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£68.99Requiem Aeternam - Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini was commissioned to write a second opera after the resounding success of his first, Le Villi. However, the original four-act, grand opera Edgar, to a libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, received a rather lukewarm reception at its premire in La Scala in Milan in 1889 - initially, the work was only performed three times. Of all the planned performances in the subsequent two years, only one took place, in Lucca, Puccini's birthplace. There, the work was well received. Nevertheless, the composer decided to make drastic changes to Edgar the most radical being the reduction of the opera to three acts, as well as altering a few arias, charactersand instrumental parts. In its revised form, the work was even less popular than before. The discarded fourth act later provided material for Tosca (the duet Amoro sol' per te), but Puccini never felt the need to defend Edgar - as he did other less fortunate operas, such as La Rondine and Suor Angelica. On a piano excerpt for his female friend Sybil Seligman he even corrupted the title to 'E Dio ti GuARda da quest' opera' (may God preserve you from this opera). This did not prevent Arturo Toscanini performing the Requiem from the third act at Puccini's funeral in Milan Cathedral on 3 December 1924. The Requiem in the third act is being played when the long funeral procession carries the alleged body of Edgar - the confusedyoung man hesitating between the love of the virtuous Fidelia and the exotic Tigrana. The mass hails Edgar as a hero, but a monk claims that he has betrayed his country for a few gold pieces. When the soldiers try to desecrate the body, they discover that the armor contains none. The monk reveals himself as Edgar. He wants to leave with his faithful Fidelia, but the vengeful Tigrana stabs him and kills Fidelia. Edgar grieves over the lifeless body of his beloved, while Tigrana is arrested and the people submerge into prayer.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£149.99...the quest for peace... - Philip Sparke
...the quest for peace... is a tribute to the politician Adlai E.Stevenson (1900-1965),a former Governor of Illinois who spent much of his working life striving for peace during the ominous and troubled years of the Cold War.This majestic and noble work portrays the strength of character with which Stevenson dealt with the crisis between the USA and the USSR during this troubled time.A truly fitting tribute to this great man.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£144.99
Febesa - Filip Ceunen
The title of this work, Febesa, refers to the four notes it is based on: F, E, Bflat (BES in Dutch) and A. At the beginning of the work, the sound of these notes creates a mysterious, extraordinary atmosphere. The work slowly builds from the low brass as the thematic torch is handed to the woodwind section and this leads into a grand tutti. In a tonal and refreshing allegro, the febesa-theme now has a more harmonic role. After this passage, the symmetric form of the work brings us back to the mysterious atmosphere of the introduction, with solos for euphonium, oboe and flute.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£109.99Rejoice! - Naoya Wada
Rejoice! was commissioned by the Kitakyushu City Foundation for Promoting Arts and Culture (KICPAC) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the city on Feburary 10, 1063. The composer grew up in this city and feels at home there. Kitakyushu was born from the merger of five municipalities of Moji, Kokura, Tobata, Yahata and Wakamatsu centred on the ancient city of Kokura. These five former cities are represented in five themes in distinct keys at the beginning of the piece: G major, e major, g major again, Bb major and F major. Rejoice! is dedicated to the city of Kitakyushu and Mr. Kenji Kitahashi, mayor of the city. The premire was held on March3, 2013 at the Kitakyushu Soleil Hall, performed by the Comfort Wind Ensemble, conducted by Mr. Satoru Yoshihara.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£134.99
Recalls - Ben Haemhouts
Recalls obviously refers to memories. This piece of music is in fact a series of flashbacks, however, it does not highlight the actual memories of specific thoughts, people or events.The composition evolves around the late Frans Steurs, who for manyyears was the inspirational artist behind the brass band that is currently commissioning this work. The main theme of the work is based on the name STEURS". E = mi, U = do, R = re and S = "si" which is Dutch for the note "ti". This idea forms themusical theme for the entire composition and different variations are used throughout. The structure of the work is based on the concept of a story which father Steurs is telling his two daughters, who play the flute and the clarinet. Each part ofthe work has a story-like character:1. Introduction: following a short ominous intro, the main theme is presented for the first time.2. The Story: father Steurs has both his daughters on his knee and he tells them stories from the old days. Trumpetsand trombones play variations of the theme. The story gets very exciting (accelerande, poco a poco agitato) until the tale takes a dramatic turn when the father tells an exciting story at the time of the Second World War. He tells of being hunteddown by the occupying army and these adventurous episodes are related to us musically in part3. Danger, with its skilful references to "vor dem Sturm" from "Eine Alpensinfonie" by Richard Strauss.4. called Fugitives, is about how he fled in the nightfrom the enemy and this is reflected in the bass tones of a new theme. The aggression of the war is illustrated from bar 117 onwards, by a harsh brass section. The main theme is repeated once again and this time up-tempo. The second theme is broughtonce again from bar 149 onwards.5. Dialogues, depicts the conversations between the two daughters and their father. Father speaks (bar 155); the daughters answer (bar 164 - flute, bar 166 - clarinet); bar 178: father answers with the tune of the maintheme to the two daughters. The discussions gradually intensify but ultimately end in peace in the last part called Conclusion.The piece of music "Recalls" is a free interpretation by the composer who consulted the letters between the two daughtersof Steurs and their father and in this respect it is not really music for a programme."
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£109.99
Prelude To A New Era - Morten J. Wallin
This composition allows us to introduce to you the Norwegian composer Morten E. Wallin. This prelude has been written at the occasion of the turn of the millennium and is an opening music with lots of bravura.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.99
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£84.99
Elegy - Melvin L. Shelton
A touching and intense memoriam piece, the mechanics are on the easy side of Grade 4, but the demand for tone quality and control in tenuto passages and long slurred phrases calls for the best of musicianship from any group. The "Adagio e Rubato" tempo indication invites the kind of wonderfully expressive ensemble playing that should probably make up a larger part of band literature than it does today. Over a quiet unifying heartbeat from the timpani, the band explores the emotions felt after a tragic personal loss. A soaring F Horn solo (cued in Trumpet. and Alto Saxophone) leads poignantly toward a gentle Orchestra Bells and Wind Chime ending.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£69.99
The Road to Chancellorsville - Bryan Kidd
This is one to get excited about! In the style of a "patrol" march, THE ROAD TO CHANCELLORSVILLE takes us back to that pivotal point in history, the American Civil War. The Battle of Chancellorsville is regarded as Confederate General Robert E. Lee's most brilliant victory, but the cost was so high that the Secessionist forces never really recovered. They were forced to surrender less than two years later.Opening with light percussion and just two piccolos (substitute two flutes if necessary) this bright and easy march builds relentlessly from beginning to end. March into history with THE ROAD TO CHANCELLORSVILLE.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£52.50
Aardvark Parade - Graydon A. Toms
You can almost smell the aardvarks! Oh, no, wait. The kids had P.E. just before band rehearsal. Never mind.Seriously though, this cheerful and engaging new piece by Graydon Toms is a sure winner for every Grade 1 1/2 band. Big areas of contrast between the upper Woodwinds and the Brass and Saxophone combination ensure that each player feels important to the group, while an easy change of tempo near the end helps the piece sound harder than it plays.Whimsical!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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