Categories: TEST PIECES (Major Works), Howard Snell Music Composer: Howard Snell
Set as the Third Section Test Piece for the National Finals in the Albert Hall - October 2000. Commissioned by the St.Helen's Youth Band. Four movements lasting 14.5 minutes : 1. Salute 2. Overture 3. Souvenirs 4. Hymnus (ex terra lucem)
Howard Snell writes :
Commissioned by Lynda Nicholson and the St Helen’s Youth Brass Band, EXCELSIOR! is dedicated to them and also to the memory of St Helen’s most famous musical son Sir Thomas Beecham. It was first performed in May 1999 by the Band, conducted by the Composer.
The title EXCELSIOR! means ‘Ever Upwards’. It is a traditional motto which I have used here to represent the striving of young musicians towards an ever improving expression of their talents. The first movement, a forthright FANFARE, leads directly into the second, OVERTURE, while the third, SOUVENIRS is an evocation of aspects of lighter French music, so beloved of Sir Thomas. After a short pause, the fourth movement commences. Its sub-title is ‘ex terra lucem’, the motto of St Helen’s itself, which can be translated ‘and from the earth comes light’, referring to the town’s long-established industry of glass-making. The play of sun and light through stained glass was in my mind during the composing of this movement.
Categories: NEW & RECENT Publications, TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Paul Raphael
Duration 20.00 Grade = 6
Composed by Paul Raphael, Explorers on the Moon, the sequel to his 2017 work Destination Moon, was composed in 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Moon Landings. It is inspired by the Belgian author Hergé and his most famous creation, Tintin. The music uses Hergé’s story from 1950 – almost twenty years prior to the first ever moon landing - following Tintin and his fellow adventurers as they become the first humans on the Moon. This fantastic piece is split into three parts, titled ‘Space’, ‘Nightmare Land’ and ‘The Journey Home’ and is one of the most spectacular contest pieces in recent years.
Categories: NEW & RECENT Publications, TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Paul Raphael
Duration 20.00 Grade = 6
Composed by Paul Raphael, Explorers on the Moon, the sequel to his 2017 work Destination Moon, was composed in 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Moon Landings. It is inspired by the Belgian author Hergé and his most famous creation, Tintin. The music uses Hergé’s story from 1950 – almost twenty years prior to the first ever moon landing - following Tintin and his fellow adventurers as they become the first humans on the Moon. This fantastic piece is split into three parts, titled ‘Space’, ‘Nightmare Land’ and ‘The Journey Home’ and is one of the most spectacular contest pieces in recent years.
Categories: TEST PIECES (Major Works), LIGHT CONCERT MUSIC Composer: Johan de Meij
Metamorphoses on a Theme by Tchaikovsky. Duration 15.55
You can listen to an extract of this work on your computer, by clicking on the "MORE DETAILS" button on the right - this will reveal the audio extract(s) for you to sample.
If you enjoyed listening to this extract, you can buy the full recording of this work on the CD section of our site. If you want to perform this work with your band, you can of course purchase the score and parts here right now, by clicking on "BUY NOW". The CD is "NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL BRASS Volume 3 2004 - 2005"
Extreme Make-over consists of a number of musical metamorphoses on a theme from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s well-known Andante cantabile (the second movement of his String Quartet No. 1 in D, Op. 11, written in 1871). “Never in my life have I felt so flattered, never have I been so proud of my creative powers as when Lev Tolstoy sat in the chair next to mine listening to my Andante, and the tears ran down his cheeks,” wrote the composer in the winter of 1876 on the occasion of a special concert organised for Tolstoy at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1888 Tchaikovsky arranged this movement for cello and orchestra.
The main theme of the Andante cantabile is based on a Russian folksong. In Extreme Make-over this theme is introduced in its original form by a brass quartet consisting of two comets, alto horn and euphonium. At the theme’s reprise, muted comets sneak, almost inaudibly, alongside the four soloists and elongate each note of the melody, as though the sustaining pedal on a piano has been depressed. The first metamorphosis emanates from a single tone, to which the two successive tones from the theme are added in bell-like chords. The addition of the lower second results in a completely new sound world, completing the first metamorphosis.
