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£91.99A Bandsman's Overture - Philip Sparke
A Bandsman's Overture was commissioned by British Bandsman magazine to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2012.It was premiered by Black Dyke Band, conducted by Dr Nicholas Childs, at a special anniversary concert held in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, on July 1st.British Bandsman was for a period known as British Bandsman and Contest Field, following an amalgamation of two magazines. The then owner, John Henry Iles, celebrated this new title by commissioning Ord Hume to write the famous march, BB & CF. As a salute to this heritage A Bandsman's Overture starts with thefour notes, B(b)-B(b)-C-F, a motive which permeates an opening fanfare, which contrasts a busy opening with a more legato central section.This gives way to a bustling Vivo, based on repeated staccato notes. A change of key heralds a central cantabile melody, first on euphoniums and baritone and then played by the full band, which is followed by a short development section. This leads to a transformed reprise and a return of the opening fanfare, decorated this time by florid muted cornets.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60Joyful Life - Jerker Johansson
When Jerker Johansson in the 80's started to compose he was for a while obsessed with writing music in odd time signatures, more specifically 7/8. He was asked during the fall of 2020 by Leif Karlsson (former member of the legendary percussion ensemble Kroumata and nowadays conductor) to write something challenging for Uppsala Blasarsymfoniker and this resulted in Joyful Life. The piece is, to say the least, difficult to tap the pulse along to and is something of a baptism of fire for the musicians, regarding rhythmic precision. Joyful Life is dedicated to the always likeable Leif Karlsson (Joyful Leif!) and was premiered on the 15th November 2020 by The Swedish Air Force Band under the baton of the composer.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60
Speedy Dreams - Jerker Johansson
Speedy Dreams was premiered by Goteborg Wind Orchestra in 2013 with Fredrik Duvling as snare drum soloist. The composer Jerker Johansson is a percussionist himself, so through the years he has spent lots of time practising the snare drum. Theinspiration to the composition came to him in a dream, which was about yet another dream:On the evening of Christmas Eve a small child is trying to go to sleep. It is not so easy. Earlier in the day the child has got a small drum as aChristmas present. So instead of sleeping the child is fantasising about the new toy drum and how exciting it will be to learn how to play it.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£104.99Cambridgeshire Impressions - Rieks van der Velde
In a four-part composition Rieks van der Velde takes us to the richly varied area surrounding the university city of Cambridge. The Dutch composer was especially inspired by the atmosphere of Cambridgeshire, the county which lies north ofLondon. 1. The Journey. Although on arrival the area looks peaceful and friendly, the ruggedness of its inhabitants and landscape have an unmistakable influence on the music. In the course of the tour, which starts with an Allegromovement, we are shown the vitality, energy and freshness of the Cambridgeshire countryside. Short themes, swift and sudden motifs and rhythmical patterns supported by the drive of percussion instruments give expression to this image. Thefirst part is concluded by two Calmo movements in which the music expresses how the cathedral in the city of Ely comes into sight and is gradually approached. 2. Visit to Ely Cathedral. The famous Norman cathedral church of Ely, whichwas built in 1109, has attracted tourists from all over the world apart from being a place of worship and heritage site. A cornet solo introduces the contemplative mood of the composition at this point. The mystical atmosphere of thecathedral runs through this lyrical part like a continuous thread. 3. The Pub. The thirst caused by this intensive journey makes a visit to the local pub a definite must. These "public houses", which may be open until the earlyhours of the morning, offer all kinds of entertainment. Drinks are served liberally and the atmosphere is lively. 4. The Journey Back. Time has flown: In other words, the moment of departure has come sooner than one would havewished. In a flashback which recaptures elements of the first part of the composition we say goodbye to Cambridgeshire in a fitting manner. Two scintillating final measures bring us abruptly back to the present.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£104.99Like a Child - Andreas Ludwig Schulte
The young have the future. This is the statement made at the beginning of 'Like a Child' by Andreas Ludwig Schulte. The opening radiates strength and ambition, but one is also made to wonder which direction will be chosen, which choices will have to be made.After the introduction the first steps on the path of life are taken, still somewhat unsteadily (the 3/4th time used illustrates this uncertainty). However, the child has now set off and will meet the future with an open mind, unafraid, even though experience will teach it how easily it can be hurt.Fortunately, it is sometimes allowed to be vulnerable and it discovers there will always be someone to offer shelter,support and love. (Adagio) The last part breathes a far greater independence. Youth is able to face the future, it can even take on the whole world!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£168.50Music of the Spheres - Philip Sparke
