Results
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£30.00strange geometry
Descriptionstrange geometrywas commissioned by Morgan Griffiths and the Hammonds Saltaire Band for their performance at the Brass in Concert Championships of 2015.As a bit of a space/sci-fi geek, as well as a musician, two events during the summer of 2015 had a particular effect on me. The first was the tragic early death in a plane crash of the famous film composer James Horner. Horner's music, particularly in films like 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan', 'Avatar', 'Apollo 13' and even his debut in Roger Corman's 1980 budget film 'Battle Beyond the Stars', defined for a generation the sound of sci-fi at the cinema. Along with John Williams he created the vocabulary for those who wish to express other-worldly wonder in music and his inventive talent will be much missed in an industry where originality has become something of a dirty word in recent years.The second event was the epic flyby of Pluto by the NASA New Horizons spacecraft. There are many reasons to find this mission inspiring - for example, the scientists and engineers behind it created a craft that has travelled at 37,000 mph for nine years and three billion miles to arrive within seventy-two seconds of the predicted time for the flyby. That they achieved this with such accuracy is an outstanding tribute to humanity's ingenuity and insatiable curiosity. However, the most exciting aspect of the mission was the clear, high resolution pictures of this unthinkably remote and inhospitable world beamed back to mission control. The best previous image of Pluto was an indistinct fuzzy blob - suddenly we could see mountains made of ice, glaciers of methane and carbon monoxide and nitrogen fog - features previously unimagined on a world thought to be a slightly dull ball of cold rock. The BBC's venerable astronomy programme 'The Sky at Night' waxed lyrical about these newly discovered features, referring to "the surprising discoveries of mountains and strange geometry on the surface of this cold distant world".I like to think that Horner would have been as inspired as I have been by this real-life science story, and this piece uses some of the vocabulary of the sci-fi movie soundtrack in a tribute to the memory of a great musician and to the inspirational geeks at NASA who have boldly taken us where no-one has gone before.Note: This work comes with a B4 portrait score. Listen to a preview and follow the music below!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£34.00Edward Gregson: Postcard to Grimethorpe
DescriptionComposer's NoteI composed the original version of Postcard to Grimethorpe in 1993 at the request of Elgar Howarth, for a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, given by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. This was at a time when after the Grimethorpe Colliery pit closed the future of the band was in severe jeopardy. The concert was given in aid of the band, both through publicity and funding.Then in late 2022 Jack Stamp, the American composer, conductor and educator, and at that time international composer-in-association with Grimethorpe, contacted me to say that he had discovered my short piece in the band library, and asked if I might extend it for a recording he was sponsoring for the band - the repertoire to consist entirely of music specially composed for Grimethorpe.I agreed and decided to extend the piece by using the miner's hymn Gresford, as a symbolic gesture of protest at the many thousands of miners in the UK who were made redundant from their jobs. After an angular (atonal) first section, the hymn enters, softly at first, but with each phrase it becomes more powerful and insistent, ending with the final phrase triumphantly accompanied by melodic percussion (replacing the drums and cymbals of the earlier phrases, as if the band were then on the march). However, this short work ends softly and gently, as if anger has been replaced by quiet resolution and determination, looking to the future with confidence.For more information on Edward Gregson's music please visit the composer's website: www.edwardgregson.com
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£63.86Horizon: The Promise of the Lord (Brass Band) Andrew Wainwright
Horizon: The Promise of the Lord was written at the request of Bandmaster Stephen Cobb for The International Staff Band. It is based on the much loved hymn of the church, Cwm Rhondda (Guide me O thou great Jehovah). The work was recorded on the ISB's CD Manuscripts II (released 2023). This highly descriptive piece will be an excellent addition to concert programs, as well as being appropriate as a test piece. The inspiration for the work comes from the book of Exodus. Whilst the music is not intended to be directly programmatic, like the hymn Cwm Rhondda, the work takes the listener through the Exodus from Egypt to the promised land of Israel as a metaphor of the spiritual pilgrimage of the individual Christian through his or her earthly life. The music aims to evoke a sense of God's guidance through strife and affirm the reality that God provides for us and redeems all the wrong in the world. This God who provided for the Hebrew people wandering amidst 'barren lands' with 'bread of heaven' is still and ever will be a God of provisional grace. Through listening to the music, it is the composer's intention that we are reminded of God's promise of Deliverance as set out in Exodus 6 v7-8: 'I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.' Like the hymn, Horizon: The Promise of the Lord is intended as a prayer for guidance. The Christian is a pilgrim through 'this barren land'. The music is often chromatic and in large parts verging on atonality, as a reflection of the strife that the Israelites endured in their 40 years in the wilderness. However, it ends in climactic fashion with the Hebrew people finally reaching their destination after many years of wandering in the desert - as they approach the 'Horizon' promised by the Lord. To view a performance of the work by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjOHf7QEw1g PDF download includes score and parts. Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.cimarronmusic.com Difficulty Level: 1st Section + Length: c11.00 minutes Instrumentation: Soprano Cornet Eb Solo Cornet Bb Repiano Cornet Bb 2nd Cornet Bb 3rd Cornet Bb Flugel Horn Bb Solo Horn Eb 1st Horn Eb 2nd Horn Eb 1st Baritone Bb 2nd Baritone Bb 1st Trombone Bb 2nd Trombone Bb Bass Trombone Euphonium Bb Bass Eb Bass Bb Percussion 1-4
