Papaioea is an original hymn named for my city of residence, Palmerston North. Papaioea is the name of the clearing around which the city was created and is believed to mean 'how beautiful it is'. The hymn consists of three verses in progressively higher keys, separated by harmonically varying bridge passages.
A short number exploring the cheerful Lydian mode suitable for 1st/2nd Section or B-Grade bands. A Little Adventure has a light and breezy feel but gives players' fingers a good workout!
All Creatures explores the well-known music to St. Francis of Assisi’s 1225 poem whose opening is translated to “All creatures of our God and King”.
In this setting, the hymn is presented as a prelude in ternary form. The opening section, an Allegro, explores themes derived from phrases of the hymn, under-pinned by the characteristic Salvation Army 3+3+2 quaver-rhythm style. The central section, Cantabile, states the hymn in full as well as developing aspects of it in the slower tempo. The final section combines themes from the Allegro with the hymn, gradually reaching a glorious statement of the chorus before concluding with a short Presto.
Children. The chaos, noise, unpredictability, combined with seemingly boundless energy makes little people a wonder to observe – more so when they’re somebody else’s! Yet in so many moments they are so delightful, and in the relationship between parent and child we find the best expression of unconditional love.
Dance of the Three Year Old is a celebration of that love intertwined with the maelstrom of a young child. It bounces quickly from mood to mood - the bubbly dance, the angry stomp, the peaceful play – with each returning over and over. The piece is set in a relatively classical style, overdoing some elements, like the diminished 7th, to give it a more carefree character and imbue an innocence and playfulness befitting my daughter as she approaches four.
A light pop-style solo for Flugelhorn that gives the player the opportunity to switch gracefully between subtle-rhythmic work and the lush fluidity that the Flugelhorn does so well.
Small Musing For Horn was written to give an opportunity for a 1st Horn player to solo with the band. It is careful not to be demanding in terms of range or dynamic, but allows the soloist to express the lyrical aspects of their instrument and work in contrast with the accompanying band.
The hymn Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven, is a personal favourite of mine going back to my childhood. Its musical nature is one of triumphing over adversity with the darker third and fourth phrases resolving resplendently in the fifth.
However, I opted to give it a more lamenting setting, representing the sober reality that adversities are not romantic notions, that we usually survive them rather than triumph over them, and that the scars of those battles can hurt for a long time. To create that setting I’ve tried to imbue the piece with a sense of loss, reflection and, at times, desolation. This is most evident in the troubled introduction and second verse, the latter of which eschews tertian harmony to provide a bleak and sparse character.
An arrangement of the statement and recapitulation of one of Anton Brucker's most famous themes, that of the slow movement of his 7th symphony.
A return to writing for orchestra after many years, The Undertaking of a Quest emerged from an attempt to emulate some of the romanticism and looser harmonic constraints of film sounds, and trying to string those into a cohesive form. It progressively evokes some of the spirit and emotions that may be felt on a journey of adventure: confidence, uncertainty, excitement, fulfilment and many others.
A slow melody for Bb soloist using Dorian mode to give a more sombre and reflective tone, with patches of light projecting through with the intermittent drift into major tonality.
A three-part solo for tenor horn intended for intermediate players in 'not slow' competitions.
Triangle starts with a slow melody in 6/8 with a weak harmonic basis on 4ths and 5ths that allows the melody to weave through various tone centers. The second section is a little jig that starts quite joyfully, but wanders into darker harmonic spaces before recapitulating brightly. The final section is in a faster off-beat style with a collection of short runs that allow the player to illustrate their technical grace.
A piece intended for use by intermediate players in 'not-slow' solo contests, Competition Piece for Brass #3 comprises four connected movements in four different styles. The first movement is a Moderato over quartal harmony challenging the player to perform with restraint and fluidity. The Scherzo which follows is faster and more complex, based on a Neapolitan scale, and demands precise fingering and articulation. The third movement is a slow and expressive Largo, which leads us into the fireworks of the finale, a quick classical Rondo.