Results
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£96.99Purcellian Fantasia (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
This composition is based on the march from Henry Purcells Music for the funeral of Queen Mary II, a work written in 1694. In this fantasia, various movements flow from one to the next following the main theme; these movements not only elaborate on the theme, but also contrast with it. At times, the thematic material diverges so much, that the work acquires a character of its own; however, the composer often refers back to fragments of the theme. This work was test piece in the 4th division of the Dutch National Brass Band Championships (NBK) in 2017. Duration: 10.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£107.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score only) - Gregson, Edward
This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£159.99RUSH HOUR (Brass Band) - Crausaz, Etienne
Rush Hour was commissioned by the Swiss Brass Band Association (SBBV) on the occasion of the 38th Swiss National Brass Band Championships 2012 (Montreux SBBW) as the test piece in the Championship division. Structured in three parts without breaks, the work opens in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere, sometimes even noisy. After a short passage in a lighter mood a quick tempo takes over, the music becomes nervous and unrelenting, with constant twists and turns. The tension builds, leading to a slower movement in which various soloists are highlighted. A few humorous touches are heard in contrast to a majestic, powerful and dramatic chorale. The end of this part is brighter and more peaceful. This atmosphere is soon replaced by a return of the thematic material heard in the first movement, developing into an oppressive moos. The piece concludes with a last ecstatic tutti, reusing the harmonies of the introduction in a kind of final flurry. Rush Hour attempts to express the range of feelings we may experience when caught in various stressful situations in the middle of the rush hour. Duration: 13:45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.95The Plantagenets (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
A Symphonic Study for Brass BandThe Plantagenets was Gregson's first major test piece, written specially for the 1973 National Brass Band Championships.In this ambitious symphonic study he turned his attention to music which sets out to create a mood or atmosphere, in contrast to his earlier brass band works such as Essay and Partita where the underlying concerns are technical rather than expressive. However, Gregson is at pains to emphasise that The Plantagenets is not programme music. 'Symphonic' is the optimum word here. In its textural and harmonic complexity, its rhythmic and melodic variety, this was his most ambitious brass band piece so far. His language, with its roots in Hindemith and Bartok is further enriched here with the expressive language of Holst and Rachmaninov.As he says in his notes on the work: The Plantagenets attempts to portray the mood and feelings of an age - that of the House of Plantagenet which lasted from the middle of the twelfth century to the end of the fourteenth. To many it conjures up an age of chivalry and this is represented by fanfare motifs which occur throughout the work in varied form.Characteristically, the composer then goes on to describe not the atmosphere or mood he is trying to convey, but the means by which the music has been composed: the opening fanfares, based on the interval of the third, generating the musical material for the whole work; an exposition of two themes - one fanfare-like, one lyrical (on horns); a slow episode introducing a new melody on solo horn (answered by cornet and euphonium in canon); a little scherzo, fugal in character; and a recapitulation leading to a maestoso statement of the slow movement theme with a final reference to the fanfares as a triumphant conclusion.Duration: 11.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£29.95
The Plantagenets (Brass Band - Score only) - Gregson, Edward
A Symphonic Study for Brass BandThe Plantagenets was Gregson's first major test piece, written specially for the 1973 National Brass Band Championships.In this ambitious symphonic study he turned his attention to music which sets out to create a mood or atmosphere, in contrast to his earlier brass band works such as Essay and Partita where the underlying concerns are technical rather than expressive. However, Gregson is at pains to emphasise that The Plantagenets is not programme music. 'Symphonic' is the optimum word here. In its textural and harmonic complexity, its rhythmic and melodic variety, this was his most ambitious brass band piece so far. His language, with its roots in Hindemith and Bartok is further enriched here with the expressive language of Holst and Rachmaninov.As he says in his notes on the work: The Plantagenets attempts to portray the mood and feelings of an age - that of the House of Plantagenet which lasted from the middle of the twelfth century to the end of the fourteenth. To many it conjures up an age of chivalry and this is represented by fanfare motifs which occur throughout the work in varied form.Characteristically, the composer then goes on to describe not the atmosphere or mood he is trying to convey, but the means by which the music has been composed: the opening fanfares, based on the interval of the third, generating the musical material for the whole work; an exposition of two themes - one fanfare-like, one lyrical (on horns); a slow episode introducing a new melody on solo horn (answered by cornet and euphonium in canon); a little scherzo, fugal in character; and a recapitulation leading to a maestoso statement of the slow movement theme with a final reference to the fanfares as a triumphant conclusion.Duration: 11.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£61.73Caprice (Euphonium Solo with Brass Band) Andrew Batterham
