Results
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£204.99Storia Eroica (Concert Band - Score and Parts) - Waignein, Andre
This composition was commissioned by the "Municipal Brass Band of Luxembourg-Bonnevoie". It was premiered in presence of the Grand-Duke Heir Henri on January 24, 1998 with this orchestra, and with the composer as director. This work is a musical evocation describing this magnificent Luxembourgian region and her inhabitants. The overture evokes the serenity met in this region. An orchestrale development, as rhythmic as sound, propels the orchestra in a "military" atmosphere putting in evidence all the registers of the orchestra. This tension is maintained until the general explosion of the whole. One cantilena appears in all the innocence. Gradually, the orchestration suppresses, until the exhaustion. The passage which follows represents the tempestuous events which took place through ages. A spectacular cadence, by the clarinet or by the soprano saxophone, terminates this disorder. An ample and lyric theme reflects the generosity which always played an important role. Then, having found some of initial themes, work ends in an atmosphere of enjoyment, developed in rich and eclectic one variety which proves the sphere of influence of the sound colour at Andr Waignein.Duration: 14:00
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£118.99Princess Mononoke, Medley - Joe Hisaishi
Series: New Sounds in Brass (NSB); Duration: approx.8'50"; Composed by Joe Hisaishi; Arranged by Takashi Hoshide. Arranger Takashi Hoshide says, "I have selected beautiful melodies from the soundtrack of 'Princess Mononoke' (1997, directed by Hayao Miyazaki) and arranged them into a medley. What can be said about these songs as a whole is that they combine a grand continental scale with the delicacy that reflects Japanese emotions. Since there are no upbeat songs in this selection, I had to work hard on the arrangement, but this allowed for creating contrasts and transitions between each scene in the performance. 'Ashitaka Sekki (English title: The Legend of Ashitaka)' - 'Sekki' means a story that is not recorded but passed down orally. In this anime, this can be considered a sub-main theme. The song starts with a feeling that the story is about to begin and, once the theme kicks in, aim for a grand performance to convey its scale. 'Encounter' - This is the music that plays during the scene where the protagonist Ashitaka meets San. Interestingly, the motif of the main theme 'Princess Mononoke' is used in this melody. Here, let's pursue the shifts in the timbre of individual phrases, creating a beautiful and aesthetic soundscape. 'Princess Mononoke' - This is the main title of the anime. The melody line is carried by horns and trumpets."
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£159.99Guardian Angels - Kevin Houben
Guardian Angels gives a musical expression to the legend of Reverend Louis Henri Bhler referring to the use of Psalm 34.North-west Veluwe and in particular Oldebroek (The Netherlands) has a very rich religious tradition which is demonstrated by its monumental churches. They tell the story of a stirring history in which Reverend Bhler played a crucial role. Inspired by his arrival as a pastor in 1870 in the neighbouring Oosterwolde, two big religious communities came into existence with their characteristic churches but this rivalry also resulted in great social unrest.This composition reflects on this striking personality and in particular on the story of the Angel Guard.'One evening Reverend Bhler has given a sermon in Oldebroek and he walks over the Church path through the pastures to Oosterwolde. On this dark and stormy evening Bhler's opponents are waiting for the pastor in ambush. They want to drown him in a watercourse near the Church path but abandon their plan because Bhler is accompanied by two men. The next day it comes to an encounter between Bhler and his opponents. They repent their, fortunately unexecuted , plan. Bhler firmly believes that on the previous night he walked alone over the Church path, and was not accompanied by two men. It was concluded that it must have been the angels who had protected Bhler.'Psalm 34 is central to this composition and this because of its powerful melody but also because the lyrics of verse 4 of the rhymed version fit in well with the special legend of Reverend Bhler:The Lord's angel gathered round himAn invincible heavenly guard,Who tries God's will, around himSo he's well guard(ed)A second melodious and harmonic cell is a musical transformation of the name 'Bhler'. This cell is varied in major and minor third chords and sometimes used as the main idea or apotheosis, but also serves as an accompanying cell or as a bridge between other melodic and rhythmic constructions.The composition was made possible by contributions of: Mr Evert van de Poll, owner of the Van Gelder Groep, Het Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Gelderland en Het Feteris Oosterbaan Fonds.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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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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£59.80Alte Kameraden - Carl Teike
