Judd: Bleak Mid-winter

Gustav Holst's 'In the bleak mid-winter' has become one of the best-loved of all carols. This arrangement is a thoughtful commentary on Holst's music, highlighting its wistful, plaintive qualities.

Judd: Boundless Kingdom

March 2017 ReleaseBoundless Kingdom (Steven Ponsford)Originally written for the Melbourne Staff Band 125th Anniversary features the tune 'His Kingdom' as the central theme. This is developed and is joined with 'O Boundless Salvation' and 'The wonders of his grace' in this exciting concert item.

Judd: 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.'

Judd: California

In retirement, Emil Soderstrom moved to California and honoured his new home with this light-hearted but demanding march. The composer has said that the motif given to the upper cornets in the second strain stands for 'Ca-li-for-nia'! His love of startling chromatic passages is evident in the 'break up' strain of the trio section which is marked by a sudden key change and a fragment of the song Sunshine in my soul today, a reference to the Californian weather.

Judd: Canaans Land

Derick Kane specifically asked Peter Graham to write a solo with the title 'Canaan's Land' in response to Stephen Bulla's solo 'Air 'n Variations' written for Aaron VanderWeele, all puns intended! The theme is the song 'Bound for Canaan's shore' and the first variation pays homage to Norman Bearcroft's 'The Better World' which was also especially written for Derick Kane. The slow section makes use of the tune 'A little star peeps o'er the hill' after which follows the finale, in a polonaise style, with further shades of 'The Better World'.

Judd: Canadian Folk Song Suite

This suite of three movements (fast, slow, fast) features traditional Canadian folk tunes;1. Marianne s'en va-t-au moulin (Quebec) is full of fanfares and humorous touches.2. She's like the Swallow (Newfoundland) is both elegant and poignant.3. J'entends le moulin (Quebec) is a light-hearted 'moto perpetuo' which gathers pace and energy towards the whirlwind close.

Judd: Candle of the Lord

Joy Webb has a unique gift of song writing that communicates so well to the listener. This song comes from the her musical 'Breakthrough'.

Judd: Cavatine for Trombone

Cavatine was originally written for trombone and piano in 1915 quickly becoming part of the standard repertoire for this combination. This transcription for trombone and brass band seeks to capture the spirit and style of the original.

Judd: Celebrate and Sing

Judd: Celebration

Composed for the 75th anniversary of the ISB in 1965, this music went on to become one of the best known concert marches in the Salvation Army repertoire.