Bilnoko Udal Musika Banda

The Banda Municipal de Musica de Bilbao conducted by Rafael Sanz-Espert

Nigel’s wind orchestra work `Breaking the Century’ (2000) is available in a new and fabulous live recording by the Banda Municipal de Musica de Bilbao directed by the Spanish conductor Rafael Sanz-Espert.The two disc collection features a number of composers from around the world,  from Martin Ellerby (UK) and James Barnes (USA) through to the Spanish composer Jesus Santandreu. Nigel’s programme note for `Breaking the Century‘  describes the significance of the figure one hundred which has had a special importance throughout history. Two thousand years ago the Romans called their foot soldiers `Centurions’; the 100th part of an American dollar and the Euro is called a `cent’; athletes and swimmers race over a 100 meters or multiples of a hundred; with luck and skill you can score a `century’ in cricket; in the animal kingdom a `Centipede’ is an insect that is reputed to have a hundred legs. We all aspire to become a `centenarian’ and live to a healthy one hundred years of age. Nigel wrote `Breaking the Century’ as a Brass Band commission to celebrate Oxted Band’s centenary and has used this piece as the starting point to develop the work further for Concert Band. `Breaking the Century’ can be broadly described as a Dance Overture. It is written as a moto perpetuo (perpetually in motion), with its momentum and energy maintained throughout by its fast Allegro tempo. Under the baton of Rafael Sanz-Espert the Banda Municipal de Musica de Bilbao capture the spirit of `Breaking the Century ‘.