Par PART ARVO. Arvo Pärt wrote the prayer of peace 'Da pacem Domine' to fulfil a commission from Jordi Savall. He began to set this ninth-century Gregorian antiphon two days after the Madrid bombings on 11 March 2004 as his personal tribute to the victims. Since then Da pacem Domine has been performed every year in Spain to commemorate the victims of this terrorist attack. Even while originally co…

I Dreamed A Dream is one of the most successful musical numbers of all time, having transformed its popularity from the stage into a global chart topper for the numerous artists who have covered and performed it. Taken from 'Les Misérables', the song is a lament sung by the anguished Fantine, who thinks back to happier days and wonders at the path her life has taken. Arranged for TTBB chorus with …

Percussion Section Feature. Par CURNOW JAMES. A vibrant and attentive Percussion section is crucial to the success of any concert band. However, the Percussionists play a supporting role so much of the time that it can be difficult to keep your best players excited about their music. One of the best ways to beat that problem is to program an occasional feature piece. James Curnow’s BLOCKBUSTER PER…

Par BULLA STEPHEN. Authentic Big Band swing style music for the concert band! You know this one will be a crowd pleaser, and SO much fun to play! Stephen Bulla works his magic with the great Jazz sounds of the 40s and 50s in such a way that your band will be able to put it together and make it happen. Lots of great jazz style articulation and harmonic considerations ensure that your students are d…

The composer, pianist and musicologist Antonio Ruiz-Pipó (1934-1997) wrote works of various genres which follow Albéniz and de Falla: Written in a neo-classical style with a strong personal influence, they show a strong attachment to his Spanish roots. One of them is the piece Endecha for harp which was created in 1975 for the soloist David Watkins, premiered and recorded on LP in the following ye…

It's a hands-on, active-learning approach to rhythm! Eighteen familiar songs for holidays throughout the year are presented with notated rhythm patterns and kinesthetic stick routines: tap them on your knees, click them together, cross with a neighbor, and more! The simple rhythms can be learned by rote or read off the reproducible student pages. Plus, concise background information makes it easy …

Based on the German fairy tale made popular by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, this piece is a musical depiction of the short story 'Rumpelstiltskin.' In addition to the original music in this work, the composer tips his musical hat with excerpts from Grieg's 'Morning Mood,' Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus,' and Brahms' 'Lullaby.' A delightful setting with several style and tempo changes that will capture the…

Exceptional singer Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947) owes his early successes to the 'songs for voice and piano? genre, whose raison d'être he defines in his journal as follows: 'To highlight a poem, word for word but without uniformity - to emphasize its meaning without distorting it - to shine light upon one idea, obscure another and present it all in vocal, sung form - to produce a sharp, precise sensa…

The four parts of the piece originate from the piano cycles of Johannes Brahms. The identical nature of the themes is implied in their descending direction, while their differences lie in their distinct meters, key signatures and tempo. I further developed the differences through the use of different musical alterations (of melody, rhythm and timbre) while the melodic contours are always constant.…

A Requiem For Victims Of Power. Par CUOMO DOUGLAS J.. The text for this piece is derived from the Epistle to the Reader of Sir Thomas Browne’s Hydriotaphia, (1658). Subtitled Urn Burial, the essay is a reflection on the discovery of a Roman urn burial site in Norfolk and the practice of disinterment. I compiled the text by redacting (i.e. eliminating) many of the words of the original, leaving beh…

Par BULLA STEPHEN. Authentic Big Band swing style music for the concert band! You know this one will be a crowd pleaser, and SO much fun to play! Stephen Bulla works his magic with the great Jazz sounds of the 40s and 50s in such a way that your band will be able to put it together and make it happen. Lots of great jazz style articulation and harmonic considerations ensure that your students are d…

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot started life as a spiritual – it was one of the many religious songs sung by slaves on the cotton plantations in the Southern states of America over a century ago. There has been much speculation as to why it has been adopted by England rugby supporters but it seems that the association is here to stay. This rousing sporting anthem would make an ideal encore for any concer…

Par L'ESTRANGE ALEXANDER (Arr.). Danny Boy (the melody of which is also known as Londonderry Air), is often assumed to be an old, traditional tune, however its structure and meter do not fit any of the known Irish folksong forms. As for the words most commonly associated with it for the last hundred years or so, they were written by an English lawyer who apparently never set foot in Ireland! Still…

Par HANNICKEL MIKE. Cross-curricular connection at its best! Your music students can bring Don Quixote’s faithful but ramshackle horse Rozinante to life with this delightful new concert band piece by young band specialist Mike Hannickel. You will find lots of articulation and dynamic contrasts, along with other important teaching considerations. Don Quixote is one of the world’s great comic heroes…

Abdullah Ibrahim aka 'Dollar Brand' is one of the true jazz greats. His cycle 'African Songs' celebrates the unmistakable atmosphere and cheerfulness of African music. This arrangement for alto saxophone and piano is a rather special performance piece. / Saxophone Alto