Steve Martland
Upcoming Performances
About Steve Martland
"Musicians today are no longer obliged to rely on the received traditions of music college when presenting new work. Rather, they now work in a deregulated aesthetic environment where, say, the deployment of digital samples and the influence of jazz/trip-hop/Balinese gamelan/your non-classical music of choice must be addressed with as much rigour as traditional instrumental virtuosity or the conventions of the sonata form. The Steve Martland Band… was grappling with these issues before most people realised they existed." (BBC Music Magazine)
Steve Martland was born on 10 October 1954 in Liverpool and studied composition in Holland with Louis Andriessen. His preoccupation with the function of the composer in society was reflected in his commitment to music education. He directed many composition projects in schools both at home and abroad and he ran Strike Out, his own annual composition course for school children. Martland rejected academic dogma in favour of a plurality of musical influences, both ancient and modern, ‘serious’ and vernacular. He worked frequently with artists outside classical institutions - Dutch and American groups, freelance musicians and especially his own Steve Martland Band touring his music internationally. In 1998 he collaborated with the band Spiritualized on a project for the Flux Festival in Edinburgh. His music has been adapted frequently for film and TV use, and scores for TV include the multi-media Albion, commissioned by the BBC and Granada TV’s Children’s drama Wilderness Edge. He also wrote and directed 'A Temporary Arrangement with the Sea', a film about Louis Andriessen commissioned by the BBC in co-production with NOS, Holland.
Martland’s large orchestral work Babi Yar (1983) was premiered almost simultaneously in the USA by the St. Louis Symphony under Leonard Slatkin and in the UK by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Nicolas Cleobury under the auspices of spnm (Society for the Promotion of New Music), Babi Yar was subsequently recorded for the legendary Factory label. Marland re-edited the score and the first performance of the revised version was given in Glasgow by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Jurjen Hempel as part of a complete Martland evening, supported by the BBC /RPS Encore project. Often amplified, muscular and powerfully rhythmic, Martland's music has been extensively choreographed: Drill (1987) for the Sydney Opera House, Crossing the Border (1990-91) for the National Ballet, Amsterdam. Dance Works (1993), commissioned and premièred by London Contemporary Dance Theatre, has received many new productions around the world, notably by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Ballet Tech in New York. Remix (1986) was awarded the SACD Prize for Video Dance Choreography Music after choreographed for BBCTV by Aletta Collins. In 2005, Martland was commissioned by the Henri Oguike Dance Company resulting in Tiger Dancing (2005) which remains in the company's repertory.
His widely performed choral music includes Street Songs (2003), originally written for the King’s Singers and Evelyn Glennie and later presented by the Monteverdi Choir and Colin Currie under John Eliot Gardiner with a film by the Quay brothers; and Tyger Tyger (1997) for Youth Music’s nationwide Sing Up campaign. Martland was composer in residence at the ETNA Music Festival in Sicily (between 2006 -07). Some of his final works included the test piece for the TROMP International Music Festival and Competition, Starry Night (2007-08) for percussion and string quartet, and Sea Songs (2011-12) for Ars Nova Copenhagen conducted by Paul Hillier. Martland died unexpectedly on 7 May, 2013.
In commemoration of the life of Steve Martland, the Manchester International Festival hosted 'A Celebration of Steve Martland' concert on 14 July 2013 showcasing a reunion performance of The Steve Martland Band under the direction of Joe Duddell. In January 2023, NMC re-released all factory recordings featuring the 1989 'Steve Martland - 266' album.
