SKU: CN.S11203

Freedom's Sword tells the tale of battle and reconciliation between two lands, deriving themes from the well-known Scottish song Ca' the yowes. Horn calls and pounding drums set the tone for the battle scenes while a dreamy alto saxophone solo creates an air of optimism.

This work was originally commissioned by Nigel Boddice for the West Lothian Schools Brass Band to play at the European Youth Brass Band Championships in 1997 entitled Devolution to celebrate the setting up of the new Scottish Parliament. It appears in this revised version for Concert Band with the title Freedom's Sword. The opening section recalls days gone by when the Scots and English fought many a battle. The themes are derived from the well-known haunting song Ca' the yowes. The horn calls and off-stage percussion sound of a distant battle and it gradually comes closer. The centre section creates a mood of reconciliation with a dreamy Alto Saxophone solo. The last section now looks ahead with optimism and various bright dance themes appear based on traditional Scottish reel tunes, one of which is a two-part vocal scat section The piece then heads for its conclusion including a full statement of the main theme.

SKU: FG.55011-482-1

Kai Nieminen's Time Around Autumn explores the mental images of the ensemble's 12 musicians, about the autumn, melancholy and freedom; as a counterpoint to the freedom an exact rhythmic pulse emerges finally lulling to sleep.

SKU: CN.S11242

Scenes from an English Landscape is a brief nostalgic tone poem taking its inspiration from visions of rural England as depicted in the paintings of John Constable, the novels of Thomas Hard, and the music of Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. A chorale-like theme is stated in the brass and then taken up at three times the tempo in the woodwinds. At the end of the work, both versions of the theme are stated together to bring the piece to a triumphant climax.

This is a brief nostalgic tone poem taking its inspiration from visions of rural England as depicted in the paintings of John Constable, the novels of Thomas Hard, and the music of Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. I imagined a community of villagers coming out of church and filling a village square with their vibrant presence. A chorale-like theme is stated in the brass and then taken up at three times the tempo in the woodwinds. At the end o the work, both versions of the theme are stated together to bring the piece to a triumphant climax. Adam Gorb was born in Cardiff and started composing at the age of ten. His first work broadcast on national radio was written when he was fifteen. He studied at Cambridge University (1977-1980) and the Royal Academy of Music (1991-1993) where he graduated with the highest honours including the Principal's Prize. He has been on the staff at the London College of Music and Media, the junior Academy of the Royal Academy of Music and, since 2000 he has been the Head of School of Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester . International recognition came in 1994 with the US Walter Beeler Prize for his work Metropolis . With it began what has developed into probably the most important wind ensemble catalogue by a contemporary composer, ranging from extremely challenging to the most accessible, at all technical levels, seized on by players internationally, widely recorded and now absolutely central to the world's wind repertoire. Equally important though are his works for dance, and concert pieces like the chamber orchestral Weimar , the Violin Sonata , a Clarinet Concerto for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Diaspora for strings (for the Goldberg Ensemble). Deceptively mainstream at first glance, they display the same inventive brilliance, pulsating sound world, striking use of rhythm and an undogmatic absence of stylistic hang-ups to embrace jazz and serialism in works where power, poetry, irony and pathos, often underlaid by a theatrical and deeply subversive element, coalesce in an integrated, highly individual musical voice. Gorb is also not afraid to draw on the vivid musical heritage of his Jewish roots, sometimes directly, often in a more subsumed or radically creative way. The crucial and consistent feature of Gorb's work though is that it communicates strongly without patronizing players or audiences. He firmly believes that if contemporary music - any music - does not impact on listeners then its message is irrelevant; it is lost.

SKU: CN.S11177

Much of the thematic material for this lovely work by Holst is derived from the opening legato melodies provided by soli horns. The themes morph into several different dance feels throughout the remainder of the piece always keeping you guessing what will come next. Geoffrey Brand has done a masterful job of adapting the score for the modern concert band.

Holst's original version of 'The Morning of the Year' was written in 1926-27 as a choral ballet. It was the first work to be commissioned by the music department of the BBC. The first concert performance was on 17 March 1927 at the Royal Albert Hall, London conducted by the composer. In 1979 Colin Matthews and Imogen Holst edited this concert version with the approval of the publisher and G&I Holst Ltd. The chorus has been left out and several of the dances have been shortened. Some additional percussion was introduced to suggest the sounds the dancers would have provided in a stage performance. Geoffrey Brand arranged the work for concert band in 1995 with permission from G&I Holst Ltd.

SKU: CN.S11307

Sea Dreams was written in memory of the composer's wife, Jean. After an introduction, which is not heard again until the end of the piece, the music becomes a rondo allegro, and gradually builds to a big climax. At the very end there is an oblique reference to the Liebestod of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde.

Sea Dreams was originally a commission, in 2007, from an American University who wanted me to write a piece in memory of my first wife, Jean, who died in 2006. I set about writing the music and quickly completed the score early in 2008, but, unfortunately, because of the sudden collapse in the worldwide financial markets the commission itself fell through. The music draws on three of the pieces that I had written for Jean in the early days before we were married, namely two violin sonatas (she was a violinist) and the 'Serenade' Opus 22 one of my most popular pieces. However the bulk of the music is new, and the quotes from these early pieces are subtle and merely passing references, not at all like the originals. After an introduction, which is not heard again until the end of the piece, the music becomes a rondo allegro, and gradually builds to a big climax. At the very end there is an oblique reference to the Liebestod of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. Sea Dreams was premiered by Birmingham Symphonic Winds, conducted by Keith Allen, on Saturday March 20th 2010 at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham, England.

SKU: CN.R10008

Gordon Jacob, like many of his British contemporaries, drew freely on the English folk song tradition. With its clear melodic lines and characteristic scoring in 'families of instruments, the Fantasia on an English Folk Song once again demonstrates Jacob's mastery of the concert band.