Score Notes

An American Tale - is a musical tribute to the American Civil war.  The medley includes, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Girl I Left Behind, Kingdom Come, Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Soldiers Return, Turkey in the Straw and concludes with Amazing Grace, a song synonymous with slavery and selected to conclude the medley as a reflection of the war’s primary goal.

Each of the songs is scored in a psuedo-compositional style of an American composer including; John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives and Leonard Bernstein.

The following extract of the poem The Blue And The Gray by Francis Miles Finch can be recited during performance between Alla Marcia (eight bars after figure A) through to figure C

By the flow of the inland river,
Whence the fleets of iron have fled,
Where the blades of the grave-grass quiver,
Asleep are the ranks of the dead:
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment-day;
Under the one, the Blue,
Under the other, the Gray

Difficulty: 2nd - Elite

Duration: 00:06:00

Composed in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the birth English Composer Sir Edward Elgar.  The suite is in three movements; Introduction, Elegy and March, each of which have been inspired by three of Elgar’s most celebrated works; Serenade for Strings in E minor, Nimrod (Variation IX of the Enigma Variations) and Pomp and Circumstance March No.1.

Introduction – Hollybush Hill is the name of one of the peaks of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire. The Malverns were a favourite walking area for Elgar and his wife. Their panoramic views inspired much of Elgar’s music.

Elegy – Broadheath is the small village at the foot of the Malvern Hills where Elgar was born (and lived at various times throughout his life). Elgar is buried not far from Broadheath at St Wulstan’s in Little Malvern

March – Worcester Cathedral. Elgar was heavily involved in The Three Choirs Festival and either conducted or played in many of the light orchestras and vocal groups that performed at venues across Worcester.  A statue of Elgar overlooks the Cathedral at the end of Worcester High Street.

An Elgar Portrait has been used regularly as an own choice 4th section test-piece, but has also been selected as the set work for the Swiss National Championships in 2007, the Pontins Brass Championships in 2008 and National championships Fourth Section in 2021.  

Difficulty: 4th Section / Youth

Duration: 00:10:00

Commissioned by Blackley Brass Band, North Manchester and used in their 4th section winning performance at the French Open Championships in 2009.  A New Horizon is an energy fueled concert opener which is approachable by experienced 4th Section Bands and above 

The title refers to the bands local contest success leading up to their inclusion at the French Open Contest and is a reference to the bands first performance on European soil in it's 75 years existence.  

Difficulty: 4th / 3rd Section

Duration: 00:03:30

Angelicus was composed in 2013 for the combined forces of the Black Dyke Band and Halifax Choral Society. 

It is a creative arrangement which uses the traditional carols; Gabriel’s Message, The Sussex Carol, Ding Dong Merrily On High, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Carol of the Bells and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, all of which have strong references to angels or angelic phenomenon in their text.

The work can be performed by band and choir independently or as a collaborative work.    

Difficulty: 4th/3rd Section 

Duration: 00:08:00

Commissioned by Dr Nicholas Childs and the National Youth Band of Great Britain
for the National Children's Band of Great Britain10th Anniversary in 2013.
With funds provided by the Arts Council of England
 

The Mallard 4468 is an LNER Pacific steam locomotive.  The train is famous for holding the world speed record, for a steam locomotive, of 126mph (actual 125.88).  The feat was recorded on the Stoke Bank stretch of line, just north of Grantham, on 3rd July 1938.  Blue Thunder was composed in 2013 to mark the 75th anniversary of this record and the 10th anniversary of the National Children’s Band of Great Britain.  The title is a reference to the noise and excitement that this famous blue train would have generated on its epic achievement.

The music opens slowly with the train pulling out of the station, the tempo gradually increases and we hear the whistle blow as it gathers momentum.  The fast paced and busy opening theme evokes images of the train pulling its load out of the city on the ever changing inclines of its line.  The music eventually becomes gentler as the train glides to and fro through the countryside. and the thematic material for this section derives from the Mallard engine number 4468, with the opening bars of the theme comprising of a Major 4th, Major 4th, Major 6th and an octave or 8th.

