SKU: PR.46500013L

UPC: 680160600151. 11 x 14 inches.

I n 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clarks Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific and explore the uncharted West. He believed woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and mountains of pure salt awaited them. What they found was no less mind-boggling: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies. I have been a student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which Thomas Jefferson called the Voyage of Discovery, for as long as I can remember. This astonishing journey, lasting more than two-and-a-half years, began and ended in St. Louis, Missouri and took the travelers up more than a few rivers in their quest to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. In an age without speedy communication, this was akin to space travel out of radio range in our own time: no one knew if, indeed, the party had even survived the voyage for more than a year. Most of them were soldiers. A few were French-Canadian voyageurs hired trappers and explorers, who were fluent in French (spoken extensively in the region, due to earlier explorers from France) and in some of the Indian languages they might encounter. One of the voyageurs, a man named Pierre Cruzatte, also happened to be a better-than-average fiddle player. In many respects, the travelers were completely on their own for supplies and survival, yet, incredibly, only one of them died during the voyage. Jefferson had outfitted them with food, weapons, medicine, and clothing and along with other trinkets, a box of 200 jaw harps to be used in trading with the Indians. Their trip was long, perilous to the point of near catastrophe, and arduous. The dream of a Northwest Passage proved ephemeral, but the northwestern quarter of the continent had finally been explored, mapped, and described to an anxious world. When the party returned to St. Louis in 1806, and with the Louisiana Purchase now part of the United States, they were greeted as national heroes. I have written a sizeable number of works for wind ensemble that draw their inspiration from the monumental spaces found in the American West. Four of them (Arches, The Yellowstone Fires, Glacier, and Zion) take their names, and in large part their being, from actual national parks in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. But Upriver, although it found its voice (and its finale) in the magnificent Columbia Gorge in Oregon, is about a much larger region. This piece, like its brother works about the national parks, doesnt try to tell a story. Instead, it captures the flavor of a certain time, and of a grand adventure. Cast in one continuous movement and lasting close to fourteen minutes, the piece falls into several subsections, each with its own heading: The Dream (in which Jeffersons vision of a vast expanse of western land is opened); The Promise, a chorale that re-appears several times in the course of the piece and represents the seriousness of the presidential mission; The River; The Voyageurs; The River II ; Death and Disappointment; Return to the Voyage; and The River III . The music includes several quoted melodies, one of which is familiar to everyone as the ultimate river song, and which becomes the through-stream of the work. All of the quoted tunes were either sung by the men on the voyage, or played by Cruzattes fiddle. From various journals and diaries, we know the men found enjoyment and solace in music, and almost every night encampment had at least a bit of music in it. In addition to Cruzatte, there were two other members of the party who played the fiddle, and others made do with singing, or playing upon sticks, bones, the ever-present jaw harps, and boat horns. From Lewis journals, I found all the tunes used in Upriver: Shenandoah (still popular after more than 200 years), Vla bon vent, Soldiers Joy, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (a hymn sung to the tune Beech Spring) and Fishers Hornpipe. The work follows an emotional journey: not necessarily step-by-step with the Voyage of Discovery heroes, but a kind of grand arch. Beginning in the mists of history and myth, traversing peaks and valleys both real and emotional (and a solemn funeral scene), finding help from native people, and recalling their zeal upon finding the one great river that will, in fact, take them to the Pacific. When the men finally roar through the Columbia Gorge in their boats (a feat that even the Indians had not attempted), the magnificent river combines its theme with the chorale of Jeffersons Promise. The Dream is fulfilled: not quite the one Jefferson had imagined (there is no navigable water passage from the Missouri to the Pacific), but the dream of a continental destiny.

SKU: AP.50869S

ISBN 9781470666811. UPC: 038081585420. English.

