Results
-
£30.00Janacek's 'Taras Bulba' - Janacek
Comments from Tim Paton, the arranger of Janacek's 'Taras Bulba': "I will never forget the day in 1967 when I was introduced to the music of Leos Janacek, a Czech composer born in 1854, who died in 1928. Janacek was little known in Britain until the 1960's, when the conductor Charles Macherras introduced his unique music. I heard a recording of Macherras conducting the Pro Arte Orchestra in a performance of Janacek's "Sinfonietta".It was in 1969 that I first heard Janacek's Symphonic Rhapsody, "Taras Bulba".Janacek's music is exciting, powerful, emotive, impassioned and unpredictable.I have taken the first and third movements of this piece, and adapted them for Brass Band, which was at times extremely difficult, but rewarding. It sometimes took up to an hour to be satisfied that a mere several bars had been reproduced to convey the composer's intentions.The Death of AndriThe Cossaks, under the leadership of Taras Bulba, are fighting against the Poles in the 17th century. Taras's son Andri seeks to rescue his love, a Polish princess, from a city which is being besieged by the Cossaks. Having found her, he throws in his lot with the Poles, but is finally captured by his father, who executes him as a traitor before riding off again to battle.Prophesy and Death of Taras BulbaTaras himself is finally captured and condemned to be nailed to a tree and burned alive. As the flames creep around him, Taras has the satisfaction of seeing histroops escape, and as he dies, sees a vision of his country freed at last.This is incredibly descriptive music. The mood is constantly changing, creating feelings of love and anger, celebration and melancholy, despair and triumph.This Brass Band EditionThe duration of the original symphonic rhapsody, three movements, is approximately 23 minutes. I chose the first and third movements, so the Brass Band edition is approximately 14 minutes. The main reason is twofold: Being realistic about the demands this music would place on the stamina of the brass player; Keeping the piece less than 15 minutes, so that, if desired, it could be used on the contest platform.Two unique qualities of Janacek's music had to be taken into account when preparing this brass band version. His compositional technique was individual, at times not sticking to traditional expectations, in both form and orchestration. I imagined what the genius himself would have said looking at my work, and how to tackle a particular section to emulate his original intentions. This was particularly the case when dealing with high woodwind and violin parts, the use of tremolo in string parts, and the orchestral harp.Percussion: Janacek included timpani, side drum, cymbals, triangle and tubular bells. For reasons stated previously, I have also included xylophone and glockenspiel. I have also added the gong in a couple of places to enhance the dramatic effect of the music.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
-
£30.00National Express
I first heard of the song National Express, which was in the British Top Ten in 1998, when my son Jon mentioned it last year. It was written and sung by Neil Hannon, with his group "The Divine Comedy". Jon said that it would sound good played by a brass band. Tim Benson, solo trombone with Stannington Brass Band, also mentioned it on the internet forum, themouthpiece.com I spoke with Tim, and agreed to do a brass band arrangement with a special feature for solo trombone. In this arrangement, the solo trombone adds extra colour to a band arrangement which is a mixture of big band and country style. The trombone part is well within the capabilities of a good player. There is a comic element to this song, and the cornets and flugel contain an eight bar spoken part, which, if included, would enhance it's entertainment value.Tim Benson took the music to rehearsal at Stannington Brass Band and it instantly became a hit with the band who left whistling the melody. The piece not only retains the fun of the original, but it cleverly uses the band, and a bit of additional vocals from the cornet section. "Tim Benson and the Stannington Brass Band would like to thank Tim Paton for the arrangement." (Tim Benson)."National Express" is on Stannington Brass Band's latest CD, "AND ALL THAT BRASS", available from [email protected]."Pontins was brilliant... one of the highlights of my weekend was playing/performing National Express... absolutely belting arrangement Tim... I love it!" Message from Fiona, who performed with themouthpiece.com scratch band at the Pontins Brass Band Championships in Prestatyn.
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
-
£30.00Neruda - Johann Baptist Georg Neruda
Johann Baptist Georg Neruda was an 18th century Czech violinist and composer. Classical trumpet players include his Concerto in Eb for Trumpet & Strings as one of their favourite solos, which is often performed on an Eb Soprano Trumpet. My son Jon, a fine trumpet and cornet player, has played it often. Soprano Cornet player Simon Morgan asked me if it could be done with a brass band. I have taken the lively 1st movement, and adapted it as a soprano cornet solo. Ideal as a concert item, part of a CD, or part of an entertainment programme."Tim, many thanks for this, a great arrangement and a great solo". Simon Morgan
In Stock: Estimated dispatch 3-5 working days
-
Walking in Greendale - Bryan Daly - Len Jenkins
The composer Bryan Daly was responsible for the music in the original Postman Pat series, including its well-known signature tune. Tucked away in only one episode, (not the one about Pat learning to play a tuba), is the delightful piece "Walking in Greendale", which features a jolly tuba part. Bryan kindly gave permission for its arrangement for Tuba and Brass Band, and this was originally played by Graham Cooper in The Woburn Sands 'B' Band at Whaddon Church Fete (one branch of Graham's family comes from Whaddon, in Buckinghamshire). The piece is ideal for fetes, concerts and similar engagements. Sadly, Bryan Daly died in January 2012, but with the agreement of his son, Robert, this revised arrangement is dedicated to his memory.
-
£68.99The Green Hills of Tyrol - Philip Sparke
The Green Hills of Tyrol was commissioned by Jrena and Beat Knusel for their son, Swiss euphonium player Joel Knusel, to celebrate his 20th birthday in 2019. The request was for a piece suitable for use in a solo competition, possibly using a Scottish or Irish melody, and composer Philip Sparke suggested an 'old-fashioned' air varie might be a suitable idea. The piece follows the well-established formula of a theme followed by four variations. The history of the original melody is fascinating and, although it is now well-known as a bagpipe tune, its background is Austrian or Italian, rather than Scottish. The tune appears as a chorus of Swiss soldiers in Rossini's 1829 opera William Tell but was possibly an existing Tyrolean folk tune. In 1854, during the Crimean War, Pipe Major John MacLeod of the 93rd Highlanders heard a band of the Sardinian contingent playing selections from the opera in camp before the Siege of Sebastopol. He was struck by the melody and arranged it for his pipers, calling it The Green Hills of Tyrol, referring to Tell's visit to that corner of Austria in the opera. It has since become universally popular among pipe bands who usually refer to it as A Scottish Soldier, following the addition of new lyrics in a 1961 hit by Andy Stewart.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£57.50Ballad for Benny - Philip Sparke
The birth of Philip Sparke's second son, Benjamin, was the inspiration for composing Ballad for Benny. A short calm introduction leads to the main ballad theme, a gentle waltz melody. Following the work's climax in which the complete band plays the main theme the sound fades and the piece ends in calm and serenity.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£68.99Rogier van Otterloo Medley - Rogier van Otterloo
Before his untimely death in 1988, Dutch composer Rogier van Otterloo became well-known for the film music he wrote to various successful Dutch movies. In this medley, made by his youngest son, Thijs van Otterloo, the themes of Help, de dokter verzuipt! (Help, the Doctor Is Drowning!, 1974) and Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange, 1977) have been used, as well as Esther (from Soldier of Orange). A fantastic trip into the field of world cinema music.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£59.99
The New Covenant - James Curnow
Throughout The New Covenant the composer seeks to portray through programmatic music the sensitivity, love and understanding of a compassionate Christ and the strength and wisdom of the Son of God who gave Himself to become the new covenant between God and man. This descriptive work creates a word painting by use of fragments from John Newton's beautiful hymn 'How Sweet The Name of Jesus'. An ideal work for any concert but especially for those taking place in Churches or Cathedrals.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£59.99A Baroque Triptych
In his own distinctive style, Robert van Beringen has composed a very unique fantasy on three themes by the famous Baroque composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Friedrich Handel. Van Beringen used Bach's chorale Brich an, o schones Morgenlicht ('Break forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light') from his Christmas Oratorio and the recitative Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with Us from Handel's Messiah. A perfect way to say Merry Christmas in music!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
-
£68.99A Flemish Christmas - Jan Hadermann
In A Flemish Christmas, Jan Hadermann tells the Christmas story by means of four Old Flemish Christmas Songs.Mary is chosen to bring Jesus Christ, the son of God, into the world: Het was een maged uitverkoren ('She was a virgin chosen').On the occasion of a census, Mary, who is with child, and Joseph, her husband to be, travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus will be born in a humble stable: Maria die zoude naar Bethlehem gaan (Mary would go to Bethlehem').O kerstnacht, schoner dan de dagen ('Oh Christmas Night, more beautiful than the days') is a stately chorale that sings the praises of Jesus' birth.Three wise men from the East, Caspar,Melchior and Balthazar, follow a bright star in the sky, which leads them to Bethlehem. There, they worship the newborn King, and offer him gold, frankincense and myrrh: Wij komen van Oosten (We've come from the East').This musical Christmas story ends with a festive repeat of the third movement, the stately chorale.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
View Music