In 1868 William Francis Allen published a collection of spirituals songs sung by slaves whilst they worked. This book started a flood of enthusiasm for the spiritual which continues to this day. Jubilation (a time for celebration) uses the spiritual 'My Lord What A Morning' as the main melody for transitions and modulations throughout and to introduce three further spirituals: I'm Gonna Sing Steal Away and Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit.

In the tripartite 'Cowboy Suite' Alan Laken takes us to the Wild West the domain of cowboys indians trappers and other fortune hunters. Around 1890 the west coast of America was reached which in effect meant the end of the Wild West. Its stories however survived and have been a source of inspiration for many books films and of course music. Some characters such as Jesse James Billy the Kid and Buffalo Bill are forever linked to these tales. In the 'Cowboy Suite' we first hear the 'Hoedown'. At the end of an exhausting workday the labourers used to lay down their tools among others the 'hoes' and spontaneously began to play music on the instruments which they then possessed (guitars fiddles and banjos) and to dance. After being jolted on the 'Wagon Trail' we reach the third part the 'Cowboy Roundup'. In this last part it becomes clear that as a cattle driver it is imperative to stay firmly seated in the saddle. As the cattle are rounded up i.e. driven together spectacular things happen.

In imitation of the huge ‘House rage’ (at the end of the eighties) John Emerson Blackstone composed ‘House of Dance’ for youth orchestra. It proved to be a success. House owes its name to the place where this music was ‘developed’ i.e. an old night club called ‘The Warehouse’ in Chicago. Many subcultures followed. Whether you like the style or not one thing is certain: House music (also called Dance music) for many provides the basis for hours of fun on the dance floor.

‘Four Easy Dances’ is a four-part suite from Gobelin’s ’Flexy Band Collection’. This series is meant for starter ensembles i.e. youth orchestras which may not have the full range of instruments available yet. Therefore it is possible to combine various instruments. ‘Four Easy Dances’ comes from the ‘Flexy 3 Series’ and can in principle be played by only three instruments completed with three percussion instruments. ‘Four Easy Dances’ consists of: 1. Hop Skip and Jump 2. Little Polka 3. Spanish Dance (castanets are obligatory) and finally 4. Tango.

October. Note from the composer: ?I cam across David Miller's arrangement of October on YouTube a couple of years ago. As soon as I heard it, I knew we should make this available for more ensembles. Thank you, Dave.? Please note: the corresponding choral work is entitled ?Alleluia.?

The composer: A short concert-opener where I use Norwegian folk-tunes. I wanted to create a short musical picture of the Vikings running from the seashore towards some people they wanted to fight down. They used to drink something made of mushrooms and became very wild. They didn¬?t feel any pain they didn¬?t feel any fear. They where called the Berserkings! Ze voelden geen pijn en kenden geen angst... de Vikingen! Na het drinken van een speciale drank van paddenstoelen konden ze de hele wereld aan. Fraaie Noorse volksmelodieën gebruikend schetst Aagaard-Nilsen het hero?sche beeld van aanvallende Vikingen. Klaar om de kust te bestormen...

There have been many arrangements of Beatles’ songs for various kinds of ensembles so rather than just producing a further medley of Beatles’ hits Peter Kleine Schaars has added a new twist to them with this excellent new work. All You Need Is Love and With a Little Help from my Friends pass by in a swing march  Michelle sounds like a newly composed ballad and When I’m Sixty Four is played in Dixie swing style. A Hard Day’s Night is transformed into a funk theme with a samba interlude  Let It Be into a slowmarch and Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da in a rock beat. Experience The Beatles as you have never heard them before.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) wrote the lyrics of 'There is a land of pure delight' and is known as the 'Father of English Hymnody'. Watts was for the English hymn as Ambrose was for the medieval Latin hymn and what Martin Luther was for the German chorale. He wrote about 750 songs and some of them survide the ravahes of time. (Joy To The World When I survey the wondrous cross I sing the Mighty Power of God) 'There is a Land of Pure Delight' is usually in English-speaking areas sung on Luther Orlando Emerson's melody ('Ascription'). Here is used a traditional English melody ('Mendip'). There is a land of pure delight Wheresaints immortal Reign. Infinite day excludes the night And pleasures banish pain.

This piece was commissioned by Nordhordland Brass Seminar in 1990 and written for a youth band. The title referes to a story from norse mythology. ?The Binding of the Wolf? is not a programmatic piece of music but I felt that there was a kind of coherence between the music and the dramatic story: ?...The wolf Fenrir was one of the demonic offspring of Loki and as he grew up in Asgard among the gods he became so huge and fierce that only Tyr was willing to feed him. It was decided that he must be bound and Odin in his wisdom caused the cunning dwarfs to forge a chain which could not be broken. It was made from the invisible and yet potent powers ofthe world such as the roots of a mountain the noise of a moving cat the breath of a fish. When completed this chain seemed to be no more than a silken cord but the wolf refused to let it be laid upon him unless one of the gods would put a hand between his jaws as a pledge that it was harmless. Only Tyr was prepared to do this and when the wolf found that the chain was unbreakable the gods rejoiced but Tyr lost his hand. The binding of the wolf may be seen as a means of protecting the world of men as well as that of the gods from destruction. The story of the god losing his hand appears to be one of the fundamental myths of nothern Europe...?

The popular Swedish children's series Pippi LÃ¥ngstrump (Pippi Longstocking) is about an exceedingly strong and strong-willed little girl with red braids - who is the brainchild of Astrid Lindgren. This series has been broadcasted in many countries. I arranged its cheerful theme tune in samba style. Even with the new rhythm the original song is still very recognizable. In the exuberant samba style the percussion plays an important role. Within the LÃ¥ngstrump Samba this is especially clear in the ad libitum percussion solo halfway through the arrangement. The solo can go on as long as desired and offers plenty of freedom because of the free choice of the instruments used.

Andantino-English Dances Set I opus 27 is a light classic composition that was written for orchestra by the British composer Malcolm Arnold in 1950. The set contains four dances that continue without pause: the individual movements are indicated by the tempo markings. The work came about at the request of Bernard de Nevers at the time the head of publisher Alfred Lengnick

from Sister Act-This old hit has been revamped for the film Sister Act in which Whoopi Goldberg performs the number with Deloris & the Sisters. This adaptation for brass band has been arranged by Ron Sebregts.

Cette chanson fait partie des ballades les plus connues de tous les temps. La simplicité tout en pureté de sa mélodie est exactement ce qui rend ce morceau inoubliable. Ben Haemhouts en a réalisé un arrangement à la portée de tous les orchestres et de tous les solistes pour divers instruments. L?arrangeur joue également lui-m?me ce chef d?oeuvre sur son CD 'I've Got the Music' avec le groupe dans lequel il a lui-m?me joué pendant dix ans.

For Brass Band-Ian Wilson was born in Belfast in 1964 and obtained the first D.Phil in composition to be awarded by the University of Ulster . His music has been performed and broadcast on six continents. About Seascape with high cliffs he says: ?the piece was inspired by a visit I made some years ago to the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland. The cliffs are hundreds of feet above the swelling sea with the Aran islands in thedistance barely visible the day I was there. Seabirds were floating in the strong breeze below me.?