As the piece closes, three further whistle blows are heard from the band, the final being cut off as the Mallard disappears through the entrance of Stoke Tunnel.

The work opens with all performers chanting the phrase “chi-ca-ch”, helping percussion imitate the sound of the train starting off from the platform.  There are also choreography markings to ao add a visual experience for your audience to enjoy.

Difficulty Level: 3rd section

Duration: 00:04:45

Darkwood  was commissioned in 2012 by Neil Ashcroft a life long member of Blackley Brass Band and was presented to the band in recognition of thier 75th Anniversary.  The work is in three movements and was concieved as either an extended concert item or as an own choice test-piece. Blackley Village is a northerly district of the city of Manchester, and is the home of the last remaining city centre brass band.  Blackley appears in the Doomsday Book and its name is a derivative of the Anglo-Saxon Blæclēah which means 'Darkwood' or 'Dark Clearing'.

The Boggart - The first movement of the suite is named after Boggart Hole Clough, which is a local urban nature reserve.  A clough is a local colloquialism for a steep sided valley or gully and this particular clough is believed to be the home of a Boggart, a mischievious spirit or imp.

The House on the Hill - The second movement of Darkwood is subtitled 'House on the Hill' and evokes images of St. Andrew's Church which is located in Higher Blackley and is commonly refered to by this name. Perched high on the hill, it overlooks the village and across the valley towards Manchester city centre.

Blackley Village - The final movement depicts Blackleys historic evolution from its medieval roots, as a small residential hamlet, through to the present day and its importance as an industrial part of the city.

Selected as the British Brass Band Regional Championships Third Section test-piece in 2017.

Difficulty: 3rd Section

Duration: 00:10:00

Commissioned by Philip Harper for the Cory Band’s 2013 tour to Australia, Dreamtime draws inspiration from Australian Aboriginal mythology.

The Dreamtime is a sacred era in which the Aborigines believe ancestral totemic (symbolic) spirits created the world.  It was believed that before plants, animals and humans came into being their souls already existed and that they knew that they would become physical but they didn’t know when or what they would become.  Some souls became the animals and vegetation that enlivened the landscape, whilst others became the rivers, seas, hills, plains and valleys that shape the world’s surface.  One soul became human, acting as the guardian to the natural world.

The work begins with narration and the traditional sound of the didgeridoo, created by the use of multi-phonics in the euphoniums and tubas, accompanying a narrator who gives a brief outline of the Aboriginal belief. Traditional Aboriginal music is primarily percussive and so the work relies heavily on percussive effects and complexity.  Above the percussive backdrop there is a simple chorale beginning in the tubas and euphoniums which forms the basis of the work. 

As the music progresses the narrator is reintroduced and relays the Dreamtime story; “The Waking of the Sun”.

Difficulty: 1st Section - Elite

Duration: 00:07:30

Given as a gift to the United States of America from the people of France, the Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognisable icons of the United States world-wide, and also the universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbour, the 305 feet copper clad statue is that if a robed women holding a torch which is coated in gold leaf.  The figure is derived  from Libertas, ancient Rome’s goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression and tyranny. Her left foot tramples broken shackles, symbolizing freedom from oppression while her raised right foot symbolizes liberty and the refusal to stand still.  Her torch signifies enlightenment and the tablet in her hand represents knowledge and shows the date of the Declaration of Independence July 4th 1776.  The seven spikes on her crown represent the seven continents and seas.

This high-octane concert opener was originally composed for use at the Brass In Concert Championshps and has already found popularity with brass and concert bands in the UK and USA on the entertainment and contesting stages.

Difficulty: 3rd/2nd Section

Duration: 00:02:30

Commissioned in 2014 by the 2nd Rossendale Scout Band, Flanders Fields was composed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I or the Great War.

Flanders Fields is a reflective work, using a chorale as the basis of its musical content, that infuses the recognisable sounds of bugle calls and marching drums to convey the impression of a conflict rather than depicting a specific battle or combat scene.