This stunningly beautiful lyrical work provides a peaceful moment in our complex and complicated lives. With gorgeous melodic lines and perfect harmonic progressions, your students will fall in love with Blessing Wind. There are many teachable moments, and it is the perfect level for young band. Everyone struggles with burdens from time to time. We need hope in our complicated lives. This piece provides a peaceful moment, calming the storm that sometimes surrounds you while sharing in the beauty of music. May you grow to be the person you hope to be, following your true spirit. (2:50).

SKU: BT.AMP-173-140

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

When writing his tuba concerto, Philip Sparke wanted to create a work which explored the many aspects of the instrument’s technical and vocal qualities but without resorting to caricature. The result is a concerto in two joined movements, which can both be programmed individually, that contains both many lyrical lines together with stunning virtuosic passages. An outstanding concerto that tuba players and brass band audiences alike will enjoy and applaud.

De technische en lyrische eigenschappen van het instrument komen in deze compositie optimaal tot hun recht. De componist wilde er namelijk zeker van zijn dat het werk écht een concerto voor tuba zou worden en dat de muziek zou passenbij het instrument in de solistenrol. De solostem in het tweedelige Tuba Concerto bestrijkt bijna drieënhalf octaaf. Beide delen kunnen afzonderlijk worden geprogrammeerd: een langzaam deel en een scherzo.

Philip Sparke schuf mit seinem Tuba Concerto ganz bewusst ein Stück, das der Tuba als Soloinstrument voll und ganz gerecht wird. Aus diesem Grund deckt die Solostimme fast dreieinhalb Oktaven ab und nutzt die technischen und klanglichen Qualitäten des Instruments voll und ganz aus. Das Konzert besteht aus zwei zusammenhängenden Sätzen, die beide einzeln aufgeführt werden können: einem langsamen Satz und einem Scherzo. Noten für eine Aufführung mit Tuba und Klavier sind ebenfalls erhältlich.

Tuba Concerto est une œuvre de commande pour le facteur allemand Miraphone, spécialisé dans les cuivres. Philip Sparke a composé et dédié cette pièce Markus Theinert, un ami de longue date, qui en a assuré la création le 30 avril 2006 Sigmaringen en Allemagne accompagné par le Brass Band Oberschwaben-Allgäu.L’idée d’un concerto pour tuba a été longuement discutée entre le soliste et le compositeur dont le souci était de créer un véritable concerto développant un matériau parfaitement adapté au rôle solistique de l’instrument, sans tomber dans la caricature. Ainsi, la partie soliste couvre trois octaves et demie et exploite pleinement les qualitéstechniques et expressives de l’instrument.Tuba Concerto est une composition en deux mouvements joints qui peuvent également être joués séparément. Le premier mouvement débute lentement puis s’accélère progressivement. La cadence annonce la réexposition du matériel thématique initial. Le second mouvement, écrit en forme de scherzo, semble plus résolu mais chemine vers plus de légèreté. La reprise du matériel thématique initial offre une conclusion efficace et puissante.Ce concerto est également disponible dans une version pour Tuba solo et Brass Band (AMP 173-030) et Tuba solo et Piano (AMP 187-401).

SKU: AP.36-A134748

ISBN 9798888529850. UPC: 659359935244. English.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) wrote his Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, in 1878. He composed the work for his longtime friend, famed violinist Joseph Joachim, who premiered it in Leipzig with the Gewandhaussaal on January 1, 1879, Brahms himself conducting. The program also included, at Joachim's insistence, Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, on which Brahms modeled his own concerto. While the critical reception of the time was mixed, the audiences at the various early performances received the work well. Most complaints directed at the concerto addressed the role of the solo violin, noting that the soloist does not offer much of the melodic material or include much in the way virtuosic passages, a consequence of looking more towards Beethoven's serious aesthetic rather than Paganini's flashy one. Joachim himself, before a falling out with the composer over personal reasons, included Brahms' concerto among the best German offered, saying: The Germans have four violin concertos. The greatest, most uncompromising is Beethoven's. The one by Brahms vies with it in seriousness. The richest, the most seductive, was written by Max Bruch. But the most inward, the heart's jewel, is Mendelssohn's. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.0.0: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Solo Violin in set.

