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£435.40Goldberg 2012 - Svein H. Giske
The first time I heard Bach's Goldberg Variations was in the movie Silence of the lambs, in the early 1990s. I noticed the beautiful background music in one of the scenes, but at that time I didn't know what it was. A few years later, when I was studiying at the Grieg Academy, I got to know the entire piece. For me, this is a piece of music which I can listen to countless times. I think it sounds as fresh today as it did more than 15 years ago and it never ceases to inspire me. Both Bach's composition and Glenn Gould's famous 1955 recording (which was the first one I heard) still makes a great impression on me. Before Gould recorded it at age 22, it wasn't a highly ranked piece amongst pianists and Bach was by many viewed as a bit old-fashioned. The young Canadian turned all this around. He managed to portray Bach in a reformed way, producing fine nuances in phrasing and making the many layers in Bach's music more transparent than anyone before him. Thus he plunged both himself and Bach (back) onto the international music scene. When The Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) asked me to write the test piece for NM in 2012, it was only natural for me to use the Goldberg Variations as a starting point and inspiration for my work. Since I was a teenager at NMF's summer courses in the mid eighties I've always listened to many different styles of music. Growing up in Sunnmre with the Brazz Brothers as teachers and mentors, jazz-, pop/rock- and folk music were early on a natural part of my musical background. I also have my classical education from the Grieg Academy on trumpet. As the title of my piece implies, I've wanted to bring Bach to the present and put his music into various modern musical landscapes. I think you can bring about a special kind of energy when music from different genres are mixed and I've tried to do this by mixing Bach with artists and musical styles from the present. In Goldberg 2012, the music is often constructed by several layers, which in a way are living parallel musical lives. They are seemingly moving or floating freely, almost unaware of each other, but bound together by the same basic pulse. The rythms, however, are often notated on a different rythmic subdivision level than the usual 8th- or 16th note levels. By doing this, I hope to achieve transparent sounds that rythmically are perceived as more free and detached from each other. In large sections of the piece, pop/jazz is fusioned with elements from Bach. I guess you could have this little scene as a synopsis for the piece: picture a group of musicians meeting: some are classical performers, some are jazz. They start to improvise together, each in their own voice or musical dialect and I'm sort of in the middle, trying to write down what they are playing. This is what I feel much of Goldberg 2012 is about. The foundation of the piece, in addition to Bach and references from pop/jazz music, lies also in my own material. This material, basically two chords, is heard in it's purest form in the 1st movement. I use these chords to create scales, new chords and different motifs which contribute to blend together the different moods of the piece. It has not been my intention to copy Bach's form (theme and 30 variations), but rather to use the bits and pieces that I like the most as an inspiration for my own variations. The 1st movement, Aria 2, is for my 3rd son, Olav, who was born on the 21st of April 2011, and the 5th movement, From long ago, is dedicated to the memory of my father, Svein J. Giske, who passed away on the 6th of June 2011. -Svein H. Giske, January 2012-
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£72.95
Armored Knights - Chris Bernotas
The percussion section introduces and drives this piece along. Images of knights on mighty steeds infuse the narrative, as the winds play long, lyric passages punctuated by contrasting elements.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£72.99To All Things Left Behind - Richard L. Saucedo
This poignant and lyrical work by Richard Saucedo utilizes sections of transparent beauty, with only a few instruments playing, contrasted with sections of dramatic emotional content performed by the entire ensemble. Featuring long phrases and sustained intensity, this is a challenging yet rewarding work for mature bands. Dur: 6:00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£152.99The Legend Of Spirit Island - Philip Sparke
The Legend of Spirit Island was commissioned by the Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, Duluth, Minnesota (Mark Whitlock, conductor), to honour the euphonium player, Dick Carlson. The piece takes its title from a local legend about Spirit Island, which lies in a gap of the St. Louis River called Spirit Lake. The legend tells the story of Chaska, the son of a Dakota Chief, and Wetona, the daughter of Ojibwe Chief Buckado. He was handsome and she was beautiful; it wasn't long before they fell in love. This is a challenging euphonium solo in which the versatile soloist can explore very expressive melodic sequences, as well as energetic, technical sections.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£104.99Red Hot Chili Peppers
The iconic American rock band 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' were founded in the early 80's, and are to this day one of a few bands with such a long and impressive record of musical achievement. Richard Johnsen made a perfectly playable arrangement, withoutcutting out any stylistic qualities of the originals. The medley consists of the songs Californication, Under the Bridge and Snow (Hey Oh). Rock your audience!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£159.99The Wall - Otto M. Schwarz
The walls of Babylon, the Great Wall of China, the limes of the Roman Empire and the Berlin Wall are just a few examples of the walls mankind has built over past centuries. Today, building walls remains an issue, often under the pretext of 'protection' against intruders.This idea inspired Otto M. Schwarz to write a piece about the Roman limes between Germania and Rhaetia. From around 150 to 260 AD the wall faced numerous attacks. This programmatic work describes the events as they happened a long time ago, and addresses hope that these events belong to the past forever. The Wall is a work full of action in all-instrumental groups.This is an impressive piece with strong musical images, perfect for a contest or as an apotheosis in your concert.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£67.95
Invictus Rex - Matthew N. Putnam
Invictus Rex is the Latin phrase for an invincible or undefeatable king. It calls to mind a paragon of strength, boldness, and confidence in the face of challenges and adversity. Audiences will imagine a medieval king attired in heavy armor confidently leading his men into battle, assured in the idea that, though the battle is to be long and arduous, they will ultimately reign victorious. New composer Matthew Putnam draws on his experience as a music educator to provide us with this piece that students will absolutely love to play.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£61.95
Land Of Pharaohs - Gene Milford
The mystery and romance surrounding Egypt's Nile river, expansive deserts, mighty pyramids, Valley of the Kings, and legacy of art and culture has inspired generations of men and women around the globe. In ancient Egypt, the word "Pharaoh" meant "Great House," referring first to the royal palace itself and later to the ruler in power as an official title of leadership. Land of the Pharaohs is a short, musical depiction of the power that the ancient Pharaohs once held and the drama that has captivated mankind since the end of their long reign.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£110.99Highdays and Holidays - Philip Sparke
Highdays and Holidays was commissioned by the South Berks Concert Band to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2016. The band rehearses in the village of Mortimer, which has a long and fascinating history dating back to, and beyond, the BronzeAge. Mortimer is famous for The Mortimer Revel, an annual event which was apparently a fairly rumbustious and sometimes violent affair. Highdays and Holidays seeks to capture some of this festive event in the form of an energeticoverture, which explores a variety of moods including the somewhat chaotic atmosphere of the Revel.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£83.00Speak to Me - Dana Wilson
There is a long tradition in jazz of instruments carrying on a conversation - either intricate with soloistic dialogues (often improvised) or the call and response of larger forces. Speak to Me is above all such a conversation, at first among soloists and then among more and more performers as they gradually join in. This piece begins with a simple tune that increasingly overlaps with and is interrupted by other ideas, generating enormous energy along the way.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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