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£89.95Songs of Ascent - Jonathan Bates
DURATION: 14 minutes. DIFFICULTY: Championship. 'Songs of Ascent' was composed for the Royal Northern College of Music Brass Band, as part of their programme for the 2019 RNCM Festival of Brass. In my view, the festival itself is the leading showcase for original contemporary music for the medium (in a concert setting) in the world and therefore an ideal place to explore new ideas and sounds, which was a notion fundamental to the construction of this work. The piece is subtitled 'Out of the Depths, I cry to you, O Lord'; the opening line of Psalm 130 (which forms part of a set of 15 psalsm, 120-134 known as the Songs of Ascent") which forms the main inspiration for much of the musical material. Following an extended opening for four individual tuba lines, there are a number of solos for members of the band off stage, with bleak and deep accompaniment lines, reflecting the words of Psalm 130. Amongst these 'songs of ascents', the most common and strong themes are repentance and redemption; with the central core of this work emerging 'from the depths' to reveal one of very few calming and reflective passages of the work utilising the tune of 'Guide Me O Thy Great Redeemer' in a new setting, featuring the Solo Horn and Bass Trombone, before returning to the ethereal and dark timbres that form much of the music up to this point. In terms of compositional technique, this work is solely based on a set of 4 9-note scales in their various unique transpositions (below). Each of these scales provide a set of 2 whole tone scales, 6 minor triads, 6 major triads and is built on 9 augmented triads. Whilst most of the music in this work is based melodically on the set of notes (heard right at the outset in the motif in the tuba line), the central section delves into the harmonic capabilities of these 'modes', using a number of the 7 'keys' which can be derived from the minor & major chords derived in each scale. All 4 scales are used independantly to each other, with whole sections of the work focussing on each mode. 'Songs of Ascent' was selected as the set work for the Championship Section at the Butlin's Mineworker's Championships in 2020.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
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£30.00Django - Jock McKenzie
Django is inspired by the sounds of 'Hot Club Jazz'. The origins of this style also known as Gypsy Swing or Jazz Manouche were to be found in France in the 1930s. Indeed, the most famous group, based in Paris was the "Quintette du Hot Club de France" and featured in its ranks the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli. My composition Django seeks to provide a 'beginners guide' to some of the typical elements of this musical style: After a 'faux improvised' opening flourish, the main theme is in the characteristic minor key, including use of arpeggio figures to point the direction of the melodic line. The melodies throughout the piece are presented in a duet-like manner, spaced in intervals of 3rds and 6ths. The accompaniment based strongly around the minor 6th chords is designed to imitate the role of the rhythm section in a typical gypsy swing band.
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£22.99Who Is He In Yonder Stall - Bb Cornet Solo
This is an fabulous little Christmas cornet solo, that will mad an excellent addition to any programme. It starts very simply with the soloist and a quartet of horns, baritone and euphonium. It then builds for a fast verse and then modulates into the minor, with the horns taking the "Who is He" melody and the cornet moving to a minor version of "Silent Night". The piece then shifts back to the tonic key with the cornet finishing the final verse while the whole band then slowly re-enters.
Estimated dispatch 5-9 working days
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£137.99Metamorphosis - Jan de Haan
The opening of this three-movement work features an initial appearance of the thematic material that returns in various guises later on in the work. The leitmotiv centres on a minor second.A range of thematic variations is heard in the lively and energetic Metamorphosis One. This movement is interrupted by an atmospheric meno mosso, containing melodic passages that return to the opening theme. Metamorhosis Two is characterised by various changes in tempo and musical character. Seven different soloists transform the thematic material each in their own way. This eventually culminates in a passionate tutti passage.The source of inspiration for Metamorphosis Three isthe so-called BACH-motif, a musical autograph consisting of the notes B flat, A, C and B. This distinctive motif arises from the leitmotiv (here a descending minor second), which continues to evolve through various transpositions and transformations. For the composer, this spectacular last movement is an homage to one of the greatest and most influential composers in the history of music: Johann Sebastian Bach.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£74.99
The Universal Band Collection - Jacob de Haan
A collection of 5 short works in pop style which can be performed by any kind of compilation. The titles can be presented on the programme as separate works but the Universal Band Collection can also be performed as a complete suite. From a didactic point of view it is a suitable work to teach musicians something about the structure in music. For this purpose not only the big structure but also the small structure was kept very clear.Western Girl : A girl from the west of the USA rides her horse across the prairie, dreaming of her future. The rough structure: introduction - theme in a blues scale - the same thing in a different instrumentation - finale.Just a ballad : A balladin pop style with a rough A-B-A form. First there is the introduction of the main theme (A), then follows a tenor melody in minor with a rhythmical reference to the main theme (B). Finally there is the main melody, performed tutti with a different rhythm in the drums (A').Play the Game : An English saying meaning: play fairly. Playful music in up-tempo with a wink to China, where almost all games are manufactured nowadays. Once again an A-B-A structure here.San Diego : A Mexican fugitive enjoys his freedom in America but also remembers his place of birth with melancholy. A sad minor melody with a straight trendy beat appears twice. The second time it has a slightly different instrumentation, in which the muted trumpets represent the Mexican feeling.Final Dance : Eventually there is a dance with an introduction in renaissance style, followed by a fast dance in rock style. All this composed in a classical song structure: introduction, verse, bridge, chorus, shortened verse, bridge, chorus, chorus.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£85.00Alchymist's Journal. - Kenneth Hesketh
