Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Malcolm Arnold Arranger: Ray Farr
Written in 1957 Duration 9.00 Commissioned for the BBC Light Music Festival
Sir Malcolm Arnold: Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59
These dances were composed early in 1957 and are dedicated to the BBC Light Music Festival. They are all based on original melodies, except one, the melody of which was composed by Robert Burns.
The first dance is in the style of a slow strathspey with frequent use of "Scots Snap" rhythms.
The second, a lively reel, begins in the key of E flat, and rises a semitone each time it is played until the bassoon plays it, at a greatly reduced speed, in the key of G. The final statement of the dance is at the original speed in the home key of E flat.
The third dance is in the style of a Hebridean song and attempts to give an impression of the sea and mountain scenery on a calm summer's day in the Hebrides.
The last dance is a lively fling which makes a great deal of use of the open strings of the violins in the original orchestral version.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer / arranger: Simon Dobson
Winner of the 2002 European Composers Competition
Simon Dobson wrote his Four Sketches at the request of Peter Bossano, Head of Brass at the Royal College of Music, in recognition of the 25th anniversary of Benjamin Britten’s death. It was the winning entry in the European Brass Band Composer Competition in 2002.
Brass Band Grade: 5
Duration: 10 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: Robert Simpson Difficulty level: Championship
Duration 22.00
Previously used as a Championship Section testpiece.
This major work for Brass Band is a symphony in all but name.
The Four Temperaments was commissioned by the Yorkshire Imperial Band and first performed by them in 1983. The suite depicts the four traditional temperaments, as Nielsen had done in his second symphony: Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic, and Choleric, though each movement stands up as absolute music. The composer has said of The Four Temperaments: 'The Melancholic wants to be broad, warm and grand, without haste or hysteria. As for the rest, it should go like a bomb.' It does!
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Robert Simpson Difficulty level: Championship
Duration 22.00
Previously used as a Championship Section testpiece.
This major work for Brass Band is a symphony in all but name.
The Four Temperaments was commissioned by the Yorkshire Imperial Band and first performed by them in 1983. The suite depicts the four traditional temperaments, as Nielsen had done in his second symphony: Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic, and Choleric, though each movement stands up as absolute music. The composer has said of The Four Temperaments: 'The Melancholic wants to be broad, warm and grand, without haste or hysteria. As for the rest, it should go like a bomb.' It does!
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Peter Meechan
Grade 6.0 Duration 14.00
Fragile Oasis is the name of a collective who describe themselves as “…a grass-roots participatory initiative that connects the shared perspective of astronauts from different countries and cultures with people on Earth, encouraging all to work together so that our planet is not only visibly beautiful, but beautiful for all”.
Many involved in the project are astronauts on the International Space Station (I.S.S.), who post, on their website (http://www.fragileoasis.org) many different details of their experiments, photos from space, and some incredible video footage of our Earth.
One such time lapse video (a video made up many still images) was posted on their website by astronaut Ron Garan (http://www.fragileoasis.org/blog/2011/11/coming-back-down-to-our-fragile-oasis-2/) in 2011. It is made up of images taken from the I.S.S. of what Garan described as “…a couple of laps around our Fragile Oasis before coming back down [to Earth]” and features all kinds of amazing views from space.
Each of the five sections of this work relate to an aspect of the video – either something literal or something more metaphorical. The opening section, i: The lights from Above, is a musical description of the view of the Aurora Australis from above the lights. The second section, ii: The Storm from Above (part i), is also a musical portrayal of portions of the video clip – in this case the many lightning storms we see from above. The storms that are so powerful on Earth appear as small bolts of electricity dancing through the clouds.
The third section, iii: Freya, has its roots in personal family tragedy. The name Freya derives from a Norse goddess who was associated with both beauty and love, and in this central section I wanted to write music that not only acknowledged how fragile life itself is, but that every day of it counts and should be celebrated.
iv: The Storm from Above (part ii) is a again a reference to the lightning storms, but also to the huge hurricanes we see in the video. It leads us to the final section, v: The Oasis from Above – a description of the size and grandeur of Earth, our Fragile Oasis.
Fragile Oasis was commissioned by Leyland Brass Band and Michael Bach, and partly funded by The John Golland Trust, for their appearance at the 2013 European Brass Band Championships in Oslo, Norway. It is dedicated to Natalie Youson, in friendship
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Peter Meechan
Grade 6.0 Duration 14.00
Fragile Oasis is the name of a collective who describe themselves as “…a grass-roots participatory initiative that connects the shared perspective of astronauts from different countries and cultures with people on Earth, encouraging all to work together so that our planet is not only visibly beautiful, but beautiful for all”.
