Results
-
£74.99Olympus - Philip Harper
Selected as the test-piece for the 3rd Section Regional contests of the National Brass Band Championships 2012The music begins with a depiction of the exciting Opening Ceremony where noisy fanfares and sudden swells add to the cosmopolitan flag-waving clamour. Without a break the music leads to The Chariot Race, a fast compound-time gallop withthundering hooves in the basses and percussion, and a heroic melody introduced by the tenor horns. Chariot racing was the main equestrian event in the Ancient Greek Games, which were founded in memory of King Oenomaus. In the Greek legend he suffereddefeat in a chariot race to his son-in-law and Zeus' grandson, Pelops, but much of the music is bitter-sweet to symbolise the fact that Pelops had to cheat to win drawing parallels with some of the issues still facing modern-day athletics. A slow, mystical passage follows, describing The Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The statue of Zeus, who was honoured throughout the Ancient Games' history, was housed inside the temple and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Themusic depicts this period of the dawn of one of mankind's most ancient civilisations and there is a series of solo passages above a drone. The next section is called The Olympic Flame and a broad and lyrical anthem-like melody develops slowly in the euphoniums, which gradually ascends until the horns can take it over before passing upwards again to the cornets (Higher). The musicbursts into bright life at the lighting of the flame and the regular rhythmic pattern which has been established goes through an accelerando (Faster). The final section is called The Olympic Truce and aims to capture the cooperative spirit of the ancient practice of ending wars for the duration of the games. The anthem-like melody makes an affirmatory return (Stronger) and the work ends asit began with a blaze of colour and a real sense of optimism and global celebration. "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stonger)NOTES ON PERFORMANCEPercussion requirements: 1 to 3 players (3 Timpani, Snare Drum, Tenor Drum, Cymbals, Glockenspiel, Triangle)
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£19.95Mythical Tales (Brass Quintet)
Mythical Tales (2012) is a ten minute work in three movements which represents three of the most popular folk stories or indeed in the case of the first movement, true stories, in Welsh culture.I. Owain GlyndwrOwain Glyn Dwr was born around the 1350s into an Anglo-Welsh gentry family. His estates provided him with a modest power base in north-east Wales. After a number of disputes, he proclaimed himself prince of Wales in September 1400.Glyn Dwr led several battles with the English, although he was never captured. Over the next few years punitive measures were enacted to keep control of Wales, but these were matched by many acts of Welsh rebellion - among them the capture of Conwy Castle in April 1401. In June 1402, at the Battle of Pilleth on Bryn Glas Hill, Glyn Dwr led his troops to victory over an English army. By now Glyn Dwr was leading a national revolt. In 1404, he led a march towards Wocester, but failed, with the English capturing parts of Wales. He died defending his country.II. MyfanwyMyfanwy was the most beautiful woman in Powys, but she was vain and liked nothing better than to be told how beautiful she was. Many handsome men would court her, but she would not show interest because they couldn't sing and play to her, reflecting her true beauty.Luckily, a penniless bard, Hywel ap Einion was in love with Myfanwy, and one day plucked up the courage to climb up the hill to the castle with his harp, to sing and play to her. He's allowed in to play for her, and while he's playing and complimenting her on her beauty she can neither listen nor look at any other man. Because of this Hywel believes that she has fallen in love with him. But his hopes are dashed when a richer, more handsome and more eloquent lover comes along. The music of the second movement portrays the despair and upset that Hywel must have felt.III. Battle of the DragonsMany centuries ago when dragons roamed the land, a white ice dragon descended on a small village and decided to live there, not knowing that a red fire dragon was already living nearby.Six months later the red dragon awoke to find a huge white dragon wrapped around his village that he cared for. He could tell that his people were ill from the cold. The Land was bare; nothing was able to grow not even the pesky dandelions. The people were starving. The people longed for the red dragon to free them from the icy misery, so that their life and land could return to the sunny and warm climate that it was once before.The red fire dragon challenged the white ice dragon to a single combat fight at the top of the cliff the next day. The people of the village watched in terror awaiting their fate. The red dragon beat the white dragon, and the crowd cheered with joy as the red dragon roared with triumph. The mayor of the village declared that the land should always fly a flag with the symbol of a Red dragon on it. The flag's background should be half green and half white; the green to represent the lush green grass of the land and the white to represent the ice. This way no one would ever forget what happened.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£65.00AN ELGAR PORTRAIT - D.Price
This work was composed in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the birth English Composer Sir Edward Elgar. The suite is in three movements: 'Introduction', 'Elegy' and 'March', each of which have been inspired by three of Elgar's most celebrated works; Chanson de Matin, Nimrod ('Variation IX' from the Enigma Variations) and Pomp and Circumstance No.1.'Introduction' - Hollybush HillHollybush Hill is the name of one of the peaks of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire. The Malverns were a favourite walking area for Elgar and his wife, and their panoramic views inspired much of Elgar's music.'Elegy' - BroadheathBroadheath is the small village at the foot of the Malvern Hills where Elgar was born (and lived at various times throughout his life). Elgar is buried not far from Broadheath at St Wulstan's in Little Malvern. 'March' - Worcester CathedralMany of the Worcestershire ensembles and music festivals played an important role in Elgar's early musical education. He was heavily involved in The Three Choirs Festival and either conducted or played in many of the light orchestras and vocal groups that performed at venues across Worcester. A statue of Elgar overlooks the Cathedral at the end of Worcester High Street.An Elgar Portrait has been used regularly as an own-choice test-piece for Section 4 bands, and was also selected as the set work for the Swiss National Championships in 2007 as well as the Pontins Championships in 2008. The composer has slightly reworked this piece for the Section 4 Final of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2020 and it's this version that should be performed at the contest. If bands currently have an older version in their libraries, please contact us directly for more information.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£61.00
On My Own - Vocal or Instrumental Solo - Boublil-Schoenberg - John Philip Hannevik
"On my Own" is now regarded as one of the most famous songs from "Les Miserables", the incredibly popular musical by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil. The story is based on a novel by Victor Hugo. In the song, Eponine sings about her love for Marius, and she dreams about having a life with him.Solo-Options in this arrangement: Vocal. Bb-Instruments, Eb-Instruments
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£37.95Amigos Para Siempre (Score and Parts) - Andrew Lloyd Webber arr. Peter Graham
The official authorized brass band arrangement one of the Official Theme of the 1992 Barcelona Games. The title translates as 'Friends for Life' and has been expertly arranged by Peter Graham.
