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£80.00St. Magnus - Kenneth Downie
Dedicated to Alastair Massey, an inspirational music teacher. Commissioned by the Scottish Brass Band Association for the 2004 European Brass Band Championships in Glasgow. This music is a set of variations on the tune known as St Magnus, which is attributed to Jeremiah Clarke. Most people will associate it with Thomas Kelly's hymn which begins: "The Head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now". The tune is very simple, consisting of just two, four-bar phrases. Neither is there much in the way of rhythmic variety, every note being a crotchet with the exception of two quavers, and the last note in each phrase. Within such a simple structure, however, lies considerable strength. THEME The listener is given the opportunity of hearing it twice, in full, at the beginning, starting with one player but soon taken up by the full ensemble. It returns in the middle of the music and is stated again near the end. This has been done quite deliberately in the hope that there will be an appreciation of what material is being developed, by the listener as well as by those with access to the score, who are able to see the visual connections. VARIATION 1 This takes the rhythm of the last part of the theme and also uses the shape of the opening as a recurring figure. The mood is whimsical and skittish, with short, teasing rhythmic figures tossed around the band, and quick interplay with percussion, at a fast tempo. An energetic flourish finishes this variation before the Andante espress. VARIATION 2 This commences with chords related to the opening of Variation 1. The cantabile on solo comets establishes a new, lyrical mood and there is scope for expressive playing in a series of short solo passages. The theme works its way unobtrusively into the texture before a reprise of the solo cornet melody and some more lyrical interchanges between Eb bass, euphonium, flugel horn and comets. The variation ends serenely with clear references to the last phrase of the theme. VARIATION 3 The first idea to dominate is clearly linked to the shape of the theme's first phrase. There is a frenetic feel to much of this variation, with considerable energy and instability created by extensive use of cross-rhythms. A thinning-out of the score marks a clear change to development of the start of the second phrase of the theme. This proves to be short-lived however, and the opening material returns leading to a restatement of the theme, "Maestoso," after which a euphonium cadenza links to Variation 4. VARIATION 4 Here we have some solos for euphonium, cornet, trombone and Eb bass set against a background of horns and baritones presenting a pensive statement of the theme's opening. VARIATION 5 This commences Allegro, with lively work for cornet and euphonium spreading to the whole band before attention focuses on the beginning of the second phrase of the theme which is initially presented in diminution, then in regular rhythm, then in inversion. An increase in tempo coupled with a decrease in volume, requires dexterity and control, with several metrical challenges thrown in for good measure. The same fragment of phrase becomes an ostinato which generates a frenzied climax, punctuated by short, dramatic silence, before the opening figure returns and the music gradually winds down. The tubular bells herald the final return of the theme, in augmentation, marking the start of the Finale. FINALE This features the running semiquavers of the previous variation sounding in counterpoint. A fast, furious coda speeds the work to a conclusion while references to the opening of the theme are still trying to break into the texture of the music. Kenneth Downie
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£66.00Ballet for Band - Joseph Horovitz
Composer Joseph Horovitz will celebrate his 90th birthday in May, with 2016 already seeing a welcome retrospective of some his finest works at the RNCM Brass Band Festival in Manchester in January.It included Ballet for Band, written in 1983 at the set-work for the National Final at the Royal Albert Hall, and which has since become one his most popular major test-pieces - played on numerous occasions throughout the banding world. It is a wonderfully elegant, mischievous composition - a brass band ballet, not of programmatic intent but of fertile imagination; beautifully crafted with a delicacy of touch as light on its feet as any arabesque.The composer has admitted that he had a clear vision of the characters that inhabit his score, yet has never divulged any details - leaving the bands and listeners, as he says, "...to exercise their own imaginations rather than being influenced bymine!"
