A Name Perpetual (Hanow a bes vynytha) was commissioned for the Cornwall Youth Wind Orchestra by Keskerdh Kernow, an organisation formed to promote the Cornish culture and to commemorate the Cornish Rebellion of 1497, when the people of Cornwall rose up against the Monarchy. Under the leadership of Michael An Gof and Thomas Flamanck, a Cornish host, sometimes estimated to number as many as 15,000, marched to London in protest against excessive taxation. Arriving at Blackheath, they were attacked by the King's army and defeated, and the two rebel leaders were hung, drawn and quartered. On his way to his death, An Gof stated that he would have "a name perpetual and a fame permanent and immortal". A Name Perpetual tells the story of the Rebellion in four connected scenes. The music includes strong elements of the Celtic music tradition, being structured around an old Cornish folk tune. The first scene introduces fragments of the folk theme and reflects the anguish of the Cornish people. The second scene opens with the folk theme on solo piccolo and, as different instruments enter one by one, the march is depicted with its accumulation of forces en route. The march halts suddenly as the Cornishmen discover the unexpected arrival of the English army and the subsequent music portrays the Blackheath Skirmish. In this scene the orchestra is divided into four parts, each working independently to create a sense of chaos, with the stronger elements of the brass and bass instruments representing the English, while the woodwind and saxophones represent the Cornish, struggling to sustain the folk tune throughout the battle. Eventually all the parts come together and the final section is a lament for the lost Cornishmen, fading away to leave only a haunting off-stage trumpet solo
The first composition for wind band by this composer recollects the unsuccessful rebellion of the people of Cornwall in 1497. In four sections she evokes the battle against the Monarchy using folk music from her homeland. Although the means are modest, the result is so moving that the listener needs silence at the end. A sensational work which deserves a wide audience. Clarino Magazine CHV 7CD: Music for the Millennium The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth conducted by Major P J Rutterford
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Randol Alan Bass
Grade: 4.5
This narrative setting of Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address" was commissioned by the United States "President's Own" Marine Band in early 2009. As beautiful as the speech is on paper, the best way to appreciate Lincoln's musical instinct for timbre, phrasing, and rhythmic patterns is through recitation---and American composer Randol Alan Bass has created a unique musical opportunity for us to do that. (4:05)
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Randol Alan Bass
Grade: 4.5
This narrative setting of Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address" was commissioned by the United States "President's Own" Marine Band in early 2009. As beautiful as the speech is on paper, the best way to appreciate Lincoln's musical instinct for timbre, phrasing, and rhythmic patterns is through recitation---and American composer Randol Alan Bass has created a unique musical opportunity for us to do that. (4:05)
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Philip Sparke
Grade 4.5 Duration 4.03
You can listen to an extract of this work on your computer, by clicking on the "MORE DETAILS" button on the right - this will reveal the audio extract(s) for you to sample - and you can also view the score of this work here.
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Johan de Meij
Grade 5 1/2 Duration 13m 50s
An ode to New York. The Big Apple is a musical representation of the spirit, the glamour and the unfriendliness of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Listening to this symphony is as exciting as a visit to Manhattan. The listener is never allowed a moment’s peace, even the tranquil slow passages are accompanied by an ostinato rumbling in the background. As in the City there is never a quiet moment.
This significant work from John Moss contains a rare depth of musicality and emotional content. Celebratory in nature, the piece opens with a fanfare-like treatment in the brass and woodwinds. A slower middle section includes a beautiful chorale for brass followed by a lyrical answer in the woodwinds. The final segment returns to the faster tempo and a driving, triplet-based finish that will draw out the best in your ensemble.
Charivari has established its place as ‘core repertoire’ for many bands over the years. It was commissioned by the Bromley Youth Symphonic Band in 1981, and was written to fulfill a demand for a “fun but substantial work in the form of a three-movement suite which would provide plenty of interest for all sections of the band but which would also prove attractive to the listener.”
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Robert Sheldon
Grade: 4.5
Duration: 6:00
Gaia is a primordial deity in the Ancient Greek pantheon and is sometimes referred to as Mother Nature. In mythology she had numerous children, many of whom are of great significance to the ancient Greeks. Three of these children are represented in this dramatic work for concert band—the fearsome Typhon, the water goddess Tethys, and the menacing Enceladus. (6:00)
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Robert Sheldon
Grade: 4.5
Duration: 6:00
Gaia is a primordial deity in the Ancient Greek pantheon and is sometimes referred to as Mother Nature. In mythology she had numerous children, many of whom are of great significance to the ancient Greeks. Three of these children are represented in this dramatic work for concert band—the fearsome Typhon, the water goddess Tethys, and the menacing Enceladus. (6:00)
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Arranger: Harold Walters
This band classic in three movements is based on several of the many songs frequently sung by both the North and the South during the “War Between the States” of 1861-1865. The first, “The Gathering Clouds,” portrays the militant moods and tensions of the period. “All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight” is meditative in style and includes several typical camp songs, many reflecting a soldier's loneliness. The finale features “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Civil War Suite remains one of the very best band publications based on the rich, musical heritage from America's past.
