Suite of Renaissance Dances

SKU: HL.29818005

UPC: 884088221331. 9.0x12.0x0.056 inches.

Here's a superb way to introduce your band to the joys of early instrumental music. Jim Curnow's well-conceived transcription is based on three 16th-century dances by Susato: I. Las Mourisque (Basse Danse), II. Mille regretz (Pavane), and III. La bataille (Pavane).

SKU: HL.4002362

UPC: 073999376876. 9.0x12.0x0.076 inches.

Hymns by Giovanni de Palestrina pre-date those of Bach by over a century and incorporate the great polyphonic tradition of Renaissance writing. The compositions used in this suite are from a collection published in 1589 titled Hymns of the Entire Year, and incorporate antiphonal choral effects that lend themselves particularly well to instrumental settings. John Moss uses richly contrasting tone colors and textures as well as characteristic modal tonalities in this wonderful setting for band. (3:30).

SKU: BT.DHP-0991548-060

English-German-French-Dutch.

These four dances are written in a kind of neo renaissance style. Because of the fact that little technical demands are required from its performing artists, these dances are mainly meant for beginning groups, youth ensembles and also for orchestras in all kinds of small strengths. Jan Van der Roost originally had pedagogical intentions with this piece. Myriam Mees arranged Four Old Dances with the same intention for accordion orchestra with electronium and percussion ad libitum.

Deze vier dansen zijn geschreven in een soort neorenaissancestijl. Gezien de geringe technische eisen die aan de uitvoerders gesteld worden, richten deze dansjes zich vooral op beginnende groepen, jeugdensembles en ook op allerhandekleine bezettingen. Jan Van der Roost had in eerste instantie pedagogische bedoelingen. Myriam Mees arrangeerde Four Old Dances met dezelfde intentie voor accordeonorkest met electronium en percussie ad libitum.

Diese vier Tänze sind in einer Art Neorenaissance-Stil geschrieben. Da sie in technischer Hinsicht keine großen Anforderungen an die Ausführenden stellen, sind sie für Anfängerensembles, Jugendorchester und alle zahlenmäßig kleinen Orchester besonders gut geeignet.

Four Old Dances est une suite de quatre danses originales composées dans le style de la musique de la Renaissance. Simples de structure et accessibles aux Orchestres Juniors, ces quatre danses ont été arrangées pour Orchestre d’Accordéons par Myriam Mees. L’instrumentation est quatre voix avec partie de clavier électronique / synthétiseur ad lib. et partie optionnelle de percussion.

SKU: HL.4002888

UPC: 884088403485. 9.0x12.0x0.076 inches.

From his famous Ancient Airs and Dances, 20th-century composer Ottorino Respighi used distinctive melodies from Renaissance composer Jean-Baptiste Besard in this second movement of the third suite. This marvelous adaptation for band retains the authenticity of the original in an attractive yet very playable and unique setting. Dur: 6:00 (Grade 3-1/2).

SKU: MH.1-59913-054-8

ISBN 9781599130545.

