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£168.50Music of the Spheres - Philip Sparke
Music of the Spheres was commissioned by the Yorkshire Building Society Band and first performed by them at the European Brass Band Championships in Glasgow, May 2004.The piece reflects the composers 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 sixknown planets from the sun and thatthe 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 notes form 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 Bangwhen time and space were created, and this is followed by a depiction of the Big Bangitself, 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 civilizations 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 dispatch 5-14 working days
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£91.99Morning Song - Philip Sparke
Morning Song features the horn quartet mostly in a soloistic role - indeed there is an accompanied cadenza towards the end of the piece - but there are moments where the horns assume their conventional brass band role as harmonic support or playing the counter melody. This expressive composition shows all the versatility of the horn quartet and gives them the chance to be in the spotlight.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£59.99Sleepers Wake - Johann Sebastian Bach - Philip Sparke
This enchanting melody is from the fourth movement of Bach's Cantata 140 which was composed in 1731 using the parable of the wise and foolish virgins as the text. The work is beautiful in its simplicity with only three melodic lines, demonstrating Bach's counterpoint at its best. For greatest effect it is suggested that the cornets and trombones play behind the band or to the right and left of the stage.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£106.99Kaleidoscope - Philip Sparke
Kaleidoscope is a set of five variations of on the 'Brugger Lied' (Brugg Song) which is the traditional song of the town of Brugg. The lyrics tell of the geography, people and traditions of this charming and historic town, which is situated in the north of Switzerland, near to the German border, about halfway between Basel and Zurich.Each variation is based on tiny extracts of the theme, the whole piece therefore resembling the effect of a kaleidoscope, which juxtaposes small fragments of colour in a constantly changing pattern.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£290.99Hymn Of The Highlands - Philip Sparke
Hymn Of The Highlands was commissioned by David King and the Yorkshire Building Society Band for first performance at the 2002 European Brass Band Championships Gala Concert in Brussels. The complete suite lasts approximately 35 minutes however it is possible that pieces of different lengths can be constructed to feature particular soloists or fit different programming constraints.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£69.99Summer Isles From 'Hymn Of The Highlands' - Philip Sparke
The Summer Isles are a group of islands located off the North West coast of Scotland which are famous for their wildlife. This piece, written for solo Euphonium and Brass Band, reflects the natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere of the islands. The wonderful melodious nature of the Euphonium is displayed in this piece and the opening theme is followed by melodic interplay between the soloist and cornets. This piece will surely be enjoyed by any audience.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£69.99Alladale - Philip Sparke
The River Alladale provides the inspiration for this lyrical piece which has a lilting melody with an unmistakeable Scottish feel. The trio of Flugel Horn, Tenor Horn and Baritone provide a wonderful sense of flowing with the river which, as the piece progresses, broadens and grows stronger as it nears the outlet to the sea by the Summer Isles. Bring a touch of Scots magic to your concert with this delightful piece.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£110.99The Four Noble Truths - Philip Sparke
The Four Noble Truths are the most basic expression of the teaching of Buddha and therefore still form the guidelines for Buddhists to this day. The four truths are Dukkha, which describes times of major stress in our lives - birth, aging, desire and death; Samudaya which describes those parