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£15.00Perseverance
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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£34.95
CHOOSE FREEDOM (Brass Band Set) - Kenneth Downie
Choose Freedom is largely derived from the composers' own setting of Richard Slater's words, 'Yes, there flows a wondrous river' for SATB choir which was published in The Salvation Army's Choral Festival Series under the title 'The mighty river'.After many allusions to the song, it is eventually stated in full in the trio section. Downie's effective use of varying harmonic colours, unusual instrumental voicings and modal harmonies stand out in this rhythmically diverse march. There are quite a few loud passages in the march so conductors should savour the quieter ones!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£34.95
DELIBERATE (Brass Band Set) - Andrew Mackereth
So that there is no doubt about the correct pronunciation, the title of this festival (concert) march means 'to think about'! It was written in 2010 for the Belfast Temple Music School and recalls a particularly impressive open-air meeting from the previous year's school. The main theme heard is 'Onward, Christian soldiers' while there is also reference to 'A mighty fortress is our God'.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95
POLOVTSIAN DANCES, The (Excerpts from Prince Igor) (Brass Band Set) - Alexander Borodin - Kevin Norbury
Alexander Borodin (1883 - 1887) was a Russian composer who made his living as a chemist. He was a member of the group of composers called "The Five" (or "The Mighty Handful") who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music. He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, and his opera "Prince Igor". The opera contains "The Polovtsian Dances" which is often performed as a stand-alone concert work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95
TURRIS FORTISSIMA (Brass Band Set) - Steven Ponsford
The geographical position of Plymouth (the composer's home city) means that, at various times in history, the city has been the United Kingdom's first line of defence. A series of forts around the coast bears testimony to this and forts have featured on the city's coat of arms ever since. However, the city's forefathers believed that physical security was worthless without a faith in God's protection and this is reflected in the city motto; Turris fortissima est nomen Jehovah (The name of Jehovah is our strongest tower) (Proverbs 18:10). Written for Enfield Citadel Band's tour of the USA in 2007, the music attempts to portray this assurance with the use of the tune Ein' Fest Burg (A mighty fortress is our God) along with the more contemporary Blessed be the Name of the Lord and Shout to the Lord. There is also an apt reference to Dean Goffin's My Strength, My Tower as the music builds to its dramatic final bars.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.95
HOLY WAR, The (Brass Band Set) - Ray Steadman-Allen
Inspired by John Bunyan's allegory of the same name, the composer paints a sound picture of spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil. Martin Luther's Reformation chorale Ein feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress is our God) serves as the rallying point for 'good' forces led by Mansoul. This brilliant score, A Salvation Army epic, serves as an example of marvellous invention, colourful scoring and compact formal symmetry.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£154.60Circius - Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
The work is important for me because it was my first piece to be performed outside Norway. Black Dyke Band/David King performed it and did a recording of it in 1991. In the original score I quote a Swedish bishop (Olaus Mangnus) who lived in the 15th century. He travelled around Scandinavia and drew maps - very important historic material. When he came to the north of Norway (where I come from) he decribed the wind from the north as Ciricus: (something like) Worst of all winds is Circius, that revolves (?= turn upside down) heaven and earth. (Well, not a good translation Im afraid). The fast sections reflects the mighty winds from the north. In the middle section, I borrowed afolksong-like tune (by C. Elling, a Norwegian composer). The text (by Kristoffer Janson) tells about old times when the fishermen used open boats: they had to put their lives in the hands of God.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£109.99Frontier Vision - Stephen Bulla
Frontier Vision is a concert or contest piece based on three elements: the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Reformation Day, the Martin Luther melody, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott) on whichthis composition is based, and thirdly the spreading of the evangelical movement in the late 19th century, of which the analogous storyline forms the structural basis of this work. Multi-cultural ethnic influences, along with the driving rhythms thatreflect the perseverance and hard work of those mission-minded pioneers, are both important components that make Frontier Vision an outstanding choice for your concert or contest. Frontier Vision was the test piece for the seconddivision in the Dutch National Brass Band Championships 2017.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£109.99Nordic Moods - Tom Brevik
The composer:1st movement: Reflections by the Fjord.Overlooking one of the mighty fjords of Norway, my mind and thoughts are with an old religious Norwegian folk-tune, with words by the famous parson Peter Dass.The majestic fanfare-likeopening reflects the power of God our Father, the choral itself heard for the first time on flugelhorn. The choral is repeated a few times, separated only by some short variations. The movement ends in thriumph, with fanfares and the choral broughttogether.2nd movement: Reflections in the Old Church.In this movement my associations of a summer day, finding myself alone in an old deserted stone church. From the old walls I hear folk songs, perhaps like the ones sung in the church bypoor fishermen and farmers in days gone by. Suddenly the light from the sun breakes through the small circular window above the altar, and a lovely melody is heard, before the original figures take us to the end of the movement.3rd movement:Festive Reflections.Any festive occasion can be reflected in this movement. from the bonfire at midsummer-night to the children celebrating the return of the sun in the northern part of Norway. from the traditional sleigh-riding at Christmas tothe Celebrations of the National Day on the 17th of May each year.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£54.99
God rest ye merry Gentlemen
'God rest ye merry, Gentlemen' is an ancient English carol. It was first published in 1833, but it can be traced as far back as the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest carols known. 'God rest ye merry' is a Middle English salutation. In this manner, people wished one another greatness and might. In modern English, the first line of this carol would read 'May God keep you mighty, gentlemen'. Andrew R. Mackereth has not kept to the original words in his up-tempo arrangement of the carol. It is still clearly recognizable, but the arranger has taken a good many liberties. Sometimes a particular note is held longer, at times motifs follow oneanother in various parts. If you listen carefully, you may even be able to detect a motif from another well-known song.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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