Results
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£30.00Janacek's 'Taras Bulba' - Janacek
Comments from Tim Paton, the arranger of Janacek's 'Taras Bulba': "I will never forget the day in 1967 when I was introduced to the music of Leos Janacek, a Czech composer born in 1854, who died in 1928. Janacek was little known in Britain until the 1960's, when the conductor Charles Macherras introduced his unique music. I heard a recording of Macherras conducting the Pro Arte Orchestra in a performance of Janacek's "Sinfonietta".It was in 1969 that I first heard Janacek's Symphonic Rhapsody, "Taras Bulba".Janacek's music is exciting, powerful, emotive, impassioned and unpredictable.I have taken the first and third movements of this piece, and adapted them for Brass Band, which was at times extremely difficult, but rewarding. It sometimes took up to an hour to be satisfied that a mere several bars had been reproduced to convey the composer's intentions.The Death of AndriThe Cossaks, under the leadership of Taras Bulba, are fighting against the Poles in the 17th century. Taras's son Andri seeks to rescue his love, a Polish princess, from a city which is being besieged by the Cossaks. Having found her, he throws in his lot with the Poles, but is finally captured by his father, who executes him as a traitor before riding off again to battle.Prophesy and Death of Taras BulbaTaras himself is finally captured and condemned to be nailed to a tree and burned alive. As the flames creep around him, Taras has the satisfaction of seeing histroops escape, and as he dies, sees a vision of his country freed at last.This is incredibly descriptive music. The mood is constantly changing, creating feelings of love and anger, celebration and melancholy, despair and triumph.This Brass Band EditionThe duration of the original symphonic rhapsody, three movements, is approximately 23 minutes. I chose the first and third movements, so the Brass Band edition is approximately 14 minutes. The main reason is twofold: Being realistic about the demands this music would place on the stamina of the brass player; Keeping the piece less than 15 minutes, so that, if desired, it could be used on the contest platform.Two unique qualities of Janacek's music had to be taken into account when preparing this brass band version. His compositional technique was individual, at times not sticking to traditional expectations, in both form and orchestration. I imagined what the genius himself would have said looking at my work, and how to tackle a particular section to emulate his original intentions. This was particularly the case when dealing with high woodwind and violin parts, the use of tremolo in string parts, and the orchestral harp.Percussion: Janacek included timpani, side drum, cymbals, triangle and tubular bells. For reasons stated previously, I have also included xylophone and glockenspiel. I have also added the gong in a couple of places to enhance the dramatic effect of the music.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
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You're My World - Umberto Bindi, Gino Paoli, Carl Sigman - Len Jenkins
"You're My World" is a ballad originally recorded in 1963 as "Il Mio Mondo" ("My World") by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian-language version with Gino Paoli. Although the original Italian version was not a hit, even in Italy, the song came to the attention of UK record producer George Martin, who commissioned an English version to be recorded by his protegee Cilla Black. The English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman. Cilla's recording at Abbey Road Studios was made with Johnny Pearson conducting his orchestra and The Breakaways providing background vocals. Her road manager and future husband Bobby Willis also sang on the track. "You're My World" reached No. 1 in Britain on the chart dated 30 May 1964 and remained there for a total of four weeks, one week more than Cilla's preceding single "Anyone Who Had A Heart" (Also available as a Brass arrangement from Wobbleco Music). Although Cilla returned to the UK Top Ten eight times, "You're My World" was her final No. 1 hit. Two quite different arrangements are available; one for Full Brass Band and one for Brass Quintet with optional Glockenspiel. Both attempt to retain the style of the original recording.
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£204.00Fanfare and Chorale - Egil Hovland
This arrangement (or edition) for brass band will give the possibility for more performances of this fine work by Hovland. The composer, before his death, examined my work and made no suggestions for changes, and his approving comments were complimentary and encouraging. The work was originally written for Concert Band in 1966 as Op. 54a to St. Olaf College Band in the US. It was transcribed in 1967 for symphony orchestra as Op. 54b by the composer himself. The challenges in arranging the piece for brass band were mostly concerned with satisfactorily covering the upper register used by piccolo, flutes and clarinets, and while there are wonderful brass players around who have amazing high registers, I have aimed this edition at a level achievable by reasonably good brass band players who are willing to give time and effort into the proper preparation and delivery of the music. Having worked on this new edition with a top-class brass band, I think it sounds wonderful and interestingly different to the original. Besides the obvious differences of tone-colour and absent high notes, I have used in my scoring, the option for using a vibraphone in place of a celeste. Vaughan Williams, in his Variations for brass band writes for celeste, but because the instrument is quite rare, performances have been mostly given using a glockenspiel- but this, of course sounds two octaves higher than it was intended. I think that vibraphone and brass is an excellent combination and recommend it without hesitation in this piece. Every detail of articulation and dynamic has been considered, so in order to keep the integrity of the music, please do not change anything in the name of "interpretation". As Ravel says- "What is there to interpret?" Ray Farr
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£40.00Crown Imperial - William Walton arr. Phillip Littlemore
