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Rimsky-Korsakov’s 15 operas contain some of his most popular orchestral music. His suite from The Snow Maiden (1881) ends with a perennial favourite, The Dance of the Tumblers from Act 3. The tumblers or skomorokhi were troupes of multi- talented outdoor entertainers. As if to emulate their skills, Rimsky-Korsakov displayed his own technical prowess by casting his dance in a miniature sonata form, complete with first and second subjects, a short development and a final reprise. Perhaps this demonstration of classical musical technique was what appealed to Wilfred Heaton when he made this brass band transcription for the Black Dyke Mills Band in 1971, during his sixth months as Resident Conductor (June 1971 to January 1972). The pencil manuscript resides in the band’s library.
As members of the band at that time have recalled, Heaton was not a great lover of orchestral transcriptions, especially those which destroy musical lines in order to fit them into the brass band’s range. Dance of the Tumblers is Heaton’s only surviving transcription for full brass band and is a model of its kind. A number of other ensemble arrangements are extant.
Paul Hindmarsh, November 2009 Published in association with The Wilfred Heaton Trust DURATION: 4 mins.
THE WILFRED HEATON EDITION
John Wilfred Heaton (1918 — 2000) was a composer of refined sensibility and technical skill, the true extent of whose creative gifts has only emerged since his death in May 2000. As his many admirers suspected, the music currently in print represents just a small part of what he actually composed. The Wilfred Heaton Edition, a joint project between Kirklees Music and the Wilfred Heaton Trust, will make available the remainder of his rich legacy of finished pieces, as well as performing editions of those works lost and/or complete in sketch form. Wilfred’s life in music was underpinned by wide-ranging interests in the arts, in philosophy, and by his strong religious background and faith. Yet at times during his long life, his creative impulse was often tested and questioned .
Born in Sheffield to Salvationist parents, his musical talents were nurtured through the Salvation Army. He began piano lessons at the age of eight. Soon after that he was learning the cornet and writing music of his own. His piano teacher, Salvationist songster Mrs. Bennett, guided him to his first musical milestone, an LRAM in piano, awarded when he was eighteen. He left school to become an apprentice in a small brass instrument manufacture and repair business in Sheffield, Cooking and Pace. Apart from war service in the RAF, he remained there for over twenty years, composing whenever he could. Heaton noted on a page of his last work, the autobiographical Variations, "I got help initially from a crippled SA musician [George Marshall], who had a very sound harmonic instinct, but who stressed contrapunial studies above all; then from a local music master who initiated me into the wider world of chamber and orchestral music; and finally, a lot later [the 1950’s] Matyas Seiber, whose instruction on Bach studies was invaluable. These are three with whom I had personal contact, but along with other inspiring composers — the scores of the 18th century German giants and the 20th century masters. It was expected that Wilfred would dedicate his musical talents to the Salvation Army, and in his own words, he continued to “do a good job” for the Army throughout his life. However, what he offered for publication was not always accepted. The technical and musical complexities of his best work, while placing him firmly in the European classical mainstream, were often thought to be too radical for Salvation Army performance. Those pieces that were published, like the March Praise and the Meditation Just as I am have become Salvation Army favourites, but several more were rejected. Others, like the Toccata, eventually found their way into print many years later. In his 20's and 30's, Wilfred’s musical ambitions extended beyond the brass band. There was a Suite for orchestra, which later became a Piano Sonata and eventually the Partita for band. His Op.1 was a Rhapsody for oboe and strings. Op.2 was a suite of Three Pieces for piano. Both works received performances in London under the auspices of the Society for the Promotion of New Music. There was also a Little Suite for recorder and piano, composed in 1955 for the Sheffield-based recorder virtuoso, Philip Rogers. He also composed for chamber ensembles and voices.
In the late-1950’s, Wilfred’s life began to take a different course. He had taken up the french horn and was working as a peripatetic brass teacher, a move which in 1962 took the Heaton family to Harrogate. Much of the day-to-day work of instrument repair was left in the hands of Herbert Cooking, son of the former owner, who had worked under Wilfred’s enlightened guidance for thirteen years. When Herbert Cooking moved to the United States in 1964, the Sheffield business was closed. Wilfred played in a number of teachers’ orchestras and ensembles. He was a founding conductor of the Dales Sinfonia. He formed and conducted the local schools youth orchestra. Between 1962 and 1969 he was Musical Director of the Leeds Symphony Orchestra. In 1970 he spent some months as resident Musical Director of the Black Dyke Mills Band. However, as his professional activities increased, Heaton’s own creativity went into decline. He continued to arrange music for all the performing groups with which he was involved, but he composed very little. Another note on the score of Variations offers the explanation: ". . .all compositional ambitions were brought to a halt through my contact with Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposphical Movement. Involvement in this seemed to dry me up at a tempo. I lost the impulse to compose. Such an activity seemed unimportant compared with the spiritual impulses provided by Steiner." Most of his spare time was now dedicated to a systematic exploration of the worlds of philosophy, of letters and of spirituality. From time to time, though, he was persuaded out of this creative semi-retirement, most notably in 1973, when he completed Contest Music - the only wholly original work to be published in his life-time. In his later years Wilfred was pleased, but always appeared surprised, at the appreciative reception his music was by then receiving. He never re-gained his old fluency but he was encouraged by family and friends - notably the conductor Howard Snell - to take up his composing pen once again. After the death of his wife and his own retirement from teaching, there was a welcome "Indian summer" - two substantial concertos, two marches and his final Variations. A few weeks before he died, Heaton remarked that as a young man all he wanted to be was a composer. "And I suppose that urge never really leaves you" he added. Wilfred Heaton once said to a colleague there would be some surprise at what would emerge from his "unregarded corner". He was quite right.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC Composer: Roger Payne
Dedicated to The COPTHORNE SILVER BAND on its 70th. Anniversary.