'The Alchymist's Journal' gets its title from the book of the same name by American author Evan S. Connell. The book fictionalises a number of famous Alchemist's writings, each one developing another's thoughts thuscontinuing one idea but changing it subtly to provide a new view point or way of thinking. This process is, in fact, alchemical as one idea transmutes into another. This idea is parallel to the processes at work within thesevariants. The whole work is constructed from 6 notes (C, A, B flat, E flat, F sharp, E) and is presented in nine different sections, each individual in mood but still based upon the original pitches. This is not a thematic setofvariations, as the themes are developed one at a time from small segments of the six notes. For example, the opening theme is the complete number of pitches, the second theme uses three notes transposed then repeated at theoriginal level, and so on. Harmonically, the six notes can be divided into two triads, A minor and E flat minor - each key beginning and ending the piece respectively. Whilst this is essentially abstract music with noprogramme there is an introduction, menacing scherzo, slow reflective section followed by a recap of the scherzo and final coda. 'The Alchymist's Journal' was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust at the suggestionof Paul Hindmarsh, to whom the work is dedicated.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£74.99Oregon - Jacob de Haan
This fantasy tells the story of Oregon, one of Americas north-western states. Traveling by train on the Northern Pacific Railroad, the listener is taken through the fascinating Oregon landscape. Indians, cowboys, golddiggers and hooded wagons will file past on this adventurous journey. The piece has some similarities with a soundtrack of a movie. Various melodies, which could be the main themes of a movie, pass the review.The piece begins in a slow movement, introducing the first theme in minor. Then we hear in the following fast movement the trombones imitate the train, whistling the steam-flute. We hear the characteristic minor theme again, but now in differentvariants(also in major). The rythmic structure of 'western' stile and rock succeed each other. This is leading to the slow movement, where the signals of horns and trumpets introduce a wonderful vocal melody. After this characteristic melody, the fast movement appears shortly again, the trombones whistling the steam-flute again (now in major). We hear also some musical elements, that plays a part in the following Presto. Barchanges, jazzy chords, interesting rhytmic patterns (with bongo) and an original theme are the characteristics of this Presto. After this, the horns announce the last section of the piece. Interesting is the fact that we hear in this Allegro section a variant of the vocal melody in the slow movement. Also the Presto theme returns shortly, followed by the Allargando, which is a grand characteristic end of a soundtrack. The movie of our travelling fantasy has come to an end.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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Aldebaran - Maurice Forslund - Maurice Forslund
We are pleased to offer this new piece from our colleague, Maurice Forslund, in Sweden. "Aldebaran" is a traditional-style brass band march, named after one of the brightest and largest stars in the Northern sky. (The star is a red giant over 40 times the size of our Sun). The music starts off in a sombre minor key that turns progressively brighter step by step. This sequence is arrested by a brief section featuring a setting of the hymn tune 'Bangor' which dramatically puts the march firmly back into the minor key before setting it up for progression to the finale. This piece is graded in the range 'easy' to 'intermediate' and is well within the capabilities of most bands.
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Runaway - Max Crook & Del Shannon - Len Jenkins
"Runaway" was made famous by Del Shannon in 1961 when it was released in the February of that year and quickly became an international hit. At its height it was said to be selling at the rate of 80,000 singles per day and in the June made number one in the UK. It was written with Max Crook who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron which features in the original recording. The song was originally recorded in A minor, but the producer sped up the finished recording to just below B-flat minor. The iconic synthesiser sound in this arrangement is reproduced as a solo on Soprano cornet, and should be within the capabilities of most players provided attention is paid to the breathing regime.
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£124.99Metamorphosis (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
The opening of this three-movement work features an initial appearance of the thematic material that returns in various guises later on in the work. The leitmotiv centres on a minor second.A range of thematic variations is heard in the lively and energetic Metamorphosis One. This movement is interrupted by an atmospheric meno mosso, containing melodic passages that return to the opening theme.Metamorhosis Two is characterised by various changes in tempo and musical character. Seven different soloists transform the thematic material - each in their own way. This eventually culminates in a passionate tutti passage.The source of inspiration for Metamorphosis Three is the so-called BACH-motif, a musical autograph consisting of the notes B flat, A, C and B. This distinctive motif arises from the leitmotiv (here a descending minor second), which continues to evolve through various transpositions and transformations. For the composer, this spectacular last movement is an homage to one of the greatest and most influential composers in the history of music: Johann Sebastian Bach.Duration: 17:00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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