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£225.99Los Libros Olvidados - Johan de Meij
1. Barcelona 19452. Los Libros Olvidados - El Cementerio3. Las Ramblas - Els Quatre Gats4. Coubert - El Hombre sin Rostro5. Bea (Beatriz)6. El Inspector Fumero7. La Ciudad de las SombrasThis is a story wrapped within a story that unfolds in Barcelona 1945, following World War II. The protagonist, Daniel Sempere, is the teenage son of an antiquarian book dealer, who one day takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a mysterious place with labyrinthine corridors where rare and banned books are stacked in massive dusty piles. His father tells Daniel to select a book, but it will be his responsibility to protect it. Daniel picks La Sombra del Viento (The Shadow of the Wind), a novel by a forgotten author Julin Carax. Daniel immediately starts reading the book, and the story unwinds itself into a compelling and complicated plot. As he reads, Daniel finds himself and his own life merging into the story's plot. It transpires that there is a mysterious man named Lan Coubert ('the man without a face') who is determined to destroy all copies of Carax's books. Daniel is threatened by Coubert and is determined to find out what happened to Carax, who fled to Paris and subsequently disappeared. Daniel finds that his own life has much in common with the author's. The book mixes magic realism, page-turning mystery, and Daniel's own real life. Daniel's once ordinary teenage existence is now filled with larger-than-life colorful and at times, terrifying characters. Among them are Fermn Romero de Torres, a beggar who Daniel and his father befriend and employ in the family bookstore; the evil police inspector Javier Fumero, who could be compared to Scarpia in Puccini's opera Tosca or Javert in Les Misrables. The corrupt Fumero uses the war as an excuse to practice his sadism and is widely feared in Barcelona. He is represented in the music by a fascist military march. The city of Barcelona becomes a character in the book and in the music. The Ramblas, the boulevard running through Barcelona's Gothic Quarter and the famous caf Els Quatre Gats (the four cats) come alive in the score through a Cobla, the traditional wind ensemble playing a sardana, typical Catalan folk music. Two parallel love stories turn up the heat: Julin Carax's passionate, forbidden love for Penlope, and Daniel's equally passionate and forbidden love for Beatriz (Bea). Bea's sultry love theme is based on the first three letters of her name, with the ascending intervals B-E-A. Johan de Meij New York, October 17th, 2023
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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£193.20CASTRVM - Lionel Beltrán-Cecilia
CASTRVM is a symphonic episode inspired by four of the main civilizations that have coexisted over time in Ulldecona's Castle. With its melodies and sound effects, the composer tries to transport the listener through a trip to four uninterrupted movements, from the beginnings of this small settlement, creating a natural atmosphere recreated by the voice and the singing of birds to take us into the history with the first inhabitants, the Iberians, giving strength to the introduction of the composition, to move on to the time of the Andalusians, which with a melody in the form of a dance marked by percussion will transport us to take a walk in the surroundings of its circular tower. Next, and with strength, we arrive at the medieval and Christian period, marked in the score by the brass instruments, in this fragment we find moments that take us into the church of "Santa Mara de los ngeles", with melodies that evoke resonance and pomposity, continuing until we find the immense square tower, symbol of the fortress and homage, finally used as a prison and arsenal of those times. Then, there is a small slow march that will move us to some measures of strong stridency to finish with the whole section of low brass having its great moment of prominence, down to we reach the last part, Qna, a name that is recited during the musical piece and one of the names given in the past to the area that could be seen from the castle, where the change of location of the new town is recreated leaving the castle site, but always looking at it with respect and admiration as at the beginning of what is now the current Ulldecona, in this part, the composer plays a bit with a very well-known and significant melody for the inhabitants of Ulldecona, the "Jota Vieja", first making a reflex effect of all its melody and then only with the first six notes of this one, which builds a bridge until reaching the march and, later, the grand finale of this symphonic episode. The work was commissioned by Ulldecona Town Council and the Ulldecona Music Band, led by its conductor Joan Nadal i Girona, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the donation of the Town Charter of Ulldecona "the old" (1222-2022), as part of the PATRIMONIUM 20.22 programme, "La Banda (Sonora) del Castell" (The soundtrack of the Castle).CASTRVM consists of: I.Iberians: stone and ironII.AndalusiansIII.The square tower: fortress and homageIV.Qna
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£105.80Magellano - Andrea Moncalvo
