Having won many prizes at the Paris Conservatoire during the 1920s-1930s Eugène Bozza went on to conduct the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique and to become Head of the Conservatoire in Valenciennes. As a major figure on the classical music frontline Bozza's compositions were well-received by audiences New Orleans being popular in the bass brass repertoire. This Bozza piece for bass brass with Piano accompaniment was written in 1962. It was orginally composed for Bass Saxhorn but since the instrument was falling into obscurity Bozza also adapted it for Bass Trombone and Tuba. NewOrleans is influenced by the jazz culture of the city. As music educationalist Paul Griffiths has written of Bozza's compositions 'his works reveal melodic fluency elegance of structure and a consistenly sensitive concern of instrumental capabilities.' New Orleans for Bass Trombone Tuba or Bass Saxhorn and Piano remains popular in the repertoire of the instruments and is often included in audition syllabuses making it essential to aspiring performers of bass brass.

Jean-Michel Defaye’s Suite Marine is a really nice set of six pieces portraying sea animals. Written for Bb Saxhorn Bass Tuba or Euphonium with Piano accompaniment these six pieces are of medium/high difficulty. Each piece tries to re-create the main characteristics of the animal depicted such as their weight using the low range of the instruments and their speed with the Dolphin being faster and lighter than the Sea Lion for example. The Piano accompaniment also uses numerous atonal chords. It features: 1. L’otarie - The Sea Lion 1’35” 2. Le cachalot - The Sperm Whale 1’30” 3. Le requin - The Shark 1’20” 4. L’éléphant de mer - The Elephant Seal 1’20” 5. Le baleineau – The Whale Calf 0’53” 6. Le dauphin – The Dolphin 1’20” The book includes an insert with the instrument-only parts. As a pianist composer producer and arranger Jean-Michel Defaye mainly created pieces for brass and wind instruments. He won the Premier Second Grand Prix de Rome in 1958 and the Belgian Queen Elizabeth composition competition in 1959.

Aria was commissioned by and written for the remarkable tenor horn player, Sheona White. Philip Sparke had produced a CD recording with Sheona as soloist and had her wonderful sound in his ears while writing this piece. The work opens with an accompanied recitative, which leads to a change of key where the main melody is presented. This, in turn, serves merely as an introduction to another melodic idea, marked calmato. The piano accompaniment takes up this theme and then takes centre stage with a passionate repeat of the main theme, which is completed by the soloist. The piano then plays the calmato theme against which the soloist plays a counter melody. This leads to a return of the opening recitative which brings the work to a peaceful close.

Treble Clef Edition. This collection of easy melodies makes attractive supplementary material to the standard beginner methods. The content is carefully graded to present a stimulating and progressive programme which spans a period of 12-18 months technical and musical development. Set as part of the ABRSM Tenor Horn and Tuba Syllabi Grades 1-3.