Categories: Solos, SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: David Catherwood
The song 'Spirit of life' was written in the 1980s for the Ireland Divisional summer music school at which Derick Kane was the Musical Director. The song was later arranged as this sensitive euphonium solo with brass band accompaniment.
Categories: MARCHES, SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: George Marshall
The trio section of this march closely follows the vocal score of a setting of the hymn Praise my soul, the king of heaven by A. P. Berggren of Denmark. This hymn-like style, especially in the trio section, was not uncommon in Salvation Army marches of the period, intentionally devotional and a contrast to the lively nature which surrounded it.
Categories: MARCHES, SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: Eric Ball
Salvation Army march
Click on MORE DETAILS to listen to an audio extract of this work and view the Solo Cornet part.
If you enjoyed listening to this extact, you can buy the complete CD recording on our website : WORLD CLASS MARCHES of the Salvation Army Volume 1 The Black Dyke Band conducted by Dr.Nicholas Childs.
Category: SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: Ray Steadman-Allen
Described by the composer as one of his more ambitious works for brass band, this work is in three movements. Although each movement is capable of standing alone, the composer’s own concept is totality with the three movements forming a composite whole. Starmaker presents in music the concept of God’s creation of the universe. The frantic and sometimes harsh music of the first movement portrays the chaos from which the immortal and invisible wisdom of God created the order and structure of the heavens, with the stars and planets in their ordered places. An exquisite second movement, based on the benediction ‘Now the day is over’, brings a calm and ordered peace to the universe, also reminding listeners of the night sky, when God’s amazing work is best viewed in all its awesome wonder. The final movement is celebratory in nature, with fragments of melodies like ‘Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation’ appearing in various guises.
Category: SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: John Philip Sousa Arranger: William Himes
American Festival Series Nos 40 - 43. This is AFS N0.41 The STARS & STRIPES FOREVER, which is part of a set of four pieces published as one journal. The other pieces in this journal are :
No.40 - Festival Prelude "IN GOOD COMPANY" by Dudley Bright No.41 - March - THE STARS & STRIPES FOREVER arr. Wm.Himes N0.42 - Transcription - RIGAUDON - option Organ arr. Wm.Himes No.43 - Meditation - THE BLESSING by Wm. Himes
Program Note: John Philip Sousa’s most famous composition was written on Christmas Day, 1896. Sousa and his wife had been on vacation in Europe when they learned of the death of his band manager, David Blakely. While on the steamship journey home, he heard “the rhythmic beat of a band playing within my brain. It kept on ceaselessly, playing, playing, playing. Throughout the whole tense voyage, that imaginary band continued to unfold the same themes, echoing and re-echoing the most distinct melody.” Sousa committed the notes to paper on arrival in America, where it was an immediate hit and was featured in virtually every Sousa Band program. The composer conducted it for the last time on the day he died, March 6, 1932.
Note to the Conductor: For more than a century this march has been published in just about every conceivable form, yet I have found that most brass bands resort to performing from the concert band parts and adapting from woodwind parts (especially piccolo!) as needed. This caused me to wonder, how would Sousa orchestrate this if he were doing it specifically for brass band? Hence, this straightforward transcription with careful attention to maximizing the unique timbre and idiom of an all-brass band.
Categories: MARCHES, SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: H. Kirk
This march is derived from the chorus of the same name and, in addition to using it in its entirety, phrases of the chorus appear several times during its course.
Category: SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: Erik Leidzen
Steadily Onward stands as the last in a series of festival marches which began with Pressing Onward in the 1920s and continued with the less well-known Fling Wide the Gates in the 1930s. The third strain, the bass solo, features Leidzen's own song 'Onward' while the trio contains one of his most infectious, lilting melodies.
This challenging work leads us to contemplate the need we have to acknowledge Christ as supreme in our lives. The three tunes contained are all strongly associated with words which speak of supremacy with the finale, based on the hymn tune 'Pembroke', outlining words penned by William Booth 'My Lord who reigns supreme'.
Category: SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: Brian Bowen
This is one of three titles published as one volume or journal, contained in what the Salvation Army call their FESTIVAL SERIES.
