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£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
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£9.99Christmas Collection - Words and music (piano)
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£0.99Christmas Collection - Words only
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£0.99
Christmas Collection - Words only - Large Print
Christmas Collection is a newly revised carol book with original, additional and rearranged carols from New Christmas Praise as well as 10 extended pieces. Parts are now also available in large print A4 size!Titles:A child this day is bornA Christmas lullabyA great and mighty wonderAll my heart this night rejoicesAngels, from the realms of Glory (Come and worship)Angels, from the realms of Glory (Iris)Angels we have heard on highA starry nightAs with gladness men of oldA virgin most pureAway in a manger (The manger scene)Away in a manger (Traditional)BethlehemBrightest and best (Spean)Brightest and best (Traditional)Calypso CarolCarol for the NativityCarol of the drumChild of MaryChristians AwakeChrist is born (Il est n)Christ was born on Christmas DayCome and join the celebrationCome, children, come quicklyCoventry CarolDing dong! merrily on highDo you hear what I hear?Gabriel's MessageGaudeteGlory in the highestGlory in the highest HeavenGod of God, the uncreatedGod rest you merry, gentlemenGood Christian men, rejoiceGood King WenceslasGo, tell it on the mountain!Hark the glad sound!Hark! the herald angels singHow far is it to Bethlehem?Huron CarolInfant HolyIn the bleak midwinter (Cranham)In the bleak midwinter (Darke)I saw three ships come sailing inIt came upon the midnight clear (Traditional)It came upon the midnight clear (Willis)I wonder as I wanderJesus, good above all otherJoy to the world!Little baby JesusLittle children, wake and listenLittle DonkeyLittle Jesus, sweetly sleepLo! he comes with clouds descendingLong, long agoLove came down at ChristmasMary's boy childMary's ChildMasters in this hallNoelO come, all ye faithfulO come, ImmanuelO Heaven-sent KingO holy night!O little town of Bethlehem (Christmas Carol)O little town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)O little town of Bethlehem (St Louis)Once in royal David's cityPast three o'clockPersonent HodiePraise ye the LordRing the bellsRise up, shepherd!Sans day carolSaviour's DaySee, amid the winter's snowSilent Night!Softly the night is sleepingStars are shiningStill, still, stillSussex CarolSweet chiming bellsSweet chiming Christmas bellsThe candle songThe cherry tree carolThe first NowellThe holly and the ivyThe infant KingThe light has comeThe shepherds' farewellThe stable doorThe star in the eastThe virgin Mary had a baby boyThey all were looking for a kingThou didst leave thy throneThree kings' marchUnto us a boy is bornWe gather round the manger-bedWe three kings of Orient areWhat child is this?Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing?When wise men came seekingWhile shepherds watched (Cranbrook)While shepherds watched (Handel)While shepherds watched (Winchester Old)Who is he?Zither Carol
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£12.00The World Rejoicing (Brass Band - Study Score)
In 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 Crger. 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
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£5.99Scripture-based Songs Compilation Folio Books
No. of TuneTitleRefernece1Above all powersSpring Harvest Song Book 2003, 12All for theeThe Musical Salvationist, January 19763All Heaven declaresMagnify, 24All the world is waitingThe Musical Salvationist, April 19875As we are gatheredThe Source, 296Be bold, be strongThe Source,387Be still for the presence of the LordMagnify, 78Beauty for brokennessThe Source,379Blessd be the name of the LordThe Source,5310Breathe 11By his handSing to the Lord, Vol.1, Part 112Come, now is the time to worshipThe Source, 66213Come on and celebrate!The Source, 7514Come, thou Fount of every blessing (Nettleton)Salvation Army Song Book, 31315ContentmentHappiness & Harmony, 1416Crown him with many crowns (Diademata)Salvation Army Song Book, 15617Cwm RhonddaSalvation Army Song Book, 57818Do something beautifulSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1219Faithful GodThe Source, 8820Father, we love youHappiness & Harmony, 1621Give thanks with a grateful heartThe Source, 1822Glorious things of thee are