Par SPARKE PHILIP. To celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Stadtmusikkapelle Wilten in Innsbruck Philip Sparke composed Wilten Festival Overture. A bold fanfare, led by the horns, forms the opening of the work from which an expressive theme unfolds until the full band reaches a climax. Short solo statements from saxophone, horn and trumpet lead to a recapitulation of this theme which melts into a rhythmic Vivo. A robust melody is is then played by the clarinets and taken up by the whole band before a legato figure leads to a cantabile theme, again presented by the clarinets. The original Vivo melody reappears before the opening fanfare is briefly heard and the work comes to an end with ashort Coda. A great experience for the whole band! / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par DE HAAN JACOB. The Book of Urizen is a work for concert band, solo soprano, and a male narrator in which sound collages of religious expressions are used. The piece is inspired by the compelling visionary poem of the same name (which the poet illustratedhimself) by the Englishman William Blake (1757-1827), who occupies a unique position in western literature and the visual arts. He was not just a poet and a writer, but he was also a graphic artist, a painter, an illustrator, a spiritualist, areligious visionary, and a mystic philosopher. For the performance of this work, a professional sound system, including two microphones and a CD player, is needed. The three sound collages are three separate tracks on the enclosed CD and can beplayed easily at the right moment. The Book of Urizen bears resemblance to Genesis and Exodus, of which the contents form the basis of the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faith. Blake adhered to the principle that all religions are in fact one, and that deities reside in human beings. In The Book of Urizen this is represented in “The Net of Religion, ” which is spanned over the earth by Urizen. The sound collages, compiled by Jacob de Haan in the studio, find their origin inJerusalem, the Holy City, where the afore-mentioned faiths “come together. ” In the first movement of this composition, The Vision, Urizen prepares his vision of the world, and he presents this to the “Eternals. ” His vision is rejected, and Urizen locks himself up in his own abstract world. When he does emerge again, he is confronted with rage by the gathered Eternals. Urizen flees the wrath of the Eternals, “the flames of eternal fury, ” and enwombs himself in his own world. Whenthe Eternals see Urizen in his “stony sleep, ” they wonder if this is death. The blacksmith Los is torn by grief because of the isolation of Urizen. It brings him to rouse his fires, prepare his forge, and to give Urizen’s world concrete form. In the second movement, The Creation, Urizen’s world, but also man, woman, and child are created. Los is horrified with the appearance of Urizen’s body. He mourns and pities Urizen, and from his blood a female form comes into being, with thename Enitharmon. The Eternals, fearful of the female form, decide to erect a tent to obstruct their view to eternity. Enitharmon and Los beget a son, called Orc. Los baptizes him as a child of the “fallen world. ” Orc is fed at Enitharmon’s breast, which makes a girdle of jealousy restrict Los’ chest. He takes the child to the top of the mountain and chains him down. The cries of Orc awaken Urizen, who explores his world creating instruments of scientific measurement to do so. Los encircles theface of Enitharmon from the sight of Urizen and Orc. She then populates the earth by giving birth to an enormous race. The Web, third movement of The Book of Urizen is now available: DHP 1125252 / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par CURNOW JAMES. A joyous and exuberant sparkler for your next concert! This bright little bijou from James Curnow is a great way to start the show. It’s as inviting as they get and will engage every listener from start to finish. The easy excitement will motivate your Grade 2 band to their iridescent best. For groups playing regularly at a Grade 3 level EXCURSIONS also works well in the program following any heavy major work you may have chosen to perform. It’s a perfect way to lighten the mood and recapture those listeners who may be new to the art of listening to larger forms. Use it anywhere, anytime of the year. It’ll be quick to prepare, effective in concert, and has much more tooffer educationally than the typical “pop/movie tune” type of fare. Take a look! / Niveau : 2 / Ouverture / Répertoire / Concert Band

Par DE HAAN JACOB. Lunteren, a village on the Veluwe (a wooded region in the Netherlands), sets the scene annually for a village festival dominated by folklore. Festa Paesana (Italian for village festival) is set to music by several folkloric sketches. The theme in Festa Paesana is partly based on a Dutch anthem (Wien Neerlands bloed); when other lyrics are used it is also known as the Lunteren anthem. The work begins with a festive introduction, completed by chimes and drums, in which pieces of the Lunteren anthem are heard. The music then transitions to represent a horse auction. We hear horses run their first rounds in the auction ring while being whipped. The following theme is partly basedon the anthem. The tension of the traditional auction is amplified by an ever-increasing cadence, reaching its climax when the word ?Sold!? is shouted. The night ends with a majestic variation on the Lunteren anthem. The next morning, when the tower clock hits seven times, the village is awaked by the reveille of the heralds. In a fugatic version of the anthem, we can hear the village slowly come to life. This evolves with the chiming of all towers in the village; the celebration can begin. Carriages drawn by horses rumble through the village and thus, it is easy to hear when a horse hesitates or runs amuck. A traditional folk dance group then dances a whirling waltz while the audience shares their pleasure. Musicians march along the scene and take over the waltz theme in their march. Until deep in the night, the musicians are still heard playing in the streets. Meanwhile, we hear the anthem theme being played in a choral variation (in minor). The first time it is played quietly, as a preparation for Sunday. Then it is played in a celebrating way, enabling the devout village residents to remember the past pleasant celebration with satisfaction. / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par SPARKE PHILIP. The picturesque town of Mandalen lies amid snow-covered mountains and scenic fjords on the west coast of Norway. MANDALEN LANDSCAPES was commissioned by and written for Måndalen Skule og Ungdomskorps (Mandalen School and Youth Band) for a major concert in November 2003 at the instigation of its conductor, John Hudson, a long-time friend of composer Philip Sparke. Sparke set out to capture the beauty of the area in music and the piece opens with an evocation of the crisp, clear air of a Norwegian morning. After this introduction, the main theme is stated on clarinets and saxophones. A central bridge section takes the listener through several moods until the brass reintroducethe main theme under a woodwind descant. Material from the introduction brings the work to a peaceful close. / Niveau : 2.5 / Musique pour célébration / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. This major concert work cosists o five movements. 