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.

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 acolourful 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.

Par HESKETH KENNETH. Le théâtre Gilded a été commandé par l'Orchestre National de vent sur les jeunes of Great Britain, à l'occasion de son quarantième anniversaire. Ils ont donné le premier spectacle, 10 août 2008, du St. John Smith Square, London, menée par James Gourlay. Le théâtre Gilded peut, à certains égards, être vu comme une continuation de formes dramatiques présentées dans un morceau précédent par Hesketh, danses de Diaghilev. À la différence des danses, cependant la musique dans le théâtre doré est conçue comme une travée continue et étendues de musique sont également remplacés par le nouveau ISBNtitled et désigner des personnages ou des scénarios exhale l le commedia dell ' Arte ou XVIIe siècle français Theatre.The remplacés par nouveaux ISBNtitles sont Rideau, Les Idiots Ou Les Amants, Le Combat Commence, Desespoir, L'apparition, Folie, La MortRideau. Joue de la musique narative traverse humeurs dramatiques, comiques, romantiques et agressifs, soutenant l'idée de l'abrégé auquel le renvoyer la ci-dessus remplacée par la nouvelle ISBNtitles. Tout au long de.../ Répertoire / Orchestre D'Harmonie

'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.