spoken (Abbot's Leigh)Salvation Army Song Book, 15723God in youSing to the Lord, Vol.9, Part 224Great is the darkness (Come, Lord Jesus)Magnify, 1425He is ableSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1526He is the Lord (Show your power)Magnify, 1927Healing ChristSing to the Lord, Vol.6, Part 328Here am I, my LordThe Musical Salvationist, July 199129His ProvisionThe Musical Salvationist, July 198530Holy, holy, holy is the LordSongs of Fellowship, 18231HosannaThe Source, 18232How deep the Father's love for usThe Source, 185; Songs of Fellowship II, 78033I am a new creationThe Source, 19134I dare to be differentSing to the Lord, Vol.1, Part 135I love you, LordMagnify, 2436I will run to you (Your eye is on the sparrow)The Source, 109337In Christ aloneThe Source, 131138In his presenceSing to the Lord, Vol.9, Part 339In his time 40In Jesus' nameSing to the Lord, Vol.13, Part 141In this quiet momentSing to the Lord, Vol.13, Part 342It is to youMagnify, 3043Jesus is Lord!The Source, 28444Jesus, name above all namesHappiness & Harmony, 3245Joyful, Joyful (Europe)Salvation Army Song Book, 1046King of Kings, MajestyThe Source, 30947Knowing You (All I once held dear)Magnify, 348Light of the world (Here I am to worship)Sing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1049Lord, I lift your name on highMagnify, 3850Lord, you know that we love youThe Musical Salvationist, April 198351Love Divine (Blaenwern)Salvation Army Song Book, 43852MajestyHappiness & Harmony, 4553My Lord and Christ!Sing to the Lord, Vol.2, Part 254My Lord, what love is thisThe Source, 37055My Saviour's love (I stand amazed)Salvation Army Song Book, 17956Nothing but thy bloodSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1357O God of burning, cleansing flame (Send the fire)Salvation Army Song Book, 20358O happy daySalvation Army Song Book, 36559Oh to see the dawn (The power of the cross)Spring Harvest Song Book 2005, 6760Only by graceMagnify, 4861Power of your love (Lord, I come to you)Magnify, 3762Praise, my soulSalvation Army Song Book, 1763Praise to the Lord (Lobe den Herren)Salvation Army Song Book, 1964Regent SquareSalvation Army Song Book, 14765Rejoice!The Source, 43866Shout to the Lord (My Jesus, my Saviour)Magnify, 4367Sing and make musicHappiness & Harmony, 5568Spirit of the living GodSongs of Fellowship, 511; The Source, 46369Storm the forts of darknessSalvation Army Song Book, 69670Teach me to danceThe Source, 46971The light has comeHappiness & Harmony, 6372The Potter's hand (Beautiful Lord, wonderful Saviour)The Source, 64073The servant King (From Heaven you came)The Source, 11474The splendour of the KingSpring Harvest Song Book 2005, 9775There is a redeemerMagnify, 5976To be in your presence (My Desire)Magnify, 6177To God be the gloryThe Musical Salvationist, April 198878Wake up, O sleeperSing to the Lord, Vol.6, Part 279We are marchingThe Source, 53980We have come into this placeHappiness & Harmony, 7381We want to see Jesus lifted highThe Source, 55982When the music fades (The heart of worship)Magnify, 7083Who is on the Lord's side? (Rachie)Salvation Army Song Book, 707
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£29.95Scripture-based Songs Compilation Full Score
No. of TuneTitleRefernece1Above all powersSpring Harvest Song Book 2003, 12All for theeThe Musical Salvationist, January 19763All Heaven declaresMagnify, 24All the world is waitingThe Musical Salvationist, April 19875As we are gatheredThe Source, 296Be bold, be strongThe Source,387Be still for the presence of the LordMagnify, 78Beauty for brokennessThe Source,379Blessd be the name of the LordThe Source,5310Breathe 11By his handSing to the Lord, Vol.1, Part 112Come, now is the time to worshipThe Source, 66213Come on and celebrate!The Source, 7514Come, thou Fount of every blessing (Nettleton)Salvation Army Song Book, 31315ContentmentHappiness & Harmony, 1416Crown him with many crowns (Diademata)Salvation Army Song Book, 15617Cwm RhonddaSalvation Army Song Book, 57818Do something beautifulSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1219Faithful GodThe Source, 8820Father, we love youHappiness & Harmony, 1621Give thanks with a grateful heartThe Source, 1822Glorious things of thee are spoken (Abbot's Leigh)Salvation Army Song Book, 15723God in youSing to the Lord, Vol.9, Part 224Great is the darkness (Come, Lord Jesus)Magnify, 1425He is ableSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1526He is the Lord (Show your power)Magnify, 