‘The Wolf that Shall Break it’ was commissioned by Ocean Brass Band for their jungle-themed entertainment set at the Wychavon Festival of Brass 2019.

The work takes its name from Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘The Law of the Jungle’. The poem’s form is a set of nineteen edicts depicting the laws of the animal kingdom from the perspective of the wolf.

The ‘Law of the Jungle’ is a common expression used for describing the mechanism of natural selection: the Darwinian principle that those beings who are strong and apply ruthless self-interest will be most successful. Although this evolution process can seem brutal and unforgiving through a human lens, the harsh reality of the natural order produces stronger, more adapted generations of life.

This constant struggle for survival is the basis for this work. The music aims to capture the beauty of the animal kingdom along with its contrasting brutal and violent nature.

The opening features slow, lyrical brass underpinned by a driving, primal percussion section. A middle section showcases the band’s soloists before we return to the original musical material. The final section gradually builds in tension to our climax before the piece finishes as it began with the drum kit. 

The music itself takes inspiration from a number of sources but most notably draws upon the music of avant-garde jazz group ‘Mammal Hands’.

The music is suitable for both lower and upper section bands and is designed as a modern work to fit and contrast into concert programmes.