‘Dutch Christmas Song’ is an arrangement of the old Dutch song ‘Hoe leit dit Kindeke’ (Vlaanderen 1897). The tender almost fragile words have been movingly honoured by Timothy Travis. The addition of percussion gives this lovely Christmas song a modern touch.

Par SCHJELDERUP FREDRICK. Momentum Sequences was commissioned by Skjold Skoles Musikkorps (Norway) for their 60th Anniversary in 2021 (later adapted for brass band to Smørås Skolemusikk). The title of the term Momentum can be explained by an event that creates extra energy, or the driving force of a moving object. In this case, both the driving force, The energy and the object can be translated to the music, the conductor and the band. The piece is divided in three movements; «I.Signals», «II.Light» and «III.Finale» which builds up the Momentum of the piece’ character and theme. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Répertoire / Ensemble de Cuivres

For centuries composers have been inspired by the beautiful O Magnum Mysterium text depicting the birth of the new-born King among the lowly animals and shepherds. This arrangement for symphonic band has been transcribed from the original unaccompanied choral setting. Morten Lauridsen is one of America’s most-loved and most-performed living composers and this arrangement is rich in colour deeply spiritual and intensely moving. Brass Band Grade 3: Youth and 4th Section Duration: 6 minutes This piece has been recorded by the Leyland Band conducted by Jason Katsikaris and is a hidden bonus track on the CD entitledPenlee.

Journey of the Lone Wolf tells the story of the hungarian composer Béla Bartók. It was commissioned by Dr. Nicholas Childs for Black Dyke Band who gave the first performance on Sunday 26 January 2014 at the Bridgewater Hall Manchester as part of the Royal Northern College of Music Festival of Brass. The composer's programme notes for each movement: 1. Capturing the Peasants SongAfter the upheaval of moving to Budapest the young Béla Bartók meets Zoltán Kodály and the pair embark on summertime adventures throughout the Hungarian countryside to collect and catalogue theastonishing variety (both harmonically and rhythmically) of gypsy and folk music heard in the Balkans. The arrival of WW1 plunges Bartók's beloved Hungary into chaos.2. Night MusicBartók was at times a cold man aloof and lonely. The odd moments of tenderness he showed are portrayed here in a series of evocative solos. His brief but intense affairs speak of a love he could only long for. Jazz is my night music and here there are hints of what Bartók may have heard in the USA later in his life.3. Flight and FightHaving been forced by the world's evils to leave his homeland of Hungary for America Bartók the anti-fascist felt isolated and angry. In this movement we hear his longing for a simpler time of gypsy folk dances as well as his maturity and depth as a composer finally exploring deeper colours and darker themes.

In this composition William Vean takes you on a journey through the fascinating and exciting world of animals. Apart from it being a composition filled with 'special effects' Animal Kingdom contains many educational elements such as playing inswing (triplets feeling) chromatics flutter tonguing gypsy tuning varying keys and of course dynamics and articulation. The melodic lines occur in all four voices as well as in all percussion parts providing each musician with theopportunity to play a solo or to accompany. Highly recommended for your youth band! William Vean is an educational composer. He knows how to musically shape the special elements from our daily lives. His music is therefore veryexpressive containing creative solutions to possible problems. Special ways of playing make his music particularly interesting for the winds but the percussion section is also featured in his special effects. The world of the animalsalways plays on ones imagination. In Animal Kingdom William Vean has portrayed a number of animals in a special manner: Kevin Kangaroo - The jumping character of this animal can be heard in different voices. The swing style alsoemphasizes the characteristic movements of the kangaroo. Playing in swing style can be practised by using scales. Eddy Elephant - For some of his smaller fellow fauna friends this can be quite an ordeal but for Eduard (Eddy for friendsand intimates) it is his daily walk. Baldrick Bat - Baldrick the Bat is a mysterious character. This can be heard in the fast moving valves and keys accompanied by special effects in the percussion section. Curtis Camel - Curtisthe Camel trudges across the desert feeling bored. The idea that the horizon will never change does not affect him anymore. He has accepted his fate. The distinctive tones from the gypsy scale provide the suitable oriental sounds. BettyButterfly - Butterfly Betty elegantly and without worries flutters from flower to flower in the garden. Her motto: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day). Betty is a one-day butterfly. Marvin Monkey - A 'swing' monkey stirs up the feelings. Evenmembers of the orchestra will look like real monkeys. How about your audience? Each part has its own difficulties and challenges. Important in the first part is playing 'in swing' (triplets feeling). This can be practised usingscales. In the second part ensemble playing and balance are important. In Baldrick additional information on the effects that have to be played might be useful. 'New' sounds are of course welcome. Curtis the Camel introduces thegypsy scale. Additional explanation of the use of the scale might be useful. Key changes are interesting in this part. A slight accent on the first beat of the bar will add to the charm of this part. Marvin the Monkey brings back the swingrhythm that was introduced in the first part altern

Spiritual-This deeply moving African-American spiritual is ideally suited for an Easter service. The score is in C. Douglas Smith has arranged this piece for 2 B flat trumpet/cornet a trombone/baritone/horn in F and a trombone/baritone with optional tuba.

