Blaze was written by Jim Fieldhouse as a personal composition challenge during the coronavirus lockdown of 2020. The piece came about from a desire to contribute to the contemporary euphonium repertoire and a need for some material for the composer to practice while the UK's brass bands were on pause due to Covid-19. This piece means business! It starts with a bang and is definitely not for the faint hearted. Much of the material centres around repeated semiquavers and requires razor sharp precision to bring off the page. The relentless melodic lines are laid over funk influenced grooves and driving bass riffs. Playing with good time and feel are really important for switching between the more traditional brass band style and the all out jazz Funk sections. While the euphonium 1 part is predominantly a high register part and euphonium 4 is very much the bass of the quartet, all four parts present their own challenges of virtuosic technique, range and stamina.
https://youtu.be/-IFVMKz4Rp0

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