Par HESKETH KENNETH. The term Danceries can be found in a copy of Playford's Dancing Master which is an extensive collection of folk and popular tunes of the 17th Century (and no doubt earlier). The melodies themselves are a mixture of new and old (although where the old occurs, it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material). The harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of the new into these themes and add to the drama of the set./ Répertoire / Orchestre D'Harmonie

This new Leyland Band release features seven first-time recordings including 'The Alchymist’s Journal' by Kenneth Hesketh and 'Four Sketches' by Simon Dobson - the winning entry in the 2002 European Brass Band Composer Competition. Soloist James Gourlay performs the brass band arrangement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' Tuba Concerto. Other works included are 'Global Variations' and 'Thames Journey' by Nigel Hess 'RPM' and 'Headbanger' by Matthew Hindson 'Peterloo' by Malcolm Arnold and the comical encore piece 'Keystone Kops' by Carl Davis.

Stimulé par mon amour des automates, ce travail pour hautbois solo tire son nom de l'invention de Wolfgang von Kempelen, qui à la fin du XVIIIe siècle construit un homme extraordinaire mécanique alimenté par une horloge, vêtu d'un costume turc élégant et capable de jouer aux échecs. Le joueur d'échecs s'est avéré être une fraude, mais a suscité beaucoup d'autres penseurs et inventeurs s'interrogent sur ce que les possibilités d'automatisation peut être. Dans le travail d'une grande virtuosité de Hesketh, la mélodie par-composé est soumis à une série de distorsions par poulies, cames, engrenages et manivelles. Il ya aussi les effets onomatopées de la liquidation et vrombissant bruits qui ajoutent à l'air de la mécanique. / Hautbois

Prenant son point de départ du 'Grandes Plaines du Jour' XVIIe siècle philosophe-Cyrano de Bergerac du poète, Hesketh puissamment fusionne une vaste gamme d'exécution et de techniques de composition dans ce travail de 12 minutes pour violon seul. Inspiré par l'imagination de Bergerac d'autres mondes et sociétés utopiques, le travail explore timbres et plages extrêmes tout en utilisant des techniques telles que la main gauche pizzicato et naturel harmoniques. Open-cinquième matériel, ce qui est naturel de l'instrument, est important et courts duos alternant entre arco et figures pizzicato ajoutent encore une autre dimension. / Violon

Dans sa notice de programme, Hesketh définit un concetto (angl. 'conceit') comme une démarche métaphorique appliquée à toute ou une partie d'une oeuvre poétique, dont elle permet une meilleure compréhension du sujet.Tout au long de ses 20 minutes et de ses / Piano / 44 pages / niveau : Difficile / Partition

For SATB Choir with Piano or Organ accompaniment. A lively setting of an English translation of Les Anges dans nos campagnes.

'The Alchymist's Journal' gets its title from the book of the same name by American author Evan S. Connell. The book fictionalises a number of famous Alchemist’s writings each one developing another's thoughts thus continuing one idea but changing it subtly to provide a new view point or way of thinking. This process is in fact alchemical as one idea transmutes into another. This idea is parallel to the processes at work within these variants. The whole work is constructed from 6 notes (C A B flat E flat F sharp E) and is presented in nine different sections each individual in mood but still based upon the original pitches. This is not a thematic set ofvariations as the themes are developed one at a time from small segments of the six notes. For example the opening theme is the complete number of pitches the second theme uses three notes transposed then repeated at the original level and so on. Harmonically the six notes can be divided into two triads A minor and E flat minor – each key beginning and ending the piece respectively. Whilst this is essentially abstract music with no programme there is an introduction menacing scherzo slow reflective section followed by a recap of the scherzo and final coda. 'The Alchymist’s Journal' was commissioned by the Brass Band Heritage Trust at the suggestion of Paul Hindmarsh to whom the work is dedicated.

Danceries Set II arranged for brass band was first commission by Keith Allen for the Birmingham Symphonic Winds. This second set of Danceries continues the format established in the popular Danceries (Set I) of using tunes and dances from Playford s Dancing Master (17th century) to form the basis of an extended dancesuite. In this set the melodies have become more abstracted and project only a distant echo of their original forms. As before each movement is self-contained colourful and direct with its own distinct mood.The outer movements Jennie s Bawbee and Peascod s Galliarda share driving percussion with a military air. Tom Tinker s Toye and Heart s Ease(movements two and three) are both settings of original melodies. All movements are more extended than in the first set with a freer use and approach to the material; melodies now occur in various keys and are supported by a greater variety of harmonic colouring. The result is a richer even more exhilarating set of dances.Brass Band Grade 5.

For Children's Choir SATB and Piano. This is a lively setting of the Czech folk tune incorporating Maclom Sargeant's text.

Infernal Ride is mercurial and virtuosic reflecting the mad-cap chase of Ichabod Crane’s final ride on his horse Gunpowder in the story by Washington Irving namely The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Often an atmosphere of driven fear pushes the music forward only briefly stopping for breath. The work closes with flourishes in rapid succession perhaps with the hapless Ichabod meeting his unfortunate end! Brass Band Grade 5: 1st Section Duration: 7 minutes.Infernal Ride has been recorded by the Leyland Band conducted by Jason Katsikaris and is available on the CDPenlee.