These products are currently being prepared by a new publisher. While many items are ready and will ship on time, some others may see delays of several months.

SKU: AP.36-A134701

ISBN 9798888529843. UPC: 659359537080. English.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) wrote his Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, in 1878. He composed the work for his longtime friend, famed violinist Joseph Joachim, who premiered it in Leipzig with the Gewandhaussaal on January 1, 1879, Brahms himself conducting. The program also included, at Joachim's insistence, Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, on which Brahms modeled his own concerto. While the critical reception of the time was mixed, the audiences at the various early performances received the work well. Most complaints directed at the concerto addressed the role of the solo violin, noting that the soloist does not offer much of the melodic material or include much in the way virtuosic passages, a consequence of looking more towards Beethoven's serious aesthetic rather than Paganini's flashy one. Joachim himself, before a falling out with the composer over personal reasons, included Brahms' concerto among the best German offered, saying: The Germans have four violin concertos. The greatest, most uncompromising is Beethoven's. The one by Brahms vies with it in seriousness. The richest, the most seductive, was written by Max Bruch. But the most inward, the heart's jewel, is Mendelssohn's. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.0.0: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Solo Violin in set.

These products are currently being prepared by a new publisher. While many items are ready and will ship on time, some others may see delays of several months.

SKU: MH.0-931329-53-1

ISBN 9780931329531.

Journey back to ancient Greece and view a place of long-gone legend. Follow the trail to the Kingdom of Ithaca, from the heroic palace, to a place of tranquility, to a reckless dance of abandon, to the return of Odysseus. The melodic material used in 200 B.C. is from a two thousand year old Greek hymn to Apollo. The legendary adventures of Odysseus as described by Homer in the Odyssey (ca. 700 B.C.) provide the programmatic material. The music is freely based upon the First Delphic Hymn (or Paen to Apollo), composed ca. 200 B.C. The source is a transcription appearing on pages 363 - 367 of Ancient and Oriental Music, Edited by Egon Wellesz (Oxford University Press: London, 1957). Each movement of the work depicts a key event in the epic Homeric poem, as described below. Movement I: Intrada - The first four notes of this movement, C - Bb - G - Bb, are the melodic and harmonic foundation for the entire work. These pitches, introduced in a simple and direct manner, are subsequently developed in more complex fashions throughout the suite. Following this stately introduction is a militaristic fanfare that introduces the dotted-eighth and sixteenth-note figure later reprised in the second and fourth movements. Indeed, all the musical ideas which will be central to the remaining movements first appear in the Intrada. This movement depicts the grandeur of Odysseus and his kingdom in Ithaca, and establishes the heroic mood of the entire work. Movement II: Ballad - After a brief restatement of the opening dotted-eighth-and-sixteenth fanfare, the second movement extracts the falling third (Bb to G) from the C - Bb - G - Bb motif and extends it and expands it into a haunting solo for alto saxophone. The C - Bb - G - Bb motif appears again (see measures 23 - 33 in trumpets) as counterpoint to this melody, now pulsing through the thick texture of the band. Many performers have come to view the Ballad as the emotional epicenter of the entire suite; my conception of the Ballad is to achieve a union of pathos and strength. Programmatically, this movement depicts Odysseus's son, Telemachos, as he both longs for Odysseus's return and stoically defends his father's kingdom. Movement III: Dance - It will take Odysseus twenty years to return to Ithaca. During his absence, noblemen besiege his palace, violating the sanctity of the household and seeking the hand of his wife, Penelope. This movement depicts the wanton revelries that result. The original four-note motif is chromatically altered and the meter is made irregular. The rapid tempo, driving percussion, and angular meter and melodies combine in an explosion of reckless abandon. Movement IV: March Building from a delicate woodwind ensemble accompanied by finger cymbals to a fully orchestrated statement replete with thundering percussion, this is a resounding march of victory. Odysseus has returned in triumph to restore dignity to his household and to reclaim the throne of the Kingdom of Ithaca. Ensemble instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 8 Flute 1 - 2, 2 Oboe 1 - 2, 4 Bb Clarinet 1, 4 Bb Clarinet 2, 4 Bb Clarinet 3, 1 Eb Alto Clarinet, 3 Bb Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon 1 - 2, 3 Eb Alto Saxophone 1, 3 Eb Alto Saxophone 2, 2 Bb Tenor Saxophone, 1 Eb Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpet 1, 3 Bb Trumpet 2, 3 Bb Trumpet 3, 2 F Horn 1-2, 2 F Horn 3-4, 2 Trombone 1, 2 Trombone 2, 2 Trombone 3, 3 Euphonium (B.C.), 2 Euphonium T.C., 4 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 2 Mallet Percussion: Bells, Xylophone, 2 Percussion 1: Snare Drum, Tambourine, 2 Percussion 2: Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Tom-Tom, Finger Cymbals, 1 Percussion 3: Bass Drum.

