Op 45 No. 2. Par DVORAK ANTONIN. Dvorak composed the 'Slavonic Rhapsodies' op. 45 in 1878, launching his so-called 'Slavonic period'. When they were issued by the publisher Simrock the following year, these three self-contained orchestral pieces in D major, G minor and A-flat major were gathered together into a single opus. The 'Slavonic Rhapsodies' are now available in separate scholarly-critica…

Par JOHNSON TIMOTHY. Be really ready for your Christmas concert this year. The playability of Timothy Johnson’s Christmas Invitation is right on target for your Grade 1 band to perform by December. Based on Oh Come, Little Children, the charming easy counterpoint and creative harmonization give a more advanced impression to the piece while careful attention to articulations and dynamics mean you c…

Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. The episode from Ovid‘s “Metamorphoses” in which Daphne attempts to escape Apollo’s advances by turning into a laurel tree, causing the devastated god to weave a laurel crown in memory of the nymph, has inspired the masterworks of many artists. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, whose famous marble sculpture is housed in the Galleria Borghese in Rome, is only one example of this. M…

In 1848, the thirteen year old Henryk Wieniawski wrote the first sketches to his Polonaise in D major. The composition was published in Germany in 1853 as Polonaise de Concert in D major op. 4 for violin with piano or orchestra accompaniment. When the work was re-published in Paris (1858), the title changed to Polonaise Brilliante. Tremendously popular already during the composer's life time, this…

Par BACH JOHANN SEBASTIAN. Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat BWV 243 is opulent festive music that in many respects represents a special feature in his œuvre. The first version (in E-flat major, BWV 243.1) was premiered only one month after Bach took up his post as Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723. In the same year, Bach adds the four Christmas interludes, so-called Lauds, and performs the expande…

Elegy For Band. Par SPARKE PHILIP. The initial idea was for a millennium piece, which it is, but rather than add to the many celebratory pieces that have understandably been written to salute the 3rd millennium, Philip Sparke thought it would perhaps be appropriate to think about the aspects of life that are constantly with us (such as faith and philosophy) rather than the exciting changes that th…

Par LAWRENCE PHIL. Warm-ups, technical exercises and studies are an essential part of all brass players' training - building stamina as well as establishing technique. Graded Exercises and Studies for Trumpet and Other Valved Brass Instruments is a tried and tested collection that presents core material for every stage of technical development: Forming a correct and secure embouchure Tonguing tech…

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. Arsenal was composed for the 50th anniversary of the ‘Harmonie van het Spoorwegarsenaal’[railroad arsenal], based in Mechelen (Belgium). Rather a stately concert march, it has beautiful themes and a broad melody in the trio. It was premiered in the Mechelen Cultural Center on the 11th of May 1996 during the solemn ceremony, opening the anniversary year and conducted by the c…

for String Quartet op. 35a. Par SUK JOSEF. Josef Suk played second violin in the Bohemian String Quartet. Since 1914 the ensemble was obliged to perform the Austrian national anthem at the opening of every concert. Suk decided to supplement this obligatory piece with a work inspired by the ancient sacred Bohemian 'St. Wenceslas” hymn. The hymn's message - a plea for the well-being of the Czech peo…

Alto Sax Play-Along Book with Online Audio. Par SWIFT TAYLOR. 14 songs from the two 2020 album releases by the ever-popular and musically prolific Taylor Swift in arrangements for instrumentalists with approximately one year of playing experience. Each of these books also includesdemonstration and play-along audio tracks online for download or streaming. Songs include: August · Cardigan · Exile · …