Par CURNOW JAMES. Contrasting colors and varied orchestration techniques make this majestic setting of OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM come alive for Christmas. Of the three different tunes that are commonly associated with the original carol text, this arrangement uses the melody that?s best known in England. ENGLISH CAROL FANTASY remains entirely accessible to bands at this level and plenty of cuein…

Par HOLST GUSTAV. From the ominous, relentless march of 'Mars, Bringer of War' to the ethereal high-string sonorities of 'Venus, the Bringer of Peace, ' this spectacular symphonic suite established Holst 's international reputation as one of the most popular and important modern British composers. First performed in 1918, it remains a staple of the Orchestral repertoire./ Répertoire / Partition de…

In 1887 Antonin Dvorak revised several of the works he had composed in the 1860s and 1870s, most of which he then published for the first time. In this context he asked the music critic Ludevit Prochazka to return a manuscript copy of the Piano Quintet in A major op. 5 (B 28), composed 15 years earlier. But after thoroughly revising the work he declined to publish it - instead, he wrote a new pian…

Par TELEMANN / VEILHAN. German baroque composer, Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, becoming a composer against his family's wishes. However, his musical career saw him hold important positions and to this day, he remains a major composer. His sublime 12 Fantasies for Flute is superbly arranged for Recorder by Jean-Claude Veilhan. Telemann composed his 12 F…

It is impossible to imagine today's cello lessons without the works by Jean-Baptiste Bréval (1753-1823).This sonata is the first of the Six Sonates non difficiles pour le violoncelle Op. 40 (1795). To this day it remains popular among cello teachers and pupils alike. Because of its comfortable tonality and technical simplicity, it is an interesting classical sonata for cello students who are exper…

Big Sky Montana contains three pieces that imaginatively depict this western state. 'Land of the Shining Mountains' uses multiple key changes to display the majesty of Montana's various mountain ranges. Challenges for the student include large reaches in the left hand, a few accents, and syncopated rhythms. 'Song of the Sky' portrays birds with many quick melodic ornaments in the upper register. T…

Par TAFFANEL PAUL. Paul Taffanel (1844-1908) was a French flautist, conductor and composer. He contributed significantly to the repertoire of the Flute and his Wind Quintet also remains prominent to this day. In 1879, Taffanel founded the Society of Chamber Music for Wind Instruments, reviving the wind ensemble music of Mozart and Beethoven. His Wind Quintet in G minor had been composed three year…

In Nativitate Domini'. Par RHEINBERGER JOSEF GABRIEL. Rheinberger's 'Mass in A Major' is a work that ist easy to perform. Making no use of polyphonic developments, it remains within a harmonic style that is lightened by brief imitative phases. The organ accompaniment serves as a tonal support and expands the three-part writing into four parts. / Messe / Répertoire / Orchestre: Choeur SSA, Flûte T…

Par CURNOW JAMES. What an excellent way to lift your beginning band up to a higher level of musicianship! This outstanding new work for the beginning band is perfect for that first festival experience or for any concert venue. With accents, staccato, and lots of dynamic and stylistic contrasts there is much to teach in this piece, and yet it remains accessible to the last exciting note. Be sure to…

Par WIDOR CHARLES-MARIE. French organist, composer and teacher, Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) is predominantly known for his Organ symphonies. However, his Introduction et Rondo for Clarinet and Piano also remains popular and is still regularly performed today. Widor became Director of Organ Studies at the Paris Conservatoire in 1890 and soon followed this by taking charge of the composition cla…