Estimated dispatch 7-9 working days
-
£25.00Deus in Adjutorium
DescriptionMonteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers for the Blessed Virgin) is a musical setting by Claudio Monteverdi of the evening vespers on Marian feasts, scored for soloists, choirs, and orchestra. It is an ambitious work in scope, style and scoring, and has a duration of around 90 minutes. Published in Venice with a dedication to Pope Paul V dated 1 September 1610 as Sanctissimae Virgini Missa senis vocibus ac Vesperae pluribus decantandae, cum nonnullis sacris concentibus, ad Sacella sive Principum Cubicula accommodata ("Mass for the Most Holy Virgin for six voices, and Vespers for several voices with some sacred songs, suitable for chapels and ducal chambers"), it is mercifully regularly shortened to Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610.Monteverdi was born and spent the first part of his working life in Cremona before moving to Mantua (where he composed the Vespers) and finally attaining one of the top jobs in Italian renaissance music as Maestro di Capella at the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. He is most famous for his vocal music, notably his madrigals and the earliest surviving opera, Orfeo.Performance notes:The opening "versicle" on euphonium should be declamatory, in a recitative style - i.e. in free tempo and not conducted. Ideally the player should stand for this.Where practical, the soprano and 1st & 2nd solo cornets should stand to the left of the band, and the repiano and 3rd & 4th solo cornets to the right. If three percussionists are available, the third player should double the Percussion 2 part, and in that event it is often effcetive to have the 2nd and 3rd percussion players stand to the left and right of the band with the cornets.Watch a preview video of the score below:
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£12.00Edward Gregson: The World Rejoicing
DescriptionComposer's NoteIn searching for a common link between the brass band traditions of the various European countries that commissioned this work, I considered the fact that hymns have always played an important role in the relationship that brass bands have with their particular communities; and thus I turned to a well-known Lutheran chorale, Nun danket alle Gott (Now thank we all our God), written around 1636 by Martin Rinkart, with the melody attributed to Johann Cruger. A number of composers have incorporated this chorale into their music, most famously J.S.Bach in his Cantatas no. 79 and 192, and Mendelssohn in the Lobsegang movement of his 2nd Symphony (the harmonization of which is usually used when this hymn is sung).It seemed fitting therefore for me to return to a compositional form I have used many times before (Variations) and to write a work based on this hymn. I have used it in a similar way to that which I employed in my Variations on Laudate Dominum of 1976 - that is, rather than writing a set of variations using elaborations of the complete tune, I have taken various phrases from the chorale and used them within the context of other musical material, applying an overall symphonic process of continuous variation and development. The structure, or sub-divisions of the work, which is through composed and plays without a break, is as follows: Prelude, Capriccio, La Danza 1, Processional, La Danza 2, Arias and Duets, Fuga Burlesca, Chorale, and Postlude.The work is also partly autobiographical - in the manner say of Strauss's Ein Heldenleben - in that I have incorporated into the score brief quotations from many of my other major works for brass band. In that respect, The World Rejoicing sums up a particular facet of my life as a composer, and reflects the admiration I have always had for what is surely one of the great amateur music-making traditions in the world.The World Rejoicing is dedicated 'in loving memory of my brother', Bramwell Logan Gregson, who sadly passed away in the Autumn of 2018.Edward Gregson
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£32.50Viennese Delights - Kevin Ackford
Score & Parts A selection from 6 of Johan Strauss II best known waltzes: An Artist's Life Wine, Women and Song A Thousand and One Nights Wiener Blut Tales from the Vienna Woods The Blue Danube. A great classical addition to your programmes. Duration approx. 8:15
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days
-
£34.95Beneath The Stars - Jonathan Bates
DURATION: 5'00". DIFFICULTY: 3rd+. 'Beneath The Stars' was composed for Mark Wilkinson and the Foden's Band for the 2023 Brass in Concert Championships held at The Glasshouse, Gateshead. The theme for the programme celebrated 30 years of Aladdin's premiere on screens in the United Kingdom and in this section of the story, Aladdin and Jasmine take a magic carpet ride beneath the starry skies as their love for one another grows stronger, during which Aladdin reveals his true self to Jasmine as being Prince Ali Ababwa and not the poor commoner that he dresses as to escape the stresses of royal life. .
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 1-3 working days
-
Christmas Eve | David Stowell
The scene is set one very cold, very snowy Christmas Eve. In the market square a Brass Band plays a traditional Christmas melody, when in the distance, a second melody can be heard from another village nearby, and the magic of Christmas is created.This magical true life experience was what prompted David to write Christmas Eve, but in this piece, he has also woven in a third melody.Instrumentation: Solo Quartet: Solo Cornet, Repiano Cornet, Solo Tenor horn, Solo Euphonium Main Band: Soprano, Solo, 2nd and 3rd Cornets Flugelhorn 1st and 2nd Tenor Horns 1st and 2nd Baritone 1st, 2nd and Bass Trombone Euphonium Eb and Bb Basses Percussion: Glockenspiel, Tubular BellsISMN: 979-0-708127-39-0
View Music