Anticipating the canonic theme from the finale, a timpani solo forms the transition to the Alla marcia. This movement is composed in a robust neo-classical style and is peppered with quotes, including fragments from Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Sixth Symphonies and the Fantasy-Overture Romeo and Juliet. The following movement features a rather unconventional instrumental group: ten tuned bottles, played by members of the cornet section. This group eventually provides the accompaniment for an extensive marimba solo, gradually producing a sort of gamelan effect. In composing for the tuned bottles I have applied the ‘hoketus’ technique: each player produces a single note of the melody or the chord. This fragile movement is joined seamlessly to the finale, a canonic treatment of the theme. Hurtling through each instrumental group, it leads us to a festive conclusion.
Performance suggestions * The opening movement can be performed without conductor, emphasizing the chamber music aspect of the piece and allowing the four soloists to exhibit their ensemble skills. The conductor can then take over at either measure 33 or measure 51 (Poco piii animato). * The preparation and playing of the tuned bottles requires some explanation. Fill the bottles almost to the brim with water and then tune them accurately to the following concert pitches: D, E, G#, A and B over two octaves (in the score these notes are transposed for the B-flat and E-flat instruments). Adding or removing even a few drops can make a considerable difference in the pitch.
The precise shape or size of bottle does not matter much, provided the neck of the bottle is not too wide to comfortably produce a sound. Use a cork or a screw top to prevent evaporation (and thus affect the pitch) and take a spare prepared bottle on stage in case of accidental spillage. You never know! The method of producing a sound on the bottles is comparable to a flute or pan flute embouchure. A certain amount of practice is required to be able to produce a full, pleasant sound. Overbiowing will result in unwanted overtones. Once the player has established the optimum angle of his embouchure, his sound will resemble a somewhat breathy flute tone. A large dynamic range is possible. This will all take some getting used to and is usually accompanied by general mirth and the customary raucous jokes. But once the players have mastered the technique and the balance, the result is extraordinary: an entirely new sound emerges from the ensemble. The composer hereby also affords the players a legitimate excuse to empty as many bottles as they see fit, before or after rehearsals. Cheers!
Johan de Meij Amsterdam, September 2004
NB. An extra synthesizer part is added to the set, to be used only as a substitute for the bottle section, or as a rehearsal aid. JdM
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Tom Davoren
Set as the Championship Section Test Piece for the 2015 Butlins Mineworkers Contest in Skegness.
Facets of the Heart was created during a turbulent period of the composers life. The concept behind it changed between inception and completion. The result is a musical representation of three lesser considered but extremely important aspects of love, set against their natural opposites.
Running in three continuous sections, the chosen aspects are Fear, Pain and Comfort, Doubt and Courage.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Tom Davoren
Set as the Championship Section Test Piece for the 2015 Butlins Mineworkers Contest in Skegness.
Facets of the Heart was created during a turbulent period of the composers life. The concept behind it changed between inception and completion. The result is a musical representation of three lesser considered but extremely important aspects of love, set against their natural opposites.
Running in three continuous sections, the chosen aspects are Fear, Pain and Comfort, Doubt and Courage.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer / arranger: Dennis Wilby
You can view the Solo Cornet part as a PDF image of this work on your computer, by clicking on the "MORE DETAILS" button on the right - this will the PDF image for you to sample.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Gavin Higgins
This work has been set as the First Section Testpiece for the British Brass Band Championships, National Finals 2013.
Fanfares and Love Songs is traditional in structure; an exciting fanfare opening is followed by an expressive love song. The final movement revisits the fanfares of the first movement whilst a fast paced dance brings the work to a triumphant and breathless close.
Fanfares and Love Songs was commissioned by the National Children’s Band of Great Britain for their 2009 Summer Course, who gave the premiere of the opening fanfare at their closing concert. The work was premiered in its entirety by the Leyland Band, conducted by Jason Katsikaris, at the RNCM Festival of Brass on 23rd January 2010.
Brass Band Grade 4
Duration: 12 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: Gavin Higgins
This work has been set as the FIRST Section Testpiece for the British Brass Band Championships, National Finals 2013.
Brass Band Grade 4
Duration: 12 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):
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