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£59.99In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Gustav Holst - Philip Sparke
Christina Rossetti wrote the words to this famous Christmas carol in 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem. They were set to music by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) for inclusion in the first edition (1906) of The English Hymnal, edited by his life-long friend, Ralph Vaughan Williams. Philip Sparke has carefully arranged the beautiful melody into this delightful version for brass band. A must for any Christmas concert.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£164.99Raveling Unraveling - Philip Sparke
Winning Performance EBBC Lille 2016 Raveling, Unraveling In Search of 'La Valse' was written for the Cory Band as their own-choice test piece for the 2016 European Brass Band Championships in Lille. The piece found its genesis in Sparke's The Unknown Journey (2014) for concert band, and the use of Ravel's La Valse as a structural undercurrent to the original piece is an act of reverence. Sparke's aim was to produce a work that is organic rather than episodic in nature. The composer's view is that little in music does this better than La Valse and for this reason he uses various sections of this masterpiece, both manipulated and quoted verbatim (including much of itsstunningclosing passages) to provide the overall geography of his new work. As the music progresses, more of the Ravel appears, surfacing completely as the piece reaches its climax - a gesture of homage to the French master.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£91.99Pulcinella - Philip Sparke
Pulcinella was commissioned by the Taiwanese euphonium player Tzu-Hsiang Lin. Lin is a renowned soloist and teacher and a Besson Euphonium Artist. He teaches euphonium at Taipei National University of the Arts, National Taiwan University of Arts, Shih Chien University and National Kaohsiung Normal University. Lin gave the premiere of Pulcinella in both its concert band and brass band versions in January 2021. Pulcinella continues Sparke's series of euphonium solos named after characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte and opens with a long and expressive minor melody for the soloist over a brooding accompaniment. This is taken up briefly by the full band and is extended by the soloist after a change of key. A cadenza, accompanied by fragments of the main melody leads to a complete change of mood, tempo and tonality, introducing a Vivo section starting with a perky syncopated tune for the soloist. The band then uses elements of this new tune to introduce a change of key, where the soloist introduces a more lyrical second subject over a pulsing accompaniment. The band then takes this up and changes key to reintroduce the original Vivo melody, which leads to a short and acrobatic coda to bring the work to a spectacular close.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£89.95Cambridge Variations - Philip Sparke
Cambridge Variations was commissioned by Philip Biggs and Richard Franklin with funds provided by All England Masters Brass Band Championship Ltd for their 1992 contest. The basis of the variations are the six musical notes in the word"Cambridge", (CABDGE), used mostly in reverse. The work falls into five sections (variations), which are all (to some extent) derived from the six-note row.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£152.99Suite From Hymn of the Highlands - Philip Sparke
Complete score and full set of parts for Philip Sparke's Suite From Hymn To The Highlands for Brass Band. This work draws three expressive musical pictures of the Scottish highlands. The first movement, Ardross Castle, contains solo passages for horn and baritone and features a fascinating bagpipe melody. The second movement, Alladale, is a trio for tenor horn, flugel horn and baritone with an accompaniment featuring the percussion section. The final movement, Dundonnell,features two highly contrasting melodies, a wild presto and the bagpipe melody first heard in the first movement.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£59.99A Quiet Moment - Philip Sparke
Philip Sparke's A Quiet Moment for Brass Band. Score and parts.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£106.99The Saga Of Haakon The Good - Philip Sparke
Philip Sparke's The Saga Of Haakon The Good for Brass Band. Score and parts.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£159.99Omaggio - 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 musica de Malaga. 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 dispatch 5-14 working days
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£79.99Fanfare and Celebration - Philip Sparke
Fanfare and Celebration was commissioned by the Brass Band of the Western Reserve (Dr Keith M. Wilkinson, director) to celebrate their 15th anniversary.Based in north-west Ohio, the band was formed in 1997 and was competing in the Championship Section of the North American Brass Band Championships in less than three years. The first performance of Fanfare and Celebration took place in Akron, Ohio, on November 10th 2012.The opening Fanfare features the cornet section, in two groups standing either side of the band.A central horn theme brings a change of mood before the cornets take the lead oncemore. Celebration follows seamlessly and continues the declamatory style until a cantando theme in uneven meter is introduced. A transformed recapitulation ushers in a return of the Fanfare to close the work.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£52.50Broadheath - Philip Sparke
Broadheath was commissioned by the Elgar International Brass Band Summer School for their 2024 course. The premiere took place in the Routh Hall at Bromsgrove School on Friday 26 July.It is in conventional march form, opening with a brief fanfare before the horns take up the main theme. This is then repeated by the full band before euphoniums and baritone announce the second subject. This builds to a stirring tutti passage utilising elements of the opening theme, which brings the opening section to a close.In honour of the summer school's tribute to Sir Edward Elgar (it is held in 'Elgar country'), the trio uses the opening melody of his 1st symphony as its main theme, decorating it with filigree work from the cornets. This is repeated on the full band and leads to a varied recapitulation of the opening material to bring the march full circle.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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