Results
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£39.86A Fugal Overture (Brass Band) Gustav Holst arr. Rob Bushnell
A Fugal Overture was written in 1922 by Gustav Holst. It was first performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 14 May 1923 and was used as an opening work to Holst's one-act opera The Perfect Fool. It received its concert premiere on 11 October 1923 at one of Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Promenade Concerts. It is an early example of neoclassicism and was influenced by the counterpoint of J. S. Bach, despite its unconventional use of the fugal process. Holst began writing the piece in the summer of 1922, having hoped to develop it into a ballet. It is divided into three sections, the fugal subject with its distinct 3+3+2 pattern, a slower section with solos at the end, and a third section where the subject returns. Although reviews of the piece were mixed at the time of its premiere, the likes of Adrian Boult have said it was "an invigorating work that could effectively start any [...] concert". In more recent years, it has been compared to John Adam's A Short Ride in a Fast Machine. This arrangement is for the British-style brass band, with alternative parts for horns in F and bass-clef lower brass. A recording of the original composition can be found here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8xfwJyFq2E. Duration: Approx. 5.40 minutes Difficulty Level: 1st Section + PDF download includes parts and score. Sheet music available from www.brassband.co.uk 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 BbTimpani Percussion 1-2
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£74.95Eden (Score and Parts)
This work was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust as the test piece for the final of the 2005 Besson National Brass Band Championship, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London.The score is prefaced by the final lines from Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (completed in 1663), in which Adam and Eve, expelled from Paradise, make their uncertain way into the outside world:"...The world was all before them, where to chooseTheir place of rest, and providence their guide:They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow,Through Eden took their solitary way."My work is in three linked sections. In the first, the characters of Adam, Eve and the serpent guarding the Tree of Knowledge are respectively represented by solo euphonium, cornet and trombone. The music opens in an idyllic and tranquil mood and leads into a duet between euphonium and cornet. Throughout this passage the prevailing mood darkens, though the soloists seem to remain oblivious to the increasingly fraught atmosphere. A whip-crack announces the malevolent appearance of the solo trombone who proceeds to engage the solo cornet in a sinister dialogue.The second section interprets the Eden story as a modern metaphor for the havoc mankind has inflicted upon the world, exploiting and abusing its resources in the pursuit of wealth. Though certainly intended here as a comment on the present-day, it is by no means a new idea: Milton himself had an almost prescient awareness of it in Book I of his poem, where men, led on by Mammon:"...Ransacked the centre and with impious handsRifled the bowels of their mother earthFor treasures better hid. Soon had his crewOpened into the hill a spacious woundAnd digged out ribs of gold."So this section is fast and violent, at times almost manic in its destructive energy. At length a furious climax subsides and a tolling bell ushers in the third and final section.This final part is slow, beginning with an intense lament featuring solos for tenor-horn, flgel-horn and repiano cornet and joined later by solo baritone, soprano cornet, Eb-bass and Bb-bass.At one stage in the planning of the work it seemed likely that the music would end here - in despair. Then, mid-way through writing it, I visited the extraordinary Eden Project in Cornwall. Here, in a disused quarry - a huge man-made wound in the earth - immense biomes, containing an abundance of plant species from every region of the globe, together with an inspirational education programme, perhaps offer a small ray of hope for the future. This is the image behind the work's conclusion and the optimism it aims to express is real enough, though it is hard-won and challenged to the last.John Pickard 2005
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£29.50Eden (Score Only)
