Timeless Cornish Melodies Cooked Up For Hungry Brass Players-As I sit myself down to write this brief foreword I ask myself can there be music more stirring than these old Cornish folk melodies? Though not Cornish myself (I confess to being born a little further up the road in Bristol) I feel I have spent sufficient time in these 'ere parts to resonate with the sturdy brass band tradition that continues to permeate this incomparably beautiful rugged county. One can almost detect a French 'accent' when listening to the piano music of Debussy and likewise speaking as a lapsed brass player there is undoubtedly something of the Cornish twang about Trelawny when played on a cornet or euphonium. Then again one gets a different yet entirely convincing effect upon hearing these melodies rendered on woodwind instruments; hence with a little gamesmanship on my part I am pleased to see my collection of these fifteen delectable ditties come to fruition in the form of arrangements for treble clef brass instruments (in B flat and E flat) trombone and tuba (bass clef) horn in F flute clarinet and bassoon.While many will find themselves humming the likes of Going up Camborne Hill Lamorna or The Helston Furry Dance even before they have turned to the first page - for these are indelibly intertwined with Cornish culture - I wonder if I might draw your attention to The Cornish Squire The Pool of Pilate and Cold Blows the Wind Today Sweetheart which are quite simply sublime melodies perhaps needing that extra bit of help in bringing them to mind nowadays. In the best tradition of musical hand-me-downs Cornish folk music works equally ideally sung and played and only by doing so on a regular basis can such traditions hope to continue forward with vigour and authority. A legitimate way of achieving this is to revitalise the harmonic scheme of these ancient tunes and bring them up to date for a modern audience; after all it was such an approach that fuelled the imagination of Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams in decades past while skilfully paying homage to the

Mr Sheen's Miscellany For Bassoon was written for the Trinity Guildhall Examination Board syllabus. It is aimed principally at students of grades 1 to 5 and intended to combine technical challenges with that most vital musical ingredient: fun.Mr Sheen's Miscellany For Bassoon - Grade 1 contains three pieces for bassoon and piano by Graham Sheen.Polka-dots.There are three contrasting types of expression for the bassoonist here. The opening phrase is staccato which is followed (at bar 11) by a sustained counter melody. Finally (at bar 19) both these effects are combined in a second melody which needs very clear dynamicplaying.Monkey Puzzle.Sustaining the sound while re-articulating the notes is important in this piece. In other words the opening should be played almost slurred. Be aware of the changing harmonies underneath the held notes in the bassoon part.Serious Song.Long but separate notes contrast with real legato. The main theme is marked tenuto so full value for each note especially ending notes. Even the quavers aren't very short at this speed. Try to make the richest sound you can like for example a fine Russian baritone.

Internationally acclaimed French composer Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013) followed the music traditions of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy yet implemented his own distinctive style. His Sarabande et Cortege for Bassoon and Piano displays influences of Debussy's eschewing of tonality and Ravel's inventive textures. These combined with Dutilleux's unique uses of structure and pedal points create a truly riveting piece for Bassoon and Piano. Sarabande et Cortege comes at the beginning of Dutilleux's career and was composed as part of a set of fourexam pieces for the Paris Conservatoire (1942-1950). Yet the popularity of all four pieces remains and they continue to be performed to this day. Elements like lyrical melodies and furious semiquaver passages make for an exciting piece for bassoonists.

Basson Et Piano - Lm010-French composer and student of Darius Milhaud Pierre-Max Dubois was born on March 1st 1930. Although not as popular as his teacher he was well respected and continued the musical ideas of Les Six of which Milhaud was of course a member into the second half of the twentieth century even winning the Prix de Rome in 1955. Dubois' music is a lot like that of Milhauds light hearted harmonic melodical and texturally unusual. Many of his works are for woodwind especially saxophone such as his Quartet for Saxophone in F which was premiered in 1962 or the Pieces characteristiques en forme de suite for alto saxophone and piano accompaniment.

Par PART ARVO. `Spiegel im Spiegel` is a well-known example of Arvo Pärts Tintinnabuli style and has been used in many films. Arvo Pärts Spiegel im Spiegel illustrates his creative principles: above a permanent flow of chords on the piano, the cello unfolds acantilena in long note values, which grows out of succinct steps. This cantilena spins out sweeping, chorale-like arches and spreads itself out more and more. It thus gives rise to a new architectonic configuration which, like a mediation chapel, stimulaties reflection, prayer or the desire for redemption. (Jürgen Köchel)/ Répertoire / Basson et Piano