1649. The regicide was in part due to Charless steadfast belief in the Divine Right of Kings, and led to a tumultuous interregnum, where England stood at its own defining crossroads.The music begins turbulently, before King Charles appears and is led to the gallows outside Banqueting House in central London where he is brutally decapitated. From the assembled crowd rose, according to one observer, a moan as I never heard before and desire I may never hear again.The music descends to emptiness. The musical argument which follows is not strictly programmatic, but a number of musical themes are all thrown into the melting pot, representing ideas such as: religion; military force; reasoned Parliamentary debate; and the chattering,irrepressible voice of the people. Additionally, there are some quotations from the music of royalist composer Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656), who was often in tune with the feeling of the times. This defining episode in Englands history was brought to a close with the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and as the exiled King Charles II rode back into London the diarist John Evelyn wrote: Never was so joyful a day seen in this nation. I stood in the Strand and beheld it, and blessed God.At the end of the piece the bells ring out, and the musical appearance of the King has transformed from turbulent to triumphant. Philip Harper, 2013
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£104.99Sinfonietta No. 4 - Etienne Crausaz
This work was composed for the occasion of the 28. Fete Cantonale des Musiques Vaudoises (28th Music Festival of the Canton Vaud), taking place in the Valley of Joux in June 2018. The music begins with a very simple fanfare consisting of five ascending legato notes which constitute the fundamental framework of the piece. This contrasts with the more cantabile sounding theme we hear after. The following Allegro section uses the sequence in a contrapuntal style reminding us of the Renaissance period, but with more modern day harmonies. Two solo cadenzas played by cornet and euphonium initiate the middle section, in which a theme also based on the sequence builds uptowards the climax of the piece. The sequence in the last section is played in time but gives the feeling of a "one to the bar" beat. Shortly before the festive finale, the music heard in the middle part resumes.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£74.99Willow Pattern - Philip Harper
Composed in 2009 for Nicholas Childs and the Black Dyke BandThis piece tells the Willow Pattern legend through music. Several leitmotifs are used both for the different characters and also for some of the important emotions in the tale. Additionally, Knoon-se's part is mainly played by the flugel horn, Changby the euphonium, the Mandarin by the Eb Bass and the Duke Ta-jin by the trombone. The Willow Pattern LegendOnce, in ancient China, there lived a wealthy and powerful Mandarin who had a beautiful daughter, Knoon-se. She had fallen in love with Chang, a humble accountant, which angered her father who imprisoned her in the Pavilion by the river with only theexotic birds for company. She learnt that the Mandarin planned to marry her to the pompous Duke Ta-jin and that the wedding would take place on the day the blossom fell from the willow tree, so she sent Chang a message: "Gather thy blossom, ere it bestolen". The Duke arrived by sea amid great fanfare when the tree was heavy with bud, and nights of magnificent banquets followed. After one such occasion when the Mandarin slept, Chang crept over the crooked fence and tiptoed into the Pavilion to rescueKnoon-se, but as they escaped the alarm was raised. They fled over the bridge with the Mandarin close on their heels brandishing his whip.They managed to escape by boat to a secluded island where they lived happily for a time. Meanwhile, the Mandarin learned of their refuge and, intent on revenge, he ordered his soldiers to kill them. As Knoon-se and Chang slept at night, the men setfire to the pagoda in which they lived and the lovers perished in the flames. However, the Gods, moved by the lovers' plight, transformed their souls into two turtle-doves which rose from the charred remains, soaring above the Earth, symbolising eternal happiness. Willow Pattern is dedicated to the memory of Jean Harper who passed away as I was completing the piece and who was a great collector of porcelain and china-ware. NOTES ON PERFORMANCEMute Requirements:Metal mutes soprano cornet, repiano cornet, 2nd cornets, 3rd cornets (6 in total) Cup mutes all cornets and trombones (10 + 3) Harmon mutes soprano cornet, solo cornets, repiano cornet (6) Percussion Requirements:There are two parts for percussion on the score. The minimum requirements are as follows: 2 players - Timpani, 2 Large tom toms, 2 Wood Blocks, Triangle, Sleigh Bells, Whip, Clash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Hi-hat, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Tam tam (or susp. cym.) For performances with extra resources, and to achieve closer authenticity, the full requirements are as follows: 3 players - Timpani, 3 Taiko Drums played with thick wooden sticks (or Large tom toms), 2 Wood Blocks, Triangle, Chinese Bells (or Sleigh Bells), Whip, Clash Cymbals, Chinese Cymbals (small clash cymbals approx 12"), Suspended Cymbal, Glockenspiel,Xylophone, Tam tam