Music of the Spheres was commissioned by the Yorkshire Building Society Band and first performed by them at the European Brass Band Championships in Glasgow, May 2004.The piece reflects the composers fascination with the origins of the universe and deep space in general. The title comes from a theory, formulated by Pythagoras, that the cosmos was ruled by the same laws he had discovered that govern the ratios of note frequencies of the musical scale. ('Harmonia' in Ancient Greek, which means scale or tuning rather than harmony - Greek music was monophonic). He also believed that these ratios corresponded to the distances of the sixknown planets from the sun and thatthe planets each produced a musical note which combined to weave a continuous heavenly melody (which, unfortunately, we humans cannot hear). In this work, these six notes form the basis of the sections Music of the Spheres and Harmonia.The pieces opens with a horn solo called t = 0, a name given by some scientists to the moment of the Big Bangwhen time and space were created, and this is followed by a depiction of the Big Bangitself, as the entire universe bursts out from a single point. A slower section follows called The Lonely Planet which is a meditation on the incredible and unlikely set of circumstances which led to the creation of the Earth as a planet that can support life, and the constant search for other civilizations elsewhere in the universe. Asteroids and Shooting Stars depicts both the benign and dangerous objects that are flying through space and which constantly threaten our planet, and the piece ends with The Unknown, leaving in question whether our continually expanding exploration of the universe will eventually lead to enlightenment or destruction.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£109.99Modern Times - Etienne Crausaz
Modern Times is a concert suite from the musical and theatrical show Le Temps de Lyre, written and directed by Nicolas Bussard. The work was commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the Lyre de La Roche, directed by Marc-Olivier Broillet, with the premiere taking place in July 2024 in front of an audience of over 2,000.This suite highlights three of the dozen tableaux in the show. After an introduction evoking a sort of journey back in time, the first tableau (bar 20) illustrates various disasters that have occurred in the village over the years. The sky darkens, the thunder rumbles, the rain lashes down, and violent gusts of wind are unleashed on this corner of the country. The storm finally calms down, giving way to great desolation.The second tableau (bar 117) describes the resilience of the villagers, who summon up all their courage to repair the damage. The music is soft, calm, and hopeful.On the strength of this new beginning, the village can embrace modernity: motor vehicles replace horses, a dam is built, and tourism develops, encouraging a society open to other cultures. The third tableau in this suite illustrates all these advances (bar 177). Musically, this final section pays tribute to George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein, two of the 20th century's great musicians and composers, who worked during the fascinating period of modern times and well beyond.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£115.60Klabb - Øyvind Moe
Klabb was written in 2010 for the brass band at Manger Folkehogskule and conductor Bjorn Sagstad. The piece consists of a series of short related episodes based on the whole-tone scale, but intermittently tending towards traditional "major" tonality. "Klabb" can refer to punching someone - and the piece is certainly meant to pack a punch - but the common meaning of the word comes from snow clumping to the undersides of skis, or more generally, something that makes for laborious progress. The whole-tone scale is directionless in that it has no implicit pull towards a tonal center, complicating the creation of meaningful and believable harmonic development. In thisrespect, the title can be seen as the composer's expression of frustration with his own choice of basic material (it seemed like a good idea at the time ...). For the performers, the unusual fingering combinations are what constitute the "klabb". Good luck, and don't forget to wax!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£87.99Prelude, Dance and March - Malcolm Arnold - Robin Norman
Malcolm Arnold is one Britain's best-loved composers. In 1948 he composed a very short suite for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain - entitled simply To Youth. Seven years later he took To Youth and made some fairly major revisions, including a complete new movement, and the Little Suite for Orchestra was born. The Little Suite for Orchestra follows a very similar pattern to the later suites for brass band, starting with a bold, strident Prelude, which strangely ends quietly before a lovely, lilting, Dance composed in 3/8 time. Finally a rollicking and militaristic March brings the suite to a conclusion. This arrangement for brass band by Robin Norman is sure tobecome a classic in the brass band repertoire.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£104.99A Fanfare of Bells - Hermann Pallhuber
A Fanfare of Bells is festival music composed for a particular occasion: in 2012 the young 3BA Brass Band from Germany took part in the champion section of the Flemish Open Brass Band Championship in Mechelen, Belgium, for the first time: a festival of premieres. A Fanfare of Bells, accordingly, is music that creates festival atmosphere. Big melodies designed to touch the heart are cut through with brilliant fanfares. The piece contains lyrical and melodic passages that bring the skills and general musicianship of the 3BA Brass Band to the fore, along with various technical passages that spotlight the excellence of the individual musicians. Peels of bells at thestart and end of the work ring in a new atmosphere for brass band music in Germany and Austria. A Fanfare of Bells is, however, also a tribute to the wonderful sound of brass instruments, that blend together to create the most subtle sonorities: bells as a symbol of the beauty of the instruments--both sonically and visually: let the bells ring...
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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