The Brass Band Equivalent of a Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Call me odd, but I LOVE this time of year. 

Literally, since the clock turned midnight on 1st September, my wardrobe has been made up of jumpers and checked flannel shirts. I have Pinterest boards of Halloween decorations, and right now I'm made up of around 70-80% pumpkin spice coffee. Give me an autumn evening with the rain tapping against the window, a good book in one hand, a glass of something warm (with maybe a tot or two of whiskey in it) in the other, and a lovely bit of cozy instrumental music in the background, and I'm a happy girl.

You know what lends itself well to this cosy little ambience we’ve created? Brass band music. Well, some brass band music - I imagine blasting ‘The Triumph of Time’ might not really be that relaxing…or would it? Well, dear reader - let us see, as I’m about to take you through 10 wonderfully chilled pieces of music that are the perfect soundtrack to a cosy autumn evening. 

All the pieces mentioned as well as a plethora of other beautifully relaxing tunes can be found in my Cosy Autumn Brass playlist on Spotify - click play below and have a listen whilst you read!

1) Moonlight Serenade

Originally released as an instrumental track in 1939 by Glenn Miller, this effortlessly charming tune was an instant hit and has become one of his most recognisable tracks. After its release it reached number 3 in the billboard charts where it stayed for 15 weeks! 

This version of ‘Moonlight Serenade’ performed by The Cory Band on the compilation album, ‘The Best of Brass Bands’ is the perfect tune to start the cosy playlist I’ve created for this blog. Its effortless charm, rolling lilt and suave solo interludes just rocks you into a state of chilled AF! Delightful.

2) Kenilworth Mvmt. II - Serenade on the Lake

From a big band classic to an original work for a brass band. Arthur Bliss’ ‘Kenilworth’ has always held a soft spot in my heart since I played it at my first ever Butlin’s contest way back in 2014. 

The suite was first performed at the Crystal Palace Championship back in 1936 and is based on the visit of Queen Elizabeth I to Kenilworth Castle in 1575.  The second movement of this work, is a short, simple, emotive little number that features melancholic solo moments from the solo cornet, euphonium and soprano cornet. It really is beautiful writing - atmospheric with a haunting opening that modulates into a more uplifting vibe towards the close of the movement. A classic stunner performed with care and heart by the Black Dyke Band on their recent release, “Bliss: Works for Brass Band” conducted by John Wilson. 

3) Meditation from The Triumph of Time

As I said in the intro, when you think of chilled out, relaxing music Peter Graham’s ‘The Triumph of Time’ isn’t really the first piece that comes to mind. However, Peter Graham has done a wondrous thing with a few of his major works in isolating the beautiful slow movements and repurposing them into beautiful solo and duet features. ‘Meditation’ is one example of this. Originally written to show off the beautiful sounds of the flugel and baritone, the piece can be performed with different combinations of instruments playing the duet parts, such as flugel/cornet and euphonium/trombone.

In the version I chose for this playlist, the work is performed by the insanely talented duo of Philip Cobb on trumpet and Peter Moore on trombone, accompanied by the Black Dyke Band and it is an absolute treat! I have to admit I’ve listened to it more than a few times as I’ve been writing this post. The piece is an emotive conversation between the two soloists, with lovely interludes from solo instruments around the stand and a warm ensemble supporting underneath. Just gorgeous!

4) Interlude from Year of the Dragon

Speaking of interludes, if we’re talking about warm pieces, it doesn’t get much warmer than the second movement of Philip Sparke’s ‘Year of the Dragon’. Regular readers of the blog - I can sense you rolling your eyes. No I’m not done talking about this piece - I’m sorry, I just really like it!

The whole movement is a collage of lush, warm tones and that trombone solo at the beginning - dear lord, I just love it! It is just such a laid back, suave...maybe even a little bit sexy (are we allowed to say that?) piece of lyrical writing. Basically, if this trombone solo had a persona, it would be 6ft 4, in a tailored suit with a glass of scotch in hand. When played well, it is the James Bond or Harvey Specter of trombone solos. Bit of a weird comparison maybe…but I'm not wrong am I? I see you nodding.

Ahem…moving on!

I love the way this piece builds, bit by bit and when that rush of the gong leads us into that glorious chordal ensemble section, it's like the sun has emerged through the clouds. The hues of gold and orange used in the beginning, burst into explosions of deep warm red and vermillion - it’s powerful but not harsh. Just big and warm - like a really good hug. Another little seductive line from the trombone leads us to the end of the piece. 7 minutes of some of the most evocative writing for brass band I’ve ever heard in my 20 years of playing and it’s performed beautifully by the Brass Band of Battle Creek in the version I’ve included in this playlist.  

5) Sugar Blues

Originally written by Clarence Williams in 1919 with lyrics by Lucy Fletcher, ‘Sugar Blues’ was first recorded in 1922 by Leona Williams and her Band. It’s since been recorded by a number of musicians, including Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. 