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£106.50La Figlia del Reggimento - Gaetano Donizetti - Ray Farr
The Selection from La Figlia del Reggimento (The Daughter of the Regiment) by Gaetano Donizetti comes from the second of a series of works (No. 6 in the advertisement below) called Distin's Brass Band Scores published in 1855 by Henry Distin. These publications represent an important stage in the history of bands in Britain. The popular music of the day was mostly opera extracts, and the music of Donizetti was particularly popular.The purpose of this scholarly edition is to produce a performing version, clearing ambiguities and errors, that can be enjoyed by today's performers and listeners, bearing in mind the original function and context. At the same time the edition is an analytical, musicological study of one of the rare treasures of the brass band repertory.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.99They are Coming - John Emerson Blackstone
There are people who are capable of planning well. They live their lives in a well-structured manner and know exactly what they have to do. On the other hand, there are also people who are the exact opposite: they want to do too many things at once and are often somewhat absent-minded, which occasionally results in frantic situations. The outcome of one such situation is 'They are coming'. John Emerson Blackstone had been working on a new composition for some time when he received a telephone call from his editor, who told him that the deadline was approaching rapidly, even worse, that it would expire at the end of that same day and that he would drop by in person to fetch thecomposition! Blackstone set to work in a frenzy and completed the last details. When his editor arrived, the piece was finished ..... and got its definitive title: 'They are coming'.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60Dream a Little Dream of Me - Gus Kahn - Reid Gilje
This song was written in 1931 by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It's now one of the most popular songs from the Great American Songbook and it's also recorded in many versions. Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole are among the most famous ones that have recorded it. In later years singers like Michael Buble, Diana Krall land Robin Williams have all recorded "Dream a Little Dream of Me". This arrangement is inspired by the version by American band Chicago from their 1995 album release "Night & Day".
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.99Onward! - Gawan Roberts
A brief history: Pentecost Monday was a special day for schools in Yorkshire (England). There were a variety of activities. The pupils of Sabine Baring-Gould would meet with the children of a nearby village. It seemed like a good idea that during the walk would be sung. But she could not find a suitable song and decided to write one by herself. "Onward Christian Soldiers" was the result. It soon became very popular, though she herself was not entirely satisfied with the rhyme scheme. The melody used (St. Gertrude) was by the famous English composer Sir Arthur S. Sullivan. Back to now: Gawan Roberts, has given the hymn a proper update. He gave the still popularsong a solid rock beat and added daring harmonies. So it's popular, for current generations, again for years. Onward!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£25.00Autumn Bacchanale (from The Seasons) - Alexander Glazunov
A lively, joyous item, ideal as a light interlude in any concert and especially appropriate for late season/Christmas themed events with its jaunty, positive sounds. Sue Hopkins has shown great creativity in crafting this arrangement of Glazunov's 'Autumn' movement, a bacchanale from his ballet The Seasons, hence its fondly referenced title of Autumn Bacchanale.Alexander Glazunov (1865 - 1936) was a Russian composer, music teacher and conductor. He was a child prodigy and was taught privately byRimsky-Korsakov, who said Glazunov's musical progress did not increase day by day but hour by hour. He began composing at age eleven and wrote his first symphony at age 16 in 1881 and it was premiered one year later.His ballet The Seasonswas first performed by the Imperial Ballet in St Petersburg on 20 February 1900 and was choreographed by Marius Petipa.It was written in one act and four scenes, and this piece represents the moment when all The Seasons take part in a glorious dance while leaves from autumn trees rain upon their merriment.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£45.00Bathgate Hills Trilogy - Andrew Duncan