1st movement: La Laguna del ShimbeSituated high up in the Andes mountains in Northern Peru are the Huaringas, a group of lagoons in isolated and mysterious surroundings. The water has healing powersand for centuries traditional healers have settled there in small villages. From far the sick come to the Huaringas to be treated in nightly rituals, in which the hallucinating juice of the San Pedro cactus gives the prophet a look inside hispatient. The biggest lagoon is the “Laguna del Shimbe”, one of the countless wells of the immense Amazon stream. 2nd movement: Los AguarunasFurther downstream in Northern Peru we come across the rain tribe of Los Aguarunas. It’s a proud, beautiful andindependent race, which has never succumbed to domination, not even from the Incas. They live from everything the forest has to offer: fish, fruit, plants, . . . . They also grow some crops and live as semi-nomads. They take their fate into their ownhands and after having made contact with modern civilisation, they have integrated new elements into their lives without betraying their own ways. 3rd movement: MekaronMekaron is an Indian word meaning “picture”, “soul”, “essence”. The Indians are theorigina inhabitants of the Amazon region. They either live in one place as a group or move around a large region. They all have their own political system, their own language and an intense social life. At the same time they are master of music andmedicine. “Everywhere the white man goes, he leaves a wilderness behind him”, wrote the North American Indian leader Seatl in 1885. As a result of these contacts with the whites, the disruption of most Indian societies began. (In this century alone, 80 tribes have vanished completely). 4th movement: KêêtuajêThis is the name of the initiating ceremony of the Krahô tribe in the Brazilian state of Goias, in which young boys and girls enter adult life. They are cleansed with water, painted with redpaint and covered with feathers, after which the ritual dance holds the entire tribe spell-bound. 5th movement: Paulino FaiakanIn 1988 the Indian chiefs Faiakan and Raoni Kaiapo came to Europe to protest against the building of the Altamira dam inBrazil. As a result of the dam the Indians would be driven from their traditional land and enormous artificial would be created. The project was supported financially by, amongst others, the European Community. In February 1989 the Indian tribesaround Altamira held a protest march for the first time in their history together. Amongst other things they paid tribute tot Chico Mendez, who, murdered in 1988, was the leader of the rubber syndicate and a fierce opponent of the destruction of theBrazilian rain forest. Brazilian and world opinion was awakened. The building of the dam was -albeit temporarily - stopped. / Niveau : 6 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par SPARKE PHILIP. MASQUERADE was commissioned by Stadtmusik Willisau from Switzerland (Reto Güdel, conductor) to celebrate their 175th anniversary in 2003 and first performed by them in November that year. 1. OvertureThe first movement opens with a fanfare-like figure, featuring the brass, before the main them is introduced over staccato chords. After a short, syncopated interlude a legato theme is introduced in the tenor register and material is developed until the music slows temporarily. The opening theme returns and the ‘tenor’ tune is taken up by the whole band until the opening fanfare returns to close the movement. 2. ElegyThe slow movement opens intensely with a bare two-part theme, whichleads to a passionate chorale-style melody. A second theme is introduced and leads to a climax, a return of the chorale theme and a pianissimo repeat which again leads to a full-band climax. The two-part theme returns quietly to create a peaceful close. 3 InterludeA short movement which changes the mood to introduce:- 4 FinaleThree violent chords preface a lively syncopated opening theme. The trumpets introduce a second idea, which is treated fugally, and this in turn leads to the main melodic idea of the movement, over staccato chords. A contrasting subject is then introduced in the middle of the band, followed by echoes of the first movement fanfare. The opening theme returns and material is revisited until the opening fanfare returns in full to end the work triumphantly. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

(An ancient magical spell) Overture for Band. Par BULLA STEPHEN. Move over, Harry! Your band members are the sorcerers this time as they take the audience to mystical realms. A captivating spell is cast as the music conjures up the drama and mystery of ancient magic. The foreboding opening will appeal to the young musician’s sense of adventure, and as the piece progresses every listener will be mesmerized by the unfolding prestidigitation. The runes are cast! There is no escape! If you don’t choose this piece for your concert beware - you may turn into a frog!Abracadabra! Poof! / Niveau : 2 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par SPARKE PHILIP. This piece was inspired by the composer watching his young son, Benny, playing ‘soldiers’ with his collection of teddy bears - how appropriate!But it made him think of the many character pieces which take the form of a ‘toy march’, the most notable examples being by Haydn, Tchaikovsky and Leon Jessel. Parade of the Clockwork Soldiers is in the form of a ‘patrol’ (starting and ending quietly with a louder middle) and aims to represent a band marching past the listener. In fact, where the hall layout permits it, it could be possible to add a little choreography to the piece, starting and ending with only a few instruments on stage. / Niveau : 2 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par BULLA STEPHEN. Contrasting colors and stylistic shifts trace the historic events surrounding “the shot heard ‘round the world” in this challenging and significant new concert band work by Stephen Bulla. A rhapsodic adventure, NORTH BRIDGE PORTRAIT takes us from the merry atmosphere of the pre-revolutionary town through foreboding militant sounds. The fife-and-drum melody, “Washington’s March”, leads inexorably to the historic beginning of the American colonies’ struggle for freedom. Vivid images combine to make this descriptive audience-pleasing composition a memorable experience for all that attend your performance. Historic and unique! / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie