Hazel Leach : Composer

contact - catalogue - biography - prizes and awards - links

Bigband

Double Trouble: Suite for Bigband

Written in 1999, this piece is a feature for the rhythm section- piano, bass and drums. Recorded by The United Women's Orchestra on the cd "Virgo Supercluster" (2002)
Since I was brought up in the English education system, Shakespeare has probably influenced me more than any other writer. The titles of the three movements of the suite are all quotes from the three witches in "Macbeth". They form an Elizabethan reincarnation of the ancient triple-goddess (like the Fates or the Furies). They represent the powers of birth, life and death, although in the case of Macbeth, mainly the latter. Musically speaking, the rhythm section players drive the band- they can kill it or swing it!

The piece starts with an intro- bell figures with solo piano fills, moving into the first movement "Hubble Bubble". As befits a cauldron, it's a circular progression, with a bass clarinet solo stirring the pot.
"Toil and Trouble" is the second movement: essentially a 2-part theme, played on the cd by tuba and clarinets. A piano solo connects to the full tutti statement of the theme, after which a bass solo takes over.
This is the link to the last movement "Hurly Burly"- a funkier mix, with a drum solo running through to the end.

Original line-up: as/fl, ss/as/cl, ts/cl, ts/bcl, bs/fl, bcl. 4 tp(flg), 3 tb, tba, pn, bs, dm.
Length: at least 13'40"

There are also extra parts available for guitar and horn.
Information about ordering the music can be found on the "contact" page- see link above.

Links
United Women's Orchestra: about the band "Virgo Supercluster"  UWO cd
pdf file: Hubble Bubble score pdf file: Toil and Trouble duet
mp3: Hubble Bubble844K mp3: Toil and Trouble theme644K mp3: Hurly Burly theme516K