Harlequin

Bruce Broughton's original brass band composition evokes the spirit of its namesake, the Harlequin character of the Italian commedia dell'arte. The clown's acrobatic physicality and trickster nature can be heard through the piece, and has been a favorite concert opener since its publication in 1984.

​

Shepherd's Hey

Percy Grainger was a noted concert pianist and conductor in his time, but is today best known for his arrangements of English folk tunes, which sparked a renewed interest in the genre in the early 20th century. Shepherd's Hey is one such arrangement, based on the folk song The Keel Row. A "hey" is a dance move in Morris dancing which involves moving in the shape of a figure eight - this is represented by the intertwining voices in the opening section of the piece. 

​

Benedictus from The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace  was commissioned in 1999 to reflect on the wars and destruction of the 20th century. The work intersperses elements of the Catholic Mass with works inspired by a variety of historical and religious sources. "Benedictus" is the 12th of 13 movements and provides a moment of respite following several movements which evoke the horrors of war. The piece starts with a serene euphonium solo ("Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord") and crescendos to a joyful climax ("Hosanna in the highest") before returning to the opening theme. 

​

Men of Harlech

Men of Harlech is a Welsh military march which describes the events of the siege of Harlech Castle during the War of the Roses. The tune dates back as far as 1794 and has since become an integral part of Welsh culture, being used as a regimental march in the British Army and featuring in various forms of British media. Gareth Wood's arrangement brings a fresh, if unexpected, twist to this beloved traditional tune. 

​​

Saol na Saol

Saol na Saol (Gaelic for “life of lives”) is a fanfare for Spring. It depicts the restless energy of plants and animals moving and growing after a long Winter’s sleep. Originally written for brass quintet in 2010, tonight's performance marks the premiere of the brass band arrangement.​

​

A Moorside Suite

A Moorside Suite is Gustav Holst’s only composition written for brass band, commissioned for The 1928 National Brass Band Championships in London, England. The music captures the ambiance of the English countryside in three movements: "Scherzo," an airy movement reminiscent of a folk tune; "Nocturne," a slow and tranquil middle movement; and "March," a driving tune with a triumphant ending.

​

Jerusalem

Jerusalem, also known as "And Did Those Feet in Ancient Times," was written in 1804 by William Blake and set to music by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916. Blake's lyrics contrast the  possibility of a "new Jerusalem" being established in England with the destruction wrought by the Industrial Revolution. Jerusalem was voted the UK's favorite hymn in 2019 and, in addition to usage in religious services, is sung at the close of the BBC Proms, before English rugby and cricket matches, and as the anthem of various political movements. 

​

Fire in the Blood

Composer Paul Lovatt-Cooper writes of Fire in the Blood: "When thinking of a title for this piece I had no hesitation than to reflect and re-word the Salvation Army's motto under their famous crest 'Blood and Fire.' When composing Fire in the Blood I wanted to use three songs of worship that have been prevalent in the Salvation Army's services over a number of years. Opening with Richard Phillips' setting of Psalm 95, 'Sing for Joy', the music is vibrant and full of energy, I wanted to capture the spirit of the well known words of Scripture. The music then moves into a more reflective section that includes Howard Davies' emotive song melody 'Lord, you know that we love you' and Laurie Klein's worship song 'I love you Lord'.A re-statement of the opening Psalm setting follows and this, in turn, leads into a dramatic and powerful finale that combines two pivotal statements drawn from the slower, reflective section: I love you lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul rejoice and Lord, you know that we love you with a final flourish from Psalm 95: Come let us sing joy to the Lord!"

​