SKU: HL.44011764

UPC: 884088896614. 9x12 inches. English(US)/Deutsch/Francais/Nederlands.

A flashback is an interesting psychological phenomenon: a seemingly random trigger can bring back long-forgotten memories from the subconscious mind. The composer underwent a similar experience before writing this piece. He was asked to write a piece for The National Youth Fanfare Band in the Netherlands, one which he heard perform many years ago. All of a sudden he remembered Deep Harmony, a piece frequently programmed back then. He used his own flashback-experience as an inspiration to weave an old English hymn into his new composition, much like a musical flashback. The right idea at the right moment, as this piece will prove!

Een flashback is een psychologisch fenomeen: een hedendaagse belevenis roept zomaar uit het niets herinneringen uit het verleden op. Zo verging het ook Jan de Haan, toen hij een muziekstuk voor het Nationaal Jeugd Fanfare Orkest inopdracht kreeg. Het is het orkest waarin hij zelf ooit speelde. Plotseling viel hem het werk Deep Harmony in, een werk dat hij destijds vaak had gespeeld. Zijn flashback op dit Engelse kerklied nam hij als inspiratiebronen hij verwerkte het in dit nieuwe muziekstuk. De juiste inval op het juiste moment, zoals nu iedereen kan horen!

Ein Flashback ist ein psychologisches Phanomen: Eine Erfahrung weckt scheinbar aus dem Nichts die Erinnerung an lang Zurückliegendes. So ging es auch Jan de Haan, als er ein Stück für ein Jugendauswahlorchester der Niederlande, in dem er selbst einst mitspielte, schreiben sollte. Plotzlich fiel ihm ein damals oft programmiertes Stück namens Deep Harmony ein und er nahm diesen Flashback als Inspiration, dieses englische Kirchenlied in seinem neuen Werk zu verarbeiten. Der richtige Einfall im richtigen Moment, wie das Resultat beweist!

Le flash-back est un phenomene psychologique. Des evenements du passe, imprimes dans la memoire a long terme, resurgissent comme une reponse inconsciente et soudaine a un stimulus lie a une experience anterieure.Cette œuvre a ete composee a l'occasion du cinquantieme anniversaire de l'Orchestre de Fanfare National des Jeunes des Pays-Bas, une formation talentueuse, dont Jan de Haan fut lui-meme membre, au cours des annees 1960. Jeune musicien, il eprouvait un profond respect pour le chef d'alors, Piebe Bakker (1929-2002), un homme passionne, avec un style de direction tres stimulant. En revenant sur cette periode, quarante ans apres, Jan de Haan a revecu lesnombreuses interpretations de la piece Deep Harmony. La melodie scintillante - extraite d'un cantique anglais - lui est alors apparue comme un flash-back et c'est comme un eclair mental qu'il a choisi de lui redonner vie dans le passage final de cette œuvre.

