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£244.99
Zenith of Maya - Satoshi Yagisawa
By 200 B.C. the Mayan civilization was expansive, from the Yucatan Peninsula well into Central America. Their highly advanced technology still amazes us today, including their discovery of an accurate calendar derived from detailed astronomical observations and the use of the "0" in sophisticated mathematics.I. Royal ceremony and sacrifice of renewalThe first movement describes Mayan civilization at its zenith. An initial theme heralds admiration for a great king. A graceful choral then captures the magnificent setting of the Mayan world. After a folk melody for the populace, the agitated scene of a sacrificial ceremony is portrayed. The regal theme appears again in the coda, concluding in brilliance. This great civilization vanished in 10 A.D., leaving only remnants of a remarkably prosperous world. Thousands of ruins large and small remain locked in a dense world of jungle, with huge crumbled cities having lain forgotten for eight centuries.II. Glorious ruins still ariseII characterizes this civilization from glory, to destruction, to the present with its buried ruins. To begin, stone cities wait silently cloaked in jungle, steadfastly eluding discovery. As time passes slowly, the music reflects back to the glory of the Maya. Though wishing to turn back the hands of time for this incredible civilization, its fate and the gravity of its loss are carried forward in the profound silence of eternal loss. Finally, in the present, we marvel at the thousands of elegant remains, with a choral of praise for those with remarkable wisdom and strength, in a spectacular conclusion.(Satoshi Yagisawa)
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£94.99Ebony Fantasy - Filip Ceunen
Ebony Fantasy is a short solo piece for B flat clarinet and wind band - an ideal piece to put young soloists into the spotlight! After a short introduction, in which the theme - more-or-less - is first heard, there follows a lyrical Andante espressivo and a powerful Allegro. The entire ensemble participates in a short cadenza before returning to the lyrical Andante, which brings the piece slowly and gradually to a close.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£264.99
Diferencias on an Old Spanish Song - Yasuhide Ito
I am immensely happy that my Gloriosa, symphonic poem for band (1990), has been performed by so many bands in the last thirty years.During this period, the growth of the internet has made it much easier to access information.When I composed Gloriosa, I only had limited information about the period when Christianity and Western music was first introduced to Japan, and had to rely a lot on my imagination.However, nowadays, it is easy to obtain various source materials and to read interesting studies on the music of the past.In recent years, the music of Luis de Narvez (born ca.1500 - died between 1555-1560), Spanish composer and vihuela player, has become increasingly known, and several CDs of his music are now available.Narvez composed the earliest-known set of diferencias, a forerunner of the variation form. One of his works is Seys diferencias sobre el himno "O gloriosa domina" [Six diferencias on the hymn "O gloriosa domina"] (1538), based on the Spanish Marian hymn, and it was this melody I used in the first movement of my Gloriosa.Western music has been my musical roots since childhood, and throughout my career as a composer, it has continued to fascinate me. One could say that this has provided the inspiration for Diferencias on an Old Spanish Song, my own take on the diferencias form.Actually, such music from the early sixteenth century could sound fresh to our modern ears. So I decided to quote the melody from Narvez's Sey diferencias at the beginning and end of the piece, in order that people can get the feel for the period.The main section (bars 42-390) is formed of 13 diferencias, similar to the first movement of the Gloriosa.In the middle section, which begins after the eighth diferencia(from bar 187), one should be totally absorbed in the tranquility and the beauty of the music. Although it's in the style of a sarabande, it should be taken slower and played as pianissimo as possible.This is followed by folk-style dance music. (As only standard percussion instruments are used, try to be creative with tonal colours and sense of rhythm).The structure of the work is simple, but be aware of the connection between the sections when constructing the whole.Also, think about the tonality. Overall, the work is in F minor. The main section is basically in D minor, but from bar 102, it modulates to A flat minor and G minor, and then in the middle section it suddenly switches to A flat major (which is the furthest key from D minor, and the relative major of F minor). From bar 219, it modulates to F minor and then to C minor, then back to F minor by way of A minor.N.B. The Oboe II part can be substituted by the English Horn (as indicated in the parts). One can choose according to the player's skills or preference.Recent new compositions for wind band are often full of rhythm, dynamism, and tonal colour, and compositional techniques and orchestration have also evolved greatly. Yet on the other hand, they tend to feature fewer melodic or expressive elements. Since this work is the test piece for WMC Kerkrade 2022, I had to think about what "tests" or "challenges" to set, and I decided to compose something that doesn't involve a lot of technical display, but requires beautiful sounds and harmonies, and above all, musical expressivity. I didn't put many expression markings in the score, because I wanted the performers to think about how best to express this music. If it is played merely as notated, it's not going to sound very interesting.Christianity was introduced to Japan in the mid-16th century, but it was subsequently banned and Japan entered a period of national isolation, which meant that there was hardly any international exchange for two hundred years. As a result, the Christian hymns that were introduced prior to the isolation became almost unrecognizable over the centuries. This was the theme I explored in my Gloriosa thirty years ago.Now, in 2021, the whole world has been forced to "isolate" due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In such times, it seems pertinent that I've written a work using this melody again. I sincerely hope that people will be able to gather in Kerkrade in 2022.(English Translation:Nahoko Gotoh)
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£104.99Praise to the Lord - Carl Wittrock
This composition, based on the hymn Praise to the Lord, is comprised of eight separate parts that can be played together as a concert piece or opening work. The A and B sections are different openings, C is four-part arrangement of the hymn, D is a solo for four saxophones, or two trumpets and two trombones, E is a calm intermezzo, F a solo for trumpet or cornet, and G and F finally are a majestic or peaceful closing section. How will you choose to present this piece on stage?
