Sunday Bandstand 1 March 2020

Sunday Bandstand 1 March 2020

Emil von Reznicek (May 4, 1860– August 2, 1945) was an Austrian composer of Czech ancestry.  He was born in Vienna, Austria and studied law and music simultaneously in Graz. He did not finish his law degree but continued to study music, his teacher being Wilhelm Mayer (also known as W. A. Rémy). Subsequently, he conducted at the theatre in Graz, in Berlin and a few other places. From 1886 to 1894 he was Kapellmeister of the 88th Infantry of Prague, and it was here that he saw his greatest triumph with the premiere of Donna Diana (December 16, 1894). In the spring of 1902, he settled in Berlin, touring to Russia and England from time to time. He was a personal friend of Richard Strauss.

When the Nazi Party came to power in 1933, Reznicek tried not to become involved to avoid putting into risk his daughter, Felicitas who was working for Britain’s MI-6.  He died on August 2, 1945, in Berlin, Germany.

Today, Reznicek is mainly remembered for the overture to his opera Donna Diana, composed in 1894. The overture is a popular stand-alone piece at symphonic concerts, and it served as the theme for the American radio (1947–1955) series Challenge of the Yukon, which later migrated to the TV series (1955–1958) Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. It was also used in the 1950s on the BBC’s Children’s Hour by Stephen King-Hall for his talks on current affairs.  Reznicek’s other works include orchestral works (five symphonies, suites, serenades, overtures), a violin concerto (1922), operas, four string quartets, and chamber music.

This week we have John Golland’s arrangement of Emil von Reznicek overture Donna Diana, a piece that is rarely played on brass band concerts these days.

Playlist 1 March 2020 

Recording Details 

Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke   Opening for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010  'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010
March of the Pacemakers - Gordon Langford Massed Bands: Morris Concert, Ransome and Marles Works, Yorkshire Imperial Metals & Camborne Town MD: Harry Mortimer - 1970  'WD & H O Wills Festival Brass - 1970' - Vinyl - 1970
Donna Diana Overture - Emil von Reznicek arr: John Golland  NSK-RHP Ransome Band MD: Brian Grant -   'A Ransome Note' - CD - Plantagenet Music PMRD 9411 - 
Li'l Darlin' - Neil Hefti arr: Philip Sparke Cornet Soloist Fred Muscroft with the Driffield Band MD: Mike Clarke - 2005  'Capital of the Wolds' - CD - DBS1 - 2005
Prelude On 'Lavenham' - Geoffrey Nobes International Staff Band BM: Dr. Stephen Cobb - 2015  'The Adventurers' - CD - SP&S
Softly Softly - Bridget Fry arr: Ray Farr Tongwynlais Temperance Silver Band MD: Gareth Pritchard - 2005  'Castell Coch' - CD - TTSBCD101 - 2005
Symphonette Part 1, Part 2, Part3 - Stephen Bulla  Brass Band Bürgermusik Luzern (Switzerland) MD: Ludwig Wicki - 2000  'Minerva' - CD - De Haske Recordings DHR3.033-3 - 2000
Fatherland - John Hartman arr: K.R.Johnson  Euphonium Soloist David Belshaw with the Fairey Band MD: Simon Stonehouse - 2006  'Fairey Band in Concert' - CD - Doyen Recording DOYCE224 - 2006
Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter - John Williams  Roberts Bakery Band MD: Colin Cranson - 2003  'Rolling Along' - CD - Amadeus Recording AMSCD067 - 2003
Tuxedo Junction - Glen Miller arr: Darrol Barry  Brass Band Willebroek (Belgium) MD: Frans Violet - 2008 Fire Dance' - CD - Bernaerts Records - BR 2008.040 - 2008
Knight Templar - George Allan  Black Dyke Mills Band MD: Geoffrey Whitham - 1964  'The Black Dyke Mills Band' - Vinyl - HMV ‎– CSD 1565 - 1964
Victoria - Alexander Lithgow Kew Band (Australia) MD: Mark Ford - 2000  'On the March' - CD - Muso's Media MM2-005 - 2000 
Echoes of the East - Rodney Newton  Buy as you View Cory Band MD; Dr. Robert Childs - 2004  'Echoes of the East' - CD -  Doyen Recording DOYCD195 - 
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Mozart arr: Goff Richards trssc: Margaret Antrobus Tenor Horn soloist Steve Ridler with the Brisbane Excelsior Band  (Australia) MD: Howard Taylor - 2006  'The Champions' - CD - Accent Music Production - 2006
The Maid of the Mist - Herbert Clarke arr: Dr Keith Wilkinson Trumpet Soloist Michael Sachs with the Brass Band of the Western Reserve  (Northeast Ohio, USA) BM: Dr Keith Wilkinson - 2009  'From Sea to Shining Sea' - CD - BBWRCD04 - 2009
Tone Poem Othello - Drake Rimmer Wingates Temperance Band MD: Denis Smith - 1970  'Brass from Wingates' - Vinyl - Pye Records ‎– GSGL.10461 - 1970
Post Bellum Rhapsody - Erik Leidzen Brass of the Potomac (USA) MD: Stephen Bulla - 2010   'American Fantasy' - CD - 2010
Love Divine - John Stainer arr: Jan de Haan The National Capital Band (USA) BM:  Stephen Bulla - 1997  'Laudes Domini' - CD - 1997
Slipstream - Philip Sparke River City Brass Band (Pittsburgh USA) MD: Robert Bernat - 1993  'Footlifters' - CD - Polyphonic Recording QPRL 057D - 1993
Anything Goes - Cole Porter  Dalewool Auckland Brass (New Zealand) MD: Nigel Weeks - 2002  'Dalewool Auckland Brass ‎– Showtime Hits Of Stage And Screen' - CD - No Label - 2002
Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke​ Closing for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010​ 'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010​

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