The work opens with narration, an extract of a personal letter from a father to his son, which was provided, and used with permission, by a member of the Scout Band. Further narration appears later in the work which uses verse from John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields written on the front-line in 1915.

Difficulty: 4th Section

Duration: 00:07:20

Lisa Lân or Fair Lisa is a traditional Welsh folk-song.  It is a lover’s lament about his lost dead love, Lisa.

Lisa Lân is a hauntingly beautiful melody and has been covered by a number of popular artists including Cerys Matthews and Katherine Jenkins. It was used extensively within the soundtrack for Paul Haggis’s 2004 film Crash, a tense race relations film set in Los Angeles.

Percussion plays a key role in this arrangement and includes a part for acoustic guitar or synthesizer.

Difficulty: 3rd/2nd Section 

Duration: 00:03:15

Commissioned in 2012 by the Penicuik Silver Band for inclusion in their programme for the Borders Entertainments Contest,  Maneno Ya is an African themed anthem for band.

The name Maneno Ya (pronounced Mah-Neh-Noh - Yah) is Swahili and translates as ‘song’ hence the subtitle of the piece - A ‘Song’ of Africa.  The work opens at a steady pace with percussion while the flugelhorn states the first theme. The accompaniment is generally scored sostenuto through-out to obtain the effect of a hymn or chorale. At times syncopation is implied through articulation markings in both the melody and accompanying lines. This is to highlight rhythmic interest and should not be over emphasised. 

The piece has four percussion parts; however all parts other than the drum kit part are optional. Percussion can play a large role in this piece if required however, with parts doubled or improvised over to create a more authentic sound.

This is a higly approachable work for most levels of band and has already proved a welcome addition to concert repertoire for your audiences to enjoy.

Difficulty: Youth / 4th Section

Duration: 00:03:15

New World Sketches is a descriptive journey through the landscapes and images of America in the early part of the twentieth century. The images and caricatures chosen epitomize all that is the ‘New World’, and the musical language draws upon influences of sound and technique that American composers have introduced into the musical vocabulary.

Sidewalk - The work opens with a busy street scene of 1930’s New York.  The hustle and bustle of the city can been heard through percussive scoring of car hooters, trams and pedestrians going about their business.  There is the sound of a Broadway show at figure  B  and a two bar glimpse of a “Tom and Jerry” cartoon just before fig  D where the music enters a change of both mood and neighborhood, into a Harlem jazz club or speak-easy.  A reprise of the main theme (seven bars before  F) heralds a return to the side-walk which brings the first movement to a close.  A two-bar quote from George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue adds to the authenticity of this 'symphonic jazz' style movement.

The Deep South - As the subtitle suggests, the second movement of New World Sketches evokes images of the 1890’s deep south beginning with a simple spiritual.  Played first on unaccompanied solo euphonium the melody is then joined by bass trombone, depicting a work song.  At figure  I  the tempo increases and a resounding tubular bell announces the arrival of a steam locomotive.  The style is marked ritmico; however care must be taken to ensure the ‘laziness’ in the melody is not lost. The train’s 'love-chime' whistle can be heard on back row cornets and trombones. 

Rodeo - The final movement steers away from the jazz influences synonymous in America’s musical history and turns towards the music of Aaron Copland for inspiration. The opening unison tune, played on trombones and cornets accompanied by extensive poly-chords (Ab Major superimposed on Bb Major), creates a ‘big country’ sound while the fast pseudo-Irish jig accompanied by ‘bodhran’ (played on floor tom) provides the energy, and flair of a rodeo.  Section B is a slightly more relaxed folksong portraying images of cowboys at a camp fire or village folk dancing a cakewalk at a party. 

The folk song evolves rapidly in this middle section and the choral scoring represents that of a small church.  The contrasting nature of the way the melody is scored is perhaps the preacher wizening us against the frivolities and sins occurring at the village dance.  A reprise of the opening rodeo music and quote of the opening city motif brings the New World Sketches to a close.

Selected for the 2009 British Reigional Contests Second Section 

Difficulty: 2nd Section

Duration: 00:11:00

Newton Wood Suite is a set of three musical sketches which take inspiration from three geographical locations and historical periods in the life of English engineer Daniel Adamson. 

