Cat No. JM50945
Price £89.95
Composer: Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Category: TEST PIECES (Major Works)

Set as the CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION Test Piece for the 2011 National Finals - and now as the CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION test for Butlins Mineworkers Contest 2016


Duration 13:40


Programme Notes

Breath of Souls was commissioned by Weyland and Yvonne Roberts. It was composed especially for the 100th National Brass band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert haIl on October 15th 2011.

Weyland has worked in science for many years and has always been fascinated by nature’s capacity to grow and rebuild regardless of Mother Nature’s catastrophic power. This is evident with the news of tsunami, forest fires, earthquakes and volcanic disasters around the world where animals, plant life and humans have overcome adversity and have demonstrated that unique regenerative quality.

With that in mind I wanted to compose a piece of music that was a celebration of life. Not only that, but a piece of music that from the very first notes heard in the percussion and comets, is bustling with activity, emulating that in life everything that is living has a soul and breathes - nothing stays still and everything keeps moving and growing. Just like life itself Breath of Souls also grows musically with each bar as you will hear many and various motifs and ideas grow and develop as the piece develops.

PERFORMING THE PIECE :
Breath of Souls is relatively straight forward with the performance directions on the score. There are no mutes needed for the performance and some of the tempo markings give the conductor some freedom to choose a suitable tempo in which to shape their performance.

At rehearsal figure ‘R’ - the cadenza section, I have composed two cadenzas for each soloist to play, starting with the solo Euphonium, then Flugel, Soprano Cornet Solo Trombone and later in the E flat Bass and the Solo Horn.
At the player’s (or conductor’s) discretion, the soloist chooses one cadenza to play from the choice of two. Both cadenza choices have been equally matched in terms of their difficulty but the soloist may prefer one particular cadenza to the other as it suits their style or range.

When performing each cadenza, even though the notes have been ‘scored out’ using crotchet quaver and semiquaver beams etc the soloist should play their choice of cadenza with freedom. However, each rhythmic device should be relative to its surrounding notes. For example the triplet quavers in the cadenza would be played slightly slower than the semiquavers and so on.

Breath of Souls is all about celebrating life and enjoying music making. It is dedicated to my close friend, composer Peter Graham in recognition for all his help, guidance and support he has given to me over the many years. Peter, thank you!
Paul Lovatt-Cooper
October 2011