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£63.86Avifauna (Brass Band) Joshua Tyler Jameson
This highly descriptive work was commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of America and will be a terrific concert or entertainment contest item. The music paints the picture of the lives of a variety of different birds. The composer writes: 'When I began thinking about this project I was sitting in my office in the early morning, the sun having just risen. There was a gentle breeze and the only thing that I could hear (aside from my hungry whining cats) was the gentle song of the birds outside my open window. As much of my work is programmatic, almost like symphonic poems, this immediately gave me the image of a majestic sunrise with all types of birds fluttering about, almost as if out of an episode of Planet Earth. When I was commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of America, I knew the project had to be something the ensemble could grab onto. Something they could see. Something they could relate to. There being so many types of birds in North America, I selected a handful to help tell my story... The scene where I came up with this idea seemed to be the perfect starting point. Sunrise, tiny chirps of Morning Birds floating around the twilight of dawn, swiftly moving towards the majesty of the sun cresting the horizon. A new day, the beginning of a story. As the sun rises higher in the sky, animal activity stirs, becoming lively and wild. The flowers have opened up to drink in the sun's rays, leaving them open to nectar-seeking Hummingbirds. Whizzing by at lightning speed, the hummingbirds journey from flower to flower, drinking their fill until the sun begins to set back over the horizon. When daylight fades, the enigmatic Owl floats silently through the sky. The wonder of these creatures comes not just from their beauty, but also from their mystery and their ferocity. We see images in pop culture of majestic white owls and marvel in their beauty... but to a mouse roaming the forest floor in the dark of the night, the terror of suddenly being dropped upon by a silent predator is anything but peaceful. In the dead of night, soft rolling clouds thicken as a storm begins to brew. With the ensuing rain also emerges the grotesque scavenging Vulture; marching along from carcass to carcass, tearing into the rotting leftovers of another predator's kill, gorging themselves until over-full. However, from this nightmare fuel of a bird, a new day awaits... As the dawn of another day approaches, you begin to hear the same morning birds you heard the previous day. When the light finally breaks the horizon, the soaring majesty of the Eagle drives us to the end of our story; an exciting journey told through the eyes of the winged creatures that paint the skies of North America. This is Avifauna.' To view a follow-the-score video please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2bhBpx9KvM Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Difficulty Level: 2nd Section + Instrumentation: Soprano Cornet Eb Solo Cornet Bb Repiano Cornet Bb 2nd Cornet Bb 3rd Cornet Bb Flugel Horn Bb Solo Horn Eb 1st Horn Eb 2nd Horn Eb 1st Baritone Bb 2nd Baritone Bb 1st Trombone Bb 2nd Trombone Bb Bass Trombone Euphonium Bb Bass Eb Bass Bb Percussion 1-4
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£89.95Songs of Ascent - Jonathan Bates
DURATION: 14 minutes. DIFFICULTY: Championship. 'Songs of Ascent' was composed for the Royal Northern College of Music Brass Band, as part of their programme for the 2019 RNCM Festival of Brass. In my view, the festival itself is the leading showcase for original contemporary music for the medium (in a concert setting) in the world and therefore an ideal place to explore new ideas and sounds, which was a notion fundamental to the construction of this work. The piece is subtitled 'Out of the Depths, I cry to you, O Lord'; the opening line of Psalm 130 (which forms part of a set of 15 psalsm, 120-134 known as the Songs of Ascent") which forms the main inspiration for much of the musical material. Following an extended opening for four individual tuba lines, there are a number of solos for members of the band off stage, with bleak and deep accompaniment lines, reflecting the words of Psalm 130. Amongst these 'songs of ascents', the most common and strong themes are repentance and redemption; with the central core of this work emerging 'from the depths' to reveal one of very few calming and reflective passages of the work utilising the tune of 'Guide Me O Thy Great Redeemer' in a new setting, featuring the Solo Horn and Bass Trombone, before returning to the ethereal and dark timbres that form much of the music up to this point. In terms of compositional technique, this work is solely based on a set of 4 9-note scales in their various unique transpositions (below). Each of these scales provide a set of 2 whole tone scales, 6 minor triads, 6 major triads and is built on 9 augmented triads. Whilst most of the music in this work is based melodically on the set of notes (heard right at the outset in the motif in the tuba line), the central section delves into the harmonic capabilities of these 'modes', using a number of the 7 'keys' which can be derived from the minor & major chords derived in each scale. All 4 scales are used independantly to each other, with whole sections of the work focussing on each mode. 'Songs of Ascent' was selected as the set work for the Championship Section at the Butlin's Mineworker's Championships in 2020.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£66.00S.O.S. (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Kjaernes, Bjorn Morten