1927Healing ChristSing to the Lord, Vol.6, Part 328Here am I, my LordThe Musical Salvationist, July 199129His ProvisionThe Musical Salvationist, July 198530Holy, holy, holy is the LordSongs of Fellowship, 18231HosannaThe Source, 18232How deep the Father's love for usThe Source, 185; Songs of Fellowship II, 78033I am a new creationThe Source, 19134I dare to be differentSing to the Lord, Vol.1, Part 135I love you, LordMagnify, 2436I will run to you (Your eye is on the sparrow)The Source, 109337In Christ aloneThe Source, 131138In his presenceSing to the Lord, Vol.9, Part 339In his time 40In Jesus' nameSing to the Lord, Vol.13, Part 141In this quiet momentSing to the Lord, Vol.13, Part 342It is to youMagnify, 3043Jesus is Lord!The Source, 28444Jesus, name above all namesHappiness & Harmony, 3245Joyful, Joyful (Europe)Salvation Army Song Book, 1046King of Kings, MajestyThe Source, 30947Knowing You (All I once held dear)Magnify, 348Light of the world (Here I am to worship)Sing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1049Lord, I lift your name on highMagnify, 3850Lord, you know that we love youThe Musical Salvationist, April 198351Love Divine (Blaenwern)Salvation Army Song Book, 43852MajestyHappiness & Harmony, 4553My Lord and Christ!Sing to the Lord, Vol.2, Part 254My Lord, what love is thisThe Source, 37055My Saviour's love (I stand amazed)Salvation Army Song Book, 17956Nothing but thy bloodSing to the Lord Children's Voices Series, Vol.1357O God of burning, cleansing flame (Send the fire)Salvation Army Song Book, 20358O happy daySalvation Army Song Book, 36559Oh to see the dawn (The power of the cross)Spring Harvest Song Book 2005, 6760Only by graceMagnify, 4861Power of your love (Lord, I come to you)Magnify, 3762Praise, my soulSalvation Army Song Book, 1763Praise to the Lord (Lobe den Herren)Salvation Army Song Book, 1964Regent SquareSalvation Army Song Book, 14765Rejoice!The Source, 43866Shout to the Lord (My Jesus, my Saviour)Magnify, 4367Sing and make musicHappiness & Harmony, 5568Spirit of the living GodSongs of Fellowship, 511; The Source, 46369Storm the forts of darknessSalvation Army Song Book, 69670Teach me to danceThe Source, 46971The light has comeHappiness & Harmony, 6372The Potter's hand (Beautiful Lord, wonderful Saviour)The Source, 64073The servant King (From Heaven you came)The Source, 11474The splendour of the KingSpring Harvest Song Book 2005, 9775There is a redeemerMagnify, 5976To be in your presence (My Desire)Magnify, 6177To God be the gloryThe Musical Salvationist, April 198878Wake up, O sleeperSing to the Lord, Vol.6, Part 279We are marchingThe Source, 53980We have come into this placeHappiness & Harmony, 7381We want to see Jesus lifted highThe Source, 55982When the music fades (The heart of worship)Magnify, 7083Who is on the Lord's side? (Rachie)Salvation Army Song Book, 707
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£107.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.95Symphony in Two Movements (Brass Band - Score only) - Gregson, Edward
This work was jointly commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW), the latter with funding from T Cerdd (Music Centre Wales), to celebrate their 60th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The first performances were given at Cadogan Hall, London, in April 2012, by the NYBBGB, conducted by Bramwell Tovey; and at the Great Hall, Aberystwyth University, in July 2012, by the NYBBW, conducted by Nicholas Childs.When I was approached about a joint commission to write a new work to celebrate the anniversaries of these two outstanding youth bands I was delighted to accept, and decided to respond by writing a work apposite for the magnitude of these special occasions, namely a 'symphony for brass'.Through a long journey of writing music for brass band, which commenced with Connotations (1977), and continued with Dances and Arias (1984), Of Men and Mountains (1991), The Trumpets of the Angels (2000) and Rococo Variations (2008), I arrived at what I regard as the most important work of the cycle to date, combining as it does serious musical intent with considerable technical demands. It is perhaps my most abstract work for brass band, avoiding any programmatic content.The symphony lasts for some 19 minutes and is structured in two linked movements. The form is based on that used by Beethoven in his final piano sonata (Op.111), which is in two movements only: a compact sonata-form allegro, followed