Composed by Andrew Duncan and written for the West Lothian Schools Band, A Bathgate Hills Trilogy is in three movements, each one dedicated to and representing a different hill.Comments from the composer:Movement 1 - Dechmont LawThe first movement describes the peculiar events which took place in November 1979 when a forestry worker, Bob Taylor, had a close encounter with an alien spacecraft in Dechmont Woods at the bottom of Dechmont Hill. Bob Taylor's account from the time describes a large sphere like object about twenty feet across which pulled him by the legs towards it, caustic smoke then caused him to pass out. He awoke a short time later in the same spot but the spaceship had gone leaving behind marks in the soil. His story caused a great deal of media interest and a great deal of excitement in the local community.Movement 2 - The Knock HillThe Term 'Knock' is Scottish Gaelic for 'hill' and the Knock Hill is the highest peak in the Bathgate Hills being 305 metres above Sea Level. On a clear day the Knock hill has excellent views of the Bass Rock to the East and the distant hills of Arran to the West as well as of the whole of West Lothian and across the Firth of Forth to Fife and beyond to the North.The second movement is a description of a leisurely walk to the summit of this hill and the enjoyment of a pleasant summer's day spent walking and taking in the beautiful panoramic views. However, as is the case with the Scottish Summer, a change in the weather finds a clear blue sky being replaced with dark rain clouds. The changed weather brings a sudden brief but unwelcome cold downpour of rain, drenching anyone out walking! Finally, the clouds pass and the more pleasant summer weather returns.Movement 3 - Cairnpapple HillCairnpapple Hill is a near neighbour of the Knock Hill. It is almost as high but interest in Cairnpapple Hill lies in the outstanding archaeological monument near the summit, an Iron Age burial chamber. The chamber dates back to 25 years BC and was built by a mysterious people known as the Beaker People (so called because they left behind a number of large earthenware beakers). The mysteries of Cairnpapple Hill have always been a source of fascination for me ever since first visiting the hill as a school child.The third movement describes the lives of the Beaker People. The landscape they would have looked out on would have been mostly dense forest which would have contained many perils including dangerous wolves and bears. Life was harsh and short for the Beaker People and they would always have been close to danger and to death. The average life expectancy for the Beaker People was only 31 years of age. The summit of the hill would have been clear of forest and would have afforded the Beaker People some protection as they could see all around the near countryside enabling them to keep a watchful lookout for their enemies - both animal and human!
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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£59.95Judd: Caelum Corona - Stephen Bulla
Stephen Bulla's 'Caelum Corona' ('Crown of Heaven') portrays, in sound, a Christian's walk in faith, intended metaphorically via a musical narrative reminiscent of the early church pilgrims, their struggles and triumphs. The composer initially evokes the atmosphere of Rome at the time of St. Paul and other martyrs, thus the Latin title. Bulla marks his imaginative tone poem with dark, brooding music in the first two of three parts, in each of which he has embedded an appropriate hymn or song reference as thematic material. The first of these sounds in a minor key following a symphonic exposition made up primarily of fanfare-like motives, the music at times quite harsh and abrasive. The song is Paul's statement of exuberant faith (2 Timothy 1:12) in the midst of prison and persecution: 'For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day.' More challenging, aggressive music returns until a further point of reflection on Christ's sacrifice is reached. The music graphically evokes the barren landscape of Golgatha, the horror of the crucifixion, including stark wind sounds, a loss of stability via eerie, dissonant chord clusters, and even the nails being driven into Christ's body. The Baritones and then Flugel Horn softly play 'He died of a broken heart.' Yet the Christian life, despite its perils - both at the time of Paul and now - is a victorious life, and the composer resolves the tensions of the work in a scintillating finale, a brilliant setting of the old song about spiritual warfare and the ultimate triumph of Christ the King: 'Victory for me!' (T.B. 841). The chorus of that tune proclaims: 'No retreating, hell defeating, shoulder to shoulder we stand; God look down, with glory crown our conq'ring band.' That crowning is the same one sought and claimed by St. Paul (2 Timothy 4:8): 'Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.' Believers look forward to participating in the final coronation of their Saviour - King of Kings and Lord of Lords - while humbly desiring their own 'crown of heaven.'
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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