The Music

VANGUARD is the exciting debut solo CD from Iain Culross, principal cornet player of Leyland Band. The album contains many new works recorded for the first time, as well as a number of well loved favourites. Much of the music on “Vanguard” was either written specially for the album, or was otherwise un-published or un-recorded. Although the home page for Vanguard provides you with the opportunity to audition a short clip from each track, this page attempts to provide more background on each work, including details such as who the publisher is. Use the buttons above to visit the Vanguard Home page if you’d like listen to samples of the tracks or order a copy for delivery – alternatively, the Digital Downloads button takes you to a page where you can purchase MP3 or WMA versions for immediate download.

  • Vanguard  – this show piece by Scottish composer James McFadyen showcases Iain’s flair as a soloist in all its guises, while the brass band backdrop plays much more than just an accompanying role. The juxtaposition of rock and march rhythms with atmospherically dark harmonies combine to make this a fun piece with a serious edge and also a challenging range! – Publisher: Devilish Publishing
  • Iain’s father Frank arranged the beautiful Scots melody Mary of Argyll for and eleven year old Iain. Iain had wanted to play a certain other well know Scottish melody one of his first solo contests, but as a piano part could not be obtained, dad stepped in to offer “Mary” as an alternative. Although it was originally arranged with piano accompaniment, it was later re-scored for full band. – Publisher: Difem SA (Switzerland)
  • Concertino for Cornet is new work for cornet by Jonathan Bates was written at Iain’s request. This is a charming piece which comprises three distinctive sections: the opening caprice section leads into a beautiful elegy which forms the middle movement, before a virtuosic cadenza section leads into the final 10/8 vivace movement, which is a form of variation on the opening two bars of the caprice. – Publisher – TBC.
  • Lucht Siuil (Walking People) is a movement taken from Richard Rock’s “Heroes of Erin” suite. During the Irish Famine, many people emigrated to Europe, Australia and America, moving on from place to place searching for somewhere to settle, the main mode of transportation being on foot, after they’d disembarked from the ship. This solemn tune depicts the scene at the time. – Publisher – Offbeat Music.
  • Originally written by German Violinist Jeno Hubay, Hejre Kati was later adapted by the famous Mexican trumpet virtuoso Raphael Mendez. Here it has been arranged with brass band accompaniment by Leigh Baker and allows Iain to display his versatile style and technique. Publisher – Kirklees Music.
  • Bring Him Home is one of the most famous numbers from the hit musical, “Les Miserables”. In the musical it features the protagonist, Jean Valjean, singing a prayer to god. This arrangement (which is actually for soprano cornet) by Keith Wilkinson beautifully shows off Iain’s delicate melodic-playing .- Publisher – Studio Music.
  • Fiero is the Italian word for “proud”. The piece is about virtuosity, traditionally demonstrated by a soloist – an artist who stands alone in the spotlight showing off their skill and rhetorical interpretation of the music. This piece shows virtuosity of both the band and soloist as each battle to take the limelight, resulting in a buildup of tension as the soloist constantly battles for supremacy over the band. – Publisher – TBC.
  • Darrol Barry’s Suite for Cornet was originally composed for cornet and piano but at Iain’s request Darrol very kindly adapted it for brass band especially for this recording. Written in four movements to showcase the various facets of the cornet, it ranges from a sombre barcarole-like opening movement, through a lively almost latin-style second movement, and a beautifully haunting third, before the final technical tour-de-force which requires plenty of nimble playing from both soloist and band. – Publisher – TBC.
  • Arietta (little aria) by Frank Culross was originally called “Song Without Words”, but was later renamed to reflect the underlying structure of its slow pensive sections followed by the Aria-like chorus. It was inspired by many of the wonderful melodies found in today’s Salvation Army repertoire – unlike “Mary of Argyll” (see above) this was originally written for full band and a piano reduction create later. – Publisher: Devilish Publishing (with band) (with piano)
  • John Iveson’s virtuosic solo Charivari was written for the late great trumpet virtuoso, James Watson, and it is based around several Spanish melodies – most notably “Granada” and “Dark Eyes”. The piece is a real tour de force and a favourite solo of many cornet and trumpet players, Iain included. – Publisher – Brass Wind Publications.
  • Richard Rock’s haunting and mournful Elegy is the third movement from “The Hidden Soul of Harmony”. It was written for Fitjar Skulekorps based in Norway and won the soloist prize at the Sotrafestivalen contest in 2011. – Publisher – Offbeat Music.
  • Willy Brandt’s Concertpiece no. 1 is reminiscent of the great romantic violin concertos of the time in which it was written, with its virtuosic cadenzas, technical passages, and beautiful melodic sections. Brandt was a trumpet player in some of the leading orchestras of Russia at the turn of the 20th century and drew much inspiration from the Russian music of his era. This arrangement is by Leigh Baker – Publisher – TBC.