It is the greatest tragedy in the life of a young composer if he happens to write his most successful piece at the beginning of his musical career. This holds true for Carl Teike, as the unsurpassed success at the beginning of his musical life was his march "Old Comrades". It is a sparkling piece that may well be labeled to be the German "march of marches". Carl Teike was born on Feb. 05, 1864 in Altdamm. After his parents had moved to Stettin, he had early contacts with military music as a youngster. The enthusiasm for this kind of music never left him throughout his life. He began a musical apprenticeship with City Music Director Bttcher in Wollin and already played in the spa orchestra of Bad Misdroy, which Bttcher conducted. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he enlisted as a volunteer in the band of the (5th Wrttemberg) King Karl Grenadiers No. 123 in Ulm. The musical and military environment there proved to be ideal for the ambitious young musician, who hoped to eventually study band music at the University of Music in Berlin. Above all, his military superior, bandmaster Julius Schreck supported young Teike wherever he could. Unfortunately the time in Ulm took a very unhappy turn, as Schreck's successor was extremely resentful towards Teike, and musical support was replaced by sheer harassment. On account of this, Teike retired from the military towards the end of 1889. Short employments in Ravensburg and Ulm evidently did not suit Teike, who was of northern German descent. This is why he applied for the Royal Police Force in Potsdam. Teike was accepted and entered service in 1895. The royal capital of the Hohenzollerns obviously stirred Teike to write a number of brilliant marches. He even became known abroad as the "musical policeman". Unfortunately he contracted a severe pneumonia while on duty, which eventually forced him to retire from the Royal Police Force in Potsdam. On February 01, 1909 he and his family moved to the prosperous provincial city of Landsberg on the Warthe (which is located east of Berlin in present-day Poland). There, Count Clairon d'Haussonville proved to be an understanding superior who paved the way for modest Carl Teike to continue composing, as his creativity had not suffered from this move. The disease which he had caught in Potsdam evidently was more severe than he was inclined to accept. In spring 1922, his state of health became worse, and in May of that year he passed away. Much too early - as many people felt. Teike's marches constitute an enrichment of the German concert march, as he never composed any street marches. Clear structures, musical ingenuity and a multitude of tone colors distinguish his works and shape them into something really new. It is this type of the march in particular that became the bedrock of the universal appeal of the German march. Even today Teike's marches stand unrivaled for musical quality and content - and they never are aggressive. Toward the end of his tour of duty in Ulm, Teike handed a new march to his superior, which, at the time, did not have a title yet. He in turn told Teike to "put it in a stove and burn it". As we know today, this was a classic misappraisal, as Teike subsequently named his march "Old Comrades" in view of his impending retirement. We do not even need to discuss the acceptance the march has met and still meets all over the world, as "Old Comrades" simply always has been a march of universal appeal. In his new arrangement, Siegfried Rundel did not change the essence of Teike's music, he rather sensitively adapted it to modern musical practice and to the instrumentation of the symphonic band on the basis of his deep respect for the works of Carl Teike.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£137.99Odyssee - Jan Bosveld
The Odyssee tells the story of Odysseus, the undaunted hero. In times long ago the blind poet Homer wrote this famous epic. The "Odyssey" follows the "Iliad", the story of the bloody war between the Greek and the Trojans. This battle endsafter ten years thanks to the Odysseys famous trick. the Trojan Horse. The Odyssey is not a war epic, but a story about perseverance, loyalty, adventure, and the survival instinct of its ingenious hero. In The Odyssey, Homer describes howOdysseus, the king of Ithaca, had to endure another ten years of affliction after the ten years of war in Troy before he could finally return to his home land. During those years, his wife, Penelope, had to try and keep her many admirers away.These men not only wanted het hand but also the kingship. To prove her husbands worth, she