by a more expansive theme and four variations. Prokofiev also adopted this model in his 2nd Symphony of 1925.The opening Toccata of this Symphony is highly dramatic but compact, whilst still retaining the 'traditional' structural elements of exposition, development and recapitulation; indeed, it also has the 'traditional' element of a contrasting second subject - a gentle, lyrical modal melody first heard on solo cornets.In contrast, the longer and more substantial second movement Variations is built around a theme and four variations. The slowly unfolding chorale-like theme accumulates both added note harmony and increasing instrumentation, whilst the four variations which follow are by turn mercurial (fast, starting with all the instruments muted), march-like (menacing, with short rhythmic articulations underpinning an extended atonal melody), serene (a series of 'romances' for solo instruments alongside echoes of the chorale) with an emerging theme eventually bursting into a climax of passionate intent; whilst the final variation is a dynamic scherzo (concertante-like in its series of rapid-fire solos, duets, trios and quartets) with the music gradually incorporating elements of the main ideas from the first movement, thus acting as a recapitulation for the whole work. It reaches its peroration with a return to the very opening of the symphony, now in the 'home' tonality of F, and thus creating a truly symphonic dimension to the music.Most of the melodic material of the symphony is derived from the opening eleven-note 'row', which contains various intervallic sets, and although the work is not serially conceived it does use some typical quasi-serial procedures, such as canons, inversions, and retrogrades. The symphony uses somewhat limited percussion, in line with a 'classical' approach to the sound world of the brass band, alongside a use of multi-divisi instrumentation, whereby each player has an individual part rather than the traditional doubling within certain sections of the band.- Edward GregsonDuration: 19.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£89.95TRUMPETS OF THE ANGELS (Gregson) (Brass Band - Score and Parts) - Gregson, Edward
The Trumpets of the Angels was commissioned by the Fodens (Courtois) Band for their centenary concert at The Bridgewater Hall in 2000. It is based on a work written for the BBC Philharmonic and Huddersfield Choral Society in 1998, the starting point of which was a quotation from the Book of Revelation:and I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpetsThus the idea behind the work is dramatic and I have tried to achieve this by the spatial deployment of seven solo trumpets around the band, four on-stage, the others off-stage. Six of the solo trumpets eventually join the band, but Trumpet 7 remains off-stage and, indeed, has the most dramatic and extended cadenza representing the words of the seventh angel ...and time shall be no more.The Trumpets of the Angels is a large-scale work, scored for seven solo trumpets, brass band, organ and percussion (deploying 'dark' instruments such as tam-tams, bass drum and two sets of timpani). The work opens with a four-note motif announced by off-stage horns and baritones and answered by fanfare figures on solo trumpets. In turn, each of the first four solo trumpets play cadenzas and then all four join together, independently playing their own music. The organ enters dramatically with its own cadenza, leading to the entry of solo trumpets 5 and 6 with music that is more urgent and rhythmic, describing the horsemen of the Apocalypse.The music reaches another climax, more intense this time, with the horns and baritones (now on-stage) again sounding the transformed motif, before subsiding into what might be described as a lament for humanity, slow music which builds from low to high, from soft to loud, with a melody that is both simple and poignant. At the climax, Trumpet 7 enters playing the opening four-note motif, dramatically extended to almost three octaves. This cadenza (to the partial accompaniment of tam-tams) introduces new material and foreshadows the ensuing scherzo which is fast and aggressive. Despite the somewhat desolate mood of this music, it slowly moves towards an optimistic conclusion, transforming the 'humanity' music into an affirmative and triumphant statement.- Edward Gregson
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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