Results
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£74.99Kingdom of Dragons - Philip Harper
The 'Kingdom of Dragons' is Gwent in South Wales, known in ancient times as the Kingdom of Gwent, and more recently home to the Newport Gwent Dragons Rugby Union team. This piece was commissioned by the Gwent Music Service with additionalfunding from Ty Cerdd - Music Centre Wales to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2010 of the formation of the Gwent Youth Brass Band. Although the music is continuous, it is divided into four distinct sections, each one representing one of theunitary authorities which make up the County of Gwent. I. Monmouthshire, which has a large number of ancient castlesII. Blaenau Gwent, an historic area of iron and coal miningIII. Torfaen, where Pontypool Park is a notablelandmarkIV. Newport, the largest city in the region. The music begins with a two-bar fanfare, which sets out all the thematic material of the piece. The mood of pageantry that follows describes some of the ancient castles inMonmouthshire, with rolling tenor drums and fanfaring cornets. After a majestic climax the music subsides and quite literally descends into the coal mines of Blaenau Gwent. The percussion provides effects that suggest industrial machineryclanking into life, and the music accelerates to become a perilous white-knuckle ride on the underground railroad. There is a brief respite as a miner's work-song is introduced and, after a protracted build-up, this is restated at fortissimo beforethe music comes crashing to an inglorious close, much like the UK's mining industry itself. The middle sonorities of the band portray the tranquillity of Pontypool Park, a place of great natural beauty. Brief cadenzas for cornet and euphoniumlead to a full band reprise of the pastoral mood. At the end of this section we find ourselves at the top of the park's 'Folly Tower' from which the distant castle turrets of Monmouthshire are visible. Pontypool RFC was one of eleven clubs inthe first Welsh league in 1881 and a brief but bruising musical portrayal of the formidable Pontypool front-row, the 'Viet Gwent' leads into the work's final section. This portrays Newport, a symbol for progress and optimism for the future, idealsshared by the Gwent Youth Band itself. The music is a vigorous fugue which advances through various keys and episodes before the final triumphant augmented entry which brings the work to a magnificent conclusion. NOTES ONPERFORMANCEPercussion requirements: (3 players) Timpani, 2 Tenor Drums, 2 Tom toms, Snare Drum (sticks and brushes required), Bass Drum, Clash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Hi-hat, Sizzle Cymbal, Tambourine, Metal block with metalbeater (eg hammer), Rattle (eg football rattle), Glockenspiel, Xylophone
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£59.99Marchissimo - Philip Sparke
Marchissimo will make a fantastic opening piece for any concert. It does however come with a twist! It can be played simply as written, but is really designed to be 'staged' with players coming on the concert platform one by one as they begin to play. The piece actually consists of three marches in one, each of which highlights a section of the band. The piece culminates in a final climax where all three march themes are played simultaneously.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£85.00Alchymist's Journal. - Kenneth Hesketh
'The Alchymist's Journal' gets its title from the book of the same name by American author Evan S. Connell. The book fictionalises a number of famous Alchemist's writings, each one developing another's thoughts thuscontinuing one idea but changing it subtly to provide a new view point or way of thinking. This process is, in fact, alchemical as one idea transmutes into another. This idea is parallel to the processes at work within thesevariants. The whole work is constructed from 6 notes (C, A, B flat, E flat, F sharp, E) and is presented in nine different sections, each individual in mood but still based upon the original pitches. This is not a thematic setofvariations, as the themes are developed one at a time from small segments of the six notes. For example, the opening theme is the complete number of pitches, the second theme uses three notes transposed then repeated at theoriginal level, and so on. Harmonically, the six notes can be divided into two triads, A minor and E flat minor - each key beginning and ending the piece respectively. Whilst this is essentially abstract music with noprogramme there is an introduction, menacing scherzo, slow reflective section followed by a recap of the scherzo and final coda. 'The Alchymist's Journal' was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust at the suggestionof Paul Hindmarsh, to whom the work is dedicated.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£154.99Spiriti - Thomas Doss
A Bach chorale stands at the centre of this work (Fur deinen Thron tret ich hiermit).Anton Bruckner was one of Johann Sebastian Bach's great admirers. His work is full of the spirit of that musical genius. For Thomas Doss, it was Bruckner's spirit that always seemed to be with him while working on Spiriti. Bruckner's spirit is captured in this composition by a quote from the chorale of his Fifth Symphony at the end of the piece.The introduction, written in the style of a funeral march, already displays the first fragments of the chorale. Like splinters they are strewn throughout the first Allegro, combining and recombining in turbulent, powerful tuttipassages. As the music becomes more rambunctious, the Bach-like fragments begin to swirl around each other, only to be scattered once more.The middle-section is of a more pensive nature. The Religioso character gives the audience time to reflect. The music is meditative and the quarter-note (or crotchet) elements mimic a soul that is yearning and crying out.The third part of the piece finally leads, by way of minimalist elements and the fragments mentioned earlier, to a magnificent presentation of the Bach chorale. As the church bells ring out, one can almost hear the great masters presiding at the organ.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60Home for Christmas - Maria Mena - John Philip Hannevik
