Results
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£134.99Cleopatra (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Deleruyelle, Thierry
The Last Queen of Egypt. Queen Cleopatra ruled Egypt for over 20 years. She is one of antiquity's best-known women, in particular because of her relationships with Julius Caesar and, above all, Mark-Anthony, but also because the cause of her death remains a mystery. The work is split into three parts and performed without breaks. The first section begins with a bright introduction representing Mark-Anthony. Dynamic in nature and reminiscent of military music, this characterises the Roman general. But soon after, another theme emerges, softer and more melodic, symbolising Cleopatra's femininity. The two characters then combine on a faster tempo. The middle section of the work depicts the love that Mark-Anthony and Cleopatra feel for each other. This passionate relationship lasted ten years and produced three children. This is expressed by a warm and intense theme, just like the beauty of the Egyptian queen. The third and last section opens in a determined and military mood. Mark-Anthony and Cleopatra were often apart, the Roman general was often away on a campaign. They met up in Alexandria to celebrate their triumph. But, as the targets of the jealousy and ambition of Octavius, Julius Caesar's son, the lovers are trapped and await the inevitable conquest of Egypt by the Romans. When Mark-Anthony heard the false news that Cleopatra had committed suicide, he ended his own life. The Queen of Egypt, for her part, was imprisoned shortly afterwards. The two lovers remain one of History's most famous couples. This piece was commissioned by the Wind Orchestra of the town of Antony, near Paris, directed by Philippe Rossignol, to mark its 90th anniversary. Duration: 10.00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£163.99The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Schwarz, Otto M.
Stories, sagas and legends--who among us don't know them? Always delivered with a tinge of brutality, these cautionary tales are a legacy of moral education from times past: inquisitive children alone in the forest are generally eaten by a witch; the 'Soup-Kasper' of Hoffmann's Struwwelpeter dies from starvation rather than eating his soup; anyone letting in strangers usually gets devoured; anyone who plays with matches gets burned; and thumb-suckers get their thumbs cut off. The list of unfortunate demises is almost endless.In the tale of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, parents lose their children through greed, ridicule, scorn and a failure to appreciate art. There is still a street in the town of Hamelin in which neither drumming nor playing has not been allowed since 130 children disappeared into a mountain, never to be seen again. This composition by Otto M. Schwarz opens with exactly this scene, taking us back to the year 1284. As in many towns at the time, Hamelin in Germany suffered with hygiene problems--rats and mice began to multiply rapidly, and the town was overrun with the plague. There appeared a man dressed in colourful clothes who promised the locals to free them from this burden. They agreed and settled on a fee. Then the man pulled out a pipe and began to play. When the rats and mice heard this, they followed him. He led the animals into the Weser River, where they all drowned. Back in town, the people refused to pay him. They didn't recognise this man's skills and knowledge and were only prepared to pay for simple labour. A pact with the devil was made, which led to the Pied Piper leaving the town in a furious rage. One Sunday, when many people were at church, he returned, took out his flute and began to play. The town's children were so enchanted by his playing that they followed him. He led them out of the town and disappeared with them forever into a mountain forever. Of all the children, only two survived--however one was mute, and one was blind. In the street from which the children left Hamelin, music may no longer be played in memory of this event. The work may be performed in two different versions: 1. Purely instrumental (without narrator)--the GPs (pauses) must be kept short 2. With narrator--he speaks in the GPs but not during the music.Duration: 14.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£242.50Orpheus in Town, Dance Suite from (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Rosenberg, Hilding - Johansson, Jerker
