Wind & Brass

Geoffrey Alvarez: Wind & Brass

Reed Bed: symphonie pastorale in two chapters

for clarinet ensemble

Instrumentation

Soprano Clarinet in E flat, 3 Clarinets in B flat, Alto Clarinet in E flat,

2 Bass Clarinets in B flat, Contra Bass Clarinet in B flat.

The first chapter of the work may be performed alone

or with the second chapter following immediately.

Composed in consultation with Phyllis Champion

and members of the Cambridge Clarinet Choir.

Duration 19′ 37″

New edition from Cayambis Press available by clicking on this logo.

digital realisation

Symphony IV - nishmet chayim: for wind ensemble

Instrumentation as for Mozart Gran Partita K.361

2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B flat, 2 Basset Horns, 2 Horns in F,

2 Basso Horns in B flat * 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon.

* Alternative parts available for Double Horn

Composed in consultation with Phyllis Champion and members of Whiteacre Winds

under the direction of the composer in the Library of SOAS-Cambridge.

sample score • digital realisation • Duration 25′ 35″

Cover illustration ‘dying breath’ reproduced with kind permission of the artist Cara Walz.

Download Licecence : £2.50 each

Printed Score – UK postage £15

Printed Score – International postage £18

Symphony VI - Elisha’s Star: for brass band

sample score • digital realisation • Duration c. 16′

Instrumentation

Soprano Cornet, Solo Cornet, Repiano Cornet, 2nd Cornet, 3rd Cornet, Flugel, Solo Horn, 1st Horn, 2nd Horn, 1st Baritone, 2nd Baritone, 1st Trombone, 2nd Trombone, Bass Trombone, Euphonium E flat, Bass B flat Bass Two percussionists: Timpani Drum set Mambo bell Vibraphone Tamtam Cymbals

Symphony VI½ - Elisha’s Star: for brass ensemble,

percussion and organ

sample score • digital realisation • Duration c. 16′

Instrumentation

Horn in F, Trumpet in D, 3 Trumpets in B flat, 3 Tenor Trombones ,Bass Trombone, Tuba Organ , Two percussionists: Timpani Drum set: Mambo bell, three Tom-toms, Pedal Bass Drum, Vibraphone, Tamtam.

This version was prepared in collaboration with Prime Brass director

Christopher Lawrence and members of the ensemble.

First Performance of version for orchestral brass and organ:

Prime Brass - November 7th, Ely Cathedral

Conductor - Paul Trepte Organ soloist - Edmund Aldhouse

Download Licecence : £2.50 each

Printed Score – UK postage £15

Printed Score – International postage £18

Orchestral material available for hire or purchase from Geoffrey Alvarez

St Paul’s Shipwreck and Serpent

excerpt • digital realisation • 35′ 39″

In 2011, I was invited to adjudicate a composers’ competition on Malta. The dramatic nature of the natural ochre landscape and the human monuments, from the megalithic temple to the Great Mother, Ħaġar Qim, to the huge Caravaggio canvass - The Beheading of John the Baptist - inspired local composers to write works of burning intensity of cyclopean scale, many refusing to blindly adopt the current contemporary trends. The godfather of this current Maltese school was Charles Camilleri. I was aware that Kevin Bowyer had made distinguished pioneering recordings of the works of this composer, so it seemed natural to dedicate a new work to Kevin inspired by the individuality of the Maltese muse. Home to the Grand Masters of the Knights Templar, it is not surprising that many islanders continue to profess a strong Catholic faith. A work drawing on St Paul's shipwreck on Malta seemed inevitable.

The saint is represented by a quote from the plainsong versicle of the Alleluia from the Mass for Commemoration of St Paul, Apostle beginning Sancte Paule Apostole... D G G A G F etc. As the storm rages, his diatonic ‘innocence’ is destroyed chromatically, by thickening with parallel harmonies, thematic development and canonic presentation.

The point of departure for the work was the opening pedal solo suggesting the brooding anger of the sea which boils over into leaping figures - accompanied in the upper voices with dissonant harmonies - redolent of storm clouds: it is heard 10 times in total throughout the work, each time with harmonisations representing different atmospheric states. It is only at the end of the piece, after stylised thunderbolts alluding to Messiaen’s Dieu parmi nous figure, and further turbulence, that the leaping figure is finally drenched with blazing Mediterranean sun, whilst the spirit of Tippett sings as Noah's messenger-bird, hovering over the face of the waters at earlier moments of relative repose.

This arrangement for organ and orchestral brass brings an additional programmatic element to the structure: a serpent...

Download Licecence : £2.50 each

Printed Score – UK postage £15

Printed Score – International postage £18

Orchestral material available for hire or purchase from Geoffrey Alvarez

score • digital realisation • 12′ 50″

This piece is the second work of the symphonic cycle representing the alchemical Magnum opus. This stage is the albedo or ‘whitening’ - the Lion leaps to the Sun and the Lady dances in the Moon-pool - a symphonic tone-poem.

Instrumentation

Piccolo, 2 Flutes Alto Flute 2 Oboes, English Horn, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon

Soprano Clarinet in E flat, 3 Clarinets in B flat, Alto Clarinet in E flat

Bass Clarinet in B flat, Contra Alto Clarinet in E flat Contrabass

Clarinet in B flat Soprano Saxophone 2 Alto Saxophones,

2 Tenor Saxophones, Baritone Saxophone

3 Trumpets in B flat, 2 Flugelhorns in B flat, 4 Horns in F,

3 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba

Timpani (4 drums) Percussion: 4 players Tambourine Snare Drum (with snares)

Djembe (or three tom-toms: small, medium and large) Bass Drum Cymbals Tam-tam

Printed or downloadable performing material available from Geoffrey Alvarez

Brass Etchings

for brass quintet

sample score • recording • 9′ 08″

Composer’s note.

This work was awarded the Josiah Parker Composition Prize at the Royal Academy of Music by Edwin Roxburgh in 1984.

The piece is based on a seven note diatonic tone-row - suggested by composer Richard Stoker - creating a predominantly jaunty rather than expressionist mood traditionally associated with serial works.

It has been performed on several occasions by various ensembles, from a student group at the RAM to the Farnaby Brass Ensemble.

Printed Score – UK postage £9

Printed Score – International postage £12

Download Licecence : £2 each

Orchestral material available for hire or purchase from Geoffrey Alvarez

The Cimmerian Sybil: for Horn Trio • details

King Solomon’s Monsters: for two clarinets and bassoon

peruse and purchase score

The Travelling Musicians

a Pantomime for wind quintet

peruse and purchase score • duration 25′

Commissioned by the Harlequin Wind Quintet.

Premiere: Purcell Room 2001

The Travelling Musicians

a Pantomime

sample score (without additional music) • recording • duration 55′

Version for wind quintet and unlimited amateur musicians

Dartford Grammar School for Girls, July 6 2000

Material available for hire or purchase from Geoffrey Alvarez

The Laughing Lotus

wind quintet

sample score • recording • 10′

Performances

The Oxford University Contemporary Music Society, February 15, 1998

The Oxford University Contemporary Music Ensemble,

Oxford Festival of Contemporary Music, May 15 1998

Harlequin Wind Quintet, British Music Information Centre, March 23 1999

Download Licecence : £1.50 each

Printed Score – UK postage £11

Printed Score – UK postage £9

Material available for hire or purchase from Geoffrey Alvarez

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