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: FT.FM586

ISBN 9790570484850.

This piece was written for Elisabeth Hobbs for use on her Flutes Inspired courses for adult players. I worked with her on a jazz flute day with one of her groups and this had taken place in Marsh Baldon in rural Oxfordshire. This peculiar name kept buzzing around in my head and eventually collided with the memory of a classic BBC Radio comedy show, Much Binding in the Marsh. So, as the piece progressed I was happy that it took on a bit of a vintage, jaunty, radio comedy lilt, with a fairly episodic structure - themes coming in and out, perhaps like characters in a comedy - although I wouldn't go so far as to say the piece is 'humorous'. The harmonic and rhythmic language is somewhere between jazz and 'fusion' whilst, I feel, maintaining a sort of BBC archive decorum.

SKU: AP.81-CB224486

ISBN 9781778930508. UPC: 685462030514. English.

Something has happened at the circus... the magician has hypnotized the entire audience and the circus isn't quite right. After a strange and frightening beginning, there is a gentle, yet peculiar rain that falls. A creepy theme in the tenor saxophone (interrupted by some terrifying screams) moves into the trapeze artists theme where they seem to encounter an accident. A short funeral procession leads back into the lone sneaky saxophone before the magic box is opened. This magic slowly evolves into a return to normality and back to The Greatest Show on Earth! Experience this spine-chilling circus with Carnival of Shadows by David Marlatt. (6:00).