Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Kurt Weill Arranger: Jerry Brubaker
Grade: 4.0
Charming melodies skillfully crafted into one medley of tribute. The themes included are "Bilbao Song," "September Song," "The Saga of Jenny" and of course "Mack the Knife." Great pop music with a variety of styles. You just can't go wrong with a dynamic composer joined with the craftsmanship of Jerry Brubaker. A real winner! (8:13)
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: M Gould Arranger: Lang
Grade: 4.5
When looking for an orchestral transcription that works well in a concert band setting, look no further than this historic major work. For the first time with a full score and new corrected parts, this Morton Gould classic builds a tribute to all things American by working, with splendor and verve, the folk melody "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." "American Salute" is a challenge worth the effort. (4:31)
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: George Gershwin Arranger: Jerry Brubaker
Grade: 4.0
The honking of auto horns conjures up a vision of Parisian drivers careening and lurching around the streets of this fabulous city. We're off on a madcap whirl from the genius of George Gershwin. Close your eyes and listen to the colors -- you'll know exactly where you are. A stunning setting!
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: G Gershwin
Grade: 4.0
The honking of auto horns conjures up a vision of Parisian drivers careening and lurching around the streets of this fabulous city. We're off on a madcap whirl from the genius of George Gershwin. Close your eyes and listen to the colors -- you'll know exactly where you are. A stunning setting!
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Hugh Stuart
Grade: 4.0
This Hugh Stuart original captures the spirit and color of Andalusia, the large ancient province of Spain where much of that country's tradition and culture was developed. After a driving introduction, a dramatic trumpet cadenza conjures up images of a heroic matador which leads into the main theme. This lilting melody in 3/4 time is flavored with interesting harmonies and rythmic variation as smooth inner lines weave their way through the texture. Transport your band and audience to this colorful region with this concert winner!
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Stuart
Grade: 4.0
This Hugh Stuart original captures the spirit and color of Andalusia, the large ancient province of Spain where much of that country's tradition and culture was developed. After a driving introduction, a dramatic trumpet cadenza conjures up images of a heroic matador which leads into the main theme. This lilting melody in 3/4 time is flavored with interesting harmonies and rythmic variation as smooth inner lines weave their way through the texture. Transport your band and audience to this colorful region with this concert winner!
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Peter Milray Arranger: Johan de Meij
Difficulty: 4
Duration: 4m 21s
The Cake Walk is, just like the Quickstep, the Schottisch, the 'Rag and the Quadrille, a popular American dance from the second half of the last century. Both the rhythmic and the melodic structure of the Cake Walk display a clear relationship with ragtime and jazz and even a composer like Claude Debussy has availed himself of these influences in his music (Le petit Nègre and Golliwogg's Cake Walk).
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Peter Milray Arranger: Johan de Meij
Difficulty: 4
Duration: 4m 21s
The Cake Walk is, just like the Quickstep, the Schottisch, the 'Rag and the Quadrille, a popular American dance from the second half of the last century. Both the rhythmic and the melodic structure of the Cake Walk display a clear relationship with ragtime and jazz and even a composer like Claude Debussy has availed himself of these influences in his music (Le petit Nègre and Golliwogg's Cake Walk).
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Gustav Holst
Holst composed this short, light-hearted but tuneful work in 1932, while on a visit to the USA, for Nathaniel Shilkret’s concert jazz band. He was asked to use a folk tune but invented one of his own. The piece was not performed and remained in manuscript.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Peter Graham
Peter Graham's most recent work - June 2008
1. Catalonia 2. Catwalk 3. Scat! Movement 3 Scat! features solos for four instrumentalists - Trombone, Cornet, Vibraphone & Drum Kit ( the 8 bar kit solo can be extended if desired).
Cats Tales can be extended by including the following separately available titles : Toccata Catnap ( solo for trombone)
Programme Note by the Composer :
In the early 1980’s I had the good fortune to live and work in New York City. Since the 1930’s The Big Apple has enjoyed a reputation as the jazz capital of the world. Indeed, jazz seemed to be a part of the very fabric of everyday life in the city. One might pass Frank Sinatra leaving The Players (Club) or Buddy Rich en route to a gig, while a few blocks south of my apartment the famous Blue Note Club played host to a succession of legendary jazz “Cats”, from Dizzy Gillespie to rising star Wynton Marsalis.
Cats Tales pays tribute to four wonderful musicians who shared a love of jazz and the city. New York born Elmer Bernstein is best remembered for his legendary film scores. Here Catalonia brings to mind some of those epic moments before a musical gear change that references the work of his contemporary colleague, “Bernstein East”, aka Leonard Bernstein. The presence of West Side Story looms large here. Henry Mancini studied his craft at the famous Julliard School in the Upper West Side. His most famous composition (which concerned a cat of the pink variety) provides the inspiration for the 2nd movement, Catwalk.
In 2008, after persuasion by Tim Reynish, the composer agreed to the release of this special movement as a separate work. It's scoring has not been tampered with in any way and is noticably that of a Big Band line up. (The percussion part could easily be played by one player on drum kit.) Downtown Blues is a wonderful addition to the repertoire and is an ideal prelude to the more complicated work. "This gentle, bluesy movement is some of the best cod jazz you will ever hear". c:4 - 5 minutes
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Alex Poelman
Difficulty: 4
Duration: 7m 48s
When an Egyptian hero fell on the battlefield he entered the underworld named Duat. There he had to fulfill his last task: pass through all the gates guarded by monstrous creatures and enter Aaru (paradise). The composition starts with the killing blow dealt to the hero. On his journey through Duat he travels through large halls with pillars of jade and lakes of steaming lava. At the last gate his heart is placed on a balance next to a feather (symbolizing Justice). One whose heart balances the feather may enter Aaru.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT - Grade 4.0 Composer: Alex Poelman
Difficulty: 4
Duration: 7m 48s
When an Egyptian hero fell on the battlefield he entered the underworld named Duat. There he had to fulfill his last task: pass through all the gates guarded by monstrous creatures and enter Aaru (paradise). The composition starts with the killing blow dealt to the hero. On his journey through Duat he travels through large halls with pillars of jade and lakes of steaming lava. At the last gate his heart is placed on a balance next to a feather (symbolizing Justice). One whose heart balances the feather may enter Aaru.
James Curnow's Dublin Sketches features a rich blend of textures and moods and represents a distinctive work in the repertoire for mature bands. Composed as a theme and set of three variations, the final variation has the flavor of a traditional Irish jig.
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.
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