Results
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£94.95An Age of Kings (Mezzo-Soprano Solo with Brass Band and optional choir - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
The origins of this work date back to 1988, when I was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to write the music for The Plantagenets trilogy, directed by Adrian Noble in Stratford-upon-Avon. These plays take us from the death of Henry V to the death of Richard III. Later, in 1991, I wrote the music for Henry IV parts 1 and 2, again in Stratford. All of these plays are concerned with the struggle for the throne, and they portray one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the British monarchy.Much of the music used in these productions was adapted into two large symphonic suites for wind band - The Sword and the Crown (1991) and The Kings Go Forth (1996). An Age of Kings is a new version for brass band incorporating music from both the symphonic suites for wind band. It was specially composed for a recording made by the Black Dyke Band, conducted by Nicholas Childs, in 2004.An Age of Kings is music on a large-scale canvas, scored for augmented brass band, with the addition of harp, piano, mezzo-soprano solo, male chorus, as well as two off-stage trumpets. The music is also organized on a large-scale structure, in three movements, which play without a break - "Church and State", "At the Welsh Court", and "Battle Music and Hymn of Thanksgiving".The first movement, "Church and State", opens with a brief fanfare for two antiphonal trumpets (off-stage), but this only acts as a preface to a Requiem aeternam (the death of Henry V) before changing mood to the English army on the march to France; this subsides into a French victory march, but with the English army music returning in counterpoint. A brief reminder of the Requiem music leads to the triumphal music for Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, father of Edward IV and Richard III (the opening fanfare transformed). However, the mood changes dramatically once again, with the horrors of war being portrayed in the darkly-drawn Dies Irae and Dance of Death, leading to the final section of the first movement, a funeral march for Henry VI.The second movement, "At the Welsh Court", takes music from the Welsh Court in Henry IV part 1 with a simple Welsh folk tune sung by mezzo-soprano to the inevitable accompaniment of a harp. This love song is interrupted by distant fanfares, forewarning of battles to come. However, the folk song returns with variation in the musical fabric. The movement ends as it began with off-stage horn and gentle percussion.The final movement, "Battle Music and Hymn of Thanksgiving", starts with two sets of antiphonally placed timpani, drums and tam-tam, portraying the 'war machine' and savagery of battle. Trumpet fanfares and horn calls herald an heroic battle theme which, by the end of the movement, transforms itself into a triumphant hymn for Henry IV's defeat of the rebellious forces.- Edward GregsonDuration - 22'00"Optional TTBB available separately.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£94.95Dances and Arias (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
This work was commissioned by Boosey & Hawkes Band Festivals (with funds provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain) for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 7th October 1984.Dances and Arias is in one continuous movement, but as the title suggests is a series of alternating fast and slow sections as follows: Dance - Aria I - Dance (scherzo) - Aria II - Dance. The opening dance is energetic and introduces a four-note motif (on trombones) which is the basis for much of the melodic material in the work. Throughout, there is a continuous process of thematic cross-reference and transformation.The first aria unfolds a long melody on solo cornet, eventually continued by all the solo cornets, and dissolving into a shimmering harmonic background (muted cornets, horns and baritones) over which is heard a brief self-quotation on solo tuba. This leads into the second dance, a frenetic scherzo, followed by the second aria, in the style of a lament (solo euphonium, followed by two flugel horns). This builds to a powerful climax which subsides, leaving the percussion to introduce the final toccata-like dance. It transforms material from the opening before a coda brings the music to a triumphant close. The large percussion section is an integral part in the work and uses a wide variety of instruments including timpani, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, tubular bells, tom-toms, snare drum, bongos and tam-tam.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£30.00La Perla Negra - Colin Skinner
For this brooding piece the composer has used the following storyline. "A sad elderly man sits alone in a bar whilst an accordionist plays a slowtango. A beautiful woman walks in wearing a single black pearl necklace and proceeds to dance with the old man. Gradually the music becomesmore and more spirited and the dance faster as the old man becomes youthful again. With a passionate kiss he passes out in thegirl's arms and when he awakens he is back in the bar alone save for the accordionist. As he contemplates his dream he notices a single black pearlleft behind on the bar. The sombre mood is lightened in the middle section by a deliberately trite and stylised trumpet duet, but we soon returnto the opening material for a slow fade-out"
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£55.00Second Suite in F - Gustav Holst arr. Phillip Littlemore
Gustav Holst's Second Suite in F was composed in 1911, two years after the first suite, yet like his first suite it didn't receive its premiere until many years later, on 30th June 1922, at Royal Albert Hall in London and performed by band of The Military School of Music.The Suite uses English folk songs and folk dance tunes throughout. The opening march movement uses three tunes: a lively Morris Dance called Glorishears, the folk song Swansea Town and finally Cloudy Banks. The first two tunes are repeated to conclude the first movement. The second movement is a setting of I'll Love My Love, a sad story of a young maiden driven into Bedlam by grief over her lover being sent to sea by his parents to prevent their marriage. The Song of the Blacksmith follows with a lively hammer rhythms and the score actually asks for a blacksmith's anvil. The final movement is a fantasia based on the 16th Century English country-dance, The Dargason, with the Elizabethan love-song Greensleeves intertwined. This is a new brass band arrangement that has a lighter texture to that made by Sydney Herbert, restoring it to the original key of F and including sectioned omitted from the 1923 arrangement.Duration: c. 12 minutesDifficulty: 2nd Section and above
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days
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£34.95Seascapes (Brass Band - Score Only)