Many involved in the project are astronauts on the International Space Station (I.S.S.), who post, on their website (http://www.fragileoasis.org) many different details of their experiments, photos from space, and some incredible video footage of our Earth.
One such time lapse video (a video made up many still images) was posted on their website by astronaut Ron Garan (http://www.fragileoasis.org/blog/2011/11/coming-back-down-to-our-fragile-oasis-2/) in 2011. It is made up of images taken from the I.S.S. of what Garan described as “…a couple of laps around our Fragile Oasis before coming back down [to Earth]” and features all kinds of amazing views from space.
Each of the five sections of this work relate to an aspect of the video – either something literal or something more metaphorical. The opening section, i: The lights from Above, is a musical description of the view of the Aurora Australis from above the lights. The second section, ii: The Storm from Above (part i), is also a musical portrayal of portions of the video clip – in this case the many lightning storms we see from above. The storms that are so powerful on Earth appear as small bolts of electricity dancing through the clouds.
The third section, iii: Freya, has its roots in personal family tragedy. The name Freya derives from a Norse goddess who was associated with both beauty and love, and in this central section I wanted to write music that not only acknowledged how fragile life itself is, but that every day of it counts and should be celebrated.
iv: The Storm from Above (part ii) is a again a reference to the lightning storms, but also to the huge hurricanes we see in the video. It leads us to the final section, v: The Oasis from Above – a description of the size and grandeur of Earth, our Fragile Oasis.
Fragile Oasis was commissioned by Leyland Brass Band and Michael Bach, and partly funded by The John Golland Trust, for their appearance at the 2013 European Brass Band Championships in Oslo, Norway. It is dedicated to Natalie Youson, in friendship
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Thierry Deleruyelle
Grade 6.0 Duration 15.40
Set as the 2017 British Open test piece.
This piece by Thierry Deleruyelle is based on one of the most significant events in the history of coal mining; the catastrophe at Courrières, Northern France. It took place on 10th March 1906 and is considered the most momentous mining accident in Europe and the second most significant in the world. This work is both emotional and spectacular and tells in 7 contrasting sections the catastrophe that occurred. Fraternity was the test piece in the “Champion” category at the European Brass Band Competition 2016 in Lille, thus commemorating 110 years since the disaster at Courrières.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Thierry Deleruyelle
Grade 6.0 Duration 15.40
Set as the 2017 British Open test piece.
This piece by Thierry Deleruyelle is based on one of the most significant events in the history of coal mining; the catastrophe at Courrières, Northern France. It took place on 10th March 1906 and is considered the most momentous mining accident in Europe and the second most significant in the world. This work is both emotional and spectacular and tells in 7 contrasting sections the catastrophe that occurred. Fraternity was the test piece in the “Champion” category at the European Brass Band Competition 2016 in Lille, thus commemorating 110 years since the disaster at Courrières.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Thierry Deleruyelle
Grade 6.0 Duration 15.40
Set as the 2017 British Open test piece.
This piece by Thierry Deleruyelle is based on one of the most significant events in the history of coal mining; the catastrophe at Courrières, Northern France. It took place on 10th March 1906 and is considered the most momentous mining accident in Europe and the second most significant in the world. This work is both emotional and spectacular and tells in 7 contrasting sections the catastrophe that occurred. Fraternity was the test piece in the “Champion” category at the European Brass Band Competition 2016 in Lille, thus commemorating 110 years since the disaster at Courrières.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Thierry Deleruyelle
Grade 6.0 Duration 15.40
Set as the 2017 British Open test piece.
This piece by Thierry Deleruyelle is based on one of the most significant events in the history of coal mining; the catastrophe at Courrières, Northern France. It took place on 10th March 1906 and is considered the most momentous mining accident in Europe and the second most significant in the world. This work is both emotional and spectacular and tells in 7 contrasting sections the catastrophe that occurred. Fraternity was the test piece in the “Champion” category at the European Brass Band Competition 2016 in Lille, thus commemorating 110 years since the disaster at Courrières.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Hubert Bath
Click on "MORE DETAILS" to listen to audio extracts of the three movements and to view the Solo Cornet part.
Suite in three movements : duration 10.37 1. Molto moderato e un poco maestoso 2. Interlude, Andante esprissivo 3. Scherzo - Finale. Allegro vivace e lergeramente.
First Movement : In God’s fresh air, under the open sky, we stretch our arms to the great spaces, breathing the winds and contemplating the gentle sweetness of Nature itself. This is Freedom.
Second Movement : And then, the quiet interlude of Romance, the trees, the meadows, the scent of the flowers, the little drifting clouds, and — Love, This, too, is Freedom.
Third Movement ; And then, again, that other insuperable gift of Laughter, fresh and light as the salt sea breezes over the hilltops which have fluttered their songs across the laughing waves. This is Joy, Love, Vigour, and— This, also, is Freedom.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: A.E. Boely Arranger: Eric Ball
duration 10.00
Boëly (1785–1858) was a French organist who preferred the traditions of Bach to the varying influences of the French Revolution. The five movements that make up this refreshing suite demand clarity of line, a fine balance in ensemble, and purity of tone and intonation – the classical style.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: A. Boely Arranger: Eric Ball
Boëly (1785–1858) was a French organist who preferred the traditions of Bach to the varying influences of the French Revolution. The five movements that make up this refreshing suite demand clarity of line, a fine balance in ensemble, and purity of tone and intonation – the classical style.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Oliver Waespi
Duration 9.26 Grade 3.0
Friendly Takeover was composed for the 2016 Swiss Wind Band Convention in Montreux. In this three movement piece the composer experiments with lyrical motives combined with rhythmical pulses in different meters throughout the piece. In the finale, the musical scene is taken over completely by groove-based rhythms. This takeover, however, is of a friendly nature, as the various beats are not being conceived as rivals of the lyrical motives, but are rather supposed to infuse energy and vitality to the latter. Thus, one gets the impression of an ongoing acceleration throughout the piece.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composer: Oliver Waespi
Duration 9.26 Grade 3.0
Friendly Takeover was composed for the 2016 Swiss Wind Band Convention in Montreux. In this three movement piece the composer experiments with lyrical motives combined with rhythmical pulses in different meters throughout the piece. In the finale, the musical scene is taken over completely by groove-based rhythms. This takeover, however, is of a friendly nature, as the various beats are not being conceived as rivals of the lyrical motives, but are rather supposed to infuse energy and vitality to the latter. Thus, one gets the impression of an ongoing acceleration throughout the piece.
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works) Composers: Granville Bantock, Frank Wright
This work was specially composed as the test-piece for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britaln, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. on the 11th October. 1975.
Set as one of two Third Section test pieces for the 2019 Butlins Mineworkers Contest.
DURATION: 10 mInutes approx.
Click on MORE DETAILS to view the Solo Cornet part.
Currently set as the Second Section Test Piece for Butlins Mineworkers Contest 2012.
Granville Bantock (1868—1946) Together with his great friend Elgar, Bantock did more than anyone to bring about the revival in the fortunes of British music Apart from being one of the most prolific of all British composers, he used his tireless energy to promote unselfishly the works of his contemporaries like Delius, Holbrooke, Boughton, Parry and others. He was Principal of Birmingham School of Music for over thirty years, helped publish two music journals, worked unstintingly with the festival movement and examined for Trinity College for more than half a century; As a conductor he took over a dance band in New Brighton and turned it into a symphony orchestra of professional standard, he was music director of a theatre company which he took on a world tour and also fulfilled many appointments with major symphony orchestras both here and abroad. He it was who introduced the works of Sibelius to this country; and the Finnish master marked their life-long association by dedicating his 3rd Symphony to him. Bantock’s compositions include operas, symphonies, tone poems, suites, ballets, chamber music, pieces for chorus and orchestra and many hundreds of songs and part-songs. He had a particular fondness for the Brass Band whose repertoire he enriched with several characteristic and major works. There are still many players who will remember with affection playing under his baton.
The Frogs ‘The Frogs’ is one of the eleven surviving comedies of Aristophanes, the Greek dramatist, and was first produced in 405 B.C. The subject is an imaginary contest in Hades between Euripides and Aeschylus, to decide which of them should return to earth to restore the dying art of Tragedy. Bantock’s ‘Comedy Overture’ in its original version for orchestra was composed in 1935 and first performed at a Promenade Concert the following year. After his death it was transcribed for band by Frank Wright and adopted for the finals of the (then) Daily Herald Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in 1952.
It is a more than worthy companion for his other great band works — the serious, dramatic Prometheus Unbound and Orion, or the atmospheric Land of the Ever-Young. The play’s mood of wit and mockery is brilliantly caught. The Atheniai?s genius for taking wicked swipes at his contemporaries finds its counterpart in this basically rumbustious score which still preserves the gaiety behind the lampoons and gives us, in the central section, a delightfully tuneful, lyrical passaga The finale even finds him poking fun at his own love of things oriental. Frank Wright’s masterly transcription faithfully captures Bantock’s great affection for the band. Notice particularly the mysterious passage just before the end (Poco meno allegro) where the whole cornet section is muted.
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