This work was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust as the test piece for the final of the 2005 Besson National Brass Band Championship, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London.The score is prefaced by the final lines from Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (completed in 1663), in which Adam and Eve, expelled from Paradise, make their uncertain way into the outside world:"...The world was all before them, where to chooseTheir place of rest, and providence their guide:They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow,Through Eden took their solitary way."My work is in three linked sections. In the first, the characters of Adam, Eve and the serpent guarding the Tree of Knowledge are respectively represented by solo euphonium, cornet and trombone. The music opens in an idyllic and tranquil mood and leads into a duet between euphonium and cornet. Throughout this passage the prevailing mood darkens, though the soloists seem to remain oblivious to the increasingly fraught atmosphere. A whip-crack announces the malevolent appearance of the solo trombone who proceeds to engage the solo cornet in a sinister dialogue.The second section interprets the Eden story as a modern metaphor for the havoc mankind has inflicted upon the world, exploiting and abusing its resources in the pursuit of wealth. Though certainly intended here as a comment on the present-day, it is by no means a new idea: Milton himself had an almost prescient awareness of it in Book I of his poem, where men, led on by Mammon:"...Ransacked the centre and with impious handsRifled the bowels of their mother earthFor treasures better hid. Soon had his crewOpened into the hill a spacious woundAnd digged out ribs of gold."So this section is fast and violent, at times almost manic in its destructive energy. At length a furious climax subsides and a tolling bell ushers in the third and final section.This final part is slow, beginning with an intense lament featuring solos for tenor-horn, flgel-horn and repiano cornet and joined later by solo baritone, soprano cornet, Eb-bass and Bb-bass.At one stage in the planning of the work it seemed likely that the music would end here - in despair. Then, mid-way through writing it, I visited the extraordinary Eden Project in Cornwall. Here, in a disused quarry - a huge man-made wound in the earth - immense biomes, containing an abundance of plant species from every region of the globe, together with an inspirational education programme, perhaps offer a small ray of hope for the future. This is the image behind the work's conclusion and the optimism it aims to express is real enough, though it is hard-won and challenged to the last.John Pickard 2005
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£31.88Alegria - 'Joyful' (Brass Band) Barrie Gott
This foot-tapping Latin-style cornet feature was written by Barrie Gott for the Brisbane Excelsior Band. The composer writes: 'I had wanted to write something in this genre after the success of the third movement of the Jazz Suite. Entertainment numbers are always needed for park and popular concerts. It is important that the rhythm section maintains a consistent tempo. They can be featured also. The samba rhythm and feel should be maintained throughout. The occasional sombrero would not be out of place. Enjoy!' To view a follow-the-score video of the work please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeLJoptLrYc PDF download includes score and parts. Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.cimarronmusic.com Difficulty Level: 3rd Section + Length: 2.40 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 Drum Kit Claves Maracas Cowbell Xylophone
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£87.70'Odyssey' Variations (Brass Band) Kevin Norbury
'Odyssey' Variations was composed as a result of a commission in May 2020 from Five Lakes Silver Band and its musical director, Christopher Ward. This music is based on an original theme that I first used in an earlier composition, Odyssey, which was the test piece for the European Brass Band Championships, held at Munich, Germany, in April 1999. I distinctly remember getting into my hotel room and turning on the television to be greeted by news coverage of the Columbine High School shooting, so that piece has always held some significance for me, though because of a very sad coincidence. The melody was originally a cornet solo in the central slow section of Odyssey and pitched deliberately to test the soloist. I have, more recently attempted a straightforward choral setting of the melody, and the harmonies I use in the three chorale-style settings at the start of these variations are loosely based on that setting. The melody is a setting of the familiar words of Be Thou My Vision, an old Irish hymn, translated by Mary E. Byrne, and versified by Eleanor H. Hull. The form of the work is as follows: Theme - three presentations Variation 1 - Allegro Variation 2 - Moderato (featuring the horns, baritones, euphoniums and basses) Variation 3 - Maestoso (featuring the cornets, flugel horn, and trombones) Variation 4 - Adagio Variation 5 - Allegretto Variation 6 - Largo - Moderato Variation 7 - Allegro molto Theme - Maestoso e sostenuto Finale - Allegro vivace - Adagio e allargando To view a video of Five Lakes Silver Band performing the work please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfLnld3bCw8 Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Difficulty Level: 1st 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 Timpani Percussion 1-3
