SKU: CN.S11175
From majestic to pastoral to dance-like, Land of the Long White Cloud is Philip Sparke's representation of New Zealand. This piece is a wonderful addition to the concert band repetoire.Long before Europeans ventured out of sight of land, the bold and restless ancestors of the Maori people were making voyages of thousands of miles across the world's greatest oceans. It was around 1000 AD that they landed in New Zealand. The discovery of New Zealand is attributed in Maori tradition to Kupe and the circumstances of the landfall gave the country its Maori name. As land was approached, a long, flat volcanic cloud could be seen. Kupe's wife Hine-te-aparangi, looked to the horizon and cried out, He ao! He ao! A cloud! A cloud! The name of Aotearoa was given to the islands - The Land of the Long White Cloud. Land of the Long White Cloud was originally conceived as a brass band work as a result of a commission by the New Zealand Brass Band Association for their National Championships held in 1980 in Christchurch. This transcription by the composer was commissioned by Keith Allen and Birmingham Schools' Wind Orchestra who gave the first performance in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, England on Sunday 15 May 1988.
SKU: HL.48184462
UPC: 888680907396. 9.0x12.0x0.08 inches.
ââ¬ÅTo this day, Eugène Bozza (1905-1991) remains one of the most prolific composers for wind instruments, despite being a violinist himself. His Three Pieces for Flute and Oboe, or two Flutes is an exquisite addition to the repertoire. During his studies at the Paris Conservatoire, Bozza won prizes for Violin, conducting and composition, as well as the Grand Prix de Rome. He then conducted the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique and became Head of the Conservatoire in Valenciennes, whilst remaining a prominent composer. Bozza's Three Pieces are exciting duets containing much musical variation and contrast. As music educationalist, Paul Griffiths has written of Bozza's compositions, ââ¬Âââ¬Åhis works reveal melodic fluency, elegance of structure and a consistently sensitive concern of instrumental capabilities.ââ¬Âââ¬Åââ¬Â.
SKU: CN.R10004
A slow introduction gives way to the chirpy theme which is developed, inverted, and accents displaced across the bar line to give a 3/2 feel against the written meter. Restlessness leads to a tranquillo presented by the flute and clarinet, weaving a flowing counterpoint around the melody until the original slow introduction returns. A triumphant recapitulation of the main theme brings this wonderful piece to an end.Originally composed for Brass Band in 1934 Comedy Overture is, despite its name, a serious piece of writing. The term Overture does not imply that there is anything else to follow; it is used in the 19th century sense of Concert Overture (like Mendelssohn's Fingal's Cave - in other words, a miniature Tone Poem). The 1930's was a period of Ireland's mature writing - yielding the Piano Concerto (1930), the Legend for piano and orchestra (1933), and the choral work These Things Shall Be (1936-1937). We are fortunate therefore to have both Comedy Overture and A Downland Suite (1932) written for band medium at this time. As with Maritime Overture (written in 1944 for military band) Ireland approaches his material symphonically. The opening three notes state immediately the two seminal intervals of a semitone and a third. These are brooding and dark in Bb minor. It is these intervals which make up much of the thematic content of Comedy, sometimes appearing in inverted form, and sometimes in major forms as well. The concept that some musical intervals are consonant , some dissonant, and some perfect is perhaps useful in understanding the nature of the tension and resolution of this work. The third is inherently unstable, and by bar 4, the interval is expanded to a fourth - with an ascending sem-quaver triplet - and then expanded to a fifth. The instability of the third pushes it towards a perfect resolution in the fourth or the fifth. The slow introduction is built entirely around these intervals in Bb minor and leads through an oboe cadenza, to an Allegro moderato brillante in Bb major. Once again, the semi-tone (inverted) and a third (major) comprise the main, chirpy, theme-inspired by a London bus-conductor's cry of Piccadilly. (Much of the material in Comedy was re-conceived by Ireland for orchestra and published two years later under the title A London Overture.) The expansion of the interval of a third through a fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh now takes place quickly before our very ears at the outset of this quicker section. Immediately the theme is developed, inverted, and accents displaced across the bar line to give a 3/2 feel against the written meter. But this restlessness leads to a tranquillo built around an arpeggio figure and presented by flute and clarinet. Ireland weaves his flowing counterpoint around this melody until the original slow introduction returns leading to a stretto effect as the rising bass motifs become more urgent, requesting a resolution of the tension of that original semitone and minor third. Yet resolution is withheld at this point as the music becomes almost becalmed in a further, unrelated tranquillo section marked pianissimo. It is almost as if another side of Ireland's nature is briefly allowed to shine through the stern counterpoint and disciplined structure. This leads to virtually a full recapitulation of the chirpy brilliante, with small additional touches of counterpoint, followed by the first tranquillo section-this time in the tonic of Bb major. But the instability of the third re-asserts itself, this time demanding a resolution. And a triumphant resolution it receives, for it finally becomes fully fledged and reiterates the octave in a closing vivace. The opening tension has at last resolved itself into the most perfect interval of all.
