Par SWERTS PIET. Anlässlich der European Brass Band Championship schrieb der Komponist Piet Swerts dieses überaus originelle und variationsreiche Werk. Aufbauend auf die Figur EBBC, den Anfangsbuchstaben des Wettbewerbes, besteht das Werk aus einer Reihe von Figuren, die sich, dem Kettenprinzip folgend, durch das Stück hindurch zu einem Höhepunkt steigern, der zugleich auch den energischen Schluss bildet. So entstand ein abwechslungsreiches Stück, das trotz seiner vielen Variationen eine erkennbare Einheit bildet. / Niveau : 6 / Pièce de concert / Date parution : 1905-06-24/ Répertoire / Brass Band

Par DE HAAN JACOB. Pacific Dreams describes the experience of Miguel, a traveling composer from Spain who, feeling somewhat alienated from his homeland, is wandering through an area of Sydney known as The Rocks. At a small outdoor market in a typical street of this oldcolonial neighbourhood, he discovers a print of William DeShazos painting 'Pacific Dreams' Portrayed in the painting is the surf of one of the exotic islands in the Pacific. Next, with the impressive Sydney Harbour Bridge looming over the narrowstreets of The Rocks, he envisions sultry Pacific beaches. Suddenly a theme he once composed about the lakes in Japan comes to him. Is it the Asian influences present in cosmopolitan Sydney that bring this theme to mind? Or perhaps the waters aroundSydney, over which he could sail to Tahiti? He is uncertain. Could this same theme be used to create a new composition about his feelings for the metropolis Sydney? How then to work his Pacific Dreams into the mix? Miguel is certainly no fan ofHawaiian music. Mayby he could use the vocabularies of islands like Hawaii and Tahiti, their beautiful vowel combinations being sung ad libitum by a mixed choir. With these ideas and his newly purchased print of 'Pacific Dreams', he boards the Metroat Circular Quay. He has a final glimpse of the harbour and the Sydney Opera House as the train races into the ground. On to the hotel! To work! He must compose!Maestoso : Miguel is impressed as he gazes upon the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And yet, hewants to go away from this city. Away, to an exotic island in the Pacific. Steady Rock : In the Rocks, musicians are playing at a square. Miguel basks in the atmosphere but at the same time he is fantasizing about Hawaii and Tahiti. Andante Lamentoso :In his hotel room, Miguel is feeling sad and lonely in this big city. He takes comfort in his 'Pacific Dreams'. Allegro : Miguel boards the boat that takes him from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. In his mind he is traveling on to Hawaii. Or is ithome, where the bolero is playing? He is pulled back to reality by the skyline of Sydney. / Niveau : 3 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Brass Band

from The Phantom of the Opera. Par WEBBER ANDREW LLOYD. Né en 1948 à Londres, Andrew Lloyd Webber a composé la musique de nombreuses comédies musicales célèbres dans le monde entier ; de l’opéra-rock Jesus Christ Superstar à Evita, Cats, Starlight Express et, bien entendu, The Phantom Of The Opera (Le Fantôme de l’Opéra) écrit en 1986. Dans les années 80, il compose également un superbe Requiem dont les airs Hosanna et Pie Jesu sont les plus connus du grand public. Andrew Lloyd Webber excelle dans la création de mélodies à succès, pleines de sensibilité et d’émotion, telles que Memory et Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, suscitant l’admiration à travers le monde. All I AskOf You, extrait de la comédie musicale The Phantom of the Opera est un duo interprété par deux personnages majeurs de la comédie musicale, Christine et Raoul. L’intrigue de l’histoire est basée sur le roman de l’écrivain français Gaston Leroux. Le personnage principal (Le Fantôme de l’Opéra) est un être étrange, défiguré et masqué qui vit et hante les sous-sols de l’Opéra de Paris. Son amour obsessionnel pour la jeune cantatrice Christine, le pousse à promouvoir sa carrière à tout prix. Mais quand il s’aperçoit qu’elle est éprise de Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny et ami d’enfance de la cantatrice, la fureur s’empare de lui. Il élabore de nombreux complots aussi terrifiants que dramatiques mais finit par cesser de poursuivre Christine et disparaît à jamais. All I Ask Of You a été repris, à juste titre, par divers grands interprètes dont Barbra Streisand, et de nombreux arrangements en ont été réalisés. Cette superbe version pour Orchestre d’Harmonie est signée Peter Kleine Schaars. / Niveau : 2.5 / Musique pour célébration / Répertoire / Brass Band

Partly based on the hymn tune Laudate Dominum. Par DE HAAN JACOB. This work is based on a well-known myth about the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands. In the waters surrounding Zwolle lived a dragon that regularly emerged. Time and time again he threatened to destroy the city with his fiery breath if he was not given a living sacrifice. The archangel, Michael, who manifested himself as a young knight, saved the city. In a fight he beheaded the monster with his sword. Later, Saint Michael fighting the dragon, which was a symbol of evil and injustice, acquired a permanent place on the city coat of arms. For this composition, the hymn tune Laudate Dominum has been chosen as a central musical theme for the archangel. The dragon isreflected in a series of chords that evoke a somewhat ominous association. / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Brass Band

Par CURNOW JAMES. This splendid Christmas work gives you a three verse setting of the ancient melody In Dulci Jubilo which is generally associated with the text Good Christian Men Rejoyce. There is however a slight twist to this version in that each verse is a setting by three different composers covering over 300 years. The first setting is by the German composer Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), the second by JS Bach (1685-1750) and the third by the English romantic composer Sir John Stainer (1840 - 1901). The different verses are a fascinating study in the development of harmony and rhythmic style and give a brief glimpse into the personality and compositional styles of each composer. / Niveau : 2 / Répertoire / Brass Band

Par VAUGHAN WILLIAMS RALPH. In his Prelude ? The Truth from Above, outstanding arranger and curator Paul Hindmarsh has distilled the essence of a timeless Christmas classic by Ralph Vaughan Williams into five minutes of ravishingly unforgettable music for brass band. The variants of the Herefordshire tune popular from the Fantasia on Christmas Carols and The Oxford Book of Carols are skilfully and stylishly woven together, from an evocative opening to an ecstatic, multi-layered coda. Unerringly true to the timeless spirit of the original, with the added beauty of the brass-band sound at its most sonorously grave and haunting, Prelude ? The Truth from Above may be performed separately, or as the first of two preludes, preceding Paul?s arrangement of Rhosymedre from the Three Preludes Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes, also available from Stainer and Bell. / Date parution : 2021-11-03/ Répertoire / Brass Band

Par SPARKE PHILIP. In 2006, a long-time dream of Philip Sparke finally became reality: to compose a set of variations on the famous chorale from Saint-Saëns’ renowned Organ Symphony. In 2009 the composer reworked the piece for brass band. The resulting Saint-Saëns Variations has been simplified, shortened and in many places completely recomposed, to distill the essence of the symphony even further and allow younger bands to enjoy the power of Saint-Saëns’ masterpiece in an approachable, yet completely faithful, work. / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Brass Band

A CD of well-known themes from cinema and television, performed by the Yorkshire Building Society Brass Band conducted by David King. / Pédagogie / Accessoire / CD