Bedřich Smetana: The Bartered Bride Overture Context The Bartered Bride is a comic opera that was composed between 1863-1866. The music was composed by Bedřich Smetana, with the libretto by Karel Sabina. The opera gave its first performance at the Provisional Theatre in May 1866. The opera is set in Read more…
John Foulds: April-England Context John Herbert Foulds (1880-1939) was an English composer who, for the most part, has largely been forgotten in history. His pastoral English style can sometimes see him on British ‘Light Music’ compilations, however his works are seldom performed live. Foulds tried to bring East and West Read more…
Kenneth Downie: St Magnus Context Last used as the championship test piece for the 2014 Regional Area Contest, Kenneth Downie’s St Magnus is a terrific work for brass band. The piece was commissioned by the Scottish Brass Band Association for the 2004 European Brass Band Championships in Glasgow. St Magnus Read more…
Carl Nielsen: Prologue from Aladdin Context Carl Nielsen composed the incidental music for Adam Oehlenschläger’s new production of Aladdin in 1918. The play premiered at The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen in 1919. Nielsen composed most of the music for the play during a trip to Skagen in Denmark. There were Read more…
Henryk Górecki: Harpsichord Concerto Context Henryk Górecki’s Harpsichord Concerto was composed at the request of Andrzej Chłopecki, head of Polish Radio Music Station. The commission came in 1980 at a time when Górecki was exploring pure instrumental music after more than a decade of dedicating himself to vocal and choral Read more…
John Adams: China Gates Context John Adams composed China Gates in 1977 for the then 17-year old pianist Sarah Cahill. A year later Adams wrote a companion work called Phyrgian Gates which uses some similar techniques to China Gates. When describing the work Adams has said that: “China Gates Read more…
Aaron Zigman: Main Title from The Notebook Context Aaron Zigman composed the soundtrack for the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook. The film was directed by Nick Cassavetes and writing by Jeremy Leven. The film stars young lovers Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams whose story is told during the present day Read more…
Elena Kats-Chernin: Dance of the Paper Umbrellas Context Born in 1957, Elena Kats-Chernin is one of Australia’s leading composers. She was born in Uzbekistan and immigrated to Australia in the 1970s, where she graduated from the New South Wales Conservatory of Music in 1980. She was awarded the DAAD German Read more…
Philip Wilby: Masquerade Context Philip Wilby’s Masquerade was premiered in September 1993 at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester during the brass band British Open Championships. Since then Masquerade has been used for a number of contests including the 2002 Championship Section National Test Piece, the 2005 Grand Shield and, Read more…
Pierre Rode: Violin Concerto No.11 Context Jacques Pierre Joseph Rode (1774-1830), also known as Pierre Rode, was a French violinist and composer. Rode was a pupil of Giovanni Battista viotti, who considered Rode to be the most talented student he ever taught. As a virtuoso violinist, Rode served as violin Read more…