This exciting addition to wind band repertoire comes from the pen of Rodney Newton who has taken traditional folk tunes from Bulgaria and Romania and blended them into a showcase featuring soloists and the band as a whole.
'Aubade' depicts dawn in the Bulgarian countryside, and the workers are already in the fields. One person begins singing and the others join in one by one. The sun rises and church bells welcome a new day. Village Wedding' sets the scene for a Romanian gypsy band that has come down from the mountains to entertain the guests with their distinctive songs and dances. 'Twilight Romance' depicts a warm summer evening in a Bulgarian village and lovers walk hand in hand as a soft love-chant drifts through the balmy air. 'Gypsy Festival' depicts Romanian gypsy bands competing at festivals. Everything is done at maximum speed, all the soloists trying to outdo each other in terms of brilliance.