Ballet for Band

Sources

All read 8 November 2026.

• Publisher (R. Smith & Company), set catalogue RS20006, set price, 2016 National Finals First Section use: https://studio-music.co.uk/rs20006
• Extra score RS20006S, £23.50; Polyphonic DPRL901D recording: https://studio-music.co.uk/rs20006s
• Studio Music is "Studio Music with R. Smith", a division of the Salvation Army Trading Company: https://studio-music.co.uk/about-us
• Score-only listing RS21006, £29.95, publisher R Smith; note on the 1983 commission and the "ten minutes" phrase: https://worldofbrass.com/RS21006
• Set RS20006, £59.95, publisher R Smith & Company: https://worldofbrass.com/RS20006
• Year (1983), duration (12 min), publisher Novello & Co Ltd (World), scoring summary, commission for the National Championship on 9 October 1983, composer's programme note: https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/work/35566/
• Year (1983), composer, Contest Use (54 set uses, 79 own-choice): https://www.brassbandresults.co.uk/pieces/ballet-for-band
• Set for the 2026 Spring Festival Senior Cup; three linked sections, themes from the opening fanfare: https://www.4barsrest.com/news/62726/2026-spring-festival-test-pieces-and-judges-announced
• Media (DPRL901D, bands, conductor, track list): https://studio-music.co.uk/dprl901d

Notes

• Publisher. Two publishers are named. Studio Music (whose site calls itself "Studio Music with R. Smith") and World of Brass sell the brass band edition as R. Smith & Company, set RS20006, in the "R Smith Original Compositions" series. Wise Music Classical lists the work, category Brass Band, under Novello & Co Ltd (World). R. Smith is shown because it sells the edition; Novello may hold the rights. Neither source gives a grade.
• Duration. Wise Music Classical (Novello's catalogue) gives 12 min, used here. The note on World of Brass's score listing says the piece runs "within the space of ten minutes". The R. Smith product pages give no duration.
• Cost. Score and parts £59.95 (Studio Music RS20006, also World of Brass). Score only £29.95 is World of Brass's "Score Only" listing RS21006; Studio Music's RS21006 page returned 404. Studio Music also sells an "Extra Score" for the set (RS20006S) at £23.50.
• Instrumentation. Left empty. Wise Music Classical gives a scoring summary, "0000/3+2Baritone Horn.0+flg+5cnt.2+btbn.2+euph/3perc", which is not a parts list and names no basses, so it was not used. No parts list or sample score was found.
• Premiere date. The work was the set test piece for the 1983 National Championship (Championship Section) at the Royal Albert Hall. Wise Music Classical dates it 9 October 1983; Brass Band Results dates the contest 8 October 1983. Which band played first is not known, so the Premiere line is empty.
• Contest Use selection. Brass Band Results lists 54 set test-piece uses, so only a selection is shown - the 1983 commission, the area uses (1988 Championship Section, nine area contests; 1997 First Section, eight area contests; Brass Band Results lists each separately), the National Finals and Spring Festival uses. Overseas uses (e.g. Swiss, Swedish, Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian, Australian, New Zealand and North American championships) are on Brass Band Results. The 2026 Senior Cup was held on 2 May 2026.
• Media. The double CD "Joseph Horovitz (The Brass Band Music of)", Polyphonic DPRL901D, includes Ballet for Band, conducted by the composer, with the CWS (Glasgow) Band and Brass Band Berner Oberland. The listing doesn't say which band plays Ballet for Band, so it isn't listed under Media.
• Not found. Grade (the R. Smith listing on Studio Music, checked 2026-11-08, shows no difficulty label), movement titles and timings, errata and performances.