The three pieces are ;
1. SWEETEST NAME (Journal 594)by Martin Cordner
2. GLORIFICO AETERNUM (Journal 595) by Dean Jones
3. SURSUM CORDA (Journal 596) by Brian Bowen.
596 Sursum Corda
Comments by BRIAN BOWEN
This music was written in response to a request from the New York Staff Band in 2002, for a piece of music somewhat similar in style to My comfort and strength (FS 305), which I had written in 1963. Both works rely heavily on a strong hymn tune. While the earlier piece uses the tune University (T.B. 141), which is sung exclusively to a single text — a paraphrase of Psalm 23 — this one uses the Welsh tune of Hyfrydol (T.B. 438), which is sung to a number of different hymns. These include Charles Wesley’s Love divine, all loves excelling (S.A.S.B. 438), and Come, thou long-expected Jesus (S.A.S.B. 79), Joseph Scriven’s What a friend we have in Jesus (S.A.S.B. 645) and William Chatterton Dix’s Alleloia! Sing to Jesus! Such combinations of words and music have been the means of inspiration and uplift on numerous occasions for me — and no doubt others. In seeking a title for this new meditative work, my mind was led to Sursum Corda, the liturgical injunction, which translates from the Latin as ‘lift up your hearts’. (Other composers have also used this title, among them Elgar for his opus 11). Such is the quality of the tune, however, that knowledge of the hymn texts is not essential to an appreciation of the music.
The initial 34 bars should be like the opening of a morning flower. They begin with long flowing phrases, which gradually change and move with increasing tension to a climax. The first of three presentations of Hyfrydol (sections B and C) are restrained yet bright and fresh. The second presentation, beginning as a Trombone solo, is more ornate. The quaver motion of the horns should have the ease of a well-oiled timepiece, each voice matching in weight, note lengths and texture, e.g., the Flugel Horn should not project beyond the rest. In contrast, at letter E, when the Trombone section takes the melody, the music darkens (note the important dynamics) and muted Comets bring an unsettling edge to the flow.
Section E sees the build-up to another sub-climax. While the Bass writing is agile, it should be performed with a sense of line, in a flowing nature. A new sound plateau is reached at letter G, which marks the beginning of a development section of the main theme with new material. There is much scope for both soloist and full-band expression and rubato. It must not be merely prosaic; when sensitively handled, the many tempo and dynamic markings will pay dividends. Section H will require careful direction from the conductor as, apart from its irregular metre, a constant but almost imperceptible accelerando operates. It will be noticed that the subdivision of most of the 5/4 bars is 3+2 (the exceptions being bars 145 and 150, which have 2+3). The main climax of the whole work is reached at letter I, where the theme is presented finally in grand style. It may be stating the obvious, but do not allow the band to become played-out before the end is reached: keep something in reserve.
From letter J, no word association could be more apposite than Wesley’s glorious text:
"Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heaven we take our place,
Ti/I we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise".
Programme note
The Welsh tune ‘Hyfrydol’ is a favourite, not only because of its innate musical quality, but because it has power to enhance several well-loved hymns. Such associations have been proven to bring inspiration and uplift to the soul. The title given to this meditative work, most often associated with versicles used in church services, translates from the Latin as ‘lift up your hearts".
Category: SALVATIONIST MUSIC Composer: Martin Cordner
This is one of three titles published as one volume or journal, contained in what the Salvation Army call their FESTIVAL SERIES.
The three pieces are ;
1. SWEETEST NAME (Journal 594)by Martin Cordner
2. GLORIFICO AETERNUM (Journal 595) by Dean Jones
3. SURSUM CORDA (Journal 596) by Brian Bowen.
Analysis of the Band Journal (Festival Series Full Score) for March 2005
Sweetest Name
Comments by Captain MARTIN CORDNER
This swing arrangement features two songs: The Saviour name (T.B. 139) and He keeps me singing (TB. 665).
It is probably unnecessary for one to make any technical comments, but perhaps an appropriate reminder is that the piece should be enjoyed by players and listeners alike, therefore the piece must not be overworked - keep it light!
Sweetest Name works in both a steady 4/4 tempo and a quicker two in the bar. The inclusion of a kit percussionist will, hopefully, help all concerned in finding the tempo that works best for your band.
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