Results
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£80.99Mr. Music - Alfred Reed
A scintillating concert march for band by Alfred Reed, written as a tribute to Toshio Akiyama of Japan, a world-wide representative of school band music, especially in Asia. VERY NICE
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£135.10Cantina Band - John Williams
Cantina Band (or Mad About Me) was written by John Williams in 1977 for the film Star Wars (later Star Wars IV: A New Hope). Even with quite a bit of the Star Wars music being quite well known, Cantina Band is literally in a style of its own. In the Star Wars-universe this style is called jizz, Williams' take on the more well-known genre jazz. Williams was tasked by Star Wars-creator George Lucas to make music that sounded like several creatures in a future century finding some 1930's Benny Goodman swing band music ... and how they might attempt to interpret it and ended up with Cantina Band #1 and #2. Both numbers are played in the legendary scene taking place in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi gets in a fight causing even the band to stop playing.The band, which goes by the name Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, comes from the planet Clak'dor VII and specializes in jizz and the nearby, slightly older style of jatz. Performers of this music often go by the name "jizz-wailers", and the Bith people from Clak'dor VII are especially well suited for jizz-wailing since they can hold every note as long as they want thanks to a unique respiratory system - something many perhaps would like to be able to do in the performance of this arrangement as well.The arrangement is relatively faithful to Williams' original version, but with a somewhat different ending. Although the woodwind section undoubtedly has the biggest technical challenges, an understanding of the musical style is the very key to making the arrangement sound good - and here all groups must work together. Playing lightly but quite articulated, and very precise, will be an absolute necessity to get the music drifting off all the way to Tatooine.In measure 113 there is a small improvised solo in either trombone or trumpet, but if you want the real authentic Cantina Band-sound this is of course done on a steel drum.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£49.95Cav Party (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
Cav Party was commissioned by The Band of the Household Cavalry in 2020. The idea was to showcase the various musical elements of the band in a party piece that gets more boisterous as it goes on. It utilises three Eighteenth century melodies associated with the band, starting off with a folkish setting of Handel's March from Scipio for harp, violin, flute and cor anglais (all fully cued on regular wind band instruments) and then into Keel Row where the accordion is featured before the whole band enters, and finally to Money Musk. Both Keel Row and Money Musk are played as Trot Marches by the band.The regimental slow march Scipio comes from Handel's opera of 1725 The Mercy of Scipio, which was based on the life of the Roman General Scipio Africanus.Keel Row is a traditional folk song evoking the life and work of the keelmen of Newcastle upon Tyne. It was first published in 1770, although it could be considerably older. The opening lines of the song describe Sandgate, the part of the quayside overlooking the River Tyne to the east of the city centre where the keelmen lived.Money Musk, also known as Monymusk or Monnymusk was originally a pipe tune composed by Scottish fiddler Daniel (sometimes Donald) Dow (1732 - 1783) in 1776. It takes its name from a baronial estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland called Monymusk House. The tune first appeared in Dow's Thirty Seven New Reels, c. 1780 under the title Sir Archibald Grant of Monemusk's Reel.Duration: 3.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£37.95The Year of the Dragon (Prestige Concert Band - Score only) - Sparke, Philip
The 2017 version of The Year of the Dragon was commissioned by the Siena Wind Orchestra and given its world premiere on June 17th 2017 in Bunkyo Civic Hall, Tokyo, conducted by the composer.The original wind band arrangement of The Year of the Dragon was made in 1985, a year after the composer wrote the brass band version. At that time he was still learning the intricacies of writing for wind band (and still is!) and in the 32 years which have elapsed since then, his approach to scoring for the medium has developed and, hopefully, improved.Here are the main differences between the two versions:In the 1980's, the wind band movement was much less international than it is now. British wind bands were still to some extent based on the military band tradition of the time, which tended to use rather smaller instrumentation than the then-dominant American university model. The new version embraces a much more international instrumentation, including low woodwinds and string bass, as well as an expanded percussion section.In the original version there was a touch of naivety in the way the composer wrote for the woodwinds; much of their articulation was transferred too literally from the brass version, resulting in some unidiomatic writing, which he has tried to improve in the new version.In addition to the above, Philip's own compositional style has matured and developed in the intervening 32 years. There are some passages in the original which he simply would not write today - not because they are 'wrong', but because his way of writing has changed. The new version is perhaps how he would have written it today, rather than simply dressing the original version in new clothes.The work is in three movements:Toccata opens with an arresting side drum figure and snatches of themes from various sections of the band, which try to develop until a broad and powerful theme from the middle of the band asserts itself. A central dance-like section soon gives way to the return of this theme, which subsides until faint echoes of the opening material fade to a close.Interlude takes the form of a sad and languid solo for alto saxophone. A chorale for the whole band introduces a brief spell of optimism but the saxophone solo returns to close the movement quietly.Finale is a real tour-de-force for the band with a stream of rapid semi-quavers running throughout the movement. The main theme is heroic and march-like but this is interspersed with lighter, more playful episodes. A distant fanfare to the sound of bells is introduced and this eventually returns to bring the work to a stirring close.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£199.95
The Year of the Dragon (Prestige Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Sparke, Philip