In this stunning work French composer Christian Bouthier has created a nostalgic French chanson a form of song popularised by the ambassador of French song Charles Aznavour. The piece is characterised by a peaceful moving melody filled with meditative sounds that encourage a blissful dreaminess.

For many years Enya has been selling as many records as pop goddesses like Madonna and Britney Spears. But it was the events of September 11 2001 that truly brought this Irish singer to the world stage with CNN broadcasting her ballad Only Time with the tragically dramatic images around the World Trade Center in New York. Ron has arranged this moving song in his own familiar creative way

In English-speaking countries ‘Away in a Manger’ is one of the first Christmas songs to be taught to little children. It is a moving song with simple words which makes it easy to understand. The song is also known as ‘Luther’s Cradle Hymn’. This suggests that Martin Luther was the author of the lyrics. According to researchers however this is a misconception – the author is unknown. In England ‘Away in a Manger’ is sung to a different melody than in the USA for example. The ‘English’ melody was composed by W.J. Kirkpatrick. Andrew Mackereth made a touching arrangement of the ‘English’ melody which suits the tender lyrics perfectly.

Durkle Bandrydge is the name of the composers imaginary world but it could very well be anyones invisible dream world with a different name. In this very versatile suite by Bruce Fraser 8 characters are featured each with its ownpeculiarities making Durkle Bandrydge such a colourful place. Do these characters differ that much from us? That is for you to find out! In the last part all characters come together in a special way.Durkle Bandrydge exists at the end ofyour street. It is invisible to humans but Durkle Bandrygators can watch us with great interest. The music will introduce you to some of the characters who live in this unusual place. The parts: Somnanbulyss who is a giant trollguarding the entrance to Durkle Bandryde. At least he is supposed to but he tends to sleep most of the time. His music is therefore very slow moving and sleepy. Long Gwysteen is a tall mysterious and somehow sophisticated character who walls around with a shell on his back. His music glides along rather gracefully. Squelfitch is a rather unpleasant and smelly character who lives in a bog which is why his music sounds rather slimy and a bit like trying to walkthrough quicksand. Perfydlia is a meddling old woman who gossips about everybody and squeals with sudden delight at the small exciting bits of tittletattle about others in the village. In the music you can hear her sudden little squealsof delight. Maryann Lovely is a beautiful young lady graceful gorgeous absolutely devine and her music is obviously just the same. Thistledoo Nicely is a lively character who spends and spends and spends with her credit card buying the latest fashion and never worries about having to pay the bills. Her music reflects her excitement when shopping and het ‘happy go lucky’ approach to life. Marsyn Edginton is the Lord of the manor the richest man in town the‘big cheese’ the man with all the power and of course the biggest house. He is very grand and his music like he could be a king. Jimmy McScotsmyn is a red haired scotsman wearing tartan cap. He misses his home country terribly and eatslots of shortbread oatcakes scotch eggs porridge and drinks an enormous amount of Scotch Wisky which helps him to have fond memories of the kind of music he would like to dance to when he was a younger man. His favourite dance is a Jig andthis is the music he remembers. Grand March of the Durkle Bandrydgators. We hope that you have enjoyed meeting these characters from Drukle Bandrydge and would invite you to listen to all the villagers now march along in a grand parade -it is a pity that you can not see them what is a wonderful sight. If you listen carefully you will hear the melodies which belong to the characters as they march past. Oh what a grand spectacle!

From the composer: High Flyers are regarded as people with promise and potential.They are winners. This is music for winners.The title as well as being a play-on-words implies the nature of the work. It is a bright optimistic and upbeat piece attempting to depict an exhilarating ride on flying carpet. The opening rising chords immediately suggest the gentle elevation of the carpets' ascent towards unknown heights leading to a hint of a first theme in the horns at Fig. B. The first four notes provide the thematic material for the whole work: C F G A.A perpetual sense of movement is achieved through accented quaver chords punctuating the melodicmaterial of the first main theme. Fig. E sees the music of the opening bars fully realised with flourishes from the euphonium and baritones representing swirling clouds shooting stars or passing birds in flight.The same subject is developed into a lyrical second theme with a new lush harmonic treatment evocative of gliding over an expanse of sparse countryside.This section ends with a note of serenity but is shattered by the urgent insistence of the percussion rhythms.The third section introduces a new idea with a slightly distorted fanfare in the cornets and trombones. This figure suggests for the first time that there may be trouble ahead. In fact there is no need to fear and the journey can continue without aggravation. This fanfare returns near the end to signal a final note of triumph.A new rhythmic variant of the cell motif emerges as the third theme now transformed by the addition of a triplet figure. The music steadily gains momentum before moving inexorably towards the climactic return of the music and tonality of the opening bars of the piece.