Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Eric Ball Difficulty level: Fourth Set as the 4th. Section Test Piece for the 2017 National Finals of the British Brass Band Championships.
A suite in four movements as follows
01. PARADE - Allegro ( crotchet = 120 ) 02. PAS SEUL - Allegro moderato ma con rubato ( crotchet = 108 ) 03. MENUET - Moderato ( crotchet = 108 ) 04. ENSEMBLE - Poco Allegro ( crotchet = 108
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: David Holling
BUTLINS 2015 Second Section Test Piece
2nd section and above.
Phoenix is a programmatic study depicting the life of the fascinating fictitious bird. The opening is dramatic and yet joyous, followed by the first theme that represents the bird in flight; light in style but relentless all the same. A touch of Latin imposes on a small part of the opening section before returning to the theme once again. The ‘Tranquillo’ section represents the calm dignity of the bird’s fate before the tender slow movement conveys the Phoenix’s death with a new theme. This is chance for the soloists to demonstrate musical and technical skill and should be treated interpretively, not mechanically. A fanfare then bursts forth followed by a serious but short fugal section as the Phoenix is reborn. The bird takes flight again in the closing section of music where the melodic content should always be at the forefront of the ensemble.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Josiah Walters
A new work by Josiah Walters, commissioned by The Scottish Brass Band Association for the Challenge Section set work of the 2014 European Brass Band Championships.
Josiah describes his composition ‘The Pilgrim’ as a journey of development and emotion, encompassing three key stages of emotional state: from the opening sounds which are full of anticipation and uncertainty, through to a passage of disillusionment and frustration, then moving on to a concluding stage which reintroduces the positive elements of the opening optimism, yet closing quietly, symbolizing an inner peace and contentment at the end of the musical journey.
The composer’s emotive approach to the creation of the work embraces a wealth of passion, anguish and enlightenment. Through his use of imaginative melody, themes and harmonic texture, Josiah has represented a collection of powerful emotions. Essentially non~programmatic. the piece opens in a contemplative manner. building with enthusiasm, and first introducing the use of bells and bell effects as a musical metaphor which is used throughout the piece to signify the journey‘s destination. As the sentiment continues, the music evolves in to an Allegro Furioso section, opening up a strong sense of frustration. At this section's climax, the symbolic use of the bells is reintroduced to create an over-tone of hope and purpose, although this does not last long as they fade into the Mister/oso Molto Rubalo section.
As the melodies and harmonies develop onwards, ‘The Pilgrim’ evolves into a more reflective phase, reintroducing the sounds and motifs of the more strident opening. This closing section symbolizes the realisation that everything needed was already available to The Pilgrim, but travelling the journey, confronting and overcoming all of the challenges was the only route of discovery — peacefulness prevails, bringing the work to a close with a sense of contentment and enlightenment.
‘The Pilgrim’, highly emotive in its creation, offers a wealth of musical imagery. Even to the uninformed listener, this fascinating, powerful and beautiful work stirs and stimulates a variety of emotional reactions — offering each listener an opportunity to apply the music to their own journey, their own personal pilgrimage.
Josiah Walters Composer Biography
Josiah comes from Carnoustie and started his musical career at the young age ofjust nine when he started to learn the trombone under the guidance of his tutor Michael Robertson. in a very short time, he joined the Arbroath Instrumental Band aged 12 and enjoyed many varied playing opportunities through his school.
Josiah's playing talent continued to develop and by 2007 he joined the European Youth Brass Band on 2nd trombone. Just two years later he joined the NYBBS (National Youth Brass Band of Scotland) on bass trombone, and later took the principal bass trombone chair in 2010. He was also the bass trombone player and founder member of the award-winning Carnoustie and District Youth Brass Band.
Josiah currently studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the Blvius degree programme, which he started in September 2011. During his time at the Conservatoire, he has studied under Christopher Steam of Scottish Opera, and also received tuition from players such as Alan Mathlson, Simon Johnson, Lance Green, John Kenny and Ian Bousfield. Since starting his studies, Josiah was awarded the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award 2013, alter a performance of his own arrangement of Chris Brubecks ‘James Brown in the Twilight Zone’. As part of this. he has performed live on Radio 2 with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Cory Band and the RNCM Brass Band. He has also had the chance to perform with ensembles such as the orchestra of Scottish Opera, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Dunedin Consort.
As a composer, Josiah is a self-proclaimed enthusiast of brass band music. ln contrast, he enjoys listening to the work of various rock and pop artists, and he is also very enthusiastic about the music composed for films and video games, which has a great impact on his style of writing. His inaugural published composition entitled "Carpe Diem" was met with high acclaim and premiered by The National Youth Brass Band of Scotland. Later works have included a commission performed at the Scottish Parliament and an award-winning performance of his ownarrangement of the last movement from Brubecks Concerto for Bass Trombone. He is recognised as a talentahead of his years with creative maturity mixed with a freshness of musical perception.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Philip Sparke
Selected for the 2009 Youth Brass Band Championships.
Great Britain has had a National Youth Brass Band since 1952, which caters for players between the ages of 12 and 18 and has produced many outstanding instrumentalists in its distinguished history.
An exciting development took place in July 2004 when the first summer course of a new National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, for players between the ages of 8 and 13, was held in Bromsgrove, Worcester. Renowned cornet soloist and conductor Lynda Nicholson was appointed music director and she commissioned Philip Sparke to write a piece for this inaugural course. The Pioneers was the result.
