In search of 'La Valse'-Winning Performance EBBC Lille 2016 Raveling Unraveling In Search of ‘La Valse’ was written for the Cory Band as their own-choice test piece for the 2016 European Brass Band Championships in Lille. The piece found its genesis in Sparke’s The Unknown Journey (2014) for concert band and the use of Ravel’s La Valse as a structural undercurrent to the original piece is an act of reverence. Sparke’s aim was to produce a work that is organic rather than episodic in nature. The composer’s view is that little in music does this better than La Valse and for this reason he uses various sections of this masterpiece both manipulated and quoted verbatim (including much of itsstunningclosing passages) to provide the overall geography of his new work. As the music progresses more of the Ravel appears surfacing completely as the piece reaches its climax - a gesture of homage to the French master.

The composition the Lonesome Knight was based on a fairytale. The piece was written by Saskia Apon for the National Brass Band Championships 2001. Once upon a time there was a knight who went to fight and defeat the dragon that had beenkilling the people of his town. There is a short but intense battle between the two and the knight is triumphant. However whilst persuing the dragon the knight has travelled far away from his home and now is lost. He roames around trying to findhis way home but exhausted and weary he falls to the ground. He awakens startled by a Giant and a group of Goblins who are celebrating the death of the dragon. The knight joins in the festivities but after a long evening is once more leftalone. The sun rises the following morning and he sees a castle on the horizon. He enthousiastcally ventures towards the castle in the hope of meeting other people. However he becomes greatly disillusioned when there is none to be found. Inhis desperation the knight climbs the tower ready to jump off. Suddenly he hears a heavenly voice. Right before him is the most beautiful princess he has ever seen. She graciously thanks him for killing the dragon a spark ingnites between themand they build a life together and.... live happily ever after! Saskia Apon studied harp at Rotterdam School of music. With this instrument she rounded of her studies by passing with credit however it was her love of composition thatremained her focus. Self-taught she began composing at the age of nine. Since then she has written pieces for The Dutch Brass Quintet The Dutch Brass Ensemble The Rotterdam Trombone Quartet and the brass band quintet Brass Ability. Atpresent she is the in-house arranger for The Rotterdam Philarmonic Brass Ensemble. Besides the customary attention for the real splashworks she endeavours to add value to the melodic function of the brass wind instruments in her music. Hercompositions and arrangements can be found on many diverse Cds.The composition the Lonesome Knight was based on a fairytale. The piece was written by Saskia Apon for the National Brass Band Championships 2001. Once upon a time there was aknight who went to fight and defeat the dragon that had been killing the people of his town. There is a short but intense battle between the two and the knight is triumphant. However whilst persuing the dragon the knight has travelled far awayfrom his home and now is lost. He roames around trying to find his way home but exhausted and weary he falls to the ground. He awakens startled by a Giant and a group of Goblins who are celebrating the death of the dragon. The knight joins inthe festivities but after a long evening is once more left alone. The sun rises the following morning and he sees a castle on the horizon. He enthousiastcally ventures towards the castle in the hope of meeting other people. However he becomesgreatly disillusioned when there is n

Composed during the summer of 1988. Commissioned by The Norwegian Brass Band Club First performed in the Grieg Hall¬? at the 10th Anniversary Concert for the Norwegian Championship Bergen February 1989. EBML conducted by Michael Antrobus. The work is important for me because it was my first piece to be played outside Norway. Black Dyke/David King performed it and did a recording of it in 1991. The composer: In the original score I quote a Swedish bishop (Olaus Mangnus) who lived in the 15th century. He travelled around Scandinavia and drew maps - very important historic material. When he came to the north of Norway (where I come from) hedescribed the wind from the north as Ciricus: (something like) Worst of all winds is Circius that revolves(?= turn upside down) heaven and earth. (Well not a good translation I¬?m afraid). The fast sections reflects the mighty winds from the north. In the middle section I borrowed a folksong-like tune (by C. Elling a norwegian composer). The text (by Kristoffer Janson) tells about old times when the fishermen used open boats: they had to put their lives in the hands of God. De opening en het slot van dit werk beschrijven 'Circius' de wind die hemel en aarde verwoest. Het middendeel is een bewerking van het Noorse volkslied 'The fisherman's speech to his son'. De inhoud van het lied komt overeen met Circius. De vader verzoekt zijn zoon de krachten van de natuur te trotseren maar bovenal te respecteren. Een kort doch spectaculair concertwerk dat het gehele orkest in de greep heeft.

for Brass Ensemble and Percussion. Par GLORIEUX FRANCOIS. François Glorieux was born in Belgium in 1932, and acclaimed throughout Europe, the USA, Latin America, Canada, Japan, China, the Middle East and Africa. He is one of the most widely accomplished and versatile musicians traveling the international circuit today: pianist composer conductor, commentator, entertainer, honorary professor of chamber music at the Royal Music Conservatory of Ghent and guest professor at Yale University (USA). His particular art was the rare one of improvisation presented in five languages. Glorieux practices all musical styles and has been highly considered by great artists such as André Cluytens, Arthur Rubinstein, Yves Nat, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Enrique Jorda, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, but also Michael Jackson, Stan Kenton, Stéphane Grappelli, Paul McCartney, Toots Thielemans, Jacky Collins, Annie Girardot, Dionne Warwick, A.C. Jobim, and so on. / Date parution : 2022-11-29/ Répertoire / Ensemble de Cuivres

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.

