Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Gavin Higgins
Destroy, trample, as swiftly as she, was commissioned by the Tredegar Town Brass Band. This dramatic, virtuoso score contrasts episodes of visceral energy of pounding rhythms and wild flutter tonguing and brassy angular themes with the ominous stillness of calmer moments suffused with the unique sound of four flugel horns.
Brass Band Grade 6
Duration: 18 minutes.
Grade equivalents for Brass Band test-pieces where there is considerable overlap at the higher levels, depending on the level of competition (local, regional or national):
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Eric Ball Difficulty level: Fourth
Previously set as both 3rd. and 4th. Section Test Pieces.
This is the Fourth Section Test Piece for the 2013 Regional Events of the British Brass Band Championships.
Please click on "MORE DETAILS" to view the Solo Cornet part and listen to the four audio extracts.
Try clicking on MORE DETAILS, then on DIFFICULTY LEVEL to learn more about this work.
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.
Composed in 1957, this a suite in four movements :
01.Moorland song
02.The Fair
03.Quiet Village
04.The Seafarers
Percussion Requirements :
Timpani : none required.
Percussion : (two players) - Tambourine, Side Drum, Triangle, Loose Cymbal, Bell ( Glockenspiel), Bass Drum.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer / arranger: Darrol Barry
Testpiece for the 2000 Mineworkers Competition, also for 3rd.Section of the 2004 National Finals in Harrogate, September 2004.
Click on "MORE DETAILS" to view the Solo Cornet part.
Diamond Heritage was commissioned by the ‘Friends of Pleasley Pit’ in 1999 with funds made available by the National Lottery ‘A4E Express’. The work is dedicated to the on-going restoration of the once great ‘Pleasley Colliery’ situated several miles to the West of the town of Mansfield in the North Derbyshire coalfield.
Pleasley Pit was active from 1873 to 1983 and employed between 600 and 1400 men during its long life, many of whose families still live nearby. The pit first mined coal in 1875 and in the intervening years produced over 45 million tormes of steam raising coal. The ‘Friends of Pleasley Pit’ were concerned that the buildings and other aspects of the pit should survive. These enormous efforts are coming to fruition now with the preservationof these fine relics of a time now gone for future generations to enjoy and marvel at. The coal mine also had its own brass band, ‘Pleasley Colliery Band’, which is still in existence today.
The work is based upon the hymn tune ‘Gresford’ (the ‘Miners Hymn’) and begins with an introduction followed by several variations culminating in a final statement of the hymn tune leading to a majestic close.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Tom Moss
Set as the THIRD Section Test Piece for the Butlins 2010 contest.
Tom Moss writes : "Having been commissioned by Lynda Nicholson (to write a work for the St. Helen’s School Band) I made a point of visiting the band and also Rainford, Formby and Wirral School’s Band, to gather ideas for the project. I was amazed at the talent and dedication these bands have towards contemporary band music. This enthusiasm is inspired from the very top, by the conductors, trainers and general helpers that make this movement function. These people are the ‘gems’ of school music making something which so often goes unrecognised.
Thinking more and more about these ‘gems’ led me to give this work its title — DIAMONDS — which is dedicated to all the players and those ‘behind the scenes’ workers that make it all come together."
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Mario Burki
Grade 4
Duration 8:00
This publisher rates grade difficulty as follows:
1 = very easy 2 = easy 3 = easy/medium 4 = medium/difficult 5 = difficult 6 = very difficult
My work, the drive to Naefels, consists of three pieces that characterize the trip. The fanfare, the chorale and march stand for world, mind and sword.
The band symbolises the mundane.
Important events in the Middle Ages were signalled with fanfare: to put on and blow off the hunt, announce the king or the beginning of parades.
The journey begins with a signal Fanfare: here Listen, we are here and commemorate the ride!
Then you will hear a quiet, lyrical middle section as a contrast, which encourages you to dream, maybe about the past, maybe the future.
The signal returns, the fanfare ends as it began!
In contrast to this is the chant. It stands for the clergy. A hymn that accompanies the service, which is also part of the ride. A commemoration of the battle of the fallen, who have worked selflessly for the Glarus in battle.
Graceful, pious, quiet probably describes this part of the work the best.
The last part of the composition is the march.
The term is march is one hand, from the French word (marche), but on the other hand an old fashioned word word meaning mark or leave a trail.
A track then also left by the militants, which outnumbered the defeated the Austrian army in 1388. But to this day they marched to the ride, the march or procession is the epitome of the drive to Naefels.
Marching music is as much of our culture as brass music concert or entertaining music today. This ride march also can be used to do just that:
As a march on the parade route, as Marsh, who leads the procession or as a piece, which also carries the drive to Naefels into the wide world!
The symbol of the sword thus stands for the march, for the military and the victory which was achieved at the Näfelser battle.
Diversions after Benjamin Britten - a suite in four movements. 01. ARIA - His Depth by LUCY PANKHURST 02. SCHERZO - His Vitality by SIMON DOBSON 03. MARCH - His Sympathy by PAUL McGHEE 04. TOCCATA - His Skill by GAVIN HIGGINS
Diversions after Benjamin Britten was devised by Paul Hindmarsh as a centenary tribute to Britain’s foremost composer of the 20 century. It is a companion piece to Variations on a Theme of Michel Tippett. although in this case the theme is not musical, but the composer himself, as Hindmarsh explains: ‘I invited Lucy, Simon. Paul and Gavin to create their own personal reflections on four aspects of Britten’s character. Lucy’s lyrical Aria- His Depth, refers to the emotional and symbolic subtexts that underpin his operas. Simon’s playful Scherzo- His Vitality, reminds us that Britten loved tennis and fast cars in his younger days- Paul’s quirky March- His Sympathy, is evocative of Britten’s pacifism. while Gavin’s breathless Toccata ‘His Skill, pays tribute to the composer’s consummate creativity- At its premiere, these virtuoso inspirations were prefaced and separated by the four strains of Britten’s ceremonial Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury. The fanfare is published by Boosey & Hawkes, but is not part of this edition,
Duration: 14 mins (18 mins including Britten’s Fanfare) Grade 6
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: George Lloyd
Previously set as a Championship Section Testpiece.
Now set as the 1st. Section Test piece for the NATIONAL FINALS of the 2010 BRASS BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS of Graet Britain. Harrogate International Centre, Saturday 25th. September 2010.
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Commissioned with funds provided by Bass North Limited for the finals of the Mineworkers’ National Brass Band contest 1986 held in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool on the 8th November 1986 and organised by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.
Composer’s Note: This piece is a set of variations. Traditionally variations were what they said they were i.e. a given tune was treated in a variety of ways The pattern of Diversions on a Bass Theme is made the other way round; a number of tunes grow out of the first bar, played by the Basses, which provides the motif for the whole work.
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