The title refers to the fact that the NCBBGB was starting out on a new adventure but is also a salute to the bicentenary of an expedition by two of the composer’s heroes - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They were commissioned by US President Thomas Jefferson to find the headwaters of the Missouri and a route to the Pacific following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the USA. They Set out, as the ‘Corps of Discovery’, from Louisville, Kentucky, in May 1804; not only did they succeed in reaching the Pacific through hostile territory, but also found their way back - in 3 years! The piece is not descriptive of the journey but gives the composer the opportunity to celebrate the 200th anniversary of this amazing feat.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Edward Gregson Difficulty level: Second
This is the Second Section Test Piece for the 2013 Regional Events of the British Brass Band Championships.
Duration approx. 11.30
Please click on "MORE DETAILS" to view the Solo Cornet part and to listen to audio extracts.
Try clicking on MORE DETAILS, then on DIFFICULTY LEVEL to learn more about this work.
Audio extracts to follow on Saturday 22nd. September.
You can buy a full performance CD of this work and the other four Region Test Pieces on this site. The CD is called "REGIONALS 2013" - type this into the CD QUICK SEARCH to find.
Previously set as a 1st. Section Test Piece.
COMPOSER’S FOREWORD :
THE PLANTAGENETS is not intended to be programme music.lt rather tries to portray the mood and feelings of an Age - that of the House of Plantagenet,which lasted from the middle of the 12th century tothe end of the 14th century.
To many It conjures up an Age of Chivalry and this is represented by fanfare motifs which occur throughout the work In varied form. The opening thematic figure, rising through the band in thirds,and followed by the fanfares, is important as nearly all the subsequent material is based upon it.
There follows two themes, the second of which is lyrical in style, and introduced by ‘tutti’ horns. In the long slow middle section a new theme is introduced by a solo horn (it recurs on cornet and euphonium in Canon) and is developed at some length. A lively fugato scherzino, however, leads to a recapitulation of the opening section music, and the work ends with a maestoso statement of the slow movement theme; a final reference to the fanfares ends the work.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Paul Lovatt Cooper
Set as the Third Sectio test piece for the 2016 Butlins Mine Workers Brass Band contest.
Platform to the Heavens was commissioned by The Société Cantonale des Musiques Vaudoises and the Association Cantonale des Musiques Neuchâteloises for the Cantonal Vaud and Neuchatel Music Contest 2013.
Paul Lovatt-Cooper writes : The piece takes its inspiration from the mountain ranges from one of my favourite countries, Switzerland.
I have visited the Swiss Alps on many occasions and I am still taken back by its sheer awesome beauty with every visit. This commission gave me the opportunity to pay homage to this wonderful landscape and paint my own musical picture of it.
The piece opens with what I imagine daybreak would be like at one of its many peaks. With the sun growing behind the mountain range, the piece builds from a single note to a huge climatic chord revealing Mother Nature’s creation.
Then at rehearsal figure ‘C’ the tempo changes dramatically as we fly through the many slopes of the mountains as if on a manic skiing expedition, revealing the many dangers within the Swiss Alps.
The twists, turns and climaxes begin to die away as we enter rehearsal figure ‘M’ - nightfall over the mountains. As the sun disappears, the sky darkens to reveal the beautiful starlit sky above the mountain range. This middle section starts with the various cadenzas that serve as echoes around the Alps. It then leads to a lyrical solo at rehearsal figure ‘O’ as the moonlight illuminates the icy mountain peaks. A final cadenza to conclude this section highlights the end of nightfall as the sun starts to rise again.
This recapitulation from the opening, signals a new dawn as the sun rises above the snowy peaks once again. The music at this point in its slightly altered state highlights the dawn of a new day in the Alps. The fast manic ski ride follows which takes the piece to its grand finale conclusion.
The idea behind the title of this piece is that the Swiss Alps are so beautiful and vast; I can only imagine that they could be a platform connecting the earth to the heavens above.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Philip Sparke
Duration 14.20
Set as the 2nd. Section test piece for the National Finals 2011.
Please click on "MORE DETAILS" to view the Solo Cornet part. Audio extract to follow soon.
Portrait of a City was commissioned by LOrchestre d’Harmonie Municipal d’Annemasse (France) and its conductor Jean-Marc Daviet in celebration of their 150th anniversary and first performed there on 1st June 2002.
Although the composer set out to capture in music some of the essence of London, his hometown, the piece could describe almost any of the world’s great cities. The three movements each describe one of the many the characteristics of this fascinating city.
1. SKYLINE Like all great cities, London is a busy place. It is home to people of many different races but has something for everyone. Skyline attempts to describe this many-faceted aspect of London — millions of people with different hopes and needs all make this amazing city their home.
2. IN AUTUMN London changes its character with the seasons. In spring it can be a beautiful place and in summer it throngs with visitors from all over the world. In Autumn it can be a surprisingly lonely place and this movement tries to conjure up the picture of one of its many great parks in an early morning October mist.
3. DOWNTOWN London’s West End is the home of its nightlife! Here you can find hundreds of restaurants, clubs, cinemas and theatres. During the day it is busy with shoppers but at night it comes alive with locals and tourists sampling some of the many delights this district has to offer. Downtown captures this exciting area in music.
To view 