SKU: CF.YPS200

ISBN 9781491152201. UPC: 680160909704. Key: D minor.

Step right up, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, step right up! See the exotic, the strange, and the magical at the Cirque de L’étrange, or “Circus of the Strange.” This piece evokes a bygone era when circuses and carnivals provided people from all walks of life a chance to see human and animal oddities. Cirque de L'étrange is an original concert march written in standard march form, but its sound is anything but standard. This piece is playable by younger groups and is a great way to expose students to the march form and style without sounding like your typical march.
Step right up ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, step right up! See the exotic, the strange, and the magical at the Cirque de L’étrange. Welcome to the Cirque de L’étrange, known in English as the “Circus of the Strange.” This piece evokes a time of a bygone era, a time when circuses and carnivals provided people from all walks of life a chance to see human and animal oddities that were sources of both delight and horror. While many of these sideshow attractions were deemed fraudulent, it did not deter the crowds from flocking to be shocked and awed. I have always held a special place in my heart for the showmanship of carnivals, because my grandfather dearly loved them. For much of his life, he worked at fairs and carnivals selling cotton candy and candy apples. A large portion of my days when growing up were spent running around fairgrounds and helping my grandfather with his stand. He imparted in me a love for the cunning, magic, and sheer joy that only carnivals and circuses can bring. In Cirque de L’étrange, I sought to capture the the mirthful, yet uncanny mood of the carnivals that I grew up exploring, thus transporting you to a different time.Cirque de L'étrange is an original concert march written in standard march form, but its sound is anything but standard. This piece is playable by younger groups, as it is a great way to expose students to the march form and style while not sounding like your typical march.Opening in D minor, the piece combines the playful feel of a march and a macabre tango. The second time through the First Strain (mm. 5-23), the upper woodwinds and bells add a second counter melody based in D harmonic minor, which heightens the peculiar nature of the piece. The Second Strain (mm. 24-43) by contrast, is a little more upbeat, thus evoking the magical ebullience of a circus, which is further highlighted by the xylophone part. The Second Strain ends in the key of F major and sets up the transition to the Trio in the key of G minor. The Trio (m. 44) begins with the G harmonic minor melody in the clarinets and a counter melody in the bassoon and tenor saxophone. The rest of the woodwinds and bells join in at m. 60 while the percussion adds a Gypsy-like feel with tambourine and triangle. At m. 76 the full band joins in the macabre parade with the trombones and baritones harmonizing the counter melody. The conclusion of the march has the upper woodwinds, adding a second counter melody complete with trills to bring the march to an exciting and dramatic finish.As the World’s Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum, a man my grandfather greatly admired, once said “The noblest art is that of making others happy.” It is my hope that through this piece you will experience the thrill, delight, and fright that only carnivals can bring as you visit the Circus of the Strange!

SKU: CN.S11103

Before the days of photography, the great state occasions were captured in paintings and tapestries. In this Suite, the composer has imagined the pomp and splendor of the English court at work and play, capturing each mood in a short movement.

Stuart Johnson has the fine ability to capture moods and scenes in music. He was born in Staffordshire, the county for which he was Director of Music until his retirement in 1997. After experience as a player in brass bands, he served in the band of the King's Dragoon Guards before training as a teacher and working in schools. Following a period as a lecturer at Northumberland College of Education he became Music Adviser to the Metropolitan District of Sandwell prior to his appointment to Staffordshire. He has long experience as a conductor, particularly in the choral and band fields and also wide experience as an adjudicator and examiner. He has written prolifically for bands and orchestras and his didactic publications are used in many countries. He has over eighty published compositions and arrangements, many of which have been broadcast on radio or television. His commissioned works include the cantata David and Goliath which was first performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Oregon Overture for wind orchestra, Landscapes, Sinfonietta No 2, Wessex Dances and A Castle Suite. Stuart Johnson has recently completed several commissions, funded by National Lottery grants, for bands in Cumbria, the Isle of Wight, and Staffordshire. Requiem for Soprano, Chorus and Orchestra, was premiered successfully in front of a capacity audience in Lichfield Cathedral in March 1997, and received its first London performance at St. John's Smith Square in March 1998. This prestigious venue also saw the first performance of Songs and Sonnets for unaccompanied mixed choir in 2001. Stuart Johnson has written extensively for the theatre, his music for the production of Anna of the Five Towns was used for both the radio and television adaptations His music ranges in style from the evocative and demanding Sinfonietta for Wind Orchestra, which has received many performances since its premiere in the Royal Festival Hall, including a broadcast by the Band of the Scots Guards, to his ubiquitous Bandstand Boogie which has set feet tapping all over the world. Apart from the latter his most performed work is probably Circus Suite which was the British Youth Band Championship test piece in 1980. Northumbrian Suite and Landscapes have also been used as National Brass Band Championship test pieces. The Flint Knappers commissioned as a test piece for the 1998 East Anglian Band Festival was selected as a test piece for the 1999 Australian Championships. Before the days of photography, the great state occasions were captured in paintings and tapestries. In this Suite, the composer has imagined the pomp and splendor of the English court at work and play, capturing each mood in a short movement.

SKU: CF.CPS147F

ISBN 9780825896408. UPC: 798408096403. 9 x 12 inches.

Arts du Cirque takes the listener on an exotic musical journey through a day at the circus. You hear the lion tamers, the trapeze artist--you even hear the clowns. It is a tapestry of sounds and marvelously orchestrated colors, not a tongue-in-cheek presentation. This new work for band will fit nicely as a contrasting piece on a concert, contest, or festival program.

SKU: CF.YPS207F

ISBN 9781491152959. UPC: 680160910458.

Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. The piece depicts the factory life of children laboring many hours a day and manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores. Young performers will find this thought-provoking piece an excellent way to use their musical voice to affect change.
Factory Child is a protest song against child sweatshops. Written in memory of Mrs. Peterson, who loved children dearly, the piece depicts the factory life of children laboring 16+ hours a day, manufacturing the shoes and clothes that end up in American retail stores.Factory Child begins with factory sounds and an oppressive, repetitive pattern that supports the melody carried by the upper voices. The second section is composed of wistful, dream-like sounds and melodies that have traces of children’s songs that remind us that these children forced into labor would love to have the opportunity to play, attend school, and dream, but cannot and realistically have little hope for a life we consider normal.  The middle section gives way to more sounds from the factory. The climax is a raucous circus-like waltz using themes from both sections.The percussion parts can be covered by six players. Some players will need to cover two parts. Use someone from the wind section if you do not have six, as some of the parts, although important, are not very difficult. The second clarinet never goes over the break and the bass line is usually doubled in the euphonium as well as in the low reeds.This piece is an excellent way for young performers to use their musical voice to affect change. It is a great discussion starter for researching where our apparel comes from and why to stay away from some brands. It can also make students aware of the fantastic opportunity they have to attend school that children in other parts of the world do not. Young students will find this piece very thought provoking.Ed Kiefer .