Dance Suite in Seven Movements. Op.75. Orpheus In Town. In 1936 the Stockholm Concert Hall was given its most distinguished artistic adornment, Carl Milles' Orpheus fountain. A Greek god lets his voice and the sounds of his lyre float over the rush and bustle of the big city far up in Ultima Thule. Two choreographers at the Stockholm Opera, Julian Algo and Vera Sager, had a brainwave. Why should Orpheus merely be a statue, a symbol of the beauty and inspiring power of music, why not give the myth about him its special Stockholm chapter as well? This is what happened: On the stage we see the columned facade of the Concert Hall and in front of it the statue group with Orpheus and the eight enraptured listeners. Suddenly the figures come to life, jump down from their pedestal and dance into the crowd at the marketplace. Orpheus, who is consumed by longing for Eurydice, begins looking for his beloved, first among other well-known sculptures in town, then in restaurants and nightclubs. At last he thinks he recognises her in a fashionable society woman and brings her to the Concert Hall. However, faced with the threat of having to spend her life in bronze at Orpheus' side, she runs away. She wasn't Eurydice after all. Or was she? For this ballet, which had its first performance at the Stockholm Opera in 1938, Hilding Rosenberg wrote vital and entertaining music in a style which is unusually to the point, and with a bright and strong orchestration. The music in the Dance Suite from Orpheus in Town is taken from the dance scenes at the nightclub: guests and a bartender perform, finally also Orpheus and his entourage. The suite consists of: 1. Rhythm of the Times (2.00); 2. Bartender's Dance (1.30); 3. Girl's Dance (1.00); 4. Dance of the Negress (2.30); 5. Trio Dance (1.30); 6. Tango (2.00); 7. Finale (1.30). Total duration: 14.00.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£150.00Cockaigne Overture (In London Town) (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Elgar, Edward - Noble, Paul
Cockaigne Overture was composed when Edward Elgar received a commission from the Royal Philharmonic Society, and he reported that the new piece was "cheerful and Londony, 'stout and steaky'...honest, healthy, humorous and strong, but not vulgar." The first performance was in the Queen's Hall, London, on 20 June 1901, conducted by the composer. He dedicated the work to his "many friends, the members of British orchestras." The music was an immediate success and became one of Elgar's most popular works. In its 15 minutes or so, the overture gives a lively and colourful musical portrait of Edwardian London. 'Cockaigne' was a term used by moralists at that time as a metaphor for gluttony and drunkenness, while Britain adopted the name humorously for London, and from it we get the Cockney. Cockaigne or Cockayne /ka' kein/, the word origin tracing back to the 13th century, is a land of plenty in medieval myth, an imaginary place of extreme luxury and ease where physical comforts and pleasures are always immediately at hand and where the harshness of medieval peasant life does not exist. The work presents various aspects of turn-of-the-century London and Londoners. It begins with a quiet but bustling theme which leads into an unbroken sequence of snapshots: the cockneys, the church bells, the romantic couples, a slightly ragged brass band (perhaps the Salvation Army) and a contrastingly grand and imperious military band. The broad theme representing Londoners has been stated as the first occurrence of Elgar's trademark direction, 'nobilmente.' The work ends in a characteristically Elgarian blaze of sound, including an optional full organ.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£295.00Enduring City (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Glyn, Gareth - Noble, Paul
Enduring City was composed to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of New Bern, the first permanent seat of the colonial government of the state of North Carolina. It was first settled in 1710 by Swiss and German immigrants under the leadership of Christoph von Graffenried and and John Lawson. The 2010 composition was commissioned by the New Bern 300th Anniversary Committee and the City of New Bern, to portray the city in terms of its history, its present and its optimism for the future; the North Carolina Symphony gave its first performances, in venues throughout the state. Its one continuous movement is in well-defined sections. Most of the musical themes derive from names of people and places connected with New Bern, using letters that are also note-names, omitting those which are not. For example, the opening trumpets spell out E-B-E-D for New Bern ('R' standing for Re, which is D in fixed-doh sol-fa notation) and B-C-G for Baron Christoph von Graffenried. They are answered by the orchestra's "John Lawson, Gent.", the name on the cover of the co-founder's A New Voyage to Carolina. Lawson's questing and adventurous character is then suggested, accompanied by a "Carolina" note-name theme; and, after the Graffenried theme on solo horn, the music of both men combines for their voyage, culminating (on trumpets and trombones) in the founding of New Bern. The story of Tryon Palace, central to the city's history, is represented by echoes of the various kinds of music heard at the Governor's residence - fife and drum bands, minuets and the slaves' "Jonkonnu" festivals from Africa, celebratory fanfares and fireworks; the section reaches a climactic ending when all are combined. After a peremptory interruption by the snare drum, the perky fife theme is transformed to portray the conflicts that visited New Bern over the centuries, alternating with a new "grief" theme, which - when sounded by strings alone - leads to music of reconciliation and then of the natural beauty of the city's surroundings. A steady, lively rhythm underpins the final section, confidence - in the present and for the future. Echoes of previous themes are heard, but the closing peroration is reserved for a majestic and joyous statement of the name of New Bern itself.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£79.00The River and the Rock (The Tale of a City) (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Shaffer, David
