Rondo alla Berserker is a striking solo work for trumpet / cornet that inhabits a very different world. Structurally straightforward — A–B–A–C–A — the ritornello ‘A’ sections feature a brash, jazzy theme built on lopsided additive rhythms. The sense of asymmetry continues into the ‘B’ section, a virtuosic moto perpetuo: fast but mostly quiet, with syncopated accents creating tension, excitement, and suspense.
After a reprise of the opening material, the ‘C’ section maintains the jazzy feel but introduces a more sensual, even raunchy element, before the final ritornello drives the solo to an appropriately frenzied climax.
All profits from the sale of this music will be donated equally to the charities chosen by the composer, Robin Stevens during his lifetime. In purchasing this music, you are not only supporting the art he loved, but continuing a legacy of generosity that defined him.
Concert Opener for Brass Band composed and revised by Chris King. Dedicated to the Tredegar Band.
‘Rockall’ was the closing highlight of Friary Brass Band’s 2023 Brass in Concert Championship programme, titled ‘The Shipping Forecast’. Rockall, an uninhabited granite islet in the North Atlantic Ocean and part of the United Kingdom, is one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office.
Sam Every, a native of Cornwall—a region steeped in maritime history—composed ‘Rockall’ as a vibrant celebration of the fictional tales that captivated him from a young age. Stories of pirates, smugglers, mermaids, and epic duels across the seven seas naturally advance the narrative of the music through five distinct motifs.
The journey begins with the depiction of rolling waves, setting the stage for an adventure across the ‘Seven Seas’, marked by the sounding of the ship’s bell. Before the ship can set sail, it must ‘Hoist the Colours’! This voyage of discovery features various soundscapes: the delicate ballad tones of ‘Mermaids’, a ferocious cannon fight in ‘Cannon Fodder’, and culminates in a heroic ‘Victory’, embodying both triumph and glory amid the danger, darkness, and urgency of the high seas.
So, hoist the colours and set sail with ‘Rockall’ to begin your own musical adventure!
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