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£39.86Nocturne for Brass Band & Percussion: The Lady with the Lamp - Andy Wareham
VIEW SCORE PDF Nocturne for Brass Band & Percussion: The Lady with the Lamp was composed for the BrookWright International Brass Band Composer Competition 2020, the work later going on to be a finalist in the competition. The music celebrates the life and achievements of Florence Nightingale on the 200th anniversary of her birth. The work is structured in ternary form and is designed to be an engaging concert piece, accessible to both lower and upper section bands. Minimal percussion has been used and ossia passages have been added to accommodate all levels. The music imagines Miss Nightingale walking the wards at night with the contrasting sections representing her devotion to the care of others, the struggles and sacrifice of her service, and the lasting effect of her renowned achievements that are still felt to this day. Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Difficulty Level: 2nd Section + Instrumentation: Soprano Cornet Eb Solo Cornet 1&2 Bb Solo Cornet 3&4 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 1&2 Bb Bass Eb Bass Bb Timpani Percussion 1-2
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£35.87Gobsmacked! (Brass Band) Robbert Vos
VIEW SCORE PDF Gobsmacked was commissioned by Ravnanger Brass Band (Norway). The composer Robbert Vos writes: 'Gobsmacked is composed as an opening or encore piece which, as the title already reveals, is meant to surprise or overwhelm the audience! After a brief opening fanfare, the main theme is introduced by the solo cornet and euphonium. An accelerando leads to a quick movement, where this main theme is transformed into a con brio. In this section there's a lot of energy to be unleashed and every band member plays a roll in creating that. Throughout the piece there are many surprises, for example some unexpected time changes, percussion effects to wake you and some trombone glissandi to make you smile. After a short and atmospheric reminiscence by the flugel to the solos from the beginning of the piece, there comes a brief percussion interruption which leads to a reprise of the con brio, but this time in slightly different form. This all comes together in the finale where a big accelerando will lead to an exciting close.' Sheet music available from: UK - www.brassband.co.uk USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com Difficulty Level: 1st 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 Timpani Percussion 1-4
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£12.00Kopanitsa
DescriptionKopanitsa was commissioned by Gavin Pritchard, who is also the work's dedicatee and gave the first performance with the Tongwynlais Temperance Band conducted by Gareth Pritchard at the Butlins Mineworkers Championship on 20 January 2008, winning the prize for best soloist as a result. He has recorded it on the CD "Enter the Galaxies" accompanied by the Cory Band conducted by Robert Childs.Gavin had requested a virtuoso showpiece featuring as many instruments as possible. The solo part is therefore written for vibraphone (bowed and struck), 10 x tuned tom toms, 5 x suspended cymbals plus hi-hat and a xylophone. The soloist's 'choreography' therefore forms an integral part of the performance. This can be seen to great effect in Gavin's performance of the work at the 2013 Brass in Concert Championship with Tredegar Band, available on the DVD of the event from World of Brass. A 'kopanitsa' is a Bulgarian folk dance that traditionally features two slow beats and two quick beats, reflected in the central 10/8 section. The music is deliberately Balkan in character, using the characteristic modes of Greek and Bulgarian folk music, and accelerates regularly to finish at breakneck speed. The tom-tom section marked 'ad lib.' after [D] can be improvised if the soloist wishes.You can view a sample PDF file of the score here and the solo percussion part here.PercussionThe band percussion parts are written for timpani, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tambourine on a stand and bass drum. It is possible to combine these with the soloist part to make the work a feature for percussion trio and parts for this can be made available on request.MutesSoprano cornet, solo and 1st horn, 1st and 2nd baritone and euphoniums will require straight mutes (metal ideally). Soprano cornet, principal cornet, repiano and 1 x 2nd cornet, plus all trombones, will require cup mutes. Repiano, 2nd and 3rd cornet require harmon mutes with the tubes removed (indicated by 'TR').
