Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Par BRUCKNER ANTON / DOSS THOMAS (Arr.). Anton Bruckner (b. 4.9.1824, Ansfelden, d. 11.10.1896, Vienna) didn?t have it easy. Throughout his life, the Austrian composer was plagued by self-doubt. Anton Bruckner came from a simple, rural background. After the death of his father, he was accepted as a choirboy at the monastery of Sankt Florian in 1837. After several years as a school assistant and his own organ and piano studies, he first worked as organist in St. Florian, then from 1855 as cathedral organist in Linz. Introduced to music theory and instrumentation by Simon Sechter and Otto Kitzler, he discovered Richard Wagner as an artistic role model, whom he admired throughout his life and also visited several times in Bayreuth. In 1868 Anton Bruckner became professor of basso continuo, counterpoint and organ at the Vienna Conservatory; ten years later court organist; and in 1891 finally honorary doctor of the University of Vienna. He was considered an important organ virtuoso of his era, but had to wait a long time for recognition as a composer. It was not until Symphony No.7 in E major, composed between 1881 and 1883, with the famous Adagio written under the effects of Wagner's death, that he achieved the recognition he had hoped for, even if he was reluctant to accept it given his inclination towards scepticism and self-criticism. Anton Bruckner was a loner who did not want to follow a particular school or doctrine. He composed numerous sacred vocal works, such as his three masses, the Missa Solemnis in B flat minor (1854), the Te Deum (1881-84) and numerous motets. As a symphonic composer, he wrote a total of nine symphonies and many symphonic studies from 1863 onwards, tending to revise completed versions several times over. Bruckner's orchestral works were long considered unplayable, but in fact were merely exceptionally bold for the tonal language of their time, uniting traditions from Beethoven through Wagner to folk music, on the threshold between late Romanticism and Modernism. Anton Bruckner composed about 40 motets during his lifetime, the earliest a setting of Pange lingua around 1835, and the last, Vexilla regis, in 1892. Thomas Doss has compiled some of these motets in this volume for symphonic wind orchestra. These motets show many characteristics of personal expression, especially Bruckner's colourful harmony in the earlier works, which is in places aligned with Franz Schubert (changes between major and minor; and movements in thirds). Later works are characterised by many components which, in addition to the expanded stature of the movements, include above all a sense of the instrumentation as an outward phenomenon and the harmony as a compositional feature that works more internally. Some aspects of Bruckner's work are the result of his long period of study, which familiarised him not only with the tradition of his craft, but also gave him insights into the 'modernity' of his time in such composers as Wagner, Liszt and Berlioz. From this developed his personal standpoint, which always pursues the connection between the old and the new. / Date parution : 2023-08-12/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par CURNOW JAMES. Explore something new with your band! Elements of post-modernism and James Curnow’s masterful skill for writing intriguing harmonies combine to take your group on a memorable tonal exploration. Based on the legend of the rock formation above the Pemiqewasset River in the White Mountain Forest, The Old Man And The mountain stakes out new territory and is destined to hold a special spot in the development of concert band literature. This one is an experience your students will remember for many years to come. Don’t miss it! / Niveau : 3 / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par BLANKEN JOHN. COME ONE AND ALL! Come see the great Circus Bamboni! This four movement work, with flexible four part instrumentation (+ Drum Kit), will amaze and charm you like no other. The first movement features the band as it tunes up and prepares for the show. Then the talented trapeze artists make an appearance as they fly through the sky high above the audience. The elephants parade around the ring with their very own Elephant Samba and the clowns follow leaving you in stitches! A thunderous chord and lots of applause bring the show to a breathtaking finale. / Niveau : 1.5 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie ou Fanfare

