Star Crossed Lovers
Stephen Roberts
General Info
- Year:
- 2025
- Duration:
- c. 16:30
- Cost:
- Score and Parts – £150.00 | Score Only – £25.00
Programme Notes
Stephen Roberts wrote Star Crossed Lovers for the 2025 British Open, on a commission from Martin and Karyn Mortimer. It draws on Prokofiev’s music for the ballet Romeo and Juliet, takes its title from the prologue to Shakespeare’s play, and includes three cadenzas for small groups of soloists before ending with love triumphing over hate.
Publisher’s programme note: none found. The composer’s own introduction is a video: tanglewindmusic.com
Works for Brass Band by This Composer
Original Works
Arrangements
Categories: Compositions | 2025 | Test Pieces
Suggest a correction to this page.
Sources
All read 8 November 2026.
- Composer, duration (16'30), prices, test-piece uses (2025 British Open, 2026 Grand Shield): https://tanglewindmusic.com/brass-band-music/
- Composer's video page: https://tanglewindmusic.com/errata-list-for-star-crossed-lovers/
- Composer (no arranger), year (2025), Contest Use: https://www.brassbandresults.co.uk/pieces/star-crossed-lovers
- Commission (Martin and Karyn Mortimer), 171st British Open on 6 September 2025, "based on" Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet (1935, revised for the 1940 Kirov premiere), title from Shakespeare's prologue, three cadenzas, Duke's Command and Dance of the Knights references, about sixteen minutes: https://4barsrest.com/news/62182/british-open-announces-2025-test-piece
- Roberts as composer, "based on" Prokofiev's 1935 ballet score, 16 minutes: https://www.4barsrest.com/news/62625/roberts-reveals-star-crossed-secrets
- Set for the 2026 Spring Festival Grand Shield (2-3 May 2026, Birmingham): https://www.4barsrest.com/news/62726/2026-spring-festival-test-pieces-and-judges-announced
- Retailer grade label, duration 16.30, catalogue JM107084: https://www.justmusicuk.com/jm107084
Notes
- Composer or arranger? Entered as an original work by Stephen Roberts, not an arrangement of Prokofiev. Brass Band Results credits Roberts as composer with no arranger; 4barsrest calls it "a new work" by "the composer and arranger Stephen Roberts", "based on" Prokofiev's ballet music for Romeo and Juliet, and calls Roberts its composer. No source credits Prokofiev as composer, so there is no arranger credit and no Original Medium line.
- Publisher. Not found. The composer's own site (Tanglewind Music) sells the score and parts directly but does not say it is the publisher. Just Music lists it as JM107084 without naming a publisher.
- Grade. No grade from a publisher or from the composer's site. Just Music, a retailer, shows "6 Very Difficult"; ignored under the grading rule.
- Duration. The composer's site gives 16'30, used here. Just Music also gives 16.30. 4barsrest's articles say "16-minute" and "about sixteen minutes".
- Cost. From the composer's site - full set with A4 score £150, full score £25. It also lists an A4 study score at £17.50 and a set-plus-two-scores offer at £165.
- Premiere. The work was written for the 171st British Open (Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 6 September 2025), commissioned by Martin and Karyn Mortimer. Which band played it first that day is not known, so the Premiere line is empty.
- Contest Use. Brass Band Results gives no section for the 2025 British Open entry, so none is shown. All three contests have been held. Brass Band Results' title for the piece is "Star Crossed Lovers 2025".
- Errata. The composer's site has a page whose address is "errata-list-for-star-crossed-lovers", but it holds only the video link, no errata.
- Not found. Instrumentation, movements or section titles, media and performances.