2023 | 5′
for Brass Band
Programme Note
‘Steel Tracks’ is a short piece for brass band inspired by interrail travel in Europe. It opens with a fragile, still texture, painting the serene soundscape of a quiet train platform at London St Pancras in the early hours of the morning. The calm texture subsides into the gradual acceleration of a train leaving the platform before steadily chugging along, embarking on a spirited journey with interruptions of commotion in the carriage and fleeting views of bustling towns and sweeping landscapes through the window. The piece is grounded in tonal harmony and repeating melodic material with a rhythmically-driven structure, mirroring the consistent drive of a train chugging along. This is accentuated by the unrelenting snare drum pattern, supported by driving quavers in the marimba and horn section.
Second Place in the RWCMD Cory Band Composition Prize.
Michael Triggs 