The River and the Rock depicts the rich history of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, settled in 1735. Each short movement paints a musical picture of the city's history, opening with "Beginnings," depicting a frontier that was settled very slowly as hostilities between England and France encouraged Indian bounty hunters to attack isolated garrisons in the region. "Patriots" suggests the city's call to arms throughout history. "Prosperity" visits the industrial revolution and the city's rapid growth at the turn of the 20th century. Movement IV and V, "Decline" and "Revival," offer a musical insight into the city's decline throughout the 20th century and rebirth in the 21st century. Exciting and emotional, "The River and the Rock" merges history and music into a setting that your students will enjoy preparing. Excellent selection for festivals and contests! Duration: 6.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.95Aylesbury Dances (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Wiffin, Rob
The suite Aylesbury Dances was commissioned by the Aylesbury Concert Band to mark the occasion of their 25th Anniversary in 2019. Its three movements depict different aspects of Aylesbury: I. Pavane: The Town - Having read something of the town's history and its architecture I decided I wanted to write something ceremonial with the feel of music from Tudor times. Aylesbury was given its charter and borough status in 1554 by Mary Tudor so I took that as my starting point but then added some harmony that moves forward in time. This fits with the town's motto: Semper Prorsum (Always forward) and also with the Band's evolution from Aylesbury Town Band to Aylesbury Community Concert Band to Aylesbury Concert Band. The music can be defined as a pavane, or a cortege. The sense of procession is slightly disturbed by a 'Blue Leanie' moment. The Blue Leanie is an iconic Aylesbury building, an oblique rhombic prism which stands at an angle of 17% inclination. I took a quaver out of the time signature (I know the maths don't work!) to reflect this and added some bluer harmony at that point. This opening movement gives a sense of the grandeur and heritage of Aylesbury town and a chance for my friends from the brass section to warm up! II. Siciliana: Waterside - To balance the outer two movements, the middle movement of the suite has a slow lilting 6/8 rhythm. It is in the style of a Siciliana, a dance form originating in the baroque era. It is a graceful, tender and melancholic dance, cast here in a minor key and featuring the dark voice of the cor anglais. The Siciliana was often linked with pastoral scenes and Aylesbury itself sits amid some beautiful countryside. It may, therefore, seem a bit of a stretch to call this movement 'Waterside', especially as Aylesbury is so far from the sea, but the town has a theatre of that name and that was the genesis for this particular music. There is a statue of Ronnie Barker in the grounds of the Waterside theatre as he started his career in repertory theatre in Aylesbury, so I included a fleeting reference to the theme music of the comedy programme 'Open all Hours'. III. Frolic: Ducks in a Row - It was impossible to write a piece connected with Aylesbury without considering the famous Aylesbury ducks. Duck rearing was a major industry in the town in the 19th century. The white Aylesbury Duck is a symbol of the town, appearing on its coat of arms and in the logo of the Aylesbury Concert Band! This movement is all about trying to get the little darlings in a row so they can sing their 'Duck Chorus' together but they keep on scattering, flying off or swimming away as quickly as they can manage. It's a bit like watching ducks disperse when my dog jumps into the stream after them. Eventually we get more of them in a row - even though they protest. Hidden amongst the ducks is a reference to Erica Miller, saxophonist and chairman of the band, and there's even a veiled reference to a shark in the hope of getting them out of the water. Ducks in a Row is a fun romp bringing this suite of Aylesbury Dances to a suitably celebratory conclusion.- Rob Wiffin.Duration: 9.15
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£75.00Once in Royal David's City (Concert Band with Optional Choir - Score and Parts) - Noble & Willcocks
