King Arthur: Brass Band Score & Parts

Name: King Arthur: Brass Band Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 12-0571572081
Price: 33.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Scenes from a radio drama

By Benjamin Britten

Item: 12-0571572081

$33.99

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King Arthur was the first of 28 scores Benjamin Britten composed for radio between 1937 and 1947. It was an ambitious dramatization of King Arthur's life and times; part pageant, part play, part cantata; written by D.G. Bridson. This colorful suite incorporates the "Introduction," a dramatic "Wild Dance," some of the music underscoring the scenes for "Galahad and The Holy Grail," and two vivid battle scenes, ending with "The Final Battle" and "Apotheosis." King Arthur (scenes from a radio drama) for brass band should not be confused with a much longer orchestral suite, which Paul Hindmarsh devised from the same source in 1995.

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Series: Faber Edition: Faber Brass Band Series

Publisher: Faber Music

ISBN10: 0-571-57208-1

ISBN13: 978-0-571-57208-3

UPC: 9780571572083

SKU: 12-0571572081

More about this title

About the Composer: Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was one of the twentieth century's most prolific and versatile composers. His gift for writing idiomatically for specific ensembles and voices shaped his output across opera, orchestral works, choral music, and song cycles. During the Second World War, Britten composed extensively for radio, film, and theater, producing works that combined accessibility with genuine compositional sophistication.

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Why we love this

This brass band arrangement gives ensembles access to one of Britten's most vividly colored works without requiring a full orchestra. The suite captures the narrative scope of the original radio drama through discrete, contrasting movements that showcase the full range of brass band sound, from lyrical passages to thrilling battle music. Contest repertoire rarely offers this combination of dramatic storytelling and musical substance.

What to expect

This music captures medieval legend through a modernist lens. Britten shifts between moments of austere beauty, primal energy in the wild dance, and the grandeur of the final battle and apotheosis, creating a journey that feels both theatrical and musically coherent.

Who it's for

Brass band directors seeking contest repertoire with genuine artistic weight will find this suite both performable and rewarding. Upper-level amateur and semi-professional ensembles have the technical range to realize Britten's colorful orchestration and dramatic intent.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the melodic lines carefully across the band, especially in the Introduction where sustained counterpoint needs clarity. Individual voice independence matters here.
Approach the Wild Dance with rhythmic precision and marked dynamic contrast. Britten's orchestration relies on abrupt shifts between sections to create momentum.
Shape the battle scenes through graduated dynamics and strategic use of the full ensemble. Resist the urge to play everything loudly; the final climax lands harder with intelligent dynamic architecture.
The Apotheosis benefits from careful intonation in the chorale-like writing. Lock the harmonic framework before adding expression.

How to use it

Program this as a substantial contest piece or as the centerpiece of a concert exploring twentieth-century brass band repertoire. Its narrative arc works well as a standalone suite or paired with shorter works that complement rather than compete with its scope and color.