Results
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£45.00The Sword and the Star
DescriptionThe Sword and the Star was written in 2006 for the Middleton Band at the request of their Musical Director, Carl Whiteoak. The inspiration for the work was the band's badge, which features a medieval archer. The town of Middeton's historical link with the symbol of the Archer came from the English victory at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513, where bowmen from Middleton and Heywood under the command of Sir Richard Assheton played a vital part in crushing the invading Scottish army. Sir Richard captured one of the Scottish commanders and presented the prisoner's sword to the St Leonard's church in Middleton in recognition of the town's contribution. As long time Lords of the Manor, the Assheton family crest was for centuries featured in the coat of arms of Middleton council, and when Middleton became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale the black star from the Assheton crest was used to represent Middleton in the new borough's coat of arms. Hence the title The Sword and the Star, for a piece which attempts to give an impression of the town as it was then and as it is now.The music is in three short sections - a fanfare, a lament and a bright scherzo - and simply aims to contrast the medieval hamlet of Middleton with the bustling urban centre it has now become. The central lament features a Scottish song called "The Flowers of the Forest", written to mourn the loss of so many of Scotland's young men on the field of Flodden; the song returns in a much more positive form at the end of the piece.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£34.95The Light Fantastic - Paul Lovatt-Cooper - Christian Jenkins
The Light Fantastic was commissioned by Leeds Metropolitan University to use during their promotional presentations whilst on a joint tour of China with the Northern Ballet Orchestra during the 2008 Olympic Games. The music aims to encapsulate the grandeur and...
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days
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£45.00Cuban Overture - George Gershwin arr. Phillip Littlemore
Originally entitled Rumba, the Cuban Overture was a was written some time following a two-week holiday which Gershwin took in Havana in February 1932. The overture is dominated by Caribbean rhythms and Cuban native percussion, with a wide spectrum of instrumental colour and technique. It is a rich and exciting work with complexity and sophistication, illustrating the influence of Cuban music and dance. Although it received it's premiere under the title Rumba, it was renamed Cuban Overture three months later at a benefit concert conducted by Gershwin at the Metropolitan Opera to avoid giving audience the idea that it was simply a novelty item. The new title provided, as the composer stated, "a more just idea of the character and intent of the music".Duration: 6'20"Difficulty: 1st Section and above
Estimated dispatch 5-7 working days