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Danceries (Set I): Brass Band Score & Parts

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Danceries (Set I) Cover Image

Danceries (Set I): Brass Band Score & Parts

By Kenneth Hesketh

Item: 12-0571565123

$120.00
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Description
The term Danceries can be found in a copy of Playford's Dancing Master, an extensive collection of folk and popular tunes of the seventeenth century (and no doubt earlier). This publication was used by master fiddle players to teach the various dance steps of the day to a nobleman's house or a king's court. Whilst this present set of 'Danceries' cannot be said to be an aid to terpsichorean agility, it will at least set feet tapping!

The melodies themselves are a mixture of new and old---well, nearly. Where the old occurs it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material. The harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of the new into these themes and add to the drama of the set.

Movement 1: Lull me beyond thee.
Gentle and lilting, almost a barcarole, this movement is very much a reverie. The original tune had the name 'Poor Robin's Maggot' - a rather disconcerting title; maggot, however, in seventeenth-century parlance meant whim or fancy. This theme can also be found in The Beggar's Opera by John Gay (first performed in 1728) under the title 'Would you have a young lady' (Air 21).

Movement 2: Catching of Quails.
A colorful, buoyant scherzo on an original melody. The thematic material is shuttled around the band to contrast with full-bodied tuttis. The last few bars fade away to almost nothing before a final surprise!

Movement 3: My Lady's Rest.
A tender pavane, also on an original theme, with Moorish leanings. Solos for principal winds and brass contrast with warmer tutti passages. The movement culminates with a final presentation of the theme before evaporating in held flute and trumpet chords.

Movement 4: Quodling's delight.
The final movement to the set combining one of the melodies from Playford's Dancing Master ('Goddesses') with an original contrasting melody. A dramatic and exuberant ending to the set of 'Danceries'.

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Additional Details
Series: Faber Edition: Faber Brass Band Series
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-56512-3
ISBN13: 978-0-571-56512-2
UPC: 571565123000
SKU: 12-0571565123
Instrumentation: Brass Band

More about this title

About the Composer: Kenneth Hesketh

Kenneth Hesketh is a Scottish composer whose work spans orchestral, chamber, and brass band repertoire. His compositions are known for their sophisticated harmonic language, structural clarity, and imaginative orchestration that balances contemporary compositional techniques with accessible musical ideas.

Why we love this

Hesketh constructs a three-movement suite that feels both intellectually satisfying and genuinely performable, blending historical source material with modern compositional thinking. The piece gives every section of the band opportunities to shine through thematic exchanges and contrasting textures, making it equally rewarding for audiences and players. It works beautifully as a contest piece or as a centerpiece for a concert celebrating British brass band tradition.

What to expect

The suite opens with a dreamy, almost wistful quality as if peering into an old manuscript by candlelight. It then shifts into playful, mercurial exchanges before settling into the tender, exotic atmosphere of the closing pavane, leaving listeners with a sense of having journeyed through centuries of dance and reverie.

Who it's for

Brass bands at the intermediate to advanced level who want substantial contest material or concert repertoire with genuine musical depth. Directors seeking a work that honors brass band tradition while offering contemporary compositional rigor will find Danceries immediately engaging.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the opening movement's barcarole character by maintaining a gentle, rocking quality in the accompaniment figures while allowing the melody to float above with lyrical phrasing.
  • Balance the scherzo's thematic shuttling by ensuring that material passed between sections remains clearly audible; avoid letting tuttis obscure the linear storytelling.
  • Approach the fade-out before the final surprise in Movement 2 with precise ensemble control; the dynamics here are structural and must land cleanly for the unexpected conclusion to register.
  • Bring out the Moorish flavor in the pavane's harmonic language; the principal solos in Movement 3 should have space and intimacy even within the full band texture.

How to use it

Program this as a standalone concert centerpiece, or pair it with other British brass band works to create a thematic evening exploring the genre's history and contemporary voice. It also serves effectively as a contest selection where judges value compositional sophistication and balanced ensemble writing.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining lyrical phrasing in slow, gentle passages without losing ensemble blend
  • Managing rapid thematic exchanges and section-to-section entrances with rhythmic precision
  • Balancing prominent solos with accompaniment figures across the full band
  • Controlling extreme dynamic ranges, including sustained diminuendos to near silence
  • Responding to harmonic language that extends beyond traditional functional harmony

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