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| Daniel Basford Picture www.danielbasford.co.uk |
Daniel Basford was born in Hitchin and learned piano, cello, bassoon, and percussion before focussing on composition. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Adam Gorb and David Horne. His music – particularly for wind band – has been performed in the UK, USA, and Europe, and has won national and international awards.
Of his piece, commissioned by the band to celebrate their centenary, Daniel writes:
“The goal of this piece was to create a work that was interesting to play yet accessible, fun to listen to but also not overly complex.
Most of the material used in A Northampton Prelude is heard in the opening thirty seconds. The piece is essentially in three parts: a short and majestic fanfare-style opening, a faster rhythmic section which itself has a calmer central episode, and an extended coda that combines elements of the previous two parts.
Perhaps as a slight nod to Northampton’s manufacturing history, metal percussion features strongly in the piece, particularly the cutting sounds of the brake drum, cowbell, and tubular bells.“