Adamson, originally from the North east of England, moved to Stockport after the completion of his engineering apprenticeship and in 1851 he established a small iron works of his own in Newton, between Hyde and Duckinfield.  Over the course of his life he played a large part in the industrial development of this area of Manchester, being a keen supporter, financer and chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal project.

This work was originally written as a concert band item in 2013 to help celebrate the 125th Anniversary year of the Adamson Military Band who Daniel Adamson supported enthusiastically from the year of their formation. The work is devised as a complete suite however the individual movements will work as singular concert items.

I. At the Foundry - The first movement is a musical representation of the start of the day’s work at the Newton Moor Iron Works. It’s lethargic and heavy melodic line is a representation of the foundry workers making their way to work.  Fortissimo strikes from the entire ensemble denote that the foundry’s working day has now begun.  The addition of an anvil in the percussion parts helps to achieve the evocative image of hammers on steel. A momentary change in style at figure C, represents a break in the day, perhaps lunch sat on the banks of the brook, but the monotonous rhythm of the factory can still be heard in the background (trombones). A final return to the factory and the movement draws to a close.

II. Dewsnap Lane - Adamson’s business grew well and in 1872 the need to move to new premises was required.  The second movement depicts this new site, just off Dewsnap Lane, next to farm land.  The music here is very simple with a hint of melancholy as it remembers a time before all the factories and houses appeared. At the time of his death some 600 workers were employed by Adamson just at this site alone which remained in the family until 1967.  Adamson also owned the Newton Moor Spinning Company in this area and several other companies in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire Cumbria and North Wales.

III. Work Begins on the Manchester Ship Canal - The final movement is also in an industrial style similar to the first.  Again this is denoted by percussive strikes throughout the band against the jovial compound melody line.  A large proportion of the workforce on the canal project were “Irish Navvy’s” so the melody here has a slight Celtic lilt to it and in several sections a pseudo-bodhrán drum can be heard played on floor tom.

Difficulty: 3rd Section

Duration: 00:09:45

In astronomy a Starburst (or Starburst Galaxy) is a term used to describe a region in space which has an abnormally high rate of star formation occurring.  A galaxy contains high levels of gas which, over billions of years, stars are created from.  The rate of star creation can be accelerated in some galaxies and intense, explosive star formations create iridescent shapes against the back drop of space.

Starburst is an exciting concert opener which takes inspiration from the concept of stars being created.

The work opens explosively with a sforzando strike and a rhythmic ostinato from solo cornets. Broad, heavy chords from the middle and lower end of the ensemble evoke the depth and endlessness of space whilst the dancing ostinato creates ceaseless energy and life.

The main theme grasps onto the vitality of the introduction and emphasis needs to be placed on the varied rhythmic elements found within the score.  

Starburst was composed for and is dedicated to the Greater Manchester Youth Brass Band, who gave the premiere at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester in June 2014  

Difficulty Level: 4th/3rd Section

Duration: 00:04:15

Blue Ridge (or The Blue Ridge Mountains) is a mountain range within the larger Appalachian Mountains. The trees growing on the mountainside in this area release hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. The natural haze produced in this process, when the range is viewed from a distance, gives the mountain a distinctive blue-ish colour. Various Indian tribes including Siouan, Manahoacs, Shawnee and Cherokee farmed the mountain-side and fished the Blue Ridge Lake for food, making Blue Ridge their natural homeland.

In the early 1600s, western settlers moved into Virginia and Georgia. As their trade and industry increased in size, so did the land they required. This expansion included encroachment into Native American's land which caused frequent hostility between settlers and tribes. Eventually the native inhabitants were pushed further and further into the west and eventually out of the Blue Ridge mountain range. Blue Ridge is now predominantly a tourist area stretching across two national parks, Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountains. 

Sunrise Over Blue Ridge takes its inspiration from the wonderful landscapes which can be seen in this part of the world. 

Sunrise Over Blue Ridge is dedicated to Cory Band and received its première in November 2008 at The Sage, Gateshead, as part of the band's winning programme at the Brass in Concert Championships.