Royal Coronation Dances is the first sequel to the Fanfare Ode & Festival, both being settings of dance music originally arranged by Gervaise in the mid 16th-century (the next sequel is The Renaissance Fair, which uses music of Susato and Praetorius). Fanfare Ode & Festival has been performed by many tens of thousands of students, both in high school and junior high school. I have heard that some of them are amazed that the music they are playing was first played and danced to over 400 years ago. Some students tend to think that music started with Handel and his Messiah to be followed by Beethoven and his Fifth Symphony, with naught in between or before of consequence. Although Royal Coronation Dances is derived from the same source as Fanfare Ode & Festival, they are treated in different ways. I envisioned this new suite programmatically -- hence the descriptive movement titles, which I imagined to be various dances actually used at some long-ago coronation. The first movement depicts the guests, both noble and common, flanked by flag and banner bearers, arriving at the palace to view the majestic event. They are festive, their flags swirling the air, their cloaks brightly colored. In the second movement, the queen in stately measure moves to take her place on the throne as leader and protector of the realm. In the third movement, the jesters of the court entertain the guests with wild games of sport. Musically, there are interesting sonorities to recreate. Very special attention should be given to the tambourine/tenor drum part in the first movement. Their lively rhythms give the movement its power. Therefore they should be played as distinctly and brilliantly as possible. The xylophone and glockenspiel add clarity, but must not be allowed to dominate. Observe especially the differing dynamics; the intent is to allow much buzzing bass to penetrate. The small drum (starting at meas. 29) should be played expressively, with attention to the notated articulations, with the brass light and detached, especially in a lively auditorium. It is of some further interest that the first dance is extremely modal. The original is clearly in G mixolydian mode (scale: G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G). However, other editors might put in F-sharps in many places (changing the piece almost to G major), in the belief that such ficta would have been automatically put in by the 16th-century performers as they played. I doubt it. I have not only eschewed these within the work, but even at the cadences. So this arrangement is most distinctly modal (listen to the F-naturals in meas. 22 and 23, for instance), with all the part-writing as Gervaise wrote it. In the second movement, be careful that things do not become too glued together. In the 16th century this music might have been played by a consort of recorders, instruments very light of touch and sensitive to articulation. Concert band can easily sound heavy, and although this movement has been scored for tutti band, it must not sound it. It is essential, therefore, that you hear all the instruments, with none predominating. Only when each timbre can be heard separately and simultaneously will the best blend occur, and consequently the greatest transparency. So aim for a transparent, spacious tutti sound in this movement. Especially have the flutes, who do this so well, articulate rather sharply, so as to produce a chiffing sound, and do not allow the quarter-notes to become too tied together in the entire band. The entrance of the drums (first tenor, then bass) are events and as such should be audible. Incidentally, this movement begins in F Major and ends in D Minor: They really didn't care so much about those things then. The third movement (one friend has remarked that it is the most Margolisian of the bunch, but actually I am just getting subtler, I hope) again relies upon the percussion (and the scoring) to make its points. Xylophone in this movement is meant to be distinctly audible. Therefore, be especially sure that the xylophone player is secure in the part, and also that the tambourine and toms sound good. This movement must fly or it will sink, so rev up the band and conduct it in 1 for this mixolydian jesting. I suppose the wildly unrelated keys (clarinets and then brass at the end) would be a good 16th-century joke, but to us, our put-up-the-chorus-a-half-step ears readily accept such shenanigans. Ensemble instrumentation: 1 Full Score, 1 Piccolo, 4 Flute 1, 4 Flute 2 & 3, 2 Oboe 1 & 2, 2 Bassoon 1 & 2, 1 Eb Clarinet, 4 Bb Clarinet 1, 4 Bb Clarinet 2, 4 Bb Clarinet 3, 2 Eb Alto Clarinet, 1 Eb Contra Alto Clarinet, 3 Bb Bass & Bb Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 1, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 2, 2 Bb Tenor Saxophone, 2 Eb Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpet 1, 3 Bb Trumpet 2, 3 Bb Trumpet 3, 4 Horn in F 1 & 2, 2 Trombone 1, 4 Trombone 2 & 3, 3 Euphonium (B.C.), 2 Euphonium (T.C.), 4 Tuba, 1 String Bass, 1 Timpani (optional), 2 Xylophone & Glockenspiel, 5 Percussion.

SKU: CF.SPS30F

ISBN 9780825864889. UPC: 798408064884. 9 X 12 inches.

Using the musical styles and forms of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, Mike Forbes has written a striking and powerful three movement suite that is a major addition to serious band literature. The music is entirely original, but the style and approach is similar to such pieces as the Courtly Dances from Gloriana by Benjamin Britten, and makes effective use of the coloristic possibilities of the modern concert band.

SKU: HL.8772594

UPC: 649325021835. 8.5x11.0x0.054 inches.

SKU: HL.8773343

UPC: 649325041543. 8.5x11.0x0.047 inches.

SKU: HL.8773342

UPC: 649325041536. 8.5x11.0x0.049 inches.

SKU: BT.DHP-0970945-020

9x12 inches.

This three-part suite is rich in dances and full of contrasting styles and dynamics. The title of the work is a pun on the term ‘concerto grosso’, a piece in parts for a group of solo instruments and orchestra. In Contrasto Grosso small groups in the band perform as soloists, interpreting contrasting renaissance style fragments.

Deze dansrijke suite bestaat uit drie delen die worden gekenmerkt door contrasten in stijl, dynamiek en instrumentatie. De titel van de compositie is een woordspeling op het concerto grosso, een meerdelig werk voor een groep solo-instrumentenen orkest. Ook in Contrasto Grosso treden kleinere groepen in het orkest solistisch op met contrasterende, renaissancistische tussenfragmenten.

Contrasto Grosso est une suite dansante en trois mouvements de caractères et de styles variés. Le titre de l’œuvre dérive du terme concerto grosso, une forme musicale dont la structure se caractérise par une instrumentation alternant les passages orchestraux en tutti et les passages instrumentaux joués par des groupes solistes. Le changement de couleurs sonores et la diversité des nuances obtenus par cette alternance donnent l’œuvre une expressivité très contrastée. Dans chacun des trois mouvements de cette œuvre, Jacob de Haan confie de petits groupes solistes l’interprétation de fragments écrits dans le style de la musique de laRenaissance et qui offrent ainsi un contraste saisissant avec les passages en tutti basés sur une écriture classique ou traditionnelle.