The 2017 version of The Year of the Dragon was commissioned by the Siena Wind Orchestra and given its world premiere on June 17th 2017 in Bunkyo Civic Hall, Tokyo, conducted by the composer.The original wind band arrangement of The Year of the Dragon was made in 1985, a year after the composer wrote the brass band version. At that time he was still learning the intricacies of writing for wind band (and still is!) and in the 32 years which have elapsed since then, his approach to scoring for the medium has developed and, hopefully, improved.Here are the main differences between the two versions:In the 1980's, the wind band movement was much less international than it is now. British wind bands were still to some extent based on the military band tradition of the time, which tended to use rather smaller instrumentation than the then-dominant American university model. The new version embraces a much more international instrumentation, including low woodwinds and string bass, as well as an expanded percussion section.In the original version there was a touch of naivety in the way the composer wrote for the woodwinds; much of their articulation was transferred too literally from the brass version, resulting in some unidiomatic writing, which he has tried to improve in the new version.In addition to the above, Philip's own compositional style has matured and developed in the intervening 32 years. There are some passages in the original which he simply would not write today - not because they are 'wrong', but because his way of writing has changed. The new version is perhaps how he would have written it today, rather than simply dressing the original version in new clothes.The work is in three movements:Toccata opens with an arresting side drum figure and snatches of themes from various sections of the band, which try to develop until a broad and powerful theme from the middle of the band asserts itself. A central dance-like section soon gives way to the return of this theme, which subsides until faint echoes of the opening material fade to a close.Interlude takes the form of a sad and languid solo for alto saxophone. A chorale for the whole band introduces a brief spell of optimism but the saxophone solo returns to close the movement quietly.Finale is a real tour-de-force for the band with a stream of rapid semi-quavers running throughout the movement. The main theme is heroic and march-like but this is interspersed with lighter, more playful episodes. A distant fanfare to the sound of bells is introduced and this eventually returns to bring the work to a stirring close.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£44.95Eyes on the Stars (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
Eyes on the Stars was commissioned by the Surrey Police Band in 2022 in memory of George Rowland. George was a remarkable character. He was born in Vienna but spent his early days in Tuscany, coming to England with his family at the start of WW2, where he went on to be one of the pioneers of cancer research. He was an avid skier, tennis player and extremely keen musician. Wherever he went he joined a community band so when he and his family settled in Surrey he joined the Surrey Police Band. To them he was George who played bass clarinet, a polite chap with a lovely deep Surrey accent! In trying to fulfil the terms of a commission for a five-minute work I attempted to embrace the verve and aspirational nature of George and his overwhelmingly positive nature, hence the title Eyes on the Stars.- Rob WiffinFirst performed by the Surrey Police Band on 18 March 2023 at Emmanuel Church in Stoughton.Duration: 5.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£141.99Pulcinella (Euphonium Solo with Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Sparke, Philip
Pulcinella was commissioned by the Taiwanese euphonium player Tzu-Hsiang Lin. Lin is a renowned soloist and teacher and a Besson Euphonium Artist. He teaches euphonium at Taipei National University of the Arts, National Taiwan University of Arts, Shih Chien University and National Kaohsiung Normal University. Lin gave the premiere of Pulcinella in both its concert band and brass band versions in January 2021. Pulcinella continues Sparke's series of euphonium solos named after characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte and opens with a long and expressive minor melody for the soloist over a brooding accompaniment. This is taken up briefly by the full band and is extended by the soloist after a change of key. A cadenza, accompanied by fragments of the main melody leads to a complete change of mood, tempo and tonality, introducing a Vivo section starting with a perky syncopated tune for the soloist. The band then uses elements of this new tune to introduce a change of key, where the soloist introduces a more lyrical second subject over a pulsing accompaniment. The band then takes this up and changes key to reintroduce the original Vivo melody, which leads to a short and acrobatic coda to bring the work to a spectacular close. Duration: 6.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.00Fanfare Cincinnatus (A Flourish for Band) (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Shaffer, David
Composed for the Cincinnati New Horizons Band, "Fanfare Cincinnatus" (A Flourish for Band) captures the beauty of the spectacular Cincinnati skyline. This work for concert band uses syncopated rhythms, layered percussion and lush harmonies to create an exciting composition for young musicians. An exciting opening and finale is complimented by a beautiful lush middle section ballad. Much attention has been paid to range and scoring creating a work that is attainable by smaller ensembles while retaining a full sound for larger ensembles as well. Outstanding! Duration: 4.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.00Where No Band Has Gone Before (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Neeck, Larry
The title says it all as you and your band embark on an exciting and harrowing musical adventure to the edge of the galaxy! An ethereal introduction leads to a heroic and vigorous, march-style theme, which gradually builds in intensity to a compelling climax. Bold thematic material, along with special instrumental effects, heighten the intensity and drama of the work. Perfect as a contest piece, or even that change-of-pace moment in your concert, "Where No Band Has Gone Before" provides an appealing and dazzling musical showcase for your band. Duration: 3.30
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£112.50Hereditas (Concert Band - Score and Parts - Schjelderup, Fredrick
Hereditas was commissioned by the Norwegian school band, Lilleaker Skoles Musikkorps for their 110th anniversary in 2019. The piece begins with a fanfare to celebrate the band. The theme continues and develops into different rhythmic patters inspired by the name of the band. Hereditas is the latin word for inheritance/heritage, which is central for the Norwegian school band who's been active since 1909. Duration: 7.45
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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