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£10.00Perseverance
DescriptionPerseverance was commissioned by Middleton Band to mark their 140th anniversary in 2016, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and featured on Middleton Band's CD of the same name.The title is taken from the original name of the 1876 band, the Middleton Perseverance Drum and Fife Band. According to the band's historical records, the Drum and Fife band was formed by six Middleton youngsters eager to learn music but short of funds. Following a whip round, they visited a music shop in Oldham where they purchased a 'one key flute' for six shillings and sixpence, and ('later on') a drum.This determination to make music despite the odds has been a characteristic of the band ever since; at the end of the second world war the band was again down to six players, who rebuilt the 'Middleton Borough Band' back to twenty-six players. After a period of some considerable success throughout the sixties and seventies culminating in winning the National Third Section title in 1983 the band hit hard times again in the late eighties and was down to only four members in 1987 before again being brought back to life. In recent decades the band has built a strong relationship with the East Lancashire Railway, another organisation which has battled sometimes mighty obstacles in its struggle to survive, and has maintained a thriving and successful youth band.The band's will to survive through adversity is reflected in the music, which builds from a sextet of four brass and two percussion players three times, only to fall back to the sextet twice. In the central slow movement the bass drum plays a 'heartbeat' rhythm as the remaining players remember those lost in the war. The relentless pace of the final section culminates in the band triumphing over the adversity which has curtailed the previous two sections. As a former member of Middleton Band (and one of the team that regained the National Third Section title in 2007) it is my pleasure to dedicate this work to the 'Pop and Ale Boys', Middleton Band.You can read more about the piece here.To view the accompanying video by Andy Marshall, designed to precede the piece, clickhereand find out more about the link between the video and the music here.Recording with Score VideoPerformance NotesIn performance the four brass members of the sextet (soprano, solo horn, solo trombone and solo euphonium) should stand at the sides of the band - soprano and horn behind the cornets, trombone and euphonium behind the trombones. Percussion may stand with them at the conductor's discretion, but only if the band has TWO snare drums and TWO concert bass drums available, as these are also needed at the back of the band in the tutti sections. In the second sextet snare drum should be muffled with a heavy cloth OR have the snares turned off (not both).Percussion and mutesPercussion required:snare drum (muffled with a heavy cloth at one point)concert bass drum, kit bass drum, hi-hat, suspended (crash) cymbal2 x tom-tomswood blockclash cymbals3 x timpanitam-tamglockenspielSoprano cornet, repiano and 2nd cornets, flugel and all trombones require metal straight mutes. Soprano, Solo Cornet 3/4, Repiano 2nd and 3rd cornets require cup mutes. Solo Cornet 1/2, Repiano, 2nd and 3rd cornets require harmon mutes.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£63.78Sleigh Ride Suite (Brass Band) Leopold Mozart arr. Alex McGee
Today Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) is known almost exclusively as the stern father of Wolfgang, but he was a prominent and successful musician in his own time. The Sleigh Ride, composed just before Wolfgang was born, certainly shows that Mozart the elder had as good a sense of humour as his more famous son. Wolfgang must, in fact, have known and enjoyed his father's piece - he included a short Sleigh Ride in his German Dances, K.605, in 1791. Leopold's more complicated piece is a programmatic serenade, with short titles for each section: a musical picture of a cold evening's ride to a party. The score calls for sleigh bells, rattle, a whip, and triangle. The action begins with a short overture (Intrada), followed by the Sleigh Ride itself, a lively duple-meter dance accompanied by jangling sleigh bells and punctuated by the cracking of a whip. There is then a nice bit of musical pantomime - The Young Lady Shivers With Cold. The sleigh finally arrives at the party, a ball with a small dance orchestra. The Ball Begins, not surprisingly, with a courtly menuet, and the End of the Ball is a spirited Kehraus, a lively rondo-form dance. This transcription faithfully seeks to convey the light touch of the Age of Enlightenment to the modern brass band and provides ensembles with new material for their annual Christmas concerts. To view a rolling score video of the work please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrBe1u8Xag Duration: Approx. 11.45 minutes Difficulty Level: 3rd Section + PDF download includes parts and score. Sheet music available from www.brassband.co.uk 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 BbTimpani Percussion 1-2
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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