Results
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£30.00Strigoi - Jock McKenzie
Inside the house, family and friends gather for eating, drinking, singing and dancing to 'put a brave face on the situation'. It is of course this very same custom that once gave birth the idea for the novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker.
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£30.00Sussex Carol - Traditional
This carol is also known by its first line "On Christmas Night all Christians Sing". It was discovered by Cecil Sharp in Gloucestershire and notably by Ralph Vaughan Williams in Sussex. Vaughan Williams heard it sung by Harriet Verrall of Monk's Gate, near Horsham, Sussex (hence "Sussex Carol"). It is the melody that Harriet Verrall sang that Vaughan Williams transcribed and published in 1919. It is this same version that is still very popular today.
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£30.00Tango de Buenos Aires - Keiron Anderson
Tango de Buenos Aires was written to celebrate the harmonic and rhythmic idioms used by the great Astor Piazzola, composer of dramatic Argentinian Tango music. This work attempts to capture the atmosphere with a modern adaptation of the dynamic rhythms and descending chromatic harmonies. It is a colourful addition to any programme and good for a quite serious or light concert.
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£30.00The First Nowell - Traditional
This Carol is of Cornish origin. It was first published in 'Carols Ancient and Modern' (1823) and 'Gilbert and Sandy's Carols (1833). Today the carol is usually presented in the version by John Stainer. My arrangement seeks to mimic that of an early west country folk band, perhaps enjoying an appearance in a Thomas Hardy novel or two!
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£30.00The Moose on the Loose - Mark Hamlyn
I had a dream of a moose that escapes captivity and heads towards the city. At first, he has a ball with all the new things to see but as he approaches the centre he gradually despairs at the chaos of the crowds of people and traffic. In the end he flees desperately out of the city and slams himself back into his cage. The piece is clearly a homage to Shostakovich and perhaps shouldn't be taken too seriously. Mark Hamlyn.
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£30.00The Raft of Medusa - Gareth Wood
The Raft of the Medusa is a painting by Theodore Gericault and hangs in the Louvre, Paris. It depicts the true story of a shipwreck and of a hastily constructed raft upon which at least 157 people were cast adrift for 13 days and endured starvation, dehydration, cannibalism and madness. The work is a diabolical duel between trumpet and trombone, a violent tone poem showing off the techniques of the soloists. There is no light in this piece, no triumph, only sadness.
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£30.00Tis the Season to be Jolly - Traditional
This carol has its origins in 16th Wales. The melody, which dates from the 16th century, comes from the winter carol of that time "Nos Galan" (New Years' Eve). The lyrics were written by the Scottish composer Thomas Oliphant in 1862. This truly celtic carol is sung throughout the Christmas, Yuletide and New Year season. My arrangement steps away from any celtic 'feel' and instead presents the material in a full-on swing style.
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£30.00Toot & Ska Men - Jock McKenzie
The musical building blocks for this work came from my research into 'Faux Egyptian Music' and found how useful it was to use the top four notes of a harmonic minor scale. As my research continued an 'earworm' started to form which ultimately manifested itself as "Toot & Ska Men". I'm sure a bit of influence was taken from the band "Madness" and their song "Night Boat to Cairo" too....
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£30.00We Three Gypsy Kings - Traditional
This is a true story. I had a dream.....
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£30.00We Wish you - Traditional
Little is known of the origins of this carol; it appears in none of the historic collections. It is however thought to originally be a folk song attributed to the 'West Country'. This link to the West Country is based on the carol's reference to 'figgy pudding' a localised, seasonal dish containing raisins or plums, somewhat like the traditional Christmas Pudding. The greeting 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' is typical of the practice of 'Wassailing'; going door to door to sing, dance and offer seasonal greetings in the hope of receiving food and drink in return.