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£104.70Forza Del Destino (Stal - Giuseppe Verdi
The great Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was largely self-taught. He composed some operas but then in less than two years' time he lost his wife and two children (1838-1840) and decided to give up composing. However he was convinced to write again and in 1842 he became world famous with his opera 'Nabucco'. This was followed by several masterpieces such as Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, Aida, Othello and Falstaff. His twenty-fourth opera 'La Forza del Destino' was composed in 1862 for a performance at the Imperial Theatre of Saint Petersburg. This four act opera was written to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the Spanish tragedy 'Don Alvaro' written in 1835 by Don Angelo Prez de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas. It tells the adventures of the unfortunate Alvaro in Italy and Spain in the middle of the eighteenth century. The love between Leonore and the half-breed of Inca descent Don Alvaro meets a lot of obstacles. One year after the creation in Russia, the opera was performed in Rome under the title 'Don Alvaro'. For the performance at the Scala in Milan in 1869, Verdi transformed the opera and also extended the original prelude into the now popular overture. This overture boasts the best-known melodies as well as the famous three-chord theme and is one of the best-structured overtures by Verdi. It opens with an ominous warning note of the trumpet, introducing a dramatic theme in a minor key. The second theme, taken from the Prayer to the Virgin in Act II, is a noble melody in B major. A gentle pastoral melody forms a contrast to this, and the material of the three principal themes is worked up into a brilliant climax.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£214.80Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Band - Kees Vlak
This is Kees Vlak's most ambitious composition. Before writing this work, the composer listened for many hours to a most gifted bass clarinet player. So he discovered that the instrument ranges over five octaves and needs a lighter blow than the ordinary B flat clarinet. The sonority of the instrument in the upper register really charmed the composer. All these elements deeply influenced the composition. The cadenza requires a fine technique and a real artistic feeling from the soloist. Part 1 is written in a sonata form with a cadenza. Part 2 is written in a song form. Part 3 is a scherzo with many mutations. For instance, the repeat starts with the second theme, whereas the initial theme concludes the work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£332.99Symphony No. 9, Op. 160 - James Barnes
Premiered on September 21, 2018 in Lawrence, Kansas by the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble (Dr. Paul Popiel, conducting), James Barnes' Ninth Symphony was composed between January and late June of that same year. This large work was commissioned by a consortium of twenty-one college bands, community bands, professional bands and individuals to help mark the 70th birthday of the composer (b. 1949). It is an expansive forty-minute work in four movements, of which the composer writes, This is my last symphony... this work represents a compendium of all that I have learned during the fifty years of composing and scoring for this wonderful new medium: the modern wind band. The first movement, subtitled Elegy, is based around G minor. It is the longest movement of the symphony. Tragic and despondent in character, it is cast in sonata-allegro form. The second movement is entitled Scherzo. Barnes claims that I have always wanted to write a waltz, and that is how this movement is cast, in a modified rondo form in D minor. In contrast to the mood of the first movement, the scherzo is a delightful posy of expansive melody, splashy color, humor and rhythm. The third movement, which is in a modified tertiary form, is entitled Night Music. In contrast to the scherzo, this movement begins with a mysterious incantation, first displayed by solo Alto flute. The music becomes even darker and more mysterious, while overall the movement effectively expresses an otherworldly mood, ending with a solo soprano offstage which suddenly emerges, eerily singing a modified version of the opening incantation. Cast in sonata-allegro form, the fourth movement is most definitely a rousing Finale, beginning with a brilliant fanfare and undergoing several mood transformations before emerging into the final coda, ending the symphony with an energetic splash of color.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£187.10Game of Thrones Main Title Theme - Ramin Djawadi
Ramin Djawadi composed the music for "Game of Thrones" and its prequel "House of Dragons" in 2011 when he was approached by the series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.The main theme is an iconic piece that captures the essence of the series' epic and complex nature. The melody is simple yet powerful, with a highly recognizable line. Like much other TV series and film music, it uses a repetitive structure that creates a sense of inevitability and fate. The harmonics are complex, shifting between major and minor, contributing to the feeling of uncertainty and mystique. This arrangement's use of instruments such as taiko drums enhances the rhythmic drive of the music. The main theme has a timeless quality that makes it feel both timeless and relevant, fitting well with the series' medieval setting.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£139.00Me and Mrs. Jones - Kenneth Gamble
Me and Mrs. Jones was written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert in 1972, and was first recorded by Billy Paul on the album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul. The song is about a man who has an affair with Mrs. Jones, and how the two secretly meet every day in the same cafe, even though they may know it's not quite right: "We got a thing going on/we both know that it's wrong/but it's much too strong/to let it go now." Paul has stated that he was sure the song was going to be a hit even before it was released, as "it's a song everyone can relate to", but already from the start the lyrics were considered somewhat controversial and the song were banned from several radio stations. Nevertheless, it became one of the best-selling singles of 1972 and Paul received a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.Well known is also Michael Bubl's version of the song, released on the album Call Me Irresponsible in 2007. It is his version that has been the inspiration for this arrangement, which brings out even more of the jazz elements Bubl has found in the song. The arrangement is quite demanding for the ensemble, and requires great rhythmic precision in particular.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£82.80Friendship - Guillaume Détrez
This piece consists of 2 parts. After an explosive introduction, theme A begins on a rock rhythm. The melody as well as the harmonic sequence certainly recalls things already heard like an old friend... It is a lively and energetic image of friendship. Theme B, on the other hand, is calmer. It is a nostalgic side of friendship represented here. The song ends with the same motif as the introduction.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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