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£41.30Adventure Games - Ennio Salvere
A beautiful four part suite for youth band. I. Adventure Game: a cheerful march with a strong rhythmical percussion beat; II. Free Again;: an attractive slow introduced by a beautiful trumpet sol; III. Jamaican Sun : a characteristic and titillating calypso that will give the heebie-jeebies; and IV. Rock the House: a smooth rock tune that will make everybody itching to dance. The whole suite is extremely well orchestrated by Ennio Salvere.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£127.30Sommernatt ved fjorden - Ketil Bjørnstad - Haakon Esplo
"By the Fjord" is written by the Norwegian composer Kjetil Bjornstad and is the most famous song from the musical work "Leve Patagonia" which was published in 1978. The work is written as a modern suite about the Oslo Bohemians Hans Jaeger and OdaLasson sitting in a pram on the fjord a summer night. Odas sister sees the couple on the sea from her window and tells us the story.Kjetil Bjornstad wrote "By the Fjord" in his house outside Tvedestrand early spring 1978. He was initially notfully satisfied and considered disposing it. The beautiful music has luckily made the song a classic in Norwegian music.To the conductorThis arrangement can be used with both vocal andinstrumental soloist. Its always a challenge toarrange songs with many verses that tells a story if it is to be played by an instrumental soloist instead of a singer. Because of that, please cut the repeats if it's performed without lyrics.Solo-parts included in the set: Vocal Flugelhorn Euphonium - Trombone
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£105.20Riv i hjertet - Sondre Justad - John Philip Hannevik
The singer/ songwriter Sondre Justad was born in Lofoten in the north of Norway in 1990. His first album Riv i hjertet was released in 2015, and it became a huge success. He got very fine reviews in some of the largest norwegian newspapers, and the title-song was played frequently on the national radio-stations. The song title could loosely be translated as pulling at my heartstrings, and the song has a deep and dark meaning, with the opening lyrics sounding: If I knew - that I would be dying soon, would I be happy with the way I am living my life Please note that the repeating figures in upper cornets should never be dominant, they should only provide texture tothe accompaniment.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£105.20Ungarsk marsj - Hector Berlioz - Bjorn Morten Kjaernes
The "Rakoczi March" (Hungarian March) was the unofficial state anthem of Hungary before Ferenc Kolcsey wrote the Himnusz which is today the official national anthem of Hungary. The first version of this march-song was probably created around 1730 by one or more anonymous composers, although tradition says that it was the favorite march of Francis Rakoczi II. That early version called back Francis Rakoczi II to save his people. It was very popular in the 18th century but in the 19th century the more refined Rakoczi March became prevalent. Hector Berlioz included the music in his composition "La Damnation de Faust" in 1846, and Franz Liszt wrote a number of arrangements, includinghis Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15, based on the theme. The march gave its name to a 1933 Austrian-Hungarian feature film - Rakoczy-Marsch This arrangement is based on Berlioz instrumentation and phrasing from his Hungarian March, but in the form of the 19th century Rakoczi March
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£105.20Bla vals - Idar Torskangerpoll
A piece that explore the "blue" notes in music, and where we have the constant change of 3 or 2 in a bar. Solo in Horn (cued in 1st Cornet). Make sure that the bass line and percussion is steady and firm throughout the piece.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£127.30The Boatmen's Ballad - A Song Without Words - Frode Rydland
The Boatmen's Ballad describes the families of the coast guards, who are left at home hoping their beloved husband or father will survive yet another storm. To be a boatman was a very dangerous work and everybody knew that it was not for sure that they returned home.Commissioned for Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag for their 2017 Siddis and Brass in Concert winning program "Tales of the North Sea".
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£183.20Pulsar - The Metamorphosis of a Star - John Brakstad
4th July in 1054 AD one of the most spectacular events was witnessed in the Cosmos. A massive star blew out; a supernova explosion.From the Earth it appeared as a new, bright star; the most brilliant in the sky. It was visible for three weeks, also in daylight, before it then faded away.But what was left of it is spectacular. Today we call it the "Crab Nebula".And in the very centre of the Nebula lies the remnant of the star; the core crushed by the force of gravity.This is a rotating neutron star, a pulsar, just 20 kilometres across, but so dense that it weighs more than our sun.As the neutron star spins, ejected particles stream out from its poles at almost the speed of light.These jets create powerful beams that sweep around as the star rotates.When the beams sweep across the Earth, they can be heard as regular pulses. We call them pulsars.In this piece there are three percussion parts. In addition there is an "optional part" to replace the marimba and vibraphone written in the three original percussion parts if desired. This fourth part is shown in the full score.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60Run Away - Hans Offerdal
This piece is about running away. First there is restlessness, then the escape begins. But what are we running away from? That is for you to find out!Playing time: appx. 4:30 To the conductor:There are challenges in the use of dynamics and rhythm. It is important that energy and pace is upheld all the way up until the next to last page. Dissonances are present several places, but the voice leading is diatonic within the given scale.The whole piece is based on one single scale: F melodic minor with lowered second degree. It is notated as a concert F major scale with two accidentals. Feel free to use it during warm-ups!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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