William Walton composed his Crown Imperial for performance at the coronation of King Edward VIII, which was scheduled for the 12th May 1937. However, due to the dramatic abdication of Edward, it was in fact performed at the Coronation of the new monarch, King George VI, which took place on the same scheduled date. The march became popular immediately, and arrangements for piano solo, organ, small orchestra and military band were all published within a year. It has been used at all Royal events since, most notably the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and latterly King Charles III.This new brass band transcription is in keeping with the shorter, 6-minute concert version that Walton created immediately following the Coronation of George VI. However, the scoring is more in keeping with contemporary brass band voicings, corrects errors in the previous brass band transcription by Frank Wright, and provides a much more exciting version for brass band. "Phillip Littlemore's arrangement of Crown Imperial is a bit like Frank Wrght's, only Phillip's is in Technicolor!" (Gary Westwood, Leyland Band) A video of this arrangement can be found here: Crown ImperialDuration: 6'30"Difficulty: 2nd Section and above
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days
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£12.50ROCOCO VARIATIONS (Gregson) (Study Score) - Gregson, Edward
Rococo Variations was commissioned by the British Open Championships for their 2008 contest in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and co-commissioned by the Norwegian Band Federation, for their National Championship in Bergen in 2009.The title of the work has been used before, of course, most notably by Tchaikovsky in his work for cello and orchestra. My set of variations follows the Tchaikovskian model in that it is based on a quasi-Baroque original theme, and has certain 'dance-like' characteristics in the variations, but beyond that all comparisons end.There are six variations: Toccata, Siciliana, Waltz, Moto Perpetuo, Lament, and Fugal Scherzo, followed by a triumphant re-statement of the theme. Throughout, there is considerable contrast in the music, with the fast variations being rather virtuoso in character, sometimes with constantly changing time patterns, whilst the two slow variations (Siciliana and Lament) are in turn lyrical and pensive in mood with prominent solos and duets for a number of instruments.Although the work overall is dedicated by my brother, each of the six variations pays tribute to a different composer whose contribution to the brass band repertoire during the second half of the twentieth century has been of great significance. To this end, all six composers have their own 'musical signature' embraced within the particular variation, a process which reaches its zenith, contrapuntally speaking, during the final variation and reprise of the theme.- Edward Gregson
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£55.00New York. - Nigel Hess
'New York'... or to be more precise, Manhattan. For anyone who is familiar with this bizarre and wonderful city, this piece needs no explanation. This brass band transcription has been made by Phillip Littlemore and provides adriving and punchy 4 minute work for brass band. 'New York' is the third movement of 'East Coast Pictures', originally written for wind band, commissioned in 1985 by the British Youth Wind Orchestra with funds from NationalWestminster Bank plc. These three short 'pictures' were inspired by several visits by the composer to a small part of the USA's East Coast, an area that provides great extremes in the geography and thepeople.This work has recently been recorded on the CD 'East Coast Pictures' by the Leyland Band, conducted by Michael Fowles, and is available from this site (catalogue number: 0-571-52109-6).
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.95
Northern Landscapes - Peter Graham
The four movements of Northern Landscapes provide musical mood pictures of various aspects of Northern working life. 1) Industry opens the suite with the bustle of factory machinery, followed attacca by 2) Seascapes which evokes the calmness of local waters during a fishing expedition. 3) Earth Dance references the mining industry where the blackness of the environment is mirrored by the darkness of the music while 4) Flight evokes the path of an aircraft on its maiden journey in this tribute to the aircraft industry. Northern Landscapes has its origins in music written for the Ulster Orchestra Brass Quintet. This revised and updated version for brass band was commissioned by the Boarshurst (Greenfield) Silver Band, with National Lottery funds, supported by the Arts Council of England. It was set as the 2003 National Brass Band Championships Area Third Section Test-Piece.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£40.00Euphonium Music (Score only) - Brian Bowen
Written in 1978, the work is constructed in three movements and is virtually a concerto for euphonium and band. The first movement begins with an unaccompanied motto theme, which uses all twelve notes of the scale but with a tonal feel. The slow second movement is based on an original song melody by the composer - 'The Eyes of God' - and affords lyrical and richly expressive playing that is typically euphonium. Movement three follows without a break - a capricious movement which ends triumphantly. Now available in versions for piano, brass band, wind band, and orchestra, Euphonium Music can be seen as a major contribution to the literature for the instrument. Duration: 15 minutes An orchestral version is available on hire.
Estimated dispatch 7-9 working days
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£50.00Euphonium Music (Parts only) - Brian Bowen
Written in 1978, the work is constructed in three movements and is virtually a concerto for euphonium and band. The first movement begins with an unaccompanied motto theme, which uses all twelve notes of the scale but with a tonal feel. The slow second movement is based on an original song melody by the composer - 'The Eyes of God' - and affords lyrical and richly expressive playing that is typically euphonium. Movement three follows without a break - a capricious movement which ends triumphantly. Now available in versions for piano, brass band, wind band, and orchestra, Euphonium Music can be seen as a major contribution to the literature for the instrument. Duration: 15 minutes An orchestral version is available on hire.
Estimated dispatch 7-9 working days
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£55.00
New York - Nigel Hess
For anyone who is familiar with this bizarre and wonderful city, this piece needs no explanation. New York is the third movement of East Coast Pictures, originally written for wind band, commissioned in 1985 by the British Youth Wind Orchestra with funds from National Westminster Bank plc. These three short 'pictures' were inspired by several visits by the composer to a small part of the USA's East Coast, an area that provides great extremes in the geography and the people.The bass clef Euphonium parts can be purchased as individual downloads here.Brass Band Grades 4/5: Premier Youth and 2nd SectionDuration: 6 minutes
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
