New London Pictures WORKS for Symphonic Wind Orchestra by Nigel Hess
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New London Pictures WORKS for Symphonic Wind Orchestra by Nigel Hess THE Central Band of the Royal Air Force Nigel Hess Nick Telford Nick Nigel Hess Nigel Hess (b. 1953) Works for Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Volume 2 premiere recording New London Pictures (2003) 14:52 Suite 1 I Millennium Bridge 4:03 2 II London Eye 5:24 3 III Congestion Charge 5:24 premiere recording in this arrangement 4 Ladies in Lavender (2004) 3:55 Theme from the film Cpl Neslihan Jordan flute 3 premiere recording The Lochnagar Suite (2007) 14:10 from the ballet The Old Man of Lochnagar 5 I Scottish Dances 5:04 6 II Dark Lochnagar 5:07 7 III Dance of the Eagle 3:58 8 Monck’s March (2002) 10:08 Concert Overture 4 premiere recording in this arrangement Shakespeare Pictures (2008) 12:21 Suite 9 1 Much Ado about Nothing 3:38 10 2 The Winter’s Tale: The Statue 4:11 11 3 Julius Caesar: The Entry to the Senate 4:31 premiere recording in this arrangement 12 A Christmas Overture (2007) 7:33 TT 63:30 The Central Band of the Royal Air Force Nigel Hess 5 The Central Band of the Royal Air Force flute Cpl Neslihan Jordan bassoon Cpl Neil Chapman SAC John Brown Chf Tech Rob Jordan Flt Lt Richard Murray Chf Tech Gary Cooney alto saxophone Sgt Andrew Hooley SAC Mike Hearman piccolo Sgt Martin Robbins tenor saxophone SAC Andrew Mears oboe Chf Tech Gina Morrell Sgt David Linger baritone saxophone Cpl Sarah Gibb cor anglais Sgt Ian Pemberton horn Sgt Paul Meaden Cpl Paul Phelan E flat clarinet SAC Benjamin Williams SAC Michelle MacGurk SAC Ellen Driscoll clarinet SAC Graham Jones Cpl Christine Ebrey trumpet SAC Ben Godfrey SAC Emily Clement Cpl Michael McGowan Cpl George Martin SAC Jeremy Clack SAC Louise Bonneywell Cpl Steve Bennett SAC Tim Ieraci SAC Alexandra Pippen Cpl Dominique Thistleton SAC Trish McClure trombone Cpl Hamish Dean SAC Becky-Clare Dilley SAC Jonathan Hill bass clarinet Chf Tech Suzanne Faithful bass trombone SAC Jonathan Hayward SAC Laura Bevon 6 euphonium FS Grant Charleston percussion Sgt Kevin Miles Cpl Matt Ellson Sgt Chris I’Anson Cpl James Ansell tuba Chf Tech Andy Chettleburgh Chf Tech David Bowmar piano Cpl Guy Davis double-bass Cpl Lesley Vincent harp Ms Skaila Kanga SAC Simon Lloyd timpani Sgt Chris Price Dana Gouws (www.pixelane.com) Gouws Dana Nigel Hess and The Central Band of the Royal Air Force during the recording sessions 7 Nigel Hess: Works for Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Volume 2 New London Pictures Maggie Smith, has become popular Commissioned by the Surrey County Youth worldwide. Wind Orchestra in 2003, New London Pictures is a three-movement work that takes as its The Lochnagar Suite theme different aspects of modern London. The Old Man of Lochnagar is a children’s ‘Millennium Bridge’ describes the book written by HRH The Prince of Wales pedestrian’s journey across this wonderful and published in 1980. The story was one new landmark over the River Thames, starting which Prince Charles had told to entertain at the imposing Tate Modern gallery, crossing his brothers, Andrew and Edward, when they the busy river, and moving onwards to were young. It revolves round an old man who St Paul’s Cathedral with its bells ringing out lives in a cave in the cliffs surrounding the over the great city. corrie loch under the Lochnagar, a mountain ‘London Eye’ refers to the large Ferris which overlooks the royal estate at Balmoral wheel situated on the South Bank of the in Scotland where the Royal Family spends Thames, and depicts a ‘flight’, at the top of much of its summer holidays. which we see the whole of London spread out In 2007, the National Youth Ballet of Great beneath us. Britain received permission from the Prince ‘Congestion Charge’ alludes to the fee that of Wales to create a new ballet based on was introduced to London motorists in the his story and commissioned Nigel Hess to early part of 2003. The movement is self- compose the score. With choreography by explanatory: here are Londoners attempting Drew McOnie, the ballet received its premiere to go about their business in the face of at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on overwhelming odds... 14 October 2007. This three-movement suite, which the Ladies in Lavender composer arranged from the orchestral The theme from the film Ladies in Lavender score, draws on the dance highlights in (2004), starring Dames Judi Dench and Lochnagar. ‘Scottish Dances’ depicts a 8 joyous Highlands dance festival during would have turned to families and loved which the Old Man rediscovers his lost youth; ones left far behind, and this is depicted in a ‘Dark Lochnagar’ is a wistful arrangement quieter interlude. of a nineteenth-century Scottish ballad to A delightfully human incident is accompany the Old Man as he searches represented in the next section. The night for his true love; and ‘Dance of the Eagle’ before Monck reached the City of London, describes the majestic and dynamic Lord he and his troops set up camp in Barnet. A of the Air who guides the Old Man on his contemporary account takes up the story: adventures. The English Regiments being long accustomed to a lazy life in the luxury of Monck’s March the town were very unwilling to exchange This concert overture, commissioned by the their old quarters in the city for coarser Band of the Coldstream Guards in 2002, tells entertainment in the country, so began the story of General Monck’s historic journey: a mutiny in the suburbs, and a multitude the arduous march, involving seven thousand of apprentices beat up their drums in the troops, from Coldstream to London during city, declaring for a free Parliament. The the winter of 1660. The main theme heard Council of State were so alarmed with the throughout the piece is based on an old disorders in the city that, late in the night, traditional melody actually called ‘Monck’s they dispatched messengers to Scot in March’, long celebrated in the worlds of folk the General’s quarters at Barnet, desiring and morris dance. Monck to halt his march into the city. The Northumbrian pipes herald a call to Mr Scot was so affrighted out of his sleep arms from the regimental drums, and the that he could not stay to dress himself, but journey begins on New Year’s Day, the sounds in the dishabit of his nightgown, cap and of Auld Lang Syne still ringing in the soldiers’ slippers, hurried to the General’s quarters, ears. After the initial euphoria the march where he made a terrible representation becomes exhausting: the troops covered of this mutiny in the city, requiring General about twenty miles a day, the roads on which Monck to beat his drums instantly, and they moved were very bad, especially in march forward. But the General, that did winter, and both rations and medicine were not used to be alarmed with every little in short supply. It is inevitable that thoughts noise, returned him an answer calmly, and 9 persuaded Mr Scot to return to his bed, and story of Beatrice and Benedict, played on put his fears under his pillow. this occasion by Sinead Cusack and Derek Monck’s March concludes with Monck’s Jacobi. The incidental score received a New triumphant entry into the City of London on York Drama Desk Award for ‘Outstanding 3 February 1660. The feared mutiny had been Music in a Play’ during the production’s run quelled, and the General on Broadway. took his own time to march leisurely that The second movement, ‘The Statue’, morning into London, the three Regiments illustrates the climactic scene of The Winter’s of Horse first, and the General mounted Tale. ‘Music, awake her, strike!’ – so says Paulina at the head of them, with his trumpets as the statue of Hermione comes to life at the before him. end of this magical play. ‘Descend: be stone no The ancient London street cry of ‘oranges and more; approach; strike all that look upon with lemons’ rings out as the troops pass through marvel.’ In this production Jeremy Irons played a the city gates, and the long journey from memorable Leontes. Coldstream is complete. The production of Julius Caesar featured a spectacular Senate scene, complete with Shakespeare Pictures cathedral organ and a battalion of brass Commissioned by Birmingham Symphonic players fanfaring the imminent death of Winds in 2008, Shakespeare Pictures Caesar himself. The music from this scene originates in incidental music composed forms the basis of the final movement, ‘The for productions by the Royal Shakespeare Entry to the Senate’. Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and London. The composer expanded and re-orchestrated A Christmas Overture parts of this music to form a three-movement This vivacious and colourful piece, suite for symphonic wind orchestra. commissioned by John Rutter for his 2007 Effectively a concert overture, the first Christmas Festival, proved an instant movement, ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, success with audience and orchestra alike was actually used as the entr’acte in the (performed in its orchestral version by the production itself. It draws on material Royal Philharmonic Orchestra). Traditional from the joyous dance sequences that are carols, skilfully juxtaposed and interwoven, scattered throughout the well-known love provide the thematic material. They are, 10 in order of their appearance, ‘Ding dong! by Eric Coates for the film The Dambusters. Merrily on High’, ‘Deck the Hall’, ‘Il est né le Since 2010 the Central Band and the RAF Divin Enfant’ (scored for pastoral woodwind), Squadronaires Big Band have sold more than ‘Infant Holy, Infant Lowly’ (lyrical cor anglais 170,000 albums; Reach for the Skies was and violin solos), ‘Personent Hodie’ (a fanfare- nominated for the Classic FM Album of the Year like call to attention), ‘We Wish You a Merry at the 2012 Classic Brit Awards.