Marianne - Flugelhorn Feature

Written in 1974, Marianne is a beautifully lyrical flugelhorn ballad by Martin Bunce, now newly arranged by the composer for brass band. Originally written during a particularly romantic period in Bunce’s life, the piece was first performed on the BBC Two television programme In Concert by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, with Martin himself featured as the flugelhorn soloist. A recording was subsequently released by RCA on 45rpm, and Marianne gradually became an established and much-loved part of the NYJO repertoire. It has since appeared on several of the orchestra’s recordings, including the four-CD collection The Very Best of NYJO. The melody has also found a home in the brass band world, notably through Maurice Murphy’s recording with the Leyland Band on The Lighter Side of Maurice Murphy. This new brass band arrangement places the flugelhorn’s distinctive warm and mellow tone firmly at the heart of the music, supported by sympathetic and accessible scoring throughout the band. Neither the solo part nor the accompaniment is excessively demanding, making Marianne an excellent choice for a wide range of bands and an ideal contrast item for concert programmes. Warm, expressive and immediately appealing, it offers the flugelhorn soloist an opportunity to shine while giving audiences a memorable melody to take away. A charming addition to any brass band library, Marianne is particularly well suited to concerts, solo features and lighter programmes.

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