VIEW SCORE PDF Caprice was written for Matthew van Emmerik, to showcase his virtuosity in an engaging piece of concert music. The work is in theme and variation form, with the primary material being the theme from the last of Paganini's Ventiquattro Capricci per violino solo, a collection of 24 caprices for solo violin. This theme has been the inspiration for similar works by many composers since it was first published, including Liszt, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Benny Goodman and Andrew Lloyd Webber. In this work, the famous theme is treated to a more contemporary approach. The first variation, Capricious, relies on motor rhythms and jagged dialogues between the soloist and the band. It is couched in an organic scale reminiscent of the Phrygian mode. The second variation, Sad, is in direct contrast, acting as a traditional ballad and allowing the soloist to explore the expressive side of the instrument. The third variation, Energetic, is a micro set of variations in itself, designed to display the soloist's innovative technique and stamina. Each section is more challenging than the last, until the work concludes with a whirlwind dance at breakneck speed. Like all of Batterham's recent work, the musical language of Caprice draws upon classical, jazz, funk and ska elements to create a unique sound where anything can happen, and probably will. This arrangement was made possible through Matt's instigation and generosity. To view a video of Matthew van Emmerik performing the version with brass band please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hsvux_a5o To view a video of Fletcher Mitchell performing the version with piano please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZ6KRldDVo Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Instrumentation: Euphonium Soloist 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 1-3
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£69.95
TRANSFORMATION (Brass Band Set) - Kenneth Downie
I believe in transformation, God can change the hearts of men, And refine the evil nature, till it glows with grace again'. So wrote John Gowans in the second verse of his great hymn, 'I believe that God the Father, can be seen in God the Son', written specifically to affirm Salvationists' beliefs. It is sung to the tune Bethany and in seeking to explore this great subject at the heart of the Christian gospel in musical terms, the composer has used this fine tune as the basis. Although it never appears in its entirety, it is seldom out of the picture and much of the work is derived from it. The other main source of material is the lovely, simple chorus, 'Some day I shall be like him, changed to heavenly beauty, when his face I see'. This chorus is especially prominent in the middle section but there are important references to it throughout. There are also brief references to Charles Wesley's hymn, 'Love Divine' and, in particular, the telling lines, 'Changed from glory into glory, till in Heaven we take our place'. The work suggests that, at times, the process of being transformed is a struggle, portrayed with many passages of fraught and demanding music. Considerable reserves of stamina and technique are required while, in contrast, the chorus, 'Some day I shall be like him' provides the warm, gentle centre of the work. The premiere of the work was given by The International Staff Band of The Salvation Army in Cadogan Hall on Friday 3rd June 2011, as part of the band's 120th anniversary celebrations.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£79.95The Lost Village of Imber (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Bond, Christopher
The Lost Village of Imber was commissioned by Bratton Silver Band in 2019 in celebration of 160 years of the band; 1859-2019. Structured in three movements, the complete work was premiered by Cory Band at Wiltshire Music Centre in February 2020.The village of Imber on Salisbury Plain had been inhabited for over one thousand years when it was evacuated in 1943 to make way for military training in the Second World War. At the time, with preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe underway, most villagers put up no resistance, despite being upset, with the belief that they'd return once the war had concluded. To this day, Imber and its surrounding land remain a military training ground. The villagers never returned, and just the shell of what was once a community remains.Structured in three movements, it is on this very real story that the work is based, setting out the series of events of 1943 in chronological order.The first movement, On Imber Downe, portrays a sense of jollity and cohesiveness, a community of individuals living and working together before news of the evacuation had broken. Sounds of the village are heard throughout, not least in a series of percussive effects, the anvil of the blacksmith; the cowbell of the cattle and the bells of the church.The second movement, The Church of St. Giles, begins mysteriously and this sonorous, atmospheric opening depicts Imber in its desolate state and the apprehension of residents as they learn they have to leave their homes. Amidst this is the Church, a symbol of hope for villagers who one day wish to return, portrayed with a sweeping melodic passage before the music returns to the apprehension of villagers facing eviction around their sadness at losing their rural way of life.In complete contrast, the third movement, Imemerie Aeternum, portrays the arrival of the military, complete with the sounds of the ammunition, firing and tanks, sounds which were all too familiar to those living in the surround areas. To close, the Church of St. Giles theme returns in a triumphant style, representing the idea that the church has always been, even to this day, a beacon of hope for the villagers and local community, both the centrepiece and pinnacle of a very real story.Duration: 13.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.95
Transformation (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Downie, Kenneth
I believe in transformation, God can change the hearts of men, And refine the evil nature, till it glows with grace again'. So wrote John Gowans in the second verse of his great hymn, 'I believe that God the Father, can be seen in God the Son', written specifically to affirm Salvationists' beliefs. It is sung to the tune Bethany and in seeking to explore this great subject at the heart of the Christian gospel in musical terms, the composer has used this fine tune as the basis. Although it never appears in its entirety, it is seldom out of the picture and much of the work is derived from it. The other main source of material is the lovely, simple chorus, 'Some day I shall be like him, changed to heavenly beauty, when his face I see'. This chorus is especially prominent in the middle section but there are important references to it throughout. There are also brief references to Charles Wesley's hymn, 'Love Divine' and, in particular, the telling lines, 'Changed from glory into glory, till in Heaven we take our place'. The work suggests that, at times, the process of being transformed is a struggle, portrayed with many passages of fraught and demanding music. Considerable reserves of stamina and technique are required while, in contrast, the chorus, 'Some day I shall be like him' provides the warm, gentle centre of the work. The premiere of the work was given by The International Staff Band of The Salvation Army in Cadogan Hall on Friday 3rd June 2011, as part of the band's 120th anniversary celebrations.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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