played a trick: "As soon as I have finished weaving this shroud for my father-in-law, Laertes, I will choose one of you to become my husband", she promisedthem. But during the night, she secretly loosened what she had woven during the day, prolonging the time until Odysseus would finally return. After twenty long years, when he finally stood at the door, she wondered: Is this really my husband? Ishe an imposter? Cunningly, she asked him to move the bed, because only she and her husband know that the bed was immovable and was build around an old three trunk! Odysseus was deeply moved: this really was his wife, his Penelope! Nearly threethousands years later, the loyalty and strength of this character, and all the dangerous adventures that Odysseus survived thanks to courage and intelligence, still moves us today. Odyssee by Jan Bosveld is not just an adventure story, butrather a characteristic piece in which memories of Homers story can be heard. The composition opens with a firm, stirring theme describing our hero, Odysseus, in detail: This man is not to be taken lightly. The further development of thisshort introduction completes this character sketch: trustworthy, perseverant, and a genius. After that we can picture Odysseus on the lonely beach of Ogygia. Do the trumpets depict his memories of the war of Troy? Does he think of his wife, as werecognise the weaving loom of Penelope in the murmuring eighth? In the solemn, plaintive part that follows, we can imagine Penelope feeling lonely, sitting in the womens room with her servants.One of the girls plays the harp, but that does notclear the sombre atmosphere. Then we can imagine seeing the sorceress Circe, who changed Odysseus men into swine. After she gives a simple magic sign something follows that reminds us of the sound of pigs grunting. Then the Odysseus theme resounds:the hero comes to savi his comrades. Assisted by Hermes, he forces Circe to lift the spell. The piece ends the same way as it began, with an animated theme: Odysseus is still the same, undefeated and not to be taken lighty!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£204.99Storia Eroica - AndrĂ© Waignein
Andr Waignein received order of this composition of the "Municipal Brass Band of Luxembourg-Bonnevoie". It is in the presence of the Grand-Duke Heir Henri that took place first interpretation on January 24, 1998 with this orchestra, and with the composer as director.This work is a musical evocation describing this magnificent Luxembourgian region and her inhabitants.The overture evokes the serenity met in this region. An orchestrale development, as rhythmic as sound, propels the orchestra in a "military" atmosphere putting in evidence all the registers of the orchestra. This tension is maintained until the general explosion of the whole. One cantilena appears in all theinnocence. Gradually, the orchestration suppresses, until the exhaustion. The passage which follows represents the tempestuous events which took place through ages. A spectacular cadence, by the clarinet or by the soprano saxophone, terminates this desorder.An ample and lyric theme reflects the generosity which always played an important role. Then, having found some of initial themes, work ends in an atmosphere of enjoyment, developed in rich and eclectic one variety which proves the sphere of influence of the sound colour at Andr Waignein.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£184.99
Rubicon - Bert Appermont
The Rubicon is a river in Northern Italy which Julius Caesar crossed with his army in 49 BC in defiance of the leaders of Rome, who feared his power. A civil war against rival Pompey ensued, which culminated in Caesar seizing power as the absoluteruler of Rome. The phrase "crossing the Rubicon" therefore refers to any person committing himself irrevocably to a risky, decisive and irrevocable of course of action.The work consists of three parts that deal with this important moment in history.Part 1 (Meditation) symbolises Caesars request to the Gods to assist him in his difficult choice. In a slow introduction we hear the melancholy and beseeching sounds of the duduk (alternatively, this part can be played by a soprano saxophone)and of the soprano solo singer over the bourdon accompaniment. The soprano solo singer then sings "dona tibi pacem" (give him rest) in a melodious and probing theme.In Part 2 (Battle of Pharsalus) trumpets and trombones resound alternately ina stately Roman fanfare, producing a stereophonic effect. This develops into a martial theme in which Caesars impressive army goes to battle against the army of rival Pompey. While the theme of Caesars army fades away, Pompeys theme emerges as anaive dance in six-eight time. His army is definitely in the majority and it believes it can easily defeat the enemy. Suddenly trumpets and trombones clash on two sides of the orchestra: Caesars army advances and attacks. A fierce battle ensues inwhich