Kenneth Hesketh

Par HESKETH KENNETH. A Masque (short for Masquerade) has been defined by Historians as 'A revel in which Mummers or masked folk come with torches blazing into the festive hall and call upon the company to dance and dice' . The chaos of this dramatic dance is depicted in this Masque by Hesketh. The main theme is bravura and is often present, in the background. The form of the piece is a simple scherzo-trio-scherzo. Colourful scoring (upper wind solos, trumpet and horn solos alternating with full bodied tuttis) with a dash of wildness may tease both player and listener to let their hair down a little! Masque has been transcribed for wind band by Kenneth Hesketh from his Scherzo for Orchestra , commissioned by the National Children's Orchestra in 1987. / Niveau : Assez Facile / Répertoire / Orchestre D'Harmonie

Par HESKETH KENNETH. In Danceries , by Kenneth Hesketh, the melodies themselves are a mixture of old and new. Where the old occurs it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material. The contemporary harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of new into these themes and add drama to the suite. The first movement, Lull Me Beyond Thee , is gentle and lilting, almost a barcarole, this movement is very much a reverie. The original tune had the name Poor Robin's Maggot , a rather disconcerting title. Maggot, however, in seventeenth-century parlance meant whim or fancy. The second, Catching of Quails , is a colourful, buoyant scherzo on an original melody. The thematic material is shuttled around the band to contrast with full-blooded tuttis. The last few bars fade to almost nothing, before a final surprise! My Lady's Rest is a tender pavane, also on an original melody, with Moorish leanings. Beautiful solo passages, expressive contrapuntal writing and warm tuttis provide an opportunity to show off the most lyrical of playing. The final movement, Quodling's Delight is a clever combination of the 17th century melody, Goddesses , with an original contrasting melody, creating a rousing and exuberant finale to the work. / Niveau : Assez Facile / Répertoire / Brass Band

Par HESKETH KENNETH. The term Danceries can be found in a copy of Playford's Dancing Master which is an extensive collection of folk and popular tunes of the 17th Century (and no doubt earlier). The melodies themselves are a mixture of new and old (although where the old occurs, it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material). The harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of the new into these themes and add to the drama of the set./ Répertoire / Orchestre D'Harmonie

A Masque (short for Masquerade) has been defined by Historians as 'A revel in which Mummers or masked folk come with torches blazing into the festive hall and call upon the company to dance and dice'. The chaos of this dramatic dance is depicted in this Masque by Hesketh. The main theme is bravura and is often present in the background. The form of the piece is a simple scherzo-trio-scherzo. Colourful scoring (upper wind solos trumpet and horn solos alternating with full bodied tuttis) with a dash of wildness may tease both player and listener to let their hair down a little! 'Masque' has been transcribed for wind band by Kenneth Hesketh from his Scherzo forOrchestra commissioned by the National Children's Orchestra in 1987.

Par HESKETH KENNETH. Danceries' Set II a été commandé par Keith Allen et Birmingham Symphonic Winds, soutenu par PRS for Music Foundation et La Fiducie RVW, avec l'aide des membres suivants du régime' Full Score. La première mondiale de ce travail a été donné par Birmingham Symphonic Winds, menées par Keith Allen, au CBSO Centre, Birmingham le samedi 9 Avril 2011. Cette deuxième série de Danceries continue le format, établi dans les Danceries populaires (Set I), de l'utilisation des airs et des danses de Maître à danser Playford (17e siècle) pour former la base d'une suite de danses prolongée. Dans cet ensemble, les mélodies ont été plus abstrait et seul projet un écho lointain de leurs formes originales, mais comme avant, chaque mouvement est autonome, coloré et direct, avec son ambiance distincte. Les mouvements extérieurs - Bawbee Jennie et Galliarda Peascod de - partager un emploi de conduite de percussion écrit avec un air militaire. Toye Tom Tinker et facilité Heart (mouvements deux et trois) sont les deux paramètres de mélodies originales. Tous les mouvements sont plus étendues que dans le premier set, avec une utilisation plus libre et l'approche du matériau- mélodies se produisent maintenant dans différentes touches et sont soutenus par une plus grande variété de coloration harmonique. Le résultat est une plus riche, encore plus exaltante ensemble de danses./ Répertoire / Orchestre à Vent

Par HESKETH KENNETH. Un Masque (abréviation de Masquerade) a été défini par les historiens comme ' A revel dans laquelle mimes ou masqués folk viennent avec des torches blazing dans la salle de fête et appeler à la compagnie de danse et couper en dés '. Le chaos de cette danse dramatique est représenté dans cette ' Masque ' par Hesketh. Le thème principal est la bravoure et est souvent présent, à l'arrière-plan. La forme de la pièce est un scherzo-trio-scherzo simple. Notation colorés (solos de vent supérieur, solos de trompette et de la corne alternant avec plein de corps tuttis) avec un trait de caractère sauvage peut tease joueur et auditeur à décevoir leurs cheveux un peu ! ' Masque ' a été transcrite pour bande par Kenneth Hesketh de son ' Scherzo pour orchestre ', commandée par l'Orchestre National pour les enfants en 1987. Cette fine pièce peut être entendue sur le CD de la bande Leyland, photos de la côte est (numéro de catalogue 0-571-52109-6)./ Répertoire / Brass Band

'The Alchymist's Journal' gets its title from the book of the same name by American author Evan S. Connell. The book fictionalises a number of famous Alchemist’s writings each one developing another's thoughts thus continuing one idea but changing it subtly to provide a new view point or way of thinking. This process is in fact alchemical as one idea transmutes into another. This idea is parallel to the processes at work within these variants. The whole work is constructed from 6 notes (C A B flat E flat F sharp E) and is presented in nine different sections each individual in mood but still based upon the original pitches. This is not a thematic set ofvariations as the themes are developed one at a time from small segments of the six notes. For example the opening theme is the complete number of pitches the second theme uses three notes transposed then repeated at the original level and so on. Harmonically the six notes can be divided into two triads A minor and E flat minor – each key beginning and ending the piece respectively. Whilst this is essentially abstract music with no programme there is an introduction menacing scherzo slow reflective section followed by a recap of the scherzo and final coda. 'The Alchymist’s Journal' was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust at the suggestion of Paul Hindmarsh to whom the work is dedicated.