This is a new category created in January 2019 to celebrate the music of Howard Snell - both his original compositions and his arrangements.
Title are being added daily - January 2nd. 2019
Categories: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC, Howard Snell Music Composer / arrangers: H. Snell, J. Strauss
This brilliant 2 minute romp has been recorded by the Desford Band; and been in 5 entertainment victories.
Howard Snell writes : Johann Strauss the Younger was not only a composer of unique genius, but an entrepreneur and workaholic of equal status. Unlike most of the global stars today's pop music, he wrote his own music rather than planting his own name on others' work, was an organiser of genius, and an indefatigable traveller before it became 'easy' in any way at all. From his opera Ritter Passman, this whirlwind czardas would have been thrown off in a couple of hours at most.
Categories: TEST PIECES (Major Works), Howard Snell Music Composer: Maurice Ravel Arranger: Howard Snell Difficulty level: Championship
Click on "MORE DETAILS" to view an image of the Solo Cornet part.
DAPHNS & CHLOE (Second Suite) composed by MAURICE RAVEL arranged for Brass Band by Howard Snell (Revised 2012 for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, to be held on the 20th October 2012 at the Royal Albert Hall, London.)
Notes for Conductors at the Nationals: For conductors unfamiliar with the original, it is wise to be armed with an orchestral score. The Dover edition is an inexpensive facsimile of the original. Some of the composer’s chordings contain multiple dissonances which will undoubtedly provoke questions at rehearsals: this orchestral score will enable you to check notation questions from the comfort of your own armchair rather than having to wait for answers. I have stayed as close as possible to Ravel’s score in the notation of dynamics, with one or two variations only, and have re-notated pitches enharmonically in a few cases where it seemed reasonable to do so, but I have not simplified in order to spoon feed. Occasional seeming inconsistencies occur in dynamic and articulation markings within the context, but apart from myself, three expert proof-readers have trawled the score and parts for consistency.
There are many fine orchestral recordings of this work, of which the one by Pierre Monteux with the London Symphony Orchestra is notable if only because he was a colleague of the composer and conducted the first performance. Howard Snell May2012
Percussion requirements: 4 x Timpani — 32”(D-B) - 29”(F-C) - 26”(A-F) -23” (D-A) I x Side Drum 2 x Tenor Drums (no snares at any time), one placed near the Side Drum the other near the Timps 1 x Concert Bass Drum Tuned Percussion: I each of Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Marimba Various: 1 x Pair of Cymbals, 3 or 4 x Suspended Cymbals (of which one is placed near the Vibraphone, another near the Bass Drum, yet another by the Side Drum) 2 x Triangles (of which one is placed near the Vibraphone) 3 x Tambourines, (of which one is hand-held, placed near the Vibraphone, the other two are Tambourines-on-stand, one near the Side Drum, the other near the Timps) 2 x Castanets (one near the Side Drum, the other near the Timps) 1 x Tam Tam (very near to, or directly behind the Bass Drum)
Categories: TEST PIECES (Major Works), Howard Snell Music Composer: Maurice Ravel Arranger: Howard Snell
DAPHNS & CHLOE (Second Suite) composed by MAURICE RAVEL arranged for Brass Band by Howard Snell (Revised 2012 for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, to be held on the 20th October 2012 at the Royal Albert Hall, London.)
Notes for Conductors at the Nationals: For conductors unfamiliar with the original, it is wise to be armed with an orchestral score. The Dover edition is an inexpensive facsimile of the original. Some of the composer’s chordings contain multiple dissonances which will undoubtedly provoke questions at rehearsals: this orchestral score will enable you to check notation questions from the comfort of your own armchair rather than having to wait for answers. I have stayed as close as possible to Ravel’s score in the notation of dynamics, with one or two variations only, and have re-notated pitches enharmonically in a few cases where it seemed reasonable to do so, but I have not simplified in order to spoon feed. Occasional seeming inconsistencies occur in dynamic and articulation markings within the context, but apart from myself, three expert proof-readers have trawled the score and parts for consistency.
There are many fine orchestral recordings of this work, of which the one by Pierre Monteux with the London Symphony Orchestra is notable if only because he was a colleague of the composer and conducted the first performance. Howard Snell May2012
Percussion requirements: 4 x Timpani — 32”(D-B) - 29”(F-C) - 26”(A-F) -23” (D-A) I x Side Drum 2 x Tenor Drums (no snares at any time), one placed near the Side Drum the other near the Timps 1 x Concert Bass Drum Tuned Percussion: I each of Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Marimba Various: 1 x Pair of Cymbals, 3 or 4 x Suspended Cymbals (of which one is placed near the Vibraphone, another near the Bass Drum, yet another by the Side Drum) 2 x Triangles (of which one is placed near the Vibraphone) 3 x Tambourines, (of which one is hand-held, placed near the Vibraphone, the other two are Tambourines-on-stand, one near the Side Drum, the other near the Timps) 2 x Castanets (one near the Side Drum, the other near the Timps) 1 x Tam Tam (very near to, or directly behind the Bass Drum)
Categories: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC, Howard Snell Music Composer: J.P. Telemann Arranger: Howard Snell
Howard Snell writes :
Telemann's Suite is pure story-telling music, full of descriptive detail as entertaining in its way as anything in The Seasons. The eccentric Knight's adventures come across graphically whether in his attacks, chases, dreams or sighs of love. In the spirit of the times, and in the absence of a continuo, I have added a few characteristic performance details as the music goes along.
