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£106.99A Huntingdon Celebration - Philip Sparke
This short and lively overture will make a fantastic opening piece for any concert. It begins with the fanfare-like main theme played by the Clarinets and Saxophones, which is taken up by the whole band. Following a slower central chorale the original tempo returns and the opening fanfares re-appear to bring the piece to a triumphal end.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£317.99Music of the Spheres - Philip Sparke
The piece reflects the composer's fascination with the origins of the universe and deep space in general. The title comes from a theory, formulated by Pythagoras, that the cosmos was ruled by the same laws he had discovered that govern the ratios of note frequencies of the musical scale. ('Harmonia' in Ancient Greek, which means scale or tuning rather than harmony - Greek music was monophonic). He also believed that these ratios corresponded to the distances of the six known planets from the sun and that the planets each produced a musical note which combined to weave a continuous heavenly melody (which, unfortunately, we humans cannot hear). In this work, these six notesform the basis of the sections MUSIC OF THE SPHERES and HARMONIA. The pieces opens with a horn solo called t = 0, a name given by some scientists to the moment of the Big Bang when time and space were created, and this is followed by a depiction of the BIG BANG itself, as the entire universe bursts out from a single point. A slower section follows called THE LONELY PLANET which is a meditation on the incredible and unlikely set of circumstances which led to the creation of the Earth as a planet that can support life, and the constant search for other civilisations elsewhere in the universe. ASTEROIDS AND SHOOTING STARS depicts both the benign and dangerous objects that are flying through space and which constantly threaten our planet, and the piece ends with THE UNKNOWN, leaving in question whether our continually expanding exploration of the universe will eventually lead to enlightenment or destruction.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£134.99Bacchanalia - Philip Sparke
Bacchanalia was commissioned by the Yokohama Bacchus Brass Orchestra to celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2019. The band wanted the title of this short opener to reflect the reference to Bacchus in their name, so Bacchanalia was agreed upon. The spirit of the Greek god of wine does indeed permeate the piece, with bustling themes, dance motifs and occasional harmonic ambiguity. A lovely piece of music full of joie de vivre.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£106.99Glorioso! - Philip Sparke
The name of this glorious overture speaks for itself: this work is vivacious and sparkling! Majestic fanfare playing enriched by florid woodwind decorations alternates with lively themes full of fierce energy, but there is also lyricism to be found in a lovely cantabile passage. An appealing flashy coda closes the work. This composition will be thoroughly enjoyed by musicians as well as the audience.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£122.50Mercury Rising - Philip Sparke
Mercury Rising was commissioned by sinfonisches blasorchester wehdel and its conductor Thomas Ratzek, to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2018. They premiered this piece in their half-century concert on 2nd November 2018 in the Bremerhaven Stadttheater in Germany. Designed as a virtuosic and lively opener, Mercury Rising opens with nervous energy and driving, syncopated rhythms in a blaze of colour. The horns and saxophones then introduce a broad melody, which the trumpets subsequently take up after a change of tonality. A quieter moment introduces a distant fanfare on muted horns over bubbling semiquavers in the low clarinets. This is interrupted by a passionate tenor melody but soon returns on the full brass section, accompanied by echoes of the opening woodwind figuration, and is extended to bring the piece to a triumphant close.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£260.99Pentangle - Philip Sparke
Pentangle, set in three movements without a break, uses the traditional concept of the baroque concerto grosso as its model, treating the brass quintet and accompanying concert band as separate but equal ensembles. Interplay between the two, and frequent use of the quintet players as soloists, permeates the work in various combinations, making it a captivating composition full of variety.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£137.99A Little Klezmer Suite - Philip Sparke
A Little Klezmer Suite was commissioned by Rushton Park High School to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their band programme. They gave the premiere in a virtual online concert in October 2020. Klezmer music originated in the 'shtetl' (villages) and the ghettos of Eastern Europe, where itinerant Jewish troubadours, known as 'klezmorim', had performed at celebrations, particularly weddings, since the early Middle Ages. 'Klezmer' is a Yiddish term combining the Hebrew words 'kley' (instrument) and 'zemer' (song). The roots of the style are found in secular melodies, popular dances, Jewish 'hazanut' (cantorial music) and also the 'nigunim', the wordless melodies intoned by the 'Hasidim' (orthodox Jews). The melodies used in the four movements of A Little Klezmer Suite have traditionally been used in Jewish wedding ceremonies and celebrations.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£87.99Mary's Boy Child - Jester Hairston
Philip Sparke has taken this traditional melody and produced an attractive arrangement for concert band. The piece is ideal for use in Christmas concerts and is guaranteed to get everyone's toes tapping - players and audience alike.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£206.99Omaggio - Philip Sparke
Omaggio was commissioned by Steven Mead in celebration of his 60th birthday and in memory of his father, Rex. He gave the premiere of the brass band version in Rome in March 2022, accompanied by the Italian Brass Band conducted by Filippo Cangiamilla. The concert band premiere took place on 6th July that year as part of the 2022 Spanish International Tuba Euphonium Conference, accompanied by the Banda municipal de msica de Mlaga. The concerto is set in 3 continuous movements, which are united by a recurring syncopated interval of a fifth. The first movement, FANTASIA, opens with this motive accompanying an extended monologue for the soloist. This is followed by a lengthy bridge passage by the band (piano), which is eventually joined by the soloist, who guides the music back to the opening soliloquy, leading to an energetic central section. This develops until the opening material again returns to introduce the second movement, BALLAD, which revolves around an expressive melody for the soloist, interspersed by accompanied cadenzas. The third movement, THE KING TRIUMPHANT, pays homage to Steven's late father, Rex, and its title alludes both to Rex's name ('Rex' being Latin for 'king') as well as his love of Eric Ball's Salvationist masterpiece, The Kingdom Triumphant. The finale is an energetic tour-de-force featuring an acrobatic 6/8 melody, which is interrupted twice by the magnificent hymn tune, Helmsley, which Ball uses so effectively in The Kingdom Triumphant. A galloping coda brings the work to a close.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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£106.99Merry-Go-Round - Philip Sparke
Merry-Go-Round is a mini concerto for band in which each section takes a turn as soloist. On a merry-go-round the viewpoint is constantly changing, this being portrayed by different instrumental groups playing variations on the main theme, continually coming to the fore. This attractive work will bring all the excitement of the fairground to your concert.
Estimated delivery 7-14 working days
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