The travels of the Aztec people as they headed south through North America looking for a new home acted as the inspiration for Lake of the Moon.The composition contains small fragments of Oriental music and South American rhythms and occasionally Russian Cossacks seem to raise their heads. The journey from North to South is not without danger which is represented by threatening sounds within the music.In the Adagio divotothe composer takes us along to the Texcoco Lake which the Aztecs called the lake of the moon. Bring a little bit of South American history to your concert with Lake of the Moon.

Sleigh Ride-Troika is a Russian word that means a group of three but it also means a light Russian sleigh pulled by three horses. Christmas Troika portrays the joy of Christmas via a musical sleigh-ride. Listen as the glistening snow crinkles beneath the weight of the sleigh and the hooves of the prancing horses as it travels through the countryside. One can almost see the frost on the trees and hear the wind blow and the sleigh-bells ring as the tune O Come All Ye Faithful winds its way through the music.

This fantasy tells the story of Oregon one of Americas north-western states. Traveling by train on the Northern Pacific Railroad the listener is taken through the fascinating Oregon landscape. Indians cowboys golddiggers and hooded wagons will file past on this adventurous journey. The piece has some similarities with a soundtrack of a movie. Various melodies which could be the main themes of a movie pass the review.The piece begins in a slow movement introducing the first theme in minor. Then we hear in the following fast movement the trombones imitate the train whistling the steam-flute. We hear the characteristic minor theme again but now in differentvariants(also in major). The rythmic structure of 'western' stile and rock succeed each other. This is leading to the slow movement where the signals of horns and trumpets introduce a wonderful vocal melody. After this characteristic melody the fast movement appears shortly again the trombones whistling the steam-flute again (now in major). We hear also some musical elements that plays a part in the following Presto. Barchanges jazzy chords interesting rhytmic patterns (with bongo) and an original theme are the characteristics of this Presto. After this the horns announce the last section of the piece. Interesting is the fact that we hear in this Allegro section a variant of the vocal melody in the slow movement. Also the Presto theme returns shortly followed by the Allargando which is a grand characteristic end of a soundtrack. The movie of our travelling fantasy has come to an end.

Par GLORIEUX FRANCOIS. François Glorieux was born in Belgium in 1932, and acclaimed throughout Europe, the USA, Latin America, Canada, Japan, China, the Middle East and Africa. He is one of the most widely accomplished and versatile musicians traveling the international circuit today: pianist composer conductor, commentator, entertainer, honorary professor of chamber music at the Royal Music Conservatory of Ghent and guest professor at Yale University (USA). His particular art was the rare one of improvisation presented in five languages. Glorieux practices all musical styles and has been highly considered by great artists such as André Cluytens, Arthur Rubinstein, Yves Nat, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Enrique Jorda, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, but also Michael Jackson, Stan Kenton, Stéphane Grappelli, Paul McCartney, Toots Thielemans, Jacky Collins, Annie Girardot, Dionne Warwick, A.C. Jobim, and so on. / Date parution : 2022-11-29/ Répertoire / Ensemble de Cuivres

During the eighteenth century a person called 'the Dance Master' made his appearance in Ireland. He was a travelling dance-teacher who moved from one village to another to teach the people there how to dance. They were often flamboyant personalities gorgeously dressed and holding a staff in one hand. In order to teach their pupils the difference between their right and left leg the dance master used to tie a small bunch of straw or hay to their leg and then would order them to either lift their 'hay-leg' or their 'straw-leg'. The dancing masters used to stay in one particular village for about six weeks (if they were not claimed by a neighbouringvillage) after which they continued their journey. Having a famous dance master gave a village a certain distinction and did not seldom lead to boasting and pride. Also on account of the popularity of Celtic music in general at the moment William Vean was inspired to writing 'The Irish Dance Master'. He 'teaches' you two dances the Reel and the Jig. In between these two dances there is a short breathing space during which a traditional Irish rhythm can be enjoyed.

Time Machine is a journey through time that begins in the Stone Age. Evolution and the coming of man take place. The journey takes us into the present in which disorientation and chaos abound. We travel further into the future. An unfamiliar quiet and surreal landscape lies before us and we wander through it bewildered as we become aware of the destruction of the environment. Suddenly and for no reason memories from our childhood are awoken. Cultures have become completely mixed into one and the evolution of man has run its course. We realise that there is no ?afterwards? as before us lies the Stone Age once again... The wheel of time spins blindly on and all isrepeated.

A Tribute to Jules Verne (1828-1905)-Three Extraordinary Journeys was commissioned to mark the centenary of the death of the famous author Jules Verne. Based on three novels from his Voyages Extraordinaires series of travel stories the music aims to capture the excitement and adventure of these famous books. A fantastic new major concert or ‘own choice’ contest piece.

During the eighteenth century a person called 'the Dance Master' made his appearance in Ireland. He was a travelling dance-teacher who moved from one village to another to teach the people there how to dance. They were often flamboyant personalities gorgeously dressed and holding a staff in one hand. In order to teach their pupils the difference between their right and left leg the dance master used to tie a small bunch of straw or hay to their leg and then would order them to either lift their 'hay-leg' or their 'straw-leg'. The dancing masters used to stay in one particular village for about six weeks (if they were not claimed by a neighbouringvillage) after which they continued their journey. Having a famous dance master gave a village a certain distinction and did not seldom lead to boasting and pride. Also on account of the popularity of Celtic music in general at the moment William Vean was inspired to writing 'The Irish Dance Master'. He 'teaches' you two dances the Reel and the Jig. In between these two dances there is a short breathing space during which a traditional Irish rhythm can be enjoyed.