the two themes are played alternately as well as simultaneously. Thanks to his shrewd battle tactics, Caesar manages to win this legendary battle after all: his theme resounds ever louder in trumpets and horns until everything dies out andchanges into a kind of reconciliation between the soldiers of the two armies. The melancholy "dona tibi pacem" from part 1 now serves as a reconciliation theme.Caesar is now the sole ruler of the New Roman Empire, which would be destined to leave itsmark on our Western civilisation to this day. The third part is a sparkling succession of dance music (Dance) with many Greek and Roman elements in which Caesars victory is praised and celebrated. It is common knowledge that the culture(arts, gods, etc.) of the Romans drew heavily on Greek culture. I have therefore used an authentic Greek theme (the Seikolos song) several times in this part (bar 17 in the euphonium, bar 60 in the base section, bar 68 in the sopranosaxophone) to suggest the music of that era and to evoke the right atmosphere. After a gradual increase in tempo in the entire orchestra, the opening melody gloriously resounds once more, surrounded by virtuoso dance music. The work ends withbombastic brass fanfares in which Caesars theme triumphs once more.NOTE FOR THE CONDUCTOR:The Armenian duduk and the monochord that are used in the introduction give a special tone to the music, but could be substituted (soprano saxophone instead ofthe duduk) or left out (monochord). The soprano solo is also doubled within the orchestra and could therefore also be left out if necessary, although it does provide the work with an extra dimension. The male voices in the introduction and the finalecould possibly be replaced with a synthesizer with choral setting.As a visual and acoustic element in part 2, the trumpets, the e-flat cornet, the small drum and trombones can be stood up and placed at two sides of the orchestra (bar 80).Seen fromthe point of view of the conductor, put the trumpets, the e-flat cornet and the small drum in the left section and the trombones in the right section of the orchestra. This also helps to create a visual contrast between the two themes of the secondpart. The players can be seated again at bar 97 or bar 121. The soprano soloist can be placed in or in front of the orchestra, depending on what gives the best result. For the conclusion of the work the soprano solo can be sung from afar (from thewings) to create additional atmosphere.This work was composed especially for the "St Joseph" brass band from Pey/Echt (Belgium) with conductor Mark Prils.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£159.99
Fantasia Per La Vita E La Morte - Bert Appermont
The mystique surrounding life and death formed the starting point of this composition. I wanted to write a work without a story, mixed up in a kind of musical quest for a new world of sound, original rhythm sequences, melodies filled with suspenseand distinct orchestral tones.The indirect cause was the birth of my first child which took place during this time, followed by the death of a close family member. At such a moment you experience just how close life and death are to each other, anddespite one being the antithesis of the other, they are incredibly similar. Both radical events are passages into new worlds and have great emotional impact. Moreover, the work was commissioned by "New Life", an orchestra that lost one of itsmusician in a plane crash, which also led me to believe that this approach would be appropriate.I would prefer not to comment on which passages in the composition concern life (birth) and which refer to death. It seems to me that it is moreinteresting to question traditional conceptions and leave it open for the listener. If you think that a passage is about birth, and this idea then shifts, it is this that raises fascinating questions, on both a musical and metaphysical level.Music isin an indirect but incredibly persuasive way in which to express the endless striving and seeking of mankind. Music can even touch eternity, as it were, and give us the feeling that we can transcend death. This endless search (and also longing) canbe heard throughout the work; as much in the sound fields and accent shifts in the first part as in the enormous tension curves and compelling themes of the second part. The semi-tone functions in this way as a guide or something to hold on to,running through the whole work and upon which much of the musical material is based. Traces of profound love resound with quiet simplicity in the slow section's melodious solos, after which the work contemplates life and death one last time, musesupon joy and sadness, on the possibilities and limitations of people and on the why of all things.I would like to dedicate this work to my dearest daughter Paulientje, to Meterke and to Johan de Jong of the "New Life" orchestra. May it fare themwell, here or in another dimension...
