Joseph Haydn: Trumpet Concerto Context Composed in 1796, Joseph Haydn’s ever-popular Trumpet Concerto in Eb Major was his last major orchestral work. At this point in his life, Haydn had just moved back to Vienna, and so the first performance of the concerto was on 28th March 1800 at the Read more…
Percy Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy Context Percy Grainger was commissioned by the American Bandmasters Association in 1937 to write a work for a concert band. The final product was named Lincolnshire Posy, a work that is considered to be one of Grainger’s finest work. The work is comprised of six movements Read more…
William Walton: Orb and Sceptre Context William Walton’s famous march for orchestra, Orb and Sceptre, was composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2nd June 1953. Walton is often remembered for also composing the march for the coronation of George VI in 1937, also known as Crown Imperial. Read more…
Maurice Ravel: Jeux d’eau Context Composed in 1901 when Maurice Ravel was under the tutelage of Gabriel Fauré, Jeux d’eau (‘Fountains’ / ‘Water Games’) was dedicated to the composer’s tutor. The first premiere of the piece came at a private viewing for the Les Apaches. The public premiere came in Read more…
Michael Torke: Javelin Context Michael Torke’s (1961-) 1994 work Javelin came after a commission from the Atlanta Committee for the Olympics. They were about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Torke took on the challenge and the work received its premiere on 8th September, 1994 by Read more…
Tansy Davies: neon Context Tansy Davies was born in May 1973 in Bristol, UK. From a young age she was interested in singing and playing guitar in rock ensembles. Davies is also a proficient French Horn player and played in a range of various ensembles. As well as performance, Davies was also Read more…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No.4 Context Composed for virtuoso horn player Joseph Leutgeb, Mozart’s Fourth Horn Concerto is one his most colourful. So colourful that Mozart actually penned the score in red, green, blue and black ink! There are two potential reasons for the extra colour. The first is Read more…
Joseph Horovitz: Ballet for Band Context Joseph Horovitz was commissioned to compose the Championship Section test piece for the National Finals in 1983, which was held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. He composed Ballet for Band, which was conquered by Cory Band that year. More recently, Ballet for Band Read more…
Max Richter: Dream 13 (minus even) Context Dream 13 (minus even) is part of Max Richter’s latest album From Sleep. It aims to aid people establish a much more peaceful sleeping routine, and also a more peaceful thinking regime in the daytime. This way of thinking has intrigued Richter throughout his career, with questions like Read more…
Ferdinand Hérold: Zampa Overture Context Ferdinand Hérold’s comic opera, Zampa was premiered in Paris in May 1831. Although a highly popular production in Europe and the USA during the next fifty years, by the time of the turn of the century, Zampa had faded in popularity. Its overture, however, has Read more…