Arranged as a cornet solo, it’s a ditty as sweet as the name suggests. It’s lighthearted with just a hint of fun with the use of harmon mute and ad lib ‘wah-wah’ effects throughout. Behind its candied façade, it isn’t actually that easy a solo, but when played well (as it is by Grimethorpe Colliery Band in the version I picked for this playlist), it is full of character and a great little tune to have in the background as you unwind or thumb through a book. 

6) Stardust

From one jazz classic to another. Stardust is a 1927 song written by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics later added by Mitchell Parish. It has been recorded over 1500 times in various instrumental and vocal settings and it’s easy to see why - it’s a great tune! It’s said that Carmichael wrote ‘Stardust’ with inspiration from the end of his love affair with a woman who would go on to marry one of the trumpet players from his band - charming! 

Arranged for solo trombone by Bill Geldard, this version of ‘Stardust’ is beloved and regularly performed by bands all over the world. It’s a great, easy-listening tune that’s full of soul. It wouldn’t be out of place in the soundtrack of a 1950’s golden hollywood blockbuster. It needs a player who will pull the character out of the writing and this performance by Brass Band Regensburg has just the right amount of jauntiness and flair. I’d love to know who the soloist was, as I can’t seem to find out online - so if anybody knows, shout up!

7) Sunrise Over Blue Ridge

Moving away from brass band arrangements and back into the territory of original music, with Dan Price’s ‘Sunrise Over Blue Ridge’. This is a beautiful atmospheric work - perfect for closing your eyes and drifting off after a long day. 

According to the programme notes on Dan’s website Blue Ridge is a mountain range within the Appalachian Mountains. The trees growing on the mountainside in this area release hydrocarbons into the atmosphere creating a natural haze that gives the range a blue-ish tinge when viewed from a distance. See, it's not just music you learn about reading this blog! Little bit of science thrown in there! Sunrise over Blue Ridge is inspired by the landscapes surrounding this natural beauty and was first premiered by the Cory Band in November 2008 as part of the band’s winning programme at Brass in Concert. 

8) Rhapsody in Brass Mvmt II: Andante Con Moto

Dean Goffin’s ‘Rhapsody in Brass’, is a piece that holds so much nostalgia for me, as it was my first ever test piece that I performed at the age of 13 at the, now extinct, St Helens Contest. 

The second movement is an absolutely gorgeous piece of music that begins with the main theme as a slow melody for solo horn. It’s a tender warm tune that is repeated and grows with each recapitulation. After a jaunty little interlude, a sonorous solo euphonium takes over with a dramatic solo line. Following this, the theme is used again to build up the band sound into this gorgeous, soaring heroic moment that sounds like a ‘flying theme’ from a John Williams soundtrack with the lower brass playing the main theme. It all slowly calms down towards the close with the melody passed around the stand until the band gradually drops off to leave a couple of cornets with the final chord. Performed by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band on their Brass From the Masters Vol. 2 album from 1999, again it’s classic brass band writing performed with care.

9) Magh Seola

Is there anything more cosy than the sound of a flugelhorn? I may be bias, but I think not. Gerard Fahy’s, ‘Magh Seola’ is a beautiful little melody, full of heart that wouldn’t be out of place in a film with cosy countryside settings like ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘The Wind in the Willows’. 

Arranged for brass band by Sandy Smith, it’s a piece that really lends itself well to the tone of the flugel. Its lilting celtic charm and sweet tune is elevated with the warmth of the full brass band sound that builds towards the end of the solo. This particular recording taken from the Black Dyke Band’s ‘Just for Fun’ album is a stunning rendition that is perfect for providing a little comforting light on a grey, rainy day.

10) Autumn Leaves

Now, we couldn’t have an autumn–themed playlist without this number, could we? Another piece that has become a jazz standard (there is something about autumn and jazz that just works, isn’t there?). You would be forgiven for thinking it comes from the pen of someone like Glenn Miller or Hoagy Carmichael, but its melody was originally written by a Hungarian composer called Joseph Kosma. This piece has quite the back story and its had a dramatic evolution into the wistful, laid-back tune we know today. 

It was written to accompany a poem called Les Feuilles Mortes (the dead leaves) by Jacques Prevert, as part of a script for a ballet called Le Rendezvous in 1945. The original words were beautiful but dark and rather despairing about a lost love. In 1950, the song was translated into English, but only a small part of the original lyrics remained. Lyricist, Johnny Mercer transformed the song into a more nostalgic, easy listening song that went on to do the rounds of the era’s most well-known performers, such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.

As an instrumental, the piece has also gained popularity with settings for piano and trombone performed and recorded many times over the decades. Most notably in the brass band world, Bill Geldard’s arrangement of ‘Autumn Leaves’ is a classic trombone solo that has graced the stage at many a brass band concert. 

Explore the Full Playlist

Looking for more cosy, autumn brass band pieces? Enjoy all the tracks mentioned in this post alongside other classic pieces, such as 'Misty', 'A Downland Suite', 'Peace' and 'Lux Aurumque' Check out my ‘Cosy Autumnal Playlist’ on Spotify. Click here to listen.