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£264.99
Diferencias on an Old Spanish Song - Yasuhide Ito
I am immensely happy that my Gloriosa, symphonic poem for band (1990), has been performed by so many bands in the last thirty years.During this period, the growth of the internet has made it much easier to access information.When I composed Gloriosa, I only had limited information about the period when Christianity and Western music was first introduced to Japan, and had to rely a lot on my imagination.However, nowadays, it is easy to obtain various source materials and to read interesting studies on the music of the past.In recent years, the music of Luis de Narvez (born ca.1500 - died between 1555-1560), Spanish composer and vihuela player, has become increasingly known, and several CDs of his music are now available.Narvez composed the earliest-known set of diferencias, a forerunner of the variation form. One of his works is Seys diferencias sobre el himno "O gloriosa domina" [Six diferencias on the hymn "O gloriosa domina"] (1538), based on the Spanish Marian hymn, and it was this melody I used in the first movement of my Gloriosa.Western music has been my musical roots since childhood, and throughout my career as a composer, it has continued to fascinate me. One could say that this has provided the inspiration for Diferencias on an Old Spanish Song, my own take on the diferencias form.Actually, such music from the early sixteenth century could sound fresh to our modern ears. So I decided to quote the melody from Narvez's Sey diferencias at the beginning and end of the piece, in order that people can get the feel for the period.The main section (bars 42-390) is formed of 13 diferencias, similar to the first movement of the Gloriosa.In the middle section, which begins after the eighth diferencia(from bar 187), one should be totally absorbed in the tranquility and the beauty of the music. Although it's in the style of a sarabande, it should be taken slower and played as pianissimo as possible.This is followed by folk-style dance music. (As only standard percussion instruments are used, try to be creative with tonal colours and sense of rhythm).The structure of the work is simple, but be aware of the connection between the sections when constructing the whole.Also, think about the tonality. Overall, the work is in F minor. The main section is basically in D minor, but from bar 102, it modulates to A flat minor and G minor, and then in the middle section it suddenly switches to A flat major (which is the furthest key from D minor, and the relative major of F minor). From bar 219, it modulates to F minor and then to C minor, then back to F minor by way of A minor.N.B. The Oboe II part can be substituted by the English Horn (as indicated in the parts). One can choose according to the player's skills or preference.Recent new compositions for wind band are often full of rhythm, dynamism, and tonal colour, and compositional techniques and orchestration have also evolved greatly. Yet on the other hand, they tend to feature fewer melodic or expressive elements. Since this work is the test piece for WMC Kerkrade 2022, I had to think about what "tests" or "challenges" to set, and I decided to compose something that doesn't involve a lot of technical display, but requires beautiful sounds and harmonies, and above all, musical expressivity. I didn't put many expression markings in the score, because I wanted the performers to think about how best to express this music. If it is played merely as notated, it's not going to sound very interesting.Christianity was introduced to Japan in the mid-16th century, but it was subsequently banned and Japan entered a period of national isolation, which meant that there was hardly any international exchange for two hundred years. As a result, the Christian hymns that were introduced prior to the isolation became almost unrecognizable over the centuries. This was the theme I explored in my Gloriosa thirty years ago.Now, in 2021, the whole world has been forced to "isolate" due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In such times, it seems pertinent that I've written a work using this melody again. I sincerely hope that people will be able to gather in Kerkrade in 2022.(English Translation:Nahoko Gotoh)
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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