East Coast Pictures originally written for wind band have now been transcribed by Phillip Littlemore introducing these exciting programmatic pieces to a wider audience. These three short ‘pictures’ were inspired by several visits by the composer to a small part of the USA’s East Coast an area that provides great extremes in the geography and the people. Shelter Island is a small island situated almost at the end of Long Island a few hours’ drive east of New York. In the summer it becomes a crowded tourist trap but in the winter it is gloriously deserted and bravely faces the onslaught of the turbulent Atlantic shrouded in sea mists anddriving rain. In upstate New York lie the Catskill Mountains an extraordinary combination of tranquillity and power peace and majesty. Once seen they call you back again and again. New York ...or to be precise Manhattan. For anyone who is familiar with this bizarre and wonderful city this ‘picture’ needs no explanation. For those not yet hooked here is a foretaste of things to come.

Danceries Set II arranged for brass band was first commission by Keith Allen for the Birmingham Symphonic Winds. This second set of Danceries continues the format established in the popular Danceries (Set I) of using tunes and dances from Playford s Dancing Master (17th century) to form the basis of an extended dancesuite. In this set the melodies have become more abstracted and project only a distant echo of their original forms. As before each movement is self-contained colourful and direct with its own distinct mood.The outer movements Jennie s Bawbee and Peascod s Galliarda share driving percussion with a military air. Tom Tinker s Toye and Heart s Ease(movements two and three) are both settings of original melodies. All movements are more extended than in the first set with a freer use and approach to the material; melodies now occur in various keys and are supported by a greater variety of harmonic colouring. The result is a richer even more exhilarating set of dances.Brass Band Grade 5.

Shelter Island is a small island situated near the end of Long Island a few hours drive east of New York. In the summer it becomes a crowded tourist trap but in the winter it is gloriously deserted and bravely faces the onslaught of the turbulent Atlantic shrouded in sea mists and driving rain. This brass band transcription by Phillip Littlemore is of the first movement of East Coast Pictures originally written for wind band and was commissioned in 1985 by the British Youth Wind Orchestra with funds from National Westminster Bank plc. These three short ‘pictures’ were inspired by several visits by the composer to a small part of the USA’sEast Coast an area that provides great extremes in the geography and the people.

This is really a powerhouse of a piece! Hard-driving rock’n roll at a high tempo with the Jazz Police at the heels… Please note the dynamics. Tempo and good articulation is a very big part of the energy of this piece. Fortissimo first appears at bar 113. A useful tip: It’s possible to practice this one also at lower dynamic levels.