Biggest work since Sketches of Shetland, this is a five-movement suite of dances ancient and not-so-ancient. They are Gigue - Sarabande - Tango - Pavane - Salsa, and a more detailed description of them all can be found below. February 2021.
A short piece written for a competition in Spain, hence its Spanish flavour. Each instrument has its own melody, its own dance. First they're played on their own with interjections from the others, then after a very short burst of flamenco clapping, the dances start to come together until all are going at once, gathering momentum and becoming a whole…
This is not an Elegy at all, there’s nothing mournful or melancholic about it. The title is merely a reference to Bernstein’s solo trombone piece ‘Elegy for Mippy II’, which he wrote about his brother’s dog. Ellie is our cat, and this piece is a sort of Day in the Life, following her biorhythms and those of cats in general.…
My other Big Idea. A set of four pieces not just for trombone but trombone player. Nowadays, the music profession has so contracted that we are all often required to double on other instruments. The alto trombone has been up the player’s sleeve for centuries, but more recently, euphonium and bass trumpet are common additions. To play this piece is…
Opposing Cannon, The Dove, and Crossfire are the three movements of this short suite for ten brass. Mostly Grade VI, the last movement probably Grade VIII. See the Virtual Venue for the audio file and further details.
More of a Concert March really, and my favourite of the batch of three (see Bravo! and Viennese Marches). It's pretty much a snare drum feature, with a dynamic 'A Team'-like section followed by a wintery tune - well, it's still pretty wintery in February. This March is slightly slower, but there's an optional opportunity to pick your feet up…