Worklist
Gallery
Products
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for 13 players in three groupsComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 13 players in 3 groups
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for thirteen playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
American Invention
Instrumentation: 13 playerProduct number: ED 12281In stock€35.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
arranged by Steve Martland for low wind quintetComposer: Herman HupfeldArranger: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: wind quintet
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for large orchestra in three groupsComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Babi Yar
Instrumentation: orchestraProduct number: ED 12356Product TypeIn stockAs low as €24.99Incl. Tax -
for large orchestra in three groupsComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: large orchestra
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 11 player
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Beat the Retreat
Instrumentation: ensembleProduct number: ED 12603In stock€52.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
for eight playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 8 players
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for two pianosComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: 2 copies requiredSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: 2 pianos (4 hands)Product number: ED 12801Product TypeIn stockAs low as €11.99Incl. Tax -
for string ensembleComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: string ensemble
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for string orchestraComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Crossing the Border
Instrumentation: string orchestraProduct number: ED 12402In stock€31.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
(alternative version)Composer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 15 players
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for two amplified pianosComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Performing scoreSeries: Edition Schott
Dance Works
Instrumentation: 2 pianos (4 hands)Product number: ED 13041Out of stock€59.95Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
for nine playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 9 players
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A collection of new pieces for pianoMedia Type: Sheet musicInstrumentation: pianoLanguage: EnglishProduct number: ED 21470In stock€10.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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for choir, brass quintet and organComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: choir, brass quintet and organLanguage: English
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for brass bandComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: Brass band
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Composer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: 2 copies requiredInstrumentation: 2 pianos (4 hands)Product number: ED 12338Out of stock€32.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 11 players
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for string orchestraComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Eternity's Sunrise
Instrumentation: string orchestraProduct number: ED 13639Product TypeIn stockAs low as €18.99Incl. Tax -
for string orchestraComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: string orchestra
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Six songs of Purcell, re-composed and arranged for countertenor and wind octetComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: counter-tenor and wind octetLanguage: English
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Purcell arranged by Martland for saxophone quartetComposer: Steve Martland | Henry PurcellEdition: Score and partsSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: 4 saxophonesProduct number: ED 13316Product TypeIn stockAs low as €13.99Incl. Tax -
Purcell arranged by Martland for trombone quartetComposer: Steve Martland | Henry PurcellEdition: Score and partsSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: 4 trombonesProduct number: ED 13317Product TypeIn stockAs low as €13.99Incl. Tax -
for brass quintetComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Set of partsSeries: Full Fathom Five
Instrumentation: wind quintetProduct number: ED 12510-10Product TypeIn stockAs low as €55.99Incl. Tax -
for brass quintetComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Full Fathom Five
Instrumentation: brass quintetProduct number: ED 12510In stock€32.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Three songs for solo voice and twelve playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: solo voice and 12 playersLanguage: English
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for concertante group and stringsComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Hard Times
Instrumentation: marimba, piano, electric guitar, bass guitar and stringsProduct number: ED 13638Product TypeIn stockAs low as €29.99Incl. Tax -
for concertante group and stringsComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: marimba, piano, electric guitar, bass guitar and strings
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 11 players
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Horses of Instruction
Instrumentation: 11 playersProduct number: ED 12482In stock€37.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Music to a film by Greg HallComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance material, MIDI disc
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for pianoIn stock€16.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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for six playersComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Set of partsSeries: Edition Schott
Kick
Instrumentation: flute, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 13637-10Product TypeIn stockAs low as €27.99Incl. Tax -
for six playersComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: ScoreSeries: Edition Schott
Kick
Instrumentation: flute, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 13637Product TypeIn stockAs low as €18.99Incl. Tax -
for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 11 players
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for eleven playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Kick
Instrumentation: 11 playersProduct number: ED 12589In stock€32.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
for orchestra and jazz bandComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra and jazz band
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arranged for two pianosComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Performing score, Two copies required for performanceSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: 2 pianos (4 hands)Product number: ED 13336Product TypeIn stockAs low as €8.99Incl. Tax -
arranged for wind octetComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: wind octet
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for ten playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 10 players
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for ten playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Mr Anderson's Pavane
Instrumentation: 10 playersProduct number: ED 12587In stock€23.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Purcell elaborated and arranged for brass quintetComposer: Steve Martland | Henry PurcellEdition: Score and partsSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: brass quintetProduct number: ED 14008Product TypeIn stockAs low as €23.99Incl. Tax -
for horn and small orchestraComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: horn and small orchestra
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for string quartetComposer: Steve MartlandEdition: Set of partsSeries: Patrol
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 12415-10Product TypeIn stockAs low as €56.99Incl. Tax -
for string quartetComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Patrol
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 12415In stock€21.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Composer: Steve MartlandEdition: Study scoreSeries: Music Of Our Time
Instrumentation: voice and ensembleProduct number: ED 12802Product TypeIn stockAs low as €21.99Incl. Tax -
for string orchestraComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: string orchestra
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from 'Street Songs'Composer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: wind octet
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for ten playersComposer: Steve MartlandMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: 10 players