SKU: BT.DHP-1094779-010

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

A flashback is an interesting psychological phenomenon: a seemingly random trigger can bring back long-forgotten memories from the subconscious mind. The composer underwent a similar experience before writing this piece. He was asked to write a piece for The National Youth Fanfare Band in the Netherlands, one which he heard perform many years ago. All of a sudden he remembered Deep Harmony, a piece frequently programmed back then. He used his own flashback-experience as an inspiration to weave an old English hymn into his new composition, much like a musical flashback. The right idea at the right moment, as this piece will prove!

Een flashback is een psychologisch fenomeen: een hedendaagse belevenis roept zomaar uit het niets herinneringen uit het verleden op. Zo verging het ook Jan de Haan, toen hij een muziekstuk voor het Nationaal Jeugd Fanfare Orkest inopdracht kreeg. Het is het orkest waarin hij zelf ooit speelde. Plotseling viel hem het werk Deep Harmony in, een werk dat hij destijds vaak had gespeeld. Zijn flashback op dit Engelse kerklied nam hij als inspiratiebronen hij verwerkte het in dit nieuwe muziekstuk. De juiste inval op het juiste moment, zoals nu iedereen kan horen!

Ein Flashback“ ist ein psychologisches Phänomen: Eine Erfahrung weckt scheinbar aus dem Nichts die Erinnerung an lang Zurückliegendes. So ging es auch Jan de Haan, als er ein Stück für ein Jugendauswahlorchester der Niederlande, in dem er selbst einst mitspielte, schreiben sollte. Plötzlich fiel ihm ein damals oft programmiertes Stück namens Deep Harmony ein und er nahm diesen Flashback als Inspiration, dieses englische Kirchenlied in seinem neuen Werk zu verarbeiten. Der richtige Einfall im richtigen Moment, wie das Resultat beweist!

Le flash-back est un phénomène psychologique. Des événements du passé, imprimés dans la mémoire long terme, resurgissent comme une réponse inconsciente et soudaine un stimulus lié une expérience antérieure.Cette œuvre a été composée l’occasion du cinquantième anniversaire de l’Orchestre de Fanfare National des Jeunes des Pays-Bas, une formation talentueuse, dont Jan de Haan fut lui-même membre, au cours des années 1960. Jeune musicien, il éprouvait un profond respect pour le chef d’alors, Piebe Bakker (1929-2002), un homme passionné, avec un style de direction très stimulant. En revenant sur cette période, quarante ans après, Jan de Haan a revécu lesnombreuses interprétations de la pièce Deep Harmony. La mélodie scintillante - extraite d’un cantique anglais - lui est alors apparue comme un flash-back et c’est comme un éclair mental qu’il a choisi de lui redonner vie dans le passage final de cette œuvre.

SKU: CF.FPS154

ISBN 9781491152140. UPC: 680160909643.

Aztec Gold is an excellent concert opener for a developing band. Composer Joseph Compello, drawing on his many years of experience as a teacher, is known for writing very intriguing music for younger students. This piece would be a great opportunity for cross-curricular instruction with a school's history department. Aztec Gold is also a perfect selection to highlight a band's strengths in contest or festival performance.
Aztec Gold is an excellent concert opener for a moderately advanced band. Measures 1–73 are to be performed in a marcato style with an underlying feel of rhythmic unrest. Beginning at m. 19, the triangle player must be able to execute a damping effect on the second eighth note of beat 2. Young players will require instruction in this technique. The accented sixteenth notes in the timpani part, which first appear in mm. 17-18, should be prominent. They also appear at mm. 89 and 91, and mm. 124 and 126. The contrasting middle section at m. 73 should have the same unsettled rhythmic feel beneath the more flowing lines in the woodwinds. The syncopated accents which appear beginning m. 121 will easily fall into place once young players understand that the accents occur three eighth notes apart.