Results
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Aldebaran - Maurice Forslund - Maurice Forslund
We are pleased to offer this new piece from our colleague, Maurice Forslund, in Sweden. "Aldebaran" is a traditional-style brass band march, named after one of the brightest and largest stars in the Northern sky. (The star is a red giant over 40 times the size of our Sun). The music starts off in a sombre minor key that turns progressively brighter step by step. This sequence is arrested by a brief section featuring a setting of the hymn tune 'Bangor' which dramatically puts the march firmly back into the minor key before setting it up for progression to the finale. This piece is graded in the range 'easy' to 'intermediate' and is well within the capabilities of most bands.
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Pie Jesu - Faure - Len Jenkins
Gabriel Faure is acknowledged as among the very best of French composers, and his best-known work must be his Requiem, composed between 1877 and 1890. Nevertheless it did not achieve popularity until after 1945. The Requiem includes 'Pie Jesu' as an independent movement, and it is that movement which is arranged here to feature the particular tonal qualities of the soprano cornet. The solo instrument is accompanied by contrasting groups of instruments from within the Band.
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Sharpe's Theme - John Tams & Dominic Muldowney - Len Jenkins
"Sharpe" is a popular British series of television dramas starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars, principally in Spain, Portugal and France. His activities and adventures are based on a number of novels by Bernard Cornwell, which reflect the military campaigns of the Duke of Wellington (as he became) and were filmed mainly in Turkey and Crimea, although some filming was also done in England, Spain and Portugal. This music, composed by John Tams and Dominic Muldowney, contains two aspects of the series; the iconic introductory signature tune and the equally familiar 'Over the Hills and Far Away' originally sung by John Tams (who also acted in the series) which features in the closing scenes of each episode. This arrangement is within the capabilities of a good 4th section brass band.
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Le Canal En Octobre - Frederic Paris - Len Jenkins
The tune that forms the basis of this arrangement for brass band was recommended to us by a good friend who plays concertina and melodeon in the traditional English Folk genre. Its delightfully simple melody is based on a French Schottische composed by Frederic Paris and is frequently played at folk music sessions where it is instantly recognised and internationally known. As a folk tune used for dancing, the piece would consist of Tune A and Tune B which would each be repeated several times in succession. In this arrangement for brass, that basic order of the melodies has been varied, and includes a brief foray into a minor key to maintain audience interest. It is not a difficult piece and should be within the capabilities of a fourth section band. However, it is recognised that not every brass band possesses a Marimba, and that part can be played on a Glockenspiel, with appropriate adjustment to fit the available range of the instrument.
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Dance On (Je me sens bien aupres de toi) - Adams, Murtagh, Murtagh & Stellman - Len Jenkins
"Dance On" is probably best remembered in the UK by two versions. One by the Shadows which went to Number 1 in the UK Singles chart and the other by Kathy Kirby which made number 11 in the 1963 UK charts. The other side of the Channel, in France, Petula Clark recorded the song in French ("Je me sens bien aupres de toi") and Italian ("Sto volentieri con te") which made the Top 5 of the French and Italian charts. She also recorded an English version for album release on the Canadian market. The infectious rhythm will get you tapping your feet or even getting up to dance. It's a real bopping number from the 60's, and well within the capabilities of most bands. Enjoy.
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All for One! - Caradog, Hughes & Forslund - Maurice Forslund
'All for One' is a road march based on two well-known Welsh melodies 'Rachie' by Caradog Roberts and 'Calon Lan' by John Hughes. Supporters of Welsh Rugby Union will probably have sung them on more than one occasion. The two melodies have been assembled, added to, and arranged by our colleague Maurice Forslund in Stockholm, and the resulting march is one that is straightforward, in the traditional Brass Band genre, and well within the capabilities of most bands. It works equally well as a concert opener or a processional march for the village fete.
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Runaway - Max Crook & Del Shannon - Len Jenkins
"Runaway" was made famous by Del Shannon in 1961 when it was released in the February of that year and quickly became an international hit. At its height it was said to be selling at the rate of 80,000 singles per day and in the June made number one in the UK. It was written with Max Crook who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron which features in the original recording. The song was originally recorded in A minor, but the producer sped up the finished recording to just below B-flat minor. The iconic synthesiser sound in this arrangement is reproduced as a solo on Soprano cornet, and should be within the capabilities of most players provided attention is paid to the breathing regime.
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A Lazy Afternoon - Len Jenkins - Len Jenkins
'A Lazy Afternoon' brings to mind a lazy hot day in summer, possibly starting with a short drive out to somewhere pleasant for an afternoon's picnic. It is accepted that a drive out is now something many would choose to avoid, especially at busy weekends, but one can perhaps dream of open un-cluttered roads with no rush to get there. As such, this piece is ideal for the local summer fete. It has a gentle style that so befits an English village fete, recalling an era when things did not need to be so immediate and may thereby help to give a perfect respite from the everyday 'rush and tear'. As with many of Wobbleco's pieces, this is aimed at the average town and village band, and is within the reasonable playing capabilities of its members.
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Peterborough Mass - Jeremy Cladd - Len Jenkins
Peterborough Mass comprises 5 Movements, Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei. It was composed by Jeremy Cladd who became Head Chorister during his teenage yearsat Peterborough Cathedral. Total immersion in the music within such an inspiring building caused Jeremy to look deeper into the liturgical aspects of the Mass in order to understand the origins of the literary text being sung, so that he could paint a musical landscape based upon his interpretation of the text. From a musical perspective, Jeremy's Kyrie takes its inspiration from Philippians 2 vv1-11 (NIV) "Imitating Christ's Humility", and is structured AB where A refers to humility and submission "lord have mercy" and B relates to "united with Christ", with the latter evoking feelings of salvation and joy. In sympathy with the literary text, the Kyrie has a short introduction, and then a ternary form ABA structure where A is influenced by polyphonic choral writing and B by homophonic choral writing. This is the first of the five Movements to be arranged for Brass Band with Choir and comprises a full brass band score, parts for all instruments and a choral practice score.
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Paint It Black - Mick Jagger & Keith Richards - Len Jenkins
"Paint It Black" (originally released as "Paint It, Black") was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and first released as a single on 6 May 1966. It became the Rolling Stones' sixth number one in the UK and has remained influential as the first number one hit featuring a sitar. The song came at a pivotal period in The Rolling Stones' recording history, a time that saw the song-writing collaboration of Jagger and Richards assert itself as the principal composers of the band's original material. Its lyrics are for the most part meant to describe bleakness and depression and describe the extreme grief suffered by one stunned by the sudden and unexpected loss of wife, lover or partner. It famously plays during the end credits of the film Full Metal Jacket. Beginning in the style of an ironic minuet, which can be by-passed by starting at bar 54 where the heavy rock beat takes over, the piece is interesting and within the capabilities of 3rd or 4th section bands. For those bands with a drummer and one percussionist, an alternative percussion part is provided.