Seascapes was commissioned for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in 1988.Seascapes takes its inspiration from the poem 'Cargos' by John Masefield. In the first movement, a gentle lyric theme, set against a pulsating background is contrasted with a dance. The dance reaches its climax and the music concludes with a quiet theme. The second movement has something of the nature of a sarabande, with a central section, which is a little lighter but retains a Spanish flavour. The composer adds a whimsical thought of his own that there may also have been a party of monks aboard. A variety of ingredients blend in the third movement: the coaster engines, the sea, some jovial shanty-music and the storm element through which the coaster steadily chugs.Suitable for Championship Section bands.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.95
Seascapes (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
Seascapes was commissioned for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in 1988.Seascapes takes its inspiration from the poem 'Cargos' by John Masefield. In the first movement, a gentle lyric theme, set against a pulsating background is contrasted with a dance. The dance reaches its climax and the music concludes with a quiet theme. The second movement has something of the nature of a sarabande, with a central section, which is a little lighter but retains a Spanish flavour. The composer adds a whimsical thought of his own that there may also have been a party of monks aboard. A variety of ingredients blend in the third movement: the coaster engines, the sea, some jovial shanty-music and the storm element through which the coaster steadily chugs.Suitable for Championship Section bands.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£64.95A Day in the Life of a Knight (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
Here we have a most descriptive piece of writing - a story through music. A fantastic 1st section test piece and championship concert work:The opening scene would depict standing on the battlements of a castle hearing the thundering hoofs of our brave Knight's horse miles in the distance. His arrival is expected, and his reputation is known across many lands. Today, he is to joust amongst mere mortal knights and compete for the hand of the fair (and local) Princess.He vanquishes all competitors and wins the day. The scene moves to evening and court where reception and dance is to be held for our winning knight. Both Knight and Princess become centre of attention during the dance. Their eyes only for each other.At last, the Knight has a chance to be a lone with his Princess as they steal away from the celebrations to a star lit rampart above the castle gardens, where the Knight declares his ever-lasting love and pledges his life and of honour to her. He asks her hand, meanwhile monks pray in the below chapel hoping for union. She say's yes. It is announced in court, then blown from the battlements.Day breaks; he is brought word of evil doings back in his own land. He leaves word to the Princess that he will be back soon to take her hand. The trouble back home was a rouse to get him away from the Princes so one of the vanquished, a dark knight in yesterdays joust, has summoned a dragon to kidnap the princess for his own.As the truth of the deception reaches our Knight he quickly returns to face the varlet that has taken his Lady. This time tis no joust, but a fight to the death with the dark knight and dragon. Our champion proves his best once again and wins the day and the hand of his Princess forever!- Phil LawrenceSuitable for 1st Section Bands and aboveDuration: 11.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£82.95Occasion (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
Occasion was published especially for the National Youth Brass Band Championship of Great Britain, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 4th October, 1986.Occasion for Brass Band is in four movements: Fanfare, Festivities, Elegy and Dance. The opening Fanfare was originally written as a Wedding Fanfare for Paul and Hazel Patterson in 1981, while the Elegy and Dance were commissioned as a test-piece for the first Westsound/Ayrshire Invitation Contest in 1982 for the leading bands in Scotland. Festivities was therefore written last, to complete the work and give it its essentially 'festive' character. Except for the Elegy, which is contemplative, the music throughout is extrovert and joyful. The opeing Fanfare may be performed separately - of the Fanfare may be ledt out entirely, making the work a three movement Suite.Duration: 11 minutes
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£37.95
Occasion (Brass Band - Score Only)
Occasion was published especially for the National Youth Brass Band Championship of Great Britain, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 4th October, 1986.Occasion for Brass Band is in four movements: Fanfare, Festivities, Elegy and Dance. The opening Fanfare was originally written as a Wedding Fanfare for Paul and Hazel Patterson in 1981, while the Elegy and Dance were commissioned as a test-piece for the first Westsound/Ayrshire Invitation Contest in 1982 for the leading bands in Scotland. Festivities was therefore written last, to complete the work and give it its essentially 'festive' character. Except for the Elegy, which is contemplative, the music throughout is extrovert and joyful. The opeing Fanfare may be performed separately - of the Fanfare may be ledt out entirely, making the work a three movement Suite.Duration: 11 minutes
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£22.50Petite Suite de Ballet (Score Only)
This composition consists of four 'miniatures', simple in construction, yet not without technical demands upon the players.The music is for a ballet which so far exists only in the imagination! Like most ballet, it has a touch of the fantastic, and must be interpreted with a light, deft touch.The first movement, Parade, brings many characteristics on to the stage, marching perkily, leggily, with almost puppet-like movements.In the next movement, Pas Seul (Solo Dance), one lone figure holds the stage, with a mixture of grace and sauciness. At the end he (or she) runs off with a snap of the fingers.The third movement is a Minuet. A chosen few, richly garbed, perform this stately, courtly dance, while the rest of the company look on at some ritual in which they are not allowed to join.The final Ensemble commencing with the return of the lone figure, gradually brings the whole company to the stage. Various groups come forward for a few moments, and then rejoin the general pattern of the dancing. Towards the end a stately procession is formed, but this finally breaks up in a sudden flurry of leaping and capering, and in a moment, as though at some magic call, the dances have disappeared, whilst the sonorous tones of the final bars of music follow them with a rather disapproving air.Our little fantasy in over.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days