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£69.99Te Deum Prelude - Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Who does not know the famous Te Deum Prelude by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1634-1704)? This French composer studied both painting and composition in Italy. Returning to France, he took up the post of music master to the dauphin. He collaborated with Molire, working for the Thatre Francais until 1685. He then returned to court and was music director to the Princesse de Guise, composition teacher to the Duke d'Orleans and wrote music for the dauphin's chapel. His Te Deum, of which the Prelude has become well known (particularly in Europe, where it is used as the Eurovision signature tune) is one of many pieces he wrote for important state and religious occasions.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£104.99Prelude and Polonaise - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) composed his opera The Night before Christmas in 1894-95. The premiere took place on December 10 1895 in St. Petersburg. The libretto to the opera came from Rimsky-Korsakov himself and is based on a tale by Nikolai Gogol, which some years earlier had already served as operatic material for Pjotr Tchaikovsky. The opera tells the story of Vakula, the blacksmith of a small Ukranian village. He is madly in love with Oxana who demands - as proof of his love - a most unusual Christmas present: the magnificent slippers of the Empress. Knowing full well that, in normal circumstances, he would never be able to fulfil Oxana's wish, Vakula seekssupernatural assistance and finds it in the shape of the devil, who comes up with a ploy to help him. The devil carries him on his back to St. Petersburg, where during a lavish reception at court Vakula finds an opportunity to present his request to the empress. The Empress actually agrees to Vakula's wish and hands over her slippers to him. Thereupon he returns to his own village. Here, in the meantime, he had been given up for dead, and Oxana had been plunged into great sorrow as she had come to realise that she also truly loved Vakula. In the end, however, all misunderstandings are resolved and all adversities overcome: Oxana receives her extravagant present, the lovers are united, and the church bells call the villagers to the Christmas service.The vibrant Polonaise is played in the 3rd act of the opera at the entrance of the Empress, whose appearance is anticipated in the prelude by the fanfare motives. The music paints a vivid picture of the party atmosphere and the marvellous dcor at the imperial court of St. Petersburg, which Rimsky-Korsakov conjures up in his opera and which can also be played outside of the Advent and Christmas season, for example as an opening piece to any festive concert.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£134.99
Marche au Supplice - Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) once remarked: "My life is a novel that greatly interests me." Experiences in his personal life had a great influence on his compositions. Symphonie Fantastique, written in 1830, is also autobiographical: he subtitled the work Episode in the Life of an Artist. The symphony echoes his feelings for an actress. The Marche au Supplice (march into torture) he described as: "The artist dreams he has killed his beloved, that he has been sentenced to death and is being led to the scaffold. The procession moves to the notes of a march that is now sombre and turbulent, now radiant and stately, and in which boisterous outbursts suddenly dissolve intothe heavy sound of marching feet."
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£189.99Flashback - Jan de Haan
A flashback is an interesting psychological phenomenon: a seemingly random trigger can bring back long-forgotten memories from the subconscious mind. The composer underwent a similar experience before writing this piece. He was asked to write a piece for The National Youth Fanfare Band in the Netherlands, one which he heard perform many years ago. All of a sudden he remembered Deep Harmony, a piece frequently programmed back then. He used his own flashback-experience as an inspiration to weave an old English hymn into his new composition, much like a musical flashback. The right idea at the right moment, as this piece will prove!
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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£186.20Le Chant de l' Arbre - Serge Lancen
Serge Lancen was born in Paris in 1922. The whole of his life has been dominated by music. He wrote his first work at the age of four. He studied with Tony Aubin at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1949 he won a prize for his Etudes, and some time later he was awarded the Prix de Rome.His work as composer is very varied and includes a number of solo concerti (for example for flute, double bass and piano), a Sinfonietta and a large number of works in the light symphonic genre (many of these commissioned by the French Radio), chamber music, film music, and during the last ten years various works for wind band, such as the Manhattan Symphony, Festival in Kerkrade, Symphonie de Paris and this beautiful Chant de l'Arbre (Song of the Tree).
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£38.20Arosa - Oscar Tschuor
The Swiss conductor and composer, Oscar Tschuor studied with Luca Chresta in Chur, and at the Conservatorium of Zurich with Ernst Lthold, but was largely self taught. In 1943 he founded the Youth Wind Orchestra of Chur, which he directed until 1956. He arranged folk tunes for wind orchestra, and composed diverse and beautiful marches, including the famous San Carlo march, Grus von Hausen, and this lively Arosa March, which he dedicated to the town of the same name in the canton of Graubunden, which is a renowned ski resort.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£59.30Jazz Band - L. Sasdelli
We have included this famous piece, transcribed by Didier Ortolan for clarinet and band, as a tribute to Hengel Gualdi, who died in 2005. Born in 1924, in Correggio (Reggio Emilia), he was one of Italy's most important jazz musicians. He was held in high esteem in America, where he worked with some of the greatest musicians (Count Basie, Gerry Mulligan etc.) and played with Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton. In Italy he worked with Pupi Avati on his soundtracks.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£122.50The Best of Charles Aznavour
Charles Aznavour, the son of Armenian immigrants, was born in 1924, in Paris. He finally launched his singing career in France with great effort; despite his lack of star looks and less than remarkable voice. However, he had two things going for him:powerful on-stage charisma and great willpower. It took him about twenty years to reach the top but when he did, his determination certainly paid off. He became a star singer/songwriter in France and his chansons were embraced throughout the rest ofthe world as well. The typical French atmosphere that pervades his music can be clearly experienced in this medley for concert band.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£77.50Santa's Journey (Bringing "Joy to the World") - Roy W. Kaighin
As Santa starts his journey, bringing "Joy to the World" by delivering presents to children and adults, he sets off on his majestic sleigh driven by his reindeer. A few elves have snuck into the sleigh to help. With a whoosh, he flies across the sky and over the snowy mountains. The music is in continuous motion, just like Santa's sleigh, as he has many presents to deliver before morning. The quiet moments in the music depict Santa's arrival in small villages, away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, touching the hearts of people everywhere. During his journey, Santa discovers the elves who have apparently lost some of the presents. Santa offers a gentle reprimandbefore the presents are eventually found by Elfie, the youngest Elf. After all the presents have been delivered, Santa heads back home as he calls out, "I'll be back next Christmas!" (4:15)
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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