This composition was written on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer (1480 - 1521), who embarked on what would have become the first circumnavigation of the globe. Unfortunately, he did not complete it because, in 1521, he was killed in the region that is today the Philippines. This adventure triggered various images in the author's mind; evocations that the composer elaborated in this piece, which is in a tripartite form (A B A) and is introduced and concluded by a solemn fanfare evoking the departure of the expedition, consisting of 5 ships with a total of 234 crewmen. The first part (Allegro) presents a main theme with a cantabile character that describes the fleet that, intrepid, plows the ocean. This initial melody is then contrasted by a more rhythmic and syncopated theme in a minor key, which instead refers to the indigenous peoples they have encountered during the journey. The central section (Adagio) is an oasis of reflection because, as in other great adventures, this too has tragic aspects: mutinies, shipwrecks, clashes with indigenous peoples, up to the disappearance of those who had desired and planned this enterprise. The last part proposes the themes of the first section but in reverse order, to describe the return to the homeland. The solemn fanfare welcomes the arrival of the Victoria, the only surviving ship with only 18 men on board, which returns to the port of departure after completing the circumnavigation of the earth in 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£171.00Passacaglia and Fugue in C-minor BWV 582 - Johann Sebastian Bach
The Passacaglia is a set of instrumental variations based on an ostinato bass. Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C-minor for organ represents the pinnacle of what had been achieved in this compositional form at that time. In Franco Cesarini's arrangement for large wind orchestra, the particularly careful interpretation of the original piece enables him to exploit all the sound colors at his disposal, and in this sumptuous guise Bach's work also takes on a grandiose dimension, albeit tinged with late-Romanticism. The exposition of the beautiful theme begins in the bass part, immediately creating a solemn and serious atmosphere which is accentuated by the intensely pathetic character of the first variations. Up to the tenth variation it remains confined to the bass, but in subsequent ones it also passes to the soprano and alto register. The integrity of the theme is also embellished with elegant arpeggios, in whose lower and higher extensions the theme can be distinguished. Towards the end it returns to the bass in an impressive thickening of the polyphonic texture that swiftly re-establishes the key of C-minor. The "Thema fugatum" which follows immediately does not constitute a Fugue in its own right, rather it is nothing but the twenty-first and most extensive variation of the Passacaglia. This time Bach uses only the first half of the theme, superimposing a rhythmic countersubject that considerably enlivens the entire development of the composition. The polyphonic discourse becomes increasingly dense, until the building tension peaks in a powerful "Neapolitan sixth" chord, followed by a sudden pause. This culminating moment then leads to the coda and final cadence on a bright C-major chord.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£79.99Scalin' and Wailin' - Thomas C. Duffy
Scalin' and Wailin' is a flexible, fun piece written with a differentiated instruction model. Three different difficulty levels meet students where they're at in their development and allows space for each to grow. This piece is also ideal for educators and conductors looking for side by side programming - younger ensembles can all play within the easiest group and more advanced ensembles can play within the more difficult groups, all fitting together in one energetic piece. Celebrate BandQuest's 20th anniversary with this special release, and find what works for your ensemble! BandQuest, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email [email protected] to request a free downloadable audio catalog.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£79.99Commemoration - James Barnes
Commemoration was commissioned by the members of the Northwest North Carolina Bandmasters Association to recognize the distinguished career of Dr. William A. Gora, the longtime Director of Bands at Appalachian State University, who passed away in 2015. Bill was loved by his students, respected by his peers and cherised by his many friends. A brilliant musician, a fine conductor and a warm human being with a marvelous sense of humor, Bill has been sorely missed by all. Gora was friends with composer James Barnes for over 40 years. They met when Barnes was still in graduate school at Kansas and Gora had just finished his DMA at the University of Florida. When the NNCBDA asked Barnes to compose a work in Bill's honor, he was honored to do so. He decided to write a cheerful work for Bill, full of energy, color and melody, because he knew this is what he would have wanted; no funeral dirges for Bill Gora. The soft middle portion of the work, a hymn-like tune scored in saxophone choir, was included because Bill was a fine saxophonist and, for many years, the saxophone teacher at ASU.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£57.50Grandmother Song
Grandmother Song is an introduction to the Mohican tradition of sung syllables, or what Native Americans call vocables. Combining them with traditional wood flute songs, composer Brent Michael Davids offers a fresh look at the sound of Native American songs. Band instruments are performed less as musical instruments and more as talking sticks, singing reeds, rustling winds and shooting thunder. Through this beautiful ballad, students are given the materials to understand how Native Americans celebrate the world around them through the blending of words and song. (Includes score and parts.) BandQuest, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Learn more on YouTube. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email [email protected] to request a free downloadable audio catalog.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£75.50The Dream of Tiberius - David Campo