Categories: TEN PART BRASS MUSIC, Howard Snell Music Composer: G. Telemann Arranger: Howard Snell
Includes : 1.Overture 2.Don Quixote Wakes Up 3.Don Quixote the Windmills 4.Sancho Panza Tossed Up in a Blanket 5.Rosinante Galloping & Sancho's Mule 6.Don Quixote Goes to Sleep.
Symphonic Ten Part Brass Instrumentation: Trumpet in Eb. Trumpet 1 in Bb. Trumpet 2 in Bb. Trumpet 3 in Bb. or Flugelhorn Horn in F or Eb. Trombone 1 in Treble & Tenor Clef Trombone 2 or Baritone in Treble & Tenor Clef. Bass Trombone Euphonium in Treble & Tenor Clef Tuba in Treble & Bass Clef. Percussion where scored.
Howard Snell writes :
Telemann's Suite is pure story-telling music, full of descriptive detail as entertaining in its way as anything in The Seasons. The eccentric Knight's adventures come across graphically whether in his attacks, chases, dreams or sighs of love. In the spirit of the times, and in the absence of a continuo, I have added a few characteristic performance details as the music goes along.
Categories: SOLOS - Euphonium, Howard Snell Music Composer: Howard Snell
Sleeping is for ever a mysterious activity, that may never be fully understood. The quiet progression of this piece... originally a movement from Images of the Millennium for Brass Band... mirrors a passage of half-sleep in which the sleeper imagines an unbroken, gentle, hypnotic melodic line played by equally dream-like musicians.
Please click on MORE DETAILS to view a sample of the euphonium part.
Categories: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC, Howard Snell Music Composer: Hector Berlioz Arranger: Howard Snell
Click on MORE DETAILS to view the Solo Cornet part.
Howard Snell writes : "Unreleased until now, I arranged the Finale from Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique as part of my series of band finales some 3 decades ago - together with Pines of Rome, Procession to the Minster, Entry of the Gods, Bolero, Daphnis & Chloe, American in Paris, March to the Scaffold etc etc. The full title is ‘The Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath. It could easily have been ‘The Nightmare’! Normally, music that depends on jaw-dropping effects loses its interest for the public very quickly. Not so this music, which continues to astound everyone who hears it. "
Categories: SOLOS - B♭. Cornet/Trumpet with Piano, Howard Snell Music Composer: Howard Snell
Sleeping is for ever a mysterious activity, that may never be fully understood. The quiet progression of this piece... originally a movement from Images of the Millennium for Brass Band... mirrors a passage of half-sleep in which the sleeper imagines an unbroken, gentle, hypnotic melodic line played by equally dream-like musicians.
Categories: Duets, Howard Snell Music Composer: Rossini Arranger: Howard Snell
Duet for cornet & Trombone or Cornet & Flugel
It is said that Rossini wrote this piece late in life while remembering the romantic exploits of his youth, when he used cat meows, in imitation of feline courting, to call his beloved to their nocturnal trysts. Whether true or not, this little piece can be used to great effect with audiences.
If the soloists memorise their music, they can begin to play while offstage, even from the back of the hall behind the audience, gradually converging on the stage to arrive together the bar before letter b. This situation gives the opportunity for talented performers to play and act the parts very freely, turning the Duet into a theatrical programme item.
The following points will be of interest to conductors and soloists: • The preferred solo pairing is a Cornet as first soloist with the second part taken by the trombone. • Otherwise the second solo part can be played by another cornet or flugel horn. • Both instruments should use the ‘wah-wah’ effect to the full, in order to imitate the meowing of cats. • If possible the whole of the Band accompaniment should be muted, but the Bb basses in particular can be played open. If it is necessary the band can play unmuted from the Baritones downwards.
Categories: Duets, Howard Snell Music Composer: G. Rossini Arranger: Howard Snell
Duet for cornet & Trombone or Cornet & Flugel
Click on MORE DETAILS to view the Soloist parts.
It is said that Rossini wrote this piece late in life while remembering the romantic exploits of his youth, when he used cat meows, in imitation of feline courting, to call his beloved to their nocturnal trysts. Whether true or not, this little piece can be used to great effect with audiences.
If the soloists memorise their music, they can begin to play while offstage, even from the back of the hall behind the audience, gradually converging on the stage to arrive together the bar before letter b. This situation gives the opportunity for talented performers to play and act the parts very freely, turning the Duet into a theatrical programme item.
The following points will be of interest to conductors and soloists: • The preferred solo pairing is a Cornet as first soloist with the second part taken by the trombone. • Otherwise the second solo part can be played by another cornet or flugel horn. • Both instruments should use the ‘wah-wah’ effect to the full, in order to imitate the meowing of cats. • If possible the whole of the Band accompaniment should be muted, but the Bb basses in particular can be played open. If it is necessary the band can play unmuted from the Baritones downwards.
Categories: LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC, Howard Snell Music Composer: Traditional Arranger: Howard Snell
Howard Snell writes: While this melody is not the Island's National Anthem, it can be called it's National Song. (Ellan Vannin in Manx for the Isle of Man.) I arranged this as a surprise encore to my programme for what turned out to be last Granada 'Band of the Year' Contest, in 1987. (I won with Foden, by the way.) Anyone who has experienced the fervour which this small Celtic/Norse nation puts into its singing will know the force of their pride and patriotism ! Yindyssagh ! (Wonderful !)
To view 