Once in Royal David's City is a Christmas carol originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in her hymnbook Hymns for Little Children. A year later, the English organist Henry John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music. According to The New Oxford Book of Carols, the text was conceived by Cecil Alexander after overhearing a group of her god children complaining about the dreariness of the catechism. Cecil masterfully took doctrines from the Apostle's Creed and simplified them for her hymns. Cecil wrote about 400 hymns in her lifetime, among which are All things bright and beautiful and There Is a Green Hill Far Away. She used the money for charitable purposes, and was a tireless advocate (and visitor) of the poor and sick. Henry John Gauntlett had spent the first half of his career as a lawyer before abandoning his practice to pursue music. He served as the organist at a number of leading London churches. Gauntlett was a prolific writer and is said to have composed over 1000 hymn tunes. He made tremendous contributions to the world of music, even inventing mechanical improvements to the organ. As a result, he was praised by the famous Felix Mendelssohn and was awarded an honorary doctorate in music from the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1919, Arthur Henry Mann, organist at King's College (1876-1929), introduced an arrangement of Once in Royal David's City as the processional hymn for the service. In his version, the first stanza is sung unaccompanied by a boy chorister. The choir and then the congregation join in with the organ on succeeding stanzas. This has been the tradition ever since. It is a great honor to be the boy chosen to sing the opening solo--a voice heard literally around the world. In this arrangement for band accompaniment, the first five verses may be performed as directed by the conductor, with different groupings of instruments for each verse, i.e., Vs.1, A cappella; Vs. 2, Fl., Oboe, E.H., Bsns; Vs. 3 Cl., Saxes; Vs. 4, Brass; Vs. 5, All, and Vs. 6 as written with featured descant. This arrangement is one of the Series of Band Arrangements compatible with the David Willcocks Carols for Choir, Book 2 (#31).
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£199.95The 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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£495.00English Dance Suite (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Gardner, John - Noble, Paul
Original Scoring. Arranged for the modern Concert/Wind Band, scored for three trumpets, reasonable doubling of parts where the original musical effect is not altered so that players can have a more responsible and enjoyable experience, more legible parts with less doubling on one staff, etc. The piece is offered either as a complete suite of seven movements, and also as seven individual movements which may be purchased independently. The English Dance Suite was originally composed by John Gardner for Wind Band, and has been re-set for the modern Concert Band instrumentation. Both the original version, edited and type-set by Paul Noble, and this arrangement are first editions now available for purchase to bands around the world. The set of seven Renaissance dances depict John Gardner's love of Scottish music, the Renaissance heritage, and some of his own mischievous approach to music. The first movement, Chacony on a Golden Theme, reminiscent of the Allegro movement of Purcell's Golden Sonata, is much used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repetitive bass-line which offered a compositional outline for variation, decoration, figuration and melodic invention. In this it closely resembles the passacaglia. The Alman originated in the 16th century as a duple metere dance of moderate tempo, already considered very old, with a characteristic double-knocking upbeat of one or occasionally three sixteenth notes. It appears to have derived from a German dance but no identifiable dance and no German dance instructions from this era survive. The Hornpipe, usually in 3/2 dance rhythm, is an Irish, Scottish and English dance. It is done in hard shoes, which are used to help keep track of how the dancer keeps in time. There are two variations of the hornpipe dance: fast and slow. Usually, more experienced dancers will do the slow hornpipe but younger dancers will start out with the fast hornpipe and then switch in later years. The Corranto is a 16th-century court dance characterized by short advances and retreats, in quick triple time. The Volta (Italian: the turn or turning) is an anglicised name from the later Renaissance. Its main figure consisted of a turn and lift in a sort of closed position. The Pavan is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century. The Reel, indigenous to Scotland, consists largely of quaver (eighth note) movement with an accent on the first and third beats of the bar.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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