Penlee: Brass Band Score & Parts

Name: Penlee: Brass Band Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 12-0571569862
Price: 135.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Simon Dobson

Item: 12-0571569862

$135.00

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To some, the tragic story of the Penlee lifeboat, Solomon Browne, would need no introduction, and to some the pain felt is still very much a reality. The composer, born just a few weeks before that fateful night on the 19th December 1981, has created this work as a musical homage to the bravery of the souls who lost their lives and has dedicated it to their memory.

Penlee was commissioned by the Cornwall Youth Brass Band using funds bequeathed by Michael Pickett. The first performance was given by the Cornish Youth Brass Band, conducted by Ian Porthouse, at St Michael's Church, Newquay (UK), on 30th December 2008.

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Series: Faber Edition: Faber Brass Band Series

Publisher: Faber Music

ISBN10: 0-571-56986-2

ISBN13: 978-0-571-56986-1

SKU: 12-0571569862

Instrumentation: Brass Band

More about this title

About the Composer: Simon Dobson

Simon Dobson is a British composer whose work spans orchestral, chamber, and brass band repertoire. Born in 1981, he has developed a distinctive voice in contemporary classical music that often engages with narrative and historical subject matter, bringing emotional depth to large ensemble writing.

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Why we love this

Dobson's restraint in setting such a heavy subject allows the music to honor without overwhelming. The work respects both the gravity of the event and the resilience of the community, making it powerful programming for ensembles ready to engage meaningfully with contemporary brass band literature.

What to expect

The music carries the weight of remembrance without sentimentality, moving through moments of dignity and introspection. Darker tones and structured phrasing create a soundscape that is contemplative and respectful, reflecting both loss and the courage being honored.

Who it's for

Advanced brass bands with the maturity to approach a memorial work with the seriousness it deserves. This piece suits ensembles experienced in contest performance and accustomed to navigating both technical demands and emotional depth.

How to get the most out of it

Honor the commemorative intent by discussing the Penlee lifeboat disaster and its local significance with your band before rehearsals begin. Context deepens musical commitment.
Attend carefully to dynamic control in passages of stillness. The emotional weight comes from clarity and restraint, not volume.
Balance the brass band sonority so that inner voices remain audible during complex harmonic moments. This piece rewards transparent scoring.
Allow time for the band to sit with silence if the work includes it. Some of the most moving effects in memorial music happen in what is not played.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert that acknowledges local or regional history, particularly in areas with maritime heritage. It works well alongside other contemporary brass band works or in a program that balances lighter fare with substantial, serious repertoire.