The song "Home for Christmas" is written and performed by the popular norwegian singer / songwriter Maria Mena. The song featured as the soundtrack for director Bent Hamers movie "Hjem til jul" from 2010. This arrangement is written for aninstrumental soloist, but if one prefers a vocal soloist, one will also find a solo part with lyrics included in the full set.It will be helpful to hear the recorded version of this song performed by Maria Mena. This will help adapting to thefree timing required to make the performance interesting and musical.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£89.99
Elegy and March - Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Commissioned by the Norwegian Band Federation and Tom Brevik. Composed in 1991. The composer:Elegy and March was one of my first original compositions (no quotations, no folk-tunes) and it was one of my earliest attempts to experiment with form. The elegy-part is quite obvious, but the march is not quite a march. If the elegy-part tells a sad story, then the march should tell a happy story. My problem is that I don?t think life is like that. Result: the march collapses! De liefhebbers van de muziek van de Scandinavier Aagaard-Nilsen kunnen hun hart ophalen bij dit bijzondere werk. In de tweedelige compositie zijn de delen thematisch aan elkaarverwant. De Elegy is een verstild werkje met prachtige klankvelden. Alle instrumenten komen aan bod maar nooit tegelijk. Hoe anders is dat in de mars waarbij ragfijn orkestspel wordt gevraagd. De componist: Elegy and March was een van mijn eerste originele werken (geen citaten, geen volksliedjes) en het was een van mijn eerste pogingen om te experimenteren met vorm. De elegie deel is vrij duidelijk, maar de mars is niet helemaal een mars. Als het elegie-deel een triest verhaal vertelt, dan zou de mars een gelukkig verhaal moeten vertellen. Mijn idee is dat dat in het echte leven ook niet zo is. Resultaat: de mars stort totaal in!Weer iets totaal anders van de Noorse meester!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£72.99Pagan Songs - Etienne Crausaz
Written in three movements without a break, this work was inspired by melodies of a popular nature. The first movement features two opposing modal melodies: one is very bright and lively, the other dark and tuneful. Various motifs are developed to offer highly contrasting musical events. The second movement is very peaceful, with a melody resembling a lullaby. To conclude the piece, the last movement delivers a festive dance with a swing feel. Commissioned by the Swiss Music Association, this very accessible work is mostly intended for small ensembles or those with mixed instrumentation. The duration and conception of this piece makes it ideal for competitions and concerts alike.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£154.60Eggum - Jan Eggum - Haakon Esplo
The Norwegian vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Jan Eggum is regarded as one of our most important musicians in the Norwegian folk art and popular music. He recorded his debut album "Jan Eggum" in 1975 and is since then recognized as a "cheerful melancholic". This medley include three of his best and most famous songs: De skulle begrave en konge stor (1979), Mor jeg vil tilbake (1990) and Pa'an igjen (1997). This arrangement was commissioned by Jernbanens Musikkorps in Oslo with support from NOPA (Norwegian Society of Composers and Lyricists). The durata of this arrangement is approx. 8 minutes. For a shorter version, it's facilliated to omit one orseveral repeats.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.99
Solemnity - Robert Finn
Solemnity gives expression to the different emotions that we feel at solemn, official or ritual events: quiet pride, hope and reflection, but also grandeur, stateliness and joy. The work contains one large construction with different high points whereby the main theme is varied or orchestrated each time in one way or another, finally ending in an impressive finale.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£64.30Zourfaroka - Marc Jeanbourquin
One morning everything went wrong in Zourfaroka. In this forest where thousands of magical beings live, everything sparkles and shines and is full of life. But not this morning, because the terrible troll Potugor has returned. This is the opening text for the musical fairy tale written by Lise Jeanbourquin and set to music by her husband Marc Jeanbourquin. The first part is a warlike setting, showing the preparations of Kirielo and the inhabitants of Zourfaroka for the battle with Potugor. On the way they meet the fairy Xeriole, and this meeting is put to music in the second part. The soloist's role in the first few bars is left to the choice of the conductor. And as in many fairy tales, with fairies, gnomes, and amazing magical creatures, the piece ends in the third part with everyone coming together in song and dance.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