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Eric Whitacre
Grade 4.5 Duration 7.28
Commissioned for the 2002 Indiana All-State Band, Cloudburst is an adaptation of Whitacre's acclaimed choral work of the same name. Lush and luminescent, Cloudburst combines hand bells, thunder sheets and the audience (snapping their fingers), transforming the entire theater into a magnificent thunderstorm. A profoundly moving work for musicians and audience.
PROGRAM NOTES FOR CLOUDBURST :
Cloudburst was my second classical work, originally written for chorus in the fall of 1991; it was inspired by an astonishing thunderstorm I witnessed earlier that Spring while on tour in Northern California.
In the fall of 2001 the Indiana All State commissioned me to write an original work for their top festival band, and I convinced them to let me adapt Cloudburst for symphonic winds. The way this new orchestration has transformed the piece is simply amazing to me: I distinctly remember being at the first rehearsal and just being completely speechless. Where the choral version is intimate and delicate, the version for winds is strong and assured, and to my ears it sounds like it’s suddenly in technicolor.., on a 50 foot screen.
Cloudburst was premiered on March 16th, 2002, at the Indiana All-State Festival, with yours truly at the helm of that magnificent band. It is lovingly dedicated to my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Jocelyn Kaye Jensen.
PERFORMANCE NOTES The singing parts look a little daunting, but really it is simply a major chord with half of the singers sliding down a half or a whole step. All of the singing parts should be divided equally among the players (balancing the clusters as best as possible), and it is essential that the notes be sung in the correct octave. The words they are singing and whispering, “la iluvia” (pronounced la YOU-veeah), simply mean ‘the rain’ in Spanish. All notes in boxes should be slurred, and played over and over at individual tempos. As for the Cloudburst, it is the easiest part of all. Prepare the audience ahead of time, simply letting them know that there will be an element of audience participation towards the end of the piece. (Don’t tell them what it is, as it spoils the surprise). Immediately after the ff downbeat at rehearsal letter J, turn to the audience, raise your hands, and start snapping your fingers. The entire audience will follow you (trust me), and then you are free to turn back to the band. At rehearsal letter I, you may use handbells, tone chimes, or in the absence of both, the piano cue. Place the handbell players anywhere in the hall: I have seen lofts, balconies, even players hidden throughout the auditorium used to great effect. And, if you have the extra players and equipment, you may place a bass drum in the hall as well, accompanied by a second thunder sheet. The snapping fingers from the audience and players, as well as the bass drum ‘thunder’ should continue for a short time after the final chord is sounded; the effect should be that of a magnificent thunderstorm disappearing into the distance.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER An accomplished composer, conductor and clinician, Eric Whitacre is one of the bright stars in contemporary concert music. Regularly commissioned and published, Whitacre has received composition awards from ASCAP, the Barlow International Composition Competition, the American Choral Directors Association, the American Composers Forum, and this spring was honored with his first Grammy nomination (contemporary classical crossover). Born in 1970, Whitacre has already achieved substantial critical and popular acclaim. Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, a wild theatrical piece for wind symphony, has taken the classical world by storm and was most recently performed by the United States Marine Band (The President’s Own) on the steps of the Capitol. Ghost Train, his first instrumental work written at the age of 23, is a genuine phenomenon; it has received thousands of performances in over 50 countries and has been featured on over 20 different recordings. In addition to composing, Eric has begun a successful career as a conductor, and has made appearances as guest conductor in Japan, Singapore, Europe, and throughout the United States. He received his M.M. in composition from the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied composition with John Corigliano.
This is the third movement of Nigel Hess’s New London Pictures (a sequel to his successful London Pictures). As with all modern cities, London is over-crowded with motor vehicles. London was the first major city in Europe to adopt a Congestion Charge, and this lighthearted work includes musical images of frustrated rush hour traffic leading to a freer flowing galop.
Here is an expansive work featuring a wide spectrum of emotional and sonic elements for symphonic band. From striking full band effects to delicate woodwind and percussion writing, this is a marvelous showcase for your entire ensemble. Featured is an amazing contrapuntal section for the clarinets, a flowing chorale, powerful fanfare-like passages, dynamic full band unisons and soaring melodies. Due to the length of the piece, the composer has provided programming options for performing shorter versions.
Coppa Fragole – or strawberry cup in English – is a delicious musical refreshment that is comprised of the following ingredients: cinematic, orchestral vanilla ice cream; red strawberry in the style of a lively Argentinean milonga dance; an irresistibly sweet waltz-style sauce and a lively tarantella for the cherry on the top. Enjoy!
