Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. / Niveau : Intermédiaire / Répertoire / Brass Band

In Danceries by Kenneth Hesketh the melodies themselves are a mixture of old and new. Where the old occurs it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material. The contemporary harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of new into these themes and add drama to the suite. The first movement Lull Me Beyond Thee is gentle and lilting almost a barcarole this movement is very much a reverie. The original tune had the name Poor Robin’s Maggot a rather disconcerting title. Maggot however in seventeenth-century parlance meant whim or fancy. The second Catching of Quails is acolourful buoyant scherzo on an original melody. The thematic material is shuttled around the band to contrast with full-blooded tuttis. The last few bars fade to almost nothing before a final surprise! My Lady’s Rest is a tender pavane also on an original melody with Moorish leanings. Beautiful solo passages expressive contrapuntal writing and warm tuttis provide an opportunity to show off the most lyrical of playing. The final movement Quodling’s Delight is a clever combination of the 17th century melody Goddesses with an original contrasting melody creating a rousing and exuberant finale to the work.

For Euphonium and Brass Band-This piece was commissioned by Swiss Euphonium virtuoso Erich Schmidli. Bert Appermont dug deep into Celtic music for inspiration and created a fantasy that shows off the incredible but often overlooked versatility of the Euphonium. Charming lyrical melodies virtuosic runs and exciting colourful tuttis create plenty of contrast in this exciting work. The difficulty level for the soloist and band means almost any band to perform this piece and showcase their Euphonium player.