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Title	Bread and Games
Article no.	4028093
Category	Concert/wind/brass band
Subcategory	Concert music
Instrumentation	Ha (concert/wind band)
Format	PrtStm (full score and parts)
Country of publication	Netherlands (nl)
Publisher *	gobelinmusic
Publisher's article no. *	GOB 000756-010
Delivery publisher *	Hal Leonard Europe
Series title	Konzertwerk/Wettbewerbsstück
Year of publication	2005
Composer	Vean, William
Difficulty level	2
Evaluation level of countries	D2 (German lower level)
Duration	6:00
Additional info/contents	'Panem et Circenses', Bread and Games were essential for keeping the citizens of ancient Rome in check. While the bread was meant for the poorest among the Romans, the Games were Popular Pastime Number One for everybody.There were different kinds of games, such as chariot races (especially popular with female spectators), or wild-beast fights, where lions, tigers, bulls or bears were set on one another or even on human beings. Most popular, however, were the Gladiator fights. In 'Bread and Games' William Vean depicts one of the many fights in the antique Colosseum. 1. Entrance of the Gladiators: By powerful bugle-calls the attention of the people was asked for, after which the Gladiators entered the Arena at the sound of heroic marching-music. 2.Swordfight: We can hear that the fights were not mere child's play in this part.On the contrary, they were a matter of life and death and were fought accordingly. 3.Mercy of the Emperor: Sometimes a wounded gladiator could be fortunate, depending on the mercy of the audience. Waving one's handkerchief meant mercy, a turned-down thumb meant no pardon. The Emperor had the right to take the final decision, but he usually complied with the wish of the majority of the public. 4.Lap of Honour: Gladiators were mainly selected among slaves, convicted criminals, or prisoners of war. Consequently, winning was very important, as it would mean fame, honour and sometimes even wealth. A lap of honour, therefore, was the winner's due reward.
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Programme notes *: The term "Bread and Games" comes from the Latin "Panem et circenses" and was coined by the Roman poet Juvenal. It refers to the policy of the Roman emperors, who satisfied the people with basic foodstuffs and entertainment in order to suppress political discontent and divert the population's attention from the serious problems of the empire. The practice of "bread and games" consisted of the Roman emperors distributing grain at low prices or even for free while organising elaborate gladiator fights and other spectacles in the city's arenas. This strategy was very successful in keeping the people happy and preventing unrest. In modern times, the term "bread and games" is often used as a metaphor for the tactics used by governments and corporations to distract the population from important political and social issues through material incentives and entertainment. It is argued that this tactic helps to maintain control over the population and divert their attention from the real issues. Quelle/Source: musicainfo.net (KI) Information: Gobelin Music Publications

	Format
	Bread and Games (concert/wind band), full score and parts
	Bread and Games (concert/wind band), full score

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