Difficulty: 2nd Section

Duration: 00:04:00

Visions was commissioned by the Briton Ferry Silver Band as part of its centenary year celebrations in 2010. It paints a historical musical portrait of the small town of Briton Ferry (Llansawel), located at the mouth of the River Neath in South Wales. Once a rural area, it was heavily developed during the industrial revolution, serving as an important centre for the production of steel and tin plate. Devised as a test-piece, the work is continuous but has four distinct sections. 

Briton Ferry - The work opens with a three note motive on solo baritone which becomes the basis material for the majority of the work. After a tentative and reflective opening, the Briton Ferry theme emerges on solo euphonium. This is lush, romantic almost melancholic music depicting a view of Briton Ferry from the mountain side. The mixture of natural ‘rugged’ beauty in juxtapose with heavy industrialism, all nestled around the snake-like River Neath. At letter D, the second theme is introduced on flugel horn which is playfully moved around the other solo voices in the band. This is a musical representation of the river which runs through the heart of the town. Its accompaniment swells and falls like the tide as it makes its way slowly out towards Swansea Bay and into the sea.

Brunel’s Vision - Figure F sees a change in mood and direction. A musical change to represent the momentous historical change brought about by engineers Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his father Sir Marc Brunel. The building of the Briton Ferry floating Docks in the 1850’s by Marc Brunel and the development of the railway infrastructure by his son enabled Briton Ferry to become a key part of industrial production for iron, steel and tinplate right through until the 1970s.This industrialism should be brought through the music via percussive rhythmic playing and a depth of sound. Throughout this section, the band should endeavour to evoke images of hammers on metal and mechanical sounds. Brunel’s theme derives from the opening motif and is introduced by the baritones and euphoniums. The river shows its importance to the development of the town again at letter H (tenor horns) while the flugel horn tries to hold on to rural roots. Four bars before J there is a glimpse of the South Wales Mineral Railway.

Giant’s Grave - After the end of World War II, Briton Ferry Docks were used for the breaking up of de-commissioned warships. The area became known, and is still known as ‘Giant’s Grave.There is a return to the opening polychordal writing and sparseness of sound. The music has an intentional sense of abandonment that signifies the area as it is today: the docks are no longer there in their full splendour and only the echoes and memories of what has passed are left to mix with the sounds of wildlife. Six bars after figure O the music evokes the memories of the warships slowly passing up the river on their journey to their final destination. The river theme again is quoted at letter Q (this time on trombones) which then flows into a reprise of the Briton Ferry theme at figure R and a reminder of the rural roots of this area.

Hen Gastell - Prior to the industrial age, Briton Ferry always had an important role as a river crossing point. It was the first river crossing along the Roman road that followed the coastline through south Wales. While the river crossing was usually made by ferry boat, it is also possible on foot via a ford close to the ferry route using stepping stones at extreme low tide. With this crossing being geographically important, it was thought that it would have been fortified at some point in history and in the 1970s a small steep sided hill on the west of the river near Briton Ferry was identified as being the possible location of Hen Gastell (Old Castle) built by Morgan ap Caradog ab Iestyn, the Welsh Lord of Afan in the second half of the 12th Century. Although the top of the hill had been removed by quarrying in the 1930s and 40s, sufficient evidence was found to confirm the 12th Century site and a previous settlement in the 6th Century. The music for this final section is full of military fanfare and gusto and has a distinctly medieval flare about it in an attempt to portray some kind of fortification in the town, (the bass section solo giving a foreboding view of the castle perched high on the hill). As the River Neath has always been present through historical and geographical development of Briton Ferry, so too has it become important in the development of the music and the ‘river theme’ now appears at figure W in the form of a chorale, interlocking all four sections together. As the movement ends, the River is heard passing the Old Castle and finally out into Swansea Bay.

Selected as the finals set work for the National Championships of GB Fourth Section in 2015, the Dutch Nationals Third Secition in 2016 and for the Australian Chmpionships (Grade C) in 2017.

Difficulty: 3rd Section

Duration: 00:12:00