SKU: HL.48014366
UPC: 073999603293. 9.0x12.0x0.07 inches.
SKU: CN.R10099
This lovely tune is arranged to give nearly everyone chance to shine: flute, oboe, trumpet, horns, saxes, tuba and percussion. Each variation is scored with new colours and textures, ending with a chromatic version of which Percy Grainger might have been proud!
SKU: CN.R10194
The story of a sleepless night, Dreams and Fancies uses musical episodes to depict definite pictures: the three accented pulses of the main theme signifying a kind of fate, a demented waltz which breaks down, a love theme in the middle, then a wild jazz party. The end is a huge climax - a grand ceremony in which the lovers marry, but haunted by the three accented pulses of the first theme, representing a dark fate.This is a story of a sleepless night: fancy is the old English word for a musical fantasy. There are musical episodes, some of which are associated with definite pictures: the three accented pulses of the main theme signifying a kind of fate, a demented waltz which breaks down, a love theme in the middle, then a wild jazz party. The themes all come together as the music becomes more exciting towards the end with thematic interjections appearing as flashbacks. The end is a huge climax - a grand ceremony in which the lovers marry, but haunted by the three accented pulses of the first theme, representing a dark fate. Musically the piece is unifying in two ways. Firstly, all the themes are built from the opening 15 bars. Secondly, the pulse of the music remains virtually constant with each beat around 76 per minute. This means that the tempi need to relate to each other: a difficult task for the conductor!
SKU: CN.S11194
SKU: CN.S11075
Although not written as a pair for Bandstand Boogie, this Blues would make a fine contrast in any concert, but also stands on its own equally well. Plenty of Blues feel from a minimum combination too!
SKU: FP.FPD07
ISBN 9790570503957.
These little pieces are intended for flautists of about a year's standing. It is hoped that this small album will also help to foster in young players a taste for ensemble playing: the two simple trios also include oboe and clarinet, but if these instruments are not available the parts may be played on a violin.
SKU: CN.R10011
Cast your self into a storm at sea with this fantastic piece from John Ireland. Turbulent rhythmic motives launch the work to blend into a more lyrical melody contrasting the opening. Don't be fooled though; the first rhythmic motive provides the underlay, a reminder that the calm surface of the sea is only masking the swirling water underneath!A Maritime Overture was written in 1944 and published in 1946. This edition was published in 1988. The score was prepared from the composer's full draft by Norman Richardson, and uses the same material as Tritons - a Symphonic Prelude for orchestra dating from the early 1900s. The development of the material however is different in each piece. The work is conceived in F major - but it is 24 bars before Ireland establishes this tonality. Fortissimo chords of B-flat major open the work, and the Overture hovers between G minor and B-flat as a restless rhythmic motif is introduced. As soon as F major is finally established it is contradicted as the music fragments, but the key is allowed a further 4 bars to consolidate before more lyrical interplay leads to a second idea, introduced by flutes and oboes in C major. Marked 'espressivo e ben cantando' this is a complete contrast to the opening, although the first rhythmic motif provides the underlay - a reminder after the opening storms that the calm surface of the sea is only masking the swirling water underneath. A Maritime Overture has a freer approach to form than say the first movement of a symphony might allow, enabling Ireland to introduce a totally new central section marked 'poco meno mosso' in F minor. A bold cornet (not trumpet) heralds this new idea, in a passage marked 'with freedom' and perhaps for the only time there is a true tranquility in the sextuplet accompaniment. Thus the restlessness is suspended, but not for long, as the opening storm returns and a recapitulation allows the F major theme and the second theme - this time in the sub-dominant (B-flat) - to reassert themselves.
SKU: CN.R10031
SKU: CN.R10074
This is one of a series of pieces by Stuart Johnson in the hugely popular Bandstand series. As always, it is tuneful, rhythmic, and based on a song or dance style. The others in the series are Boogie, Blues, and Ragtime, and all of them offer the unmistakable Johnson touch.
SKU: CN.R10078
This Samba has an infectious rhythm and this addition to the Stuart Johnson Bandstand series will certainly make your audience want to get up and dance. At the same time, it is good practice for achieving a style which is disciplined but relaxed!
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