Now that the prospects of rehearsing again are looking more positive, let’s consider some substantial concert band pieces – why? We can all find shorter pieces of quality that convey a theme, programmatic idea, mood, however in the right setting in the concert hall it is valuable to have a longer piece that has stretched our players over a concentrated period which could act as a ‘centre-piece’ in your programme.
All the build-up in rehearsals indicated in Part 1 and Part 2 are vitally important as a preparation to your identified ‘main piece’, so pick this music carefully with the technique and musicianship of your players uppermost in your thoughts. It is always tempting to find a piece you have “always wanted to do” – more important to identify what is right for now!
Have a look at these:
Grade 1
Three Folk Minatures (Bruce Fraser – Studio Music)
Three Way Suite (Adam Gorb – G & M Brand)
Tales of the River Wye (Philip Sparke – Anglo Music)
African Portrait (James Curnow – Curnow/de Haske)
Grade 3
An English Sea Song Suite (Philip Sparke – Anglo Music)
Bridgewater Breeze (Adam Gorb – Maecenas Music)
Kentish Dances (Philip Sparke – Anglo Music)
A Silent Movie Suite (Martin Ellerby – Studio Music)
New World Sketches (Dan Price – Prima Vista Musikk)
Yosemite Autumn (Mark Camphouse – Kjos)
Grade 5
A Savannah Symphony (Philip Sparke – Anglo Music)
Angels in the Architecture (Frank Ticheli – Manhattan Music)
Bacchas on Blue Ridge (Jospeh Horovitz – Molenaar)
Bohemian Dances (Guy Woolfenden – Ariel Music)
Gallimaufry (Guy Woolfenden – Ariel Music)
Lincolnshire Posy (Percy Grainger – Ludwig)
A Movement for Rosa (Mark Camphouse – TRN)
Roman Trilogy (Martin Ellerby – Studio Music)
Dance Movements (Philip Sparke – Studio Music)
Sinfonietta (Rob Wiffin – Trade Winds)
Yiddish Dances (Adam Gorb – Maecenas Music)
Grade 2
Ancient Spells (Bruce Fraser – Studio Music)
Dances from the Duck Pond (Tchaikovsky arr Stubbs – Trade Winds)
For England, Harry & St George (Adam Gorb – Maecenas Music)
The Eagle and the Serpent (Kit Turnbull – Studio Music)
The Big Easy Suite (Martin Ellerby – Studio Music)
Grade 4
Four Norfolk Dances (Philip Sparke – Anglo Music)
Ghosts (Stephen McNeff – Maecenas Music)
Ronde for Isolde (David Bedford – Novello)
Cane River Murals (Martin Ellerby – Studio Music)
Curtain Call (Guy Woolfenden – Ariel Music)
Danceries (Kenneth Hesketh – Faber Music)
Illyrian Dances (Guy Woolfenden – Ariel Music)
Lochnager Suite (Nigel Hess – Faber Music)
Paris Sketches (Martin Ellerby – Maecenas Music)
S.P.Q.R. (Guy Woolfenden – Ariel Music)
Next time, some ‘easy on the ear’ light encore style pieces
Keith Allen