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Listen: The Sword and the Crown (3rd Movement)

In 1988 I was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to write the music for The Plantagenets trilogy, directed by Adrian Noble in Stratford-upon-Avon.  These plays take us from the death of Henry V to the death of Richard III.  Later, in 1991, I wrote the music for Henry IV parts 1 and 2, again in Stratford.  All of these plays are concerned with the struggle for power (the crown) through the use of force (the sword) and they portray one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the British monarchy.

This work quickly became established in the mainstream repertoire and has received performances worldwide as well as five commercial recordings and many broadcasts.  In 2002 I was approached by the Parc and Dare Band regarding their summer festival and commissioned to do a version for brass band.  This was given its first performance in Treorchy Hall by the combined bands of Black Dyke and Parc and Dare conducted by Nicholas Childs.

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