The Roman Emperor Tiberius was born in 42 BCE to Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla, both descendants of prestigious political families, at a time when Rome was undergoing significant political upheaval. Julius Caesar had begun a brutal civil war in 49 BCE to end Rome's rule as a Republic and consolidate his power as supreme ruler. Following Caeser's assassination in 44 BCE, Tiberius' father backed the forces wishing to return Rome to a Republic, but they were defeated by Caesarian loyalists led by Caeser's heir Octavian. As a result, Tiberius' early life was spent on the run and in political exile with his parents. In 27 BCE, Octavian would become the first Emporer of Rome and assume the name Augustus. Augustus forced Tiberius' parents to divorce and took Tiberius' mother as his new bride, separating the family and forcing Tiberius to live with his father. Upon his father's death, Tiberius went to live with his mother and Emporer Augustus, a situation Tiberius found extremely uncomfortable but one over which he had no control. Having been adopted by the Emperor, Tiberius assumed the military and political life thrust upon him. He proved to be an outstanding military and political leader, and with his marriage to Vipsania Agrippina his life took on a heretofore unknown stability. However, Augustus would intervene in Tiberius' life once more, forcing him to abandon his happy marriage and take Augustus' daughter Julia (Tiberius' step sister) as his new wife. This arrangement, while securing Tiberius' place as Augustus' heir and ensuring he would one day be Emperor of Rome, was disastrous. Julia's drunken licentiousness was a constant source of scandal and embarrassment for Tiberius (and her father, the Emperor) and she was eventually exiled by her father Augustus. Tiberius was named Emperor of Rome upon the death of Augustus in AD 14, assuming his position as the most powerful man on Earth. However, no matter how powerful he had become, Tiberius never felt as if he had ever had any control over his life, having been manipulated from childhood through adulthood by the whims of Augustus. As Emperor, he soon became disgusted with the political intrigue of the Roman Senate and by AD 26 left Rome and took up residence on the island of Capri, where he lived out the rest of his life. History does not regard Tiberius fondly and by all accounts towards the end of his reclusive life on Capri, he had become a miserable, sick and mentally unstable old man reveling in debauchery and cruelty. It is also informative to note that he was Emperor of Rome when Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, and while there is no indication that Tiberius was even aware of the existence of Jesus, as Emperor he was responsible for the appointment of Pontius Pilate as Governor of Judea. Even considering this, it is difficult to look on the life of the Emperor Tiberius and not feel some sympathy and pity. It's in this spirit that I composed "The Dream of Tiberius." I imagine the man sitting in thoughtful seclusion on the beautiful island of Capri imagining what his life might have happily been had not power been thrust upon him: husband, father and humble servant of the people.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£139.99Le Cortge du Roi Renaud - Franco Cesarini
Le cortge du roi Renaud is a suite in five parts. It is based on tales that originated in southern European folk songs, dating back as far as the 16th century. A large portion of these songs are of the genre "Complaintes" songs in which the text gives a detailed description of events having a generally criminal or macabre character. The most familiar song to feature the tales of Roi Renaud is "Fualdes", consisting of 48 verses.The first part of the suite is based on the song "La Porcheronne" (The Swineherd). It telis the story of a young woman forced by her mother-in-law to tend pigs while her husband is away fighting in the war. She is freed only when her husband returns sevenyears later.The next part tells the story of "La mrquise Empoisonne" (The Poisoned Marquise). A marquise is coerced by her king to become his mistress. The jealous queen poisons her by means of a bouquet of deadly scented fiowers.Despite having the character of a merry dance, the third part, "La maumarie vengee" (The Avenged Wedding), expresses the touching story of Queen Clotilde, persecuted for her refusal to live according to the Aryan beliefs."La belle engloutie" (The Swallowed Beauty) relates the tale of the young wife of King Renaud. She cannot imagine a life without her husband, who was mortally wounded in the war, and begs the earth to open and swallow her up so thst she may rejoin her love.The gruesome content of the final part,"Le tueur de femmes" (The Wife Killer), bears a strong resembiance to the tale of Bluebeard. The story is about a young wife in danger of being drowned in a pond by her husband, which is what happened to her 13 predecessors. Thanks to her cunning, she manages to turn the tables and contrive her husband's demise.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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