Par DE HAAN JACOB. This composition is based on a passacaglia theme, in which artistic perfection, symphonic drama and oriental melody lines play a role. The passacaglia is originally a dance made up of a series of variations above a bass line constantly present as an ostinato. It is not in this sense that the 'Symphonic Variations' are in the passacaglia form but in the sense of the open form of the variations. Jacob de Haan, himself originally an organist, took his inspiration for this piece from the famous passacaglia for organ in C-minor by J. S. Bach. Following the introduction of the passacaglia theme (in the bass) the entry by the trumpets and trombones forms the majestic start to amusical adventure, in which this theme (often fragmentary) returns in variations. Then there follow two faster movements with dramatic contrasts and virtuose passages. Particularly striking here is the use of two characteristic intervals from the beginning of the theme namely the minor second and the augmented fourth. An apause in the composition comes in the slow bridge where a syncopated bourdon (perfect fifth) is constantly repeated. The tension grows in dynamics and harmony, and the oriental-flavour becomes obvious in the melody. We arrive at a faster movement via an accelerando, in which a perpetuum mobile based on the passacaglia theme is central. Finally the whole flows into a martial theme, in which the ostinato accompaniment n the descant derives from the passacaglia theme. / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par BLANKEN JOHN. COME ONE AND ALL! Come see the great Circus Bamboni! This four movement work, with flexible four-part instrumentation (+ drum set), will amaze and charm you like no other. The fi rst movement features the band as it tunes up and prepares for the show. Then the talented trapeze artists make an appearance as they fly through the sky high above the audience. The elephants parade around the ring with their very own Elephant Samba and the clowns follow leaving you in stitches! A thunderous chord and lots of applause bring the show to a breathtaking finale. / Niveau : 1.5 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie ou Fanfare ou Brass Band

Par SPARKE PHILIP. Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains est une commande de la Northern California Band Directors' Association pour marquer son 50e anniversaire, en 2012. Cette oeuvre a été créée par le Honor Band 2012 de l’Association sous la direction du Dr Royce Trevis au théâtre Harlen Adams de l’université de Californie à Chico, Californie, le 4 février de cette même année. La commande stipulait que la pièce devait célébrer les ressources naturelles des États-Unis. Le compositeur Philip Sparke s’est donc inspiré des paroles de Katharine Lee Bates pour la chanson America the Beautiful, dont voici les premier et dernier couplets :O beautiful for spacious skies, For amberwaves of grain, For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!(Oh belle pour tes vastes cieux, Tes vagues de grains ambrés, La majesté de tes montagnes violettesDominant des plaines fruitées !)America! America!God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea(Amérique ! Amérique !Dieu t’a donné sa grâceCouronnée de la fraternité des hommesDe la mer à la mer étincelante)Les trois mouvements empruntent chacun leur titre à ces couplets :1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies : S’ouvrant avec des figures en filigrane jouées par les bois, ce mouvement cherche à recréer la lumière et la légèreté d’un ciel printanier, d’oiseaux et de fleurs flottant au gré d’une douce brise. 2. From Sea to Shining Sea : Plein de vivacité, ce mouvement évoque les frémissements de l’eau des ruisseaux, des rivières et des lacs. 3. For Purple Mountain Majesties :Le dernier mouvement, lent et majestueux, dépeint une impressionnante chaîne de montagnes. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Arr. Wil Van Der Beek. Par TCHAIKOVSKI PIOTR ILITCH. Tchaikovsky is best known for his purely instrumental compositions. However, we must not underestimate him as a composer of operas. Many of his operas such as ¬Pique Dame and Eugene Onegin are still performed regularly throughout the world. Eugene Onegin (also called Jevgeny Onegin), composed in 1877-1878, was not called an opera by Tchaikovsky himself, but “lyric scenes”. The work is entirely dominated by lyricism. However, there are two moments that contrast sharply with this lyricism: two ball scenes, for which Tchaikovsky wrote a waltz and a polonaise. After opening with a less well-known allegro dansant, this arrangement features the aforementioned waltz, which can beconsidered a beautiful Russian equivalent of the Faust Waltz by Charles Gounod. In the opera, this waltz is actually played by a military band. The arrangement concludes with the pompous polonaise (also mentioned above) which opens the last act: the ideal music to characterize high aristocracy in the salon of a palace in St. Petersburg. / Niveau : 3 / Répertoire / Concert Band

This spirited composition for concert band is inspired by Mill Mountain, which is located on the outskirts of Roanoke, VA and provides a wonderful elevated view of both the city of Roanoke and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Of particular interest, the mountaintop contains a structure known as the Mill Mountain Star, the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star, visible for 60 miles from the air and 1,045 feet above the city of Roanoke. (3:00) / Concert Band

Par BUCKLEY ROBERT. / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie