Recent content by Brian Bowen

The brass band version is in the American Festival Series, No. 22, published in 1997 by The Salvation Army Central Territory, 10 West Algonquin Road, Des Plains, IL 60016. Tel. 847-294-2000. Fax 874-294.2299.

The initiator of this thread has a valid point. As someone who has transcribed for brass band a number "classical" works and had them published and recorded, I accept I may have caused offence. But there's an angle to this I think worth considering. Essential to a vibrant musical experience...

I remember my father's Boosey & Hawkes Bb cornet (pre 1940 I believe) came complete with two interchangeable shanks (crooks): one for Bb (standard) and a longer one lowering the pitch to A. Such a combination would allow performance of, e.g., a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta on the same instrument...

I'm intrigued to see my home town of Staines gaining the grandiloquent "upon-Thames". Is that official these days, Gareth? The town certainly has a long history dating back to Roman times. I believe the name Staines derives from "stepping stones", presumably to cross the river Thames. Good luck...

One reason for writing da capos in marches was to satisfy musical tradition and end in the home (initial) key. It also provided a formal balance. As marches have become more innovative, particularly in the SA perhaps, there’s been a tendency to break the mould. As to heavy-handedness in former...

A similar situation to this is the hymn tune 'Monks Gate', sung to John Bunyan's hymn "Who would true valour see, Let him come hither" (or "He who would valiant be 'Gainst all disaster", alt. Percy Dearmer). The tune is based on a traditional English folk song that Vaughan Williams adapted...

I imagine the likes of Stan Lippeatt grew up in an era when one of the most successful TV shows was “The Black and White Minstrel Show”. It ran from 1958-1978. Viewers were carried along on a stream of attractive songs associated with African-Americans but performed by white singers with...

I very much doubt Phillip Shephard is "Professor of Music" at the Royal Academy of Music. Maybe professor of cello: that's a whole different matter. I've heard only his arrangements of the USA, Australian and British anthems (I live in the USA). Based on what I've heard it's difficult to...

It's published in the Festival Series, No. 486, but I'm not aware of anyone setting words to it -- and probably best not to.

Yes, the version of Schubert's 5th Symphony published by the SA is mine.

While some may feel Barber’s Adagio is inappropriate for brass band, the same may be said for many other similar transcriptions. (As one who has had a few classical transcriptions published, I realize I may be guilty.) But I’m not sure the Adagio has to be harmed if played by a good brass band...

Mention of Bernard Adams and earlier messages re. "The Children's Friend" reminds me that Bernard Adams used to claim he asked Erik Leidzen to write this piece on children's songs and Leidzen asked BA to suggest some he'd like included. The perhaps little-known original song of Leidzen's that...

"Jubilate" may have had a certain popularity in former days but I don't see it comparing musically with the best of Erik Leidzen's solos, such as "Songs in the Heart" or Eric Ball's "Clear Skies".

Strangely, WoB (SP&S) in the UK appear not to represent their counterpart in the USA Central Territory (Des Plaines/Chicago) yet they do represent the USA Eastern Territory (W. Nyack/New York) for their band publications. Carl Woodman at WoB would know more about this.

It's published by The Salvation Army USA Central Territory in its American Festival Series. It's No. 2 in the very first edition. See here: https://saresourceconnection.org/eSource/ecom/eSource/items/itemDetail.aspx?&page=&store=&itemNum=SACT0007&siteId=1&bulkexists=0 The listing gives the...