Rio

Rio is a festival of joy, rhythm and samba!

From the outset, basses and percussion drive the music forward, laying down an infectious Latin groove beneath syncopated cornets and a quirky, characterful melody. Jazzy harmonies and punchy rhythms combine to create a piece bursting with colour, energy and fun.

The percussion section has plenty to enjoy — in fact, the more the merrier! For performances with a suitably adventurous audience, extra percussion can be handed out and willing volunteers drafted in to help create an even bigger, more authentic samba atmosphere.

Bright, rhythmic and unapologetically good-humoured, Rio is a lively concert item with a real sense of occasion — a percussion party with a distinctly Latin flavour.

Three Miniatures for 10

Three Miniatures for 10 was written for Harlequin Brass, a Sheffield-based ten-piece brass ensemble. As the title suggests, the work is cast in three short, contrasting movements, each with its own distinct character.

1. Harlequin
A brief, bright fanfare sets things in motion before giving way to a quick and quirky waltz. Playful, slightly mischievous and full of rhythmic character, it provides an energetic opening to the set.

2. Standing Stones
A complete change of mood. This slow, atmospheric serenade has a more reflective character, allowing the colours and sonorities of the ten-piece ensemble to come to the fore.

3. Gallop
The set finishes at full tilt with a fast and lively gallop. Energetic, good-humoured and designed to bring the work to an exhilarating conclusion, it gives the ensemble plenty to get its teeth into — and provides a suitably spirited finale.

About the music

Five Miniatures began as a gift for my two grandchildren. Written for trumpet and piano, each movement is a small character piece with its own distinct mood, image and personality.

1. Daydreams
Drifting and ephemeral, the opening miniature has a gentle, dreamlike quality — music that seems to hover briefly before moving on.

2. Barcarolle
A softly rocking movement with the easy motion of water, creating a calm and lyrical contrast.

3. Morning Chase
Inspired by the exuberant sight of my black Labrador racing around the garden, this miniature is lively, playful and full of movement.

4. Song for Keeley
A warm and affectionate song for my granddaughter, allowing the trumpet to sing with simplicity and tenderness.

5. Jaxson’s Canter
The suite closes with a gently humorous miniature for my grandson, bringing Five Miniatures to an affectionate and light-hearted conclusion.

For this recording, I’m delighted to present the trumpet part performed by a real musician rather than a computer mock-up. My dear friend Anthony Thompson, one of the North of England’s finest exponents of the instrument, brings warmth, character and musicianship to the performance.

Asturias is one of Isaac Albéniz’s most recognisable works — a piece whose driving rhythms and dramatic contrasts have made it a favourite far beyond its original life as piano music.

Despite its title, the music is not especially Asturian in character. Instead, Albéniz evokes the sounds and atmosphere of Andalusia, drawing strongly on the language of flamenco and the guitar. The repeated rhythmic figures create an almost percussive momentum, while the central lyrical section provides a striking contrast: darker, freer and more reflective before the opening energy returns.

Originally written for piano, Asturias has since become particularly associated with the classical guitar, whose colours seem perfectly matched to Albéniz’s writing. In this arrangement for brass band, that same combination of rhythmic intensity, colour and drama is recast for the sonority and power of the ensemble.

The result is music of tremendous character — fiery and urgent in its outer sections, atmospheric and expressive at its heart.

Little Suite for Tuba was composed in response to a commission from Simon Kerwin, to whom the work is dedicated. Written in three contrasting movements, the suite explores the lyrical, expressive and playful character of the tuba.

1. The Windmill
As the windmill turns, the tuba spins a gentle melody over a calm, pastoral landscape. The movement has an easy, flowing quality, evoking the quiet motion and open air of the countryside.

2. Melancholy Song
A more reflective movement, giving the soloist the opportunity to explore the tuba’s warm, singing tone and expressive depth.

3. Cakewalk
The suite closes with a lighter, more playful movement. Rhythmic and characterful, the Cakewalk brings the work to an upbeat and engaging conclusion.

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About the music

Vivaldissimo is a fresh reimagining of the first movement of Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins in A minor, a work later arranged by J. S. Bach as an organ concerto.

This version brings the music into a new setting, combining the energy and clarity of the Baroque original with elements of jazz and Latin style. Familiar material is reshaped with a more contemporary rhythmic character, while keeping the drive and elegance that make Vivaldi’s music so enduring.

It gives players and audiences a chance to hear this well-known music from a different angle — lively, colourful and unmistakably rooted in the original.

Details

Instrumentation: Brass Band
Difficulty: Grade 3
Duration: 3:40
Format: Digital PDF download — full score and parts