This stately concert opener was originally written by Jan Van der Roost for a special event in which six respected wind orchestras (two Belgian and four Dutch) of different composition (two symphonic bands two fanfare bands and two brass bands) were featured during six concerts. Each evening brought forth a performance by a symphonic band a fanfare and brass band so that the audience could exp…

'Gaudete' comes from the Finnish/Swedish 'Piae Cantiones' a collection of religious music from the 16th century. The English folk group 'Steeleye Span' featuring female lead singer Maddy Prior had a hit with this song in the seventies. Peter Martin made a scintillating arrangement for wind-band. By the use of fourths and thirds in the melody the composer harks back to the period from which …

Hayato Hirose spent his childhood and college days in the United States and it was his impressions and experiences from these years that acted as the inspiration for this exciting ‘American style’ overture. American Overture will make an ideal opening piece to any concert.

The Dutch composer Harrie Janssen composed 'Adventures of the Beaume' to mark the 50th anniversary of his parents wedding. The composer of the march his memories of the family home and in particular the occupation of his parents. The Janssen family earned a living as inland carriers. 'Beaume 'was the name of the ship of his parents. The first part of the march describes the adventures t…

Which of us does not have them memories? Everyone sometimes remembers things from the past be they happy memories or not. Sometimes a scent may remind us of a particular place or a tune may bring back memories of a certain situation. John DeBee experienced something similar when he heard a song on the radio: he immediately picked up his pen and composed ‘Flashback’. It has become a pie…

As he did before in the often played and commonly appreciated ‘Lord Tullamore’ in which he poetically depicted the landscape and the cultural elements of a small Irish village in his composition ‘The Road to the West’ Carl Wittrock has sketched pioneer existence in America in a cinematic manner.In ‘The Road to the West’ the composer has tried to capture images of pioneer life during …

Contrasting colors and stylistic shifts trace the historic events surrounding ?the shot heard ?round the world? in this challenging and significant new concert band work by Stephen Bulla. A rhapsodic adventure NORTH BRIDGE PORTRAIT takes us from the merry atmosphere of the pre-revolutionary town through foreboding militant sounds. The fife-and-drum melody ?Washington?s March? leads inexorably…

‘Toccata Festiva’ was commissioned in 1994 by the Dutch Brass Band Championships. The wind band version was made a year later by the composer himself. Historically speaking the toccata is considered to be one of the first independent instrumental forms for keyboard instruments. Originally the toccata was typically more or less improvised later this musical form was given a more regulated str…

Composer Peter Martin received his inspiration from the period of the versatile Henry VIII and the accompanying sparkling late-medieval music. At Henry's Table describes the atmosphere at the court of the English king. Music that stays with you because it is so special.