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Guy Woolfenden
Grade 4.5 Duration 11.00
The thematic material for the first movement, Solemn March, started life as a coronation procession in Trevor Nunn’s legendary production of The Revenger’s Tragedy, a notorious Jacobean blood and guts play by Cyril Tourneur. Trevor Nunn was also the director of a much loved production of All’s Well That Ends Well, starring Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Harriet Walter, from which the Valse Triste comes, featuring a haunting melody tailor-made for the oboe. The last movement, Finale, is a reworking of the curtain call music for Bill Alexander’s amazing production of Richard III starring Antony Sher, who memorably played the role on crutches.
As with the composer’s earlier works, there is plenty here to challenge the more expert players, particularly the exposed woodwind writing in the slow movement, but while a school or community band would have plenty of problems to tackle, technically and musically the work would be well within the grasp of any band who has other works by Woolfenden in their repertoire. Winds Magazine
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Guy Woolfenden
Grade 4.5 Duration 11 minutes
Solemn March
Valse Triste
Finale
The thematic material for the first movement, Solemn March, started life as a coronation procession in Trevor Nunn’s legendary production of The Revenger’s Tragedy, a notorious Jacobean blood and guts play by Cyril Tourneur. Trevor Nunn was also the director of a much loved production of All’s Well That Ends Well, starring Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Harriet Walter, from which the Valse Triste comes, featuring a haunting melody tailor-made for the oboe. The last movement, Finale, is a reworking of the curtain call music for Bill Alexander’s amazing production of Richard III starring Antony Sher, who memorably played the role on crutches.
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer: Mark Camphouse
Grade 4.5
Duration 7:00
The guest conductor-composer engagements I have had over the years in the Dakotas with high school, college, university, community, and professional ensembles rank among the most satisfying ones I have experienced anywhere. While they may rank near the bottom of the 50 states in terms of population, my ten engagements in the Dakotas (four North, six South) certainly demonstrate no shortage whatsoever of musically talented and dedicated individuals there. And that talent and dedication when combined with seemingly unlimited quantities of Dakotan wholesomeness, honesty, strong work ethic, and even stronger family values and traditions epitomize some of the finest and most important qualities of our heritage as Americans. A Dakota Rhapsody honors those qualities.
While I absolutely love both Dakotas, this work, commissioned by the South Dakota Intercollegiate Band, celebrates the “Mount Rushmore State.” Incidentally, if I ever get around to composing an opera, the life of Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum stands alone at the very top of artistically suitable and dramatically appropriate potential subjects. An analysis or bar-by-bar explanation of A Dakota Rhapsody seems rather unimportant here. Of far greater importance is my sincere hope that conductors, players, and audiences alike will both hear and feel a quintessentially American pioneering spirit with the open expanses of the prairie landscape of the "East River" region, and the inspirational beauty and breathtaking contrasts of the "West River" region.
Dakota Rhapsody was premiered by the South Dakota Intercollegiate Band with the composer conducting on March 3, 2007 in Pierre, South Dakota.
Category: BIGGIES - Grade 4.5 Composer / arranger: Emily Howard
A highly structured work which explores multiple layers of sonorous texture. Sometimes strident, sometime anquished it even engages briefly with a little jazz waltz whilst never losing sight of it's dramatic ending.
The three short pictures which make up the suite East Coast Pictures were inspired by several visits to a small part of the USA’s East Coast, an area which provides great extremes in the geography and the people. Shelter Island is a small island situated almost at the end of Long Island, a few hours drive east of New York. In the summer it becomes a crowded tourist trap — but in the winter it is gloriously deserted, and bravely faces the onslaught of the Atlantic, shrouded in sea mists and driving rain. This picture is a fond memory of a winter weekend on Shelter Island.
NIGEL HESS Nigel Hess has worked extensively as a composer for television, theatre and film. Credits includeA Woman of Substance, Vanity Fair, Campion, Testament (Ivor Novello Award for Best TV Theme), Summer’s Lease (Television & Radio Industries Club Award for Best TV Theme), Maigret, Classic Adventure (‘Music from the Movies’ Award for Best BBC Theme), Dangerfield, Just William and Stick With me Kid for Disney. Recent television scores include Wycliffe for HTV (Royal Television Society Nomination for Best TV Theme and ‘Music from the Movies’ Award for Best 1W Theme), The BBC’s He14’ Wainthropp Investigates starring Patricia Routledge (Ivor Novello Award for Best TV Theme and Royal Television Society Nomination for Best TV Theme) and Badger, a Feelgood Fiction drama series for BBC1 starring Jerome Flynn. His most recent feature film score is for Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, directed by Bill Cartlidge. From 1981 to 1985 Nigel Hess was Company Music Director and House Composer for The Royal Shakespeare Company and has contributed twenty scores for RSC productions. He was awarded the New York Drama Desk Award for ‘Outstanding Music in a Play’ for the productions of Much Ado About Nothing and Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway.
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