When the publisher asked me to make an arrangement of an ABBA tune, S.O.S. was the first song I thought of. Its introduction and melody are well suited to play for band. Admittedly, the key had to be shifted to make it sound good for this instrumentation. To me, this is nostalgia, while for others, the Mamma Mia movie/show will be what they associate with this wonderful song. Apart from a few medleys, few of ABBA's songs are available for band. So, it was very fun to work on this classic.The arrangement is made quite simply to fit many sizes of bands. Technically, it is also relatively simple both in range and rhythm. As you can see, there are many ways to adjust this arrangement to your own ensemble. Bring out melody lines and the bassline, and a lot is done. If needed, simplify to make it sound nice.Get creative and have fun!- Bjorn Morten KjaernesDuration: 3.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£102.60S.O.S. - Björn Ulvaeus
When the publisher asked me to make an arrangement of an ABBA tune, S.O.S. was the first song I thought of. Its introduction and melody are well suited to play for Wind Band. Admittedly, the key had to be shifted to make it sound good for this instrumentation. To me, this is nostalgia, while for others, the Mamma Mia movie/show will be what they associate with this wonderful song. Apart from a few medleys, few of ABBA's songs are available to Wind Band. So, it was very fun to work on this classic.The arrangement is made quite simply to fit many sizes of Bands. Technically, it is also relatively simple both in range and rhythm. As you can see, there are many ways to adjust this arrangement to your own ensemble. Bring out melody lines and the bassline, and a lot is done. If needed, simplify to make it sound nice.Bjorn Morten Kjaernes
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£29.95Song for the Skies
Song for the Skies was commissioned by Tuba virtuoso Les Neish and was given its world premier on the December 9th 2010 with the James Madison University Brass Band in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA.Les asked me to compose a slow melody that highlights the wonderful sonorous sound of the Tuba. I am a big fan of Les and of the instrument and knowing the capabilities of Les as a soloist I wanted to experiment with the range and colour of the instrument in this solo.After a warm introduction from the ensemble the soloist enters almost timeless over the muted cornets. The melody when it is first heard has a somewhat haunting Celtic feel to it. It is intentionally marked as con rubato so that the soloist can really put their own musical stamp on the music. As the haunting melody repeats again this time in a change of key the accompaniment takes more of a role within the piece of music performing counter melodies within this second section.The middle of the piece introduces a new secondary melodic device that serves as an introduction to the original melody played in all its glory by the ensemble. This dies away to leave the second half of the melody in the euphoniums and baritones as the soloist plays a soaring counter melody in the highest register of the instrument.The piece starts to return home with a recapitulation of the introduction followed by the second part of the original melody by the soloist. After a momentary reflective solo from the soloist the introduction is used for a final time before the tuba guides us home to conclude.For the soloist, there are a number of occasions where the opportunity to play in the upper register of the instrument arises. However, I have also given the opportunity for the soloist to play various passages down the octave so it suits the performers playing style and range.Song for the Skies is very simple yet beautiful and I feel it suits the playing of the Eb Tuba perfectly. I hope you enjoy performing it.Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£35.00
Song of Hope - Peter Meechan
Song of Hope is dedicated to my good friend Ryan Anthony (principal trumpet with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra) and his charity, Cancer Blows - a foundation set up to raise awareness and money to further the research that has helped give their family a hope for a future following Ryanas diagnosis of Multiple MyelomaUpon hearing the middle movement (simply titled aSonga) of my cornet concerto, Milestone, Ryan asked me if I could change the end from its current reflective ending to something more uplifting, and to title it Song of Hope, giving it much more meaning than I could have ever imagined.As well as a wind band scoring without soloist, Song of Hope exists with 1, 2 or 3 soloists, accompanied by either wind band, brass band, brass ensemble or symphony orchestra.For my friend Ryan.Each set comes with the soloist part for 1 soloist. Please download the alternative 2 or 3 soloist parts from the link above.
Estimated dispatch 12-14 working days
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£30.00Fugatango - Steve Waterman
"When Roger Argente approached me to write a composition for his Spanish flavoured brass project, he made the suggestion that a Tango, althoughmore Argentinian than Spanish, would fit in well with the overall concept. I have always been a very big fan of the music of Argentinian composerAstor Piazzolla and particularly the way that the Tango could be combined with jazz. A favourite recording of mine is of Piazzolla himselfperforming (on the bandoneon) with the jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. Roger and I both thought it would be a good idea to let some of themusicians in the ensemble take improvised solos. As the composing progressed, a fugato also emerged hence the title Fugatango."
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