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£110.99The Four Noble Truths - Philip Sparke
The Four Noble Truths are the most basic expression of the teaching of Buddha and therefore still form the guidelines for Buddhists to this day. The four truths are Dukkha, which describes times of major stress in our lives - birth, aging, desire and death; Samudaya which describes those parts of our life that induce stress, feeling, craving, desire; Nirodha which tells us how to eliminate those aspects of our lives which induce stress and Magga which describes the eight didciplines which can help us eliminate the origins of stress from our lives. It can be seen from these over-simplified definitions, that the Four Noble Truths fall into two pairs, the first two describingthe origins of stress and the second two describing how we can reduce stress. To reflect this, the four movements of this work are also combined into two pairs - two quick movements and two slow movements. A fascinating work from this great English composer.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£152.99Between the Two Rivers - Philip Sparke
Between the Two Rivers was commissioned by Fanfare 'Prins Hendrik', from Aalst in the Netherlands. The title derives from the fact that the town of Aalst lies between two tributaries of the River Dommel. The community is a highly religious one, so the famous Luther chorale, Ein' Feste Burg, was an obvious choice for Philip Sparke to use as the theme for this new work. It takes the form of a theme with four contrasting variations. Variation 1 is a moto perpetuo, variation 2 has a slower march like feel, variation 3 is a sinister slow movement and the final variation is in the form of a lyrical fugue. Between The Two Rivers is sure to become a major work inmodern brass band repertoire.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£87.99Hail the Dragon! - Philip Sparke
Its title, Hail the Dragon!, references a work Philip Sparke wrote in 1984, The Year of the Dragon. The piece opens with a lively and energetic fanfare. The mood becomes more subdued in the centre section as the cornet introduces a new theme that builds to an emotional climax. This leads into a recap of the opening fanfare which acts as a type of descant to short quotations from the last movement of The Year of the Dragon before reaching a thunderous finale.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£183.99Perihelion: Closer to the Sun - Philip Sparke
Perihelion was commissioned by the Cory Band as their own-choice piece for the 2013 European Brass Band Championships, held in Oslo, Norway. Winning the set piece section of the contest and coming second to Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag with their own choice selection, Cory went on to become European Champions for the fifth time.Cory MD Philip Harper had asked for a 'Concerto for Band' to fully exploit his outstanding band of virtuosi, and composer Philip Sparke created a one-movement work with contiguous sections, first featuring horns and flugel, then trombones followed by cornets and a slower central section for percussion and baritones, euphonium andbasses.The piece is abstract in nature, without a specific programme, and the title merely reflects the fact that the piece was begun on January 2nd 2013, the day of Earth's perihelion - the point in its orbit when it is closest to the sun. It could also be argued that the piece weaves between moments of brilliant optimism and dark shadow, both of which can be the result of bright sunshine.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£118.99The Graces of Love - Oliver Waespi
The Graces of Love (Le Gratie d'Amore) is the title of a book published in 1602 by Cesare Negri, the famous dance master of the Milan court in the Renaissance.It contains numerous dance tunes and precise descriptions of courtly dances. It also includes the tune Il bianco fior (The White Flower) on which the first movement of the present piece is based. A vigorous dance in three-four, it leads to an acceleration and a sudden shift to an even meter towards the end.The second movement, calm and contemplative in character, features the tune Vaghe bellezze ... (Veiled Beauty ...). Widely spacedmelodic parts surround two solos during which the tune is varied and developed. Finally, the third movement contains a saltarello with a hypnotic rhythm, ending the work with flair and gusto.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£84.99The Blues Factory - Jacob de Haan
This imaginative new work portrays the rich history of the textile industry through music. The decline of the industry is expressed in the opening slow movement with an authentic 12 bar blues. The second movement uses a jazzy rock style blues to show the optimism and solidarity of the mill workers and the final movement uses a strong vocal-style blues to look forward with optimism to the future.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£84.99The Saint and the City - Jacob de Haan
This work is based on a well-known myth about the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands. In the waters surrounding Zwolle lived a dragon that regularly emerged. Time and time again he threatened to destroy the city with his fiery breath if he was not given a living sacrifice. The archangel, Michael, who manifested himself as a young knight, saved the city. In a fight he beheaded the monster with his sword. Later, Saint Michael fighting the dragon, which was a symbol of evil and injustice, acquired a permanent place on the city coat of arms. For this composition, the hymn tune Laudate Dominum has been chosen as a central musical theme for the archangel. The dragon isreflected in a series of chords that evoke a somewhat ominous association.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£102.99The African Connection - Carl Wittrock
Carl Wittrock's wide interest in global folk-music resulted in this concert-piece based on original African rhythms. Obviously, the percussion section has a conspicious role to play, but the band too may indulge itself in moments of thoroughly delightful excitement. The introduction depicts the awakening of nature, and develops into a dance. The (main) motif of this dance is from a dance entitled Apollo and comes from Gambia. Its accompaniment consists of an ostinato pattern by balaphon-master Maudo Susa. The quiet middle movement is based on the rhythm of the 'gigbo' : a traditional dance from Ghana. In the final movement -which also bears a slight resemblanceto a theme from 'The Lion King'- the so-called 'Kono' rhythm is used. The work is played most advantageously using djembes. Challenge and please your percussion section with 'The African Connection'.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£109.99The Baron of Dedem - Carl Wittrock
The Baron of Dedem once ruled over a large plot of peat in the Netherlands. 1809 saw the beginning of the construction of a canal to transport this fuel, so important in those days. The canal was named after the Baron, as was the nearby village. This work describes the establishment of the canal and the village, but also life in the region nowadays, thereby setting a slice of Dutch life to music.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£76.99
The Haunter of the Dark - Franco Cesarini
The Haunter of the Dark is based on a tale by the author Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937) about a deserted church, where according to an old legend a monster had been lying low for years.A scientist who studies ancient religions visits this church. Besides some ancient writings he discovers a box, which contains a luminous stone. Every time the stone sheds its light, the scientist experiences all sorts of weird visions.The church in the tale actually exists, and can be found in Providence (USA). Franco Cesarini has visited it and sketches the mysterious and occult atmosphere in "The Haunter of the Dark".
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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