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£89.99Torsion (Brass Band - Score and Parts)
Torsion was commissioned by the Leyland Band and first performed on 23 January 2010 at the Royal Northern College of Music Festival of Brass, Manchester, by Leyland Band conducted by Jason Katsikaris. This colourful and dynamic work is the most personal and ambitious that Simon Dobson composed during his residency with the Lancashire brass band. The dictionary defines torsion as the state of being twisted and the composer interprets this as the imagined dis-torsions and con-torsions of Time, Light and Sound in three contrasting movements. Simon Dobson fuses the traditional brass band sound with drive and energy of pop and funk jazz with optional digitally distorted 'echoes' providing added aural confusion at the points of climax. Although composed as a substantial concert work, Torsion would also make a challenging test-piece for contesting brass bands in the elite divisions. Suitable for Championship Section Bands. Duration: 15.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Wall of Sound
This piece was commissioned by Dr Nicholas Childs and Philip Biggs for the National Children's Band of Great Britain.As the commission was for a youth band, I wanted to compose a piece of music that alluded to the styles and genres of music that are abundant in the current popular music market. However, the National Children's Band isn't just any old youth band; they are some of the finest young musicians in Great Britain. So the challenge was to compose a piece that included many popular music styles whilst providing enough of a test to keep the music technically interesting to work on and perform.The driving force behind the whole piece is the percussion section and in particular, the drum kit which is constant throughout. From the start the music is rhythmic and repetitive, similar to many dance tracks. The music begins to slowly unfold and build in texture and at bar 24 the syncopated main theme appears. This theme reappears throughout the piece along with various other motifs and solo lines. The music uses the styles, rock, pop, latin, funk and dance within the score and has a real fun factor about it.There are lots of opportunities for soloists to play and it is marked in the score where to stand and soloists can come out to the front of the stage. I really enjoyed working on this piece and I'm sure performers and audience members will enjoy it too.Paul Lovatt-Cooper
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