British Brass Bands Around the World (Pacific)

 Hello lads! Welcome back to another brass ensemble blog. Today we'll be taking a look at British brass band tradition across the world! Lets start by taking a look at one of Australias premiere brass bands, Sidney City Brass.

Live performance of SIEGE for the Australian National Band Championships in 2023

    This piece was written as a response to the Lindt Cafe siege terrorist attack that happened the15th to the 16th in December of 2014.

    Program notes: The opening section 'Day' captures the abrupt imposition of the sinister siege event upon an otherwise festive Sydney city morning. The response is chaotic and concerned, as Australia tries to interpret the situation unfolding within the building. The siege is seemingly unyielding, with even the frenzied escape of five hostages not easing the tension. 

    

    A crescendo of movement pushes the work into the haunting 'Night' section. The eerie quiet, coupled with the shimmering of Sydney's city lights only heightens the unease both within and beyond the cafe's walls. After more hostages escape, an alarming sense of foreboding surges over Martin Place. Two shotgun blasts from within the building instigates an armed police raid of the cafe. An explosion of 22 shots are fired, and the siege comes to an end. Four people are injured and three (including the perpetrator) are dead. 

   

 The final section 'Elegy' is dedicated to the lives of hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, who were tragically killed during the siege. Solemn and reflective, 'Elegy' hopes to capture Australia's heartfelt response to the victims of the attack.

Next lets move over to the Japanese British brass band tradition with the group Frontier Brass Osaka.

Live performance by Frontier Brass Osaka in 2022

One of the most notable Japanese brass bands, The Breeze Brass Band, commissioned Philip Sparke to write them this piece for the 10 year anniversary. Philip Sparke is a big name in brass band compositions, and having him participate in the Japanese brass band scene is very notable.

    Program notes: The Breeze Brass Band, based in Osaka, Japan, is a professional ensemble, which was founded in 1990 to encourage the growth of brass bands there. They have invited many leading British conductors, composers and soloists to share their expertise and without doubt have been responsible, through concerts and recordings, for a huge increase in interest in brass bands in their country.

    In November 2000 they reached their 10th anniversary and commissioned Philip Sparke, a frequent visitor, to write a piece to celebrate the occasion. Flying the Breeze was the result and the composer made the concert band transcription in 2004.

    The piece opens with three repeated notes (in the brass band version these were written Bs – BBB being the band’s initials) and a short introduction leads to a robust theme from the clarinets, horns and trombones, which is then taken up by trumpets. A restless bridge passage leads to a syncopated tune from the alto saxophone and then to a third theme from a solo euphonium. A graceful second subject, initially on a solo clarinet, leads back to a recall of the introductory material before a full-scale recapitulation. An intense allargando leads to a full-band version of the second subject under a running woodwind passage, which leads to a short coda.

Next time we will look into more brass bands from around the world. See you soon!