Four Tableaux played without a break;
Prologue;
Pas de Deux;
Waltz Grotesque;
Burlesque.
Synopsis
This piece was inspired by a series of prints about an English 18th Century street fair. From these developed a piece combining the more striking scenes into four sections to be played without a break. The title derived from the form of the movements and the bustle and dance in the original prints, the last of these being the entire assembled company revelling in a Bacchanalia.
1st Tableaux: Prologue
The music is intended to set the scene outside a tavern, tables are being assembled in the square to form a stage. There is much activity and a constant procession carrying tables into the street (5th after C etc.). The work however is not so important that the Landlord’s coquettish daughter cannot be admired. (Broader after D). However our host, with fingers clicking, ushers her inside (4 before E) and the work re-commences leading to the Pas de deux.
2nd Tableaux: Pas de deux
A couple dressed in classical costume dance a ballet sequence from a Greek tragedy. The sombre tempo changes with the girl’s solo variation (a little faster) to which her lover responds. (Tempo 2 after J). They dance slowly together (K) but the fates intervene and appear (2 before L). After an ecstatic climax the lovers sink to the ground in eternal unity.
3rd Tableaux: Waltz Grotesque
The next entertainment is to be a Spanish troupe but a dancing bear on a chain gatecrashes (3rd bar) to the delight of the more intoxicated onlookers (5th after M). The bear is pulled off and the Spaniards try to begin (N) only to be interrupted by the bear—now wearing a tricorn hat (13th of N). Order is again established and the full troupe perform but the bear lumbers on again (13th of N) and again (9th of 0).
A Tarentella-like dance continues with the bear in the background. The troupe eventually gives up and with tugs on his chain the bear is taken away, at first reluctantly (8th bar of Q) then easily (R). The antics on the stage, aided by the flowing ale, prove too much for the onlookers who rush the stage and do their own dance (4 before Burlesco).
4th Tableaux: Burlesco
At first the old ladies do a seventeenth century “ Knees up Mother Brown,” revealing barters which had not been seen for 50 years (8th before 5) and all join in (5). Young men drunkenly get up (5/8) and begin to dance (7 before T). From a group of soldiers, a bugler blares a wrong note call (4 before T) and the rest join the young men’s dance (T).
The soldiers smartly stamp their polished boots on the stage (8th of T), and another attempt by the bugler brings a general dance-cum-melee (8 before U). Each group dances a figure (U in 2 barphrases) and the scene culminates in a middle- aged hag twirling round and round (3/8 before V) to be finally carried off by the young men (V). A tipsy local dignitary, pompously dressed with cane, dances, but cannot keep his feet (5/8 after V etc.) and is mimicked by the children (6 before W) all in good humour.
After a quick breather (G.P.) everyone starts again, the action ends as everyone crashes down in one exhausted heap.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC Composer: Rimsky-Korsakov Arranger: Lee Rogers
From Mlada
Mlada was the vision of Stepan Gedeonov in 1870 originally to be performed as a ballet, however it was not until two years later in 1872 that four of the most famous Russian composers were brought on board to score the music for the production (César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Aleksandr Borodin being the composers in question). Much of the score was created, however the ballet never saw a production and no workable edition is currently in use. Lee Rogers has taken the light hearted 'Danse Lithuanienne' from Rimsky-Korsakov's part of the score and arranged it for brass band. The work requires dexterity from the band and is the perfect showpiece to add to any programme.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC Composer: Camile Saint-Saens Arranger: Gavin Somerset
Please click on "MORE DETAILS" to view an image (PDF) of the Solo Cornet part.
A full arrangement of the spectacular work by Saint-Saens. Certainly a test for any top section band, both technically and rhythmically. Every section has an important role to play (yes, even Bass Trombone!). The main theme was used in the BBC’s drama “Jonathan Creek”, letting the audience recognize the piece immediately. Great as an alternative to an overture concert piece, this is one for every player of the band to get their teeth stuck into.
Category: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC Arranger: Gavin Somerset
1st section and above.
A full arrangement of the spectacular work by Saint-Saens. Certainly a test for any top section band, both technically and rhythmically. Every section has an important role to play (yes, even Bass Trombone!). The main theme was used in the BBC's drama "Jonathan Creek", letting the audience recognize the piece immediately. Great as an alternative to an overture concert piece, this is one for every player of the band to get their teeth stuck into.
To view 
