This debut performance of Northampton Concert Band at the Brixworth Music Festival has at it's heart a travel theme, with many pieces inspired by journeys. In addition to this there is a British connection as all the composers in this concert are from the British Isles.
This first item comes from Goff Richards, sometimes credited as Godfrey Richards. He was a prominent English brass band arranger and composer. Barnard Castle is a market town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. NCB performed "Barnard Castle" at the National Concert Band Festival in November 2014 where we won a platinum award.
Doyen
Goff Richards
Another of Goff Richards pieces, we kick off the travel theme with this work as it was written to commemorate the launch of the luxury motor coach of that name and is a sort of musical journey which includes sounds of the coach starting up, cruising at speed and slowing down as it reaches its destination.
Further information for bus enthusiasts:
Doyen was the name given to the in-house design of coach body for the Royal Tiger (B50) chassis, produced by Leyland. Introduced in 1982 and also sold as a chassis for bodying by other companies, the Royal Tiger was the rear-engined version of the mid-engined Tiger (B43), introduced in 1979. Production of the Royal Tiger chassis (and therefore the Doyen) ceased in 1988.
Orient Express
Philip Sparke
Originally composed for brass band, Orient Express was written as the British entry for the 1986 EBU New Music for Band Competition, gaining first prize. The wind band transcription was commissioned by the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra in 1992 for a recording they made of Philip Sparke's music, conducted by the composer.
The piece describes a journey on the famous luxury train which runs from London to Venice. Starting among the hubbub of London's Victoria Station, the music subsides as the guard blows his whistle and the enormous engine start rolling. At last the train is under way, hurtling across the European countryside. A slower section gives the passenger time to think about home but the relentless journey continues, eventually slowing to a halt as the train reaches its destination.
Listen to Orient Express on Youtube
Thames Journey
Nigel Hess
Another journey, this one of the famous river, starting at the source of the Thames. Nigel takes us on a musical journey down the river passing many places along the way. We hear local themes and sounds interweaving with an overall theme that returns throughout the piece. The band reach a crescendo as we pass Westminster and out into the sea.
- Fosse Way
- Notturno
- Via Appia
S.P.Q.R. (Senatus Populusque Romanus - the senate and people of Rome) was commissioned as part of the centenary celebrations of Warwickshire County Council, and the composer’s response was to delve even further back that a mere one hundred years, to encompass the Roman occupation of Britain which lasted for 350 years. One of the lasting monuments to this occupation is the amazing system of roads, one of which, the Fosse Way, crosses Warwickshire. S.P.Q.R. attempts to juxtapose and contrast the ancient and indissoluble links between rural and urban Warwickshire and the might of ancient Rome.
The first performance was given by the Warwickshire County Wind Band in Bedworth Civic Hall on 18th September 1988 under the direction of the composer.
Keeping up Appearances
Nick Ingman
Arr. Roy Walmsley
Born and educated in London, Nick Ingman moved to the USA at the age of seventeen to study at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory, both in Boston. After returning to London, he took a postgraduate course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His first job was as assistant arranger with record producer Norrie Paramor. While there, here worked with Cliff Richard, the Shadows, Sacha Distel and many more. During this time he composed many library music tracks and the theme tune to BBC TV series Keeping Up Appearances.
His film work as an orchestrator and conductor includes the films as Shakespeare in Love, Billy Elliot, Nowhere Boy and The Passion of the Christ.
Hetty Wainthrop Investigates
Nigel Hess
Arr. Kieran Forsyth
Nigel John Hess is a British composer, best known for his television, theatre and film soundtracks, including the theme tunes to Wycliffe, Dangerfield, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and Ladies in Lavender.
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates was a gentle British crime/comedy drama television programme that aired from 1996 to 1998 on BBC One.
Serenade
Derek Bourgeios
Derek Bourgeois was born in Kingston upon Thames in 1941. Derek wrote this Serenade for his own wedding, to be played by the organist as the guests left the ceremony. Not wishing to allow them the luxury of proceeding in an orderly 2/4, the composer wrote the work in 11/8, and in case anyone felt too comfortable, he changed it to 13/8 in the middle!
Journey with us down the isle with this 'quirky' serenade.
Pomp and Circumstance No 1
Edward Elgar
We start our 'Last Night of the Proms' finale with the best known of the set of 6 marches by Elgar. It had its premiere, along with the more reserved second March, in Liverpool on 19 October 1901, with Elgar conducting the Liverpool Orchestral Society. Both marches were played two days later at a London Promenade Concert in the Queen's Hall London, conducted by Henry Wood, with March No. 1 played second, and the audience "...rose and yelled... the one and only time in the history of the Promenade concerts that an orchestral item was accorded a double encore."
The Trio contains the tune known as "Land of Hope and Glory".
Jerusalem
Sir Hubert Parry
Arr. Philip Sparke
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry was an English composer, teacher and historian of music.
Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is best known for the choral song "Jerusalem", the coronation anthem "I was glad", the choral and orchestral ode Blest Pair of Sirens, and the hymn tune "Repton", which sets the words "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind". His orchestral works include five symphonies and a set of Symphonic Variations.
Fantasia on British Sea Songs
Henry J. Wood
Arr. W. J. Duthoit
Fantasia on British Sea Songs is a medley of British sea songs arranged by Sir Henry Wood in 1905 to mark the centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar. For many years, it was seen as an indispensable item at the BBC's Last Night of the Proms concert.
Crowd participation is often noted in the fantasia performance during the Last Night of the Proms. Mock tears were shed by the audience during Tom Bowling, feet were stamped in time to the introduction of Jack's the Lad, a familiar tune which gets faster and faster, being followed by the honking of hooters and a clapping crescendo during the climax. The frantic pace was then juxtaposed with solemn humming in Home, Sweet Home and then the whistling of the melody of See, The Conquering Hero Comes. This culminated in the "prommers" singing the refrain of Rule, Britannia!
Feel free to join in.
