Brass Band Grade 4: Advanced Youth and 3rd Section
Duration: 12 minutes
THE TERM ‘Danceries’ can be found in a copy of Playford’s Dancing Master, an extensive collection of folk and popular tunes of the seventeenth century. This publication was used by master fiddle players to teach the various dance steps of the day to a nobleman’s house or a king’s court. In Danceries, by Kenneth Hesketh, the melodies themselves are a mixture of old and new. Where the old occurs it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material. The contemporary harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of new into these themes and add drama to the suite.
Lull Me Beyond Thee Gentle and lilting, almost a barcarole, this movement is very much a reverie. The original tune had the name ‘Poor Robin’s Maggot’—a rather disconcerting title; ‘maggot’, however, in seventeenth-century parlance meant whim or fancy. This theme can also be found in The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay (first performed in 1728) under the title ‘Would you have a young lady’.
Catching of Quails A colourful, buoyant scherzo on an original melody. The thematic material is shuttled around the band to contrast with full-bloodied tuttis. The last few bars fade to almost nothing—before a final surprise!
My Lady’s Rest A tender pavane, also on an original melody, with Moorish leanings. Beautiful solo passages, expressive contrapuntal writing and warm tuttis provide an opportunity to show off the most lyrical of playing.
Quodling’s Delight A clever combination of the seventeenth-century melody, ‘Goddesses’, with an original contrasting melody, creating a rousing and exuberant finale to the work.
The composer would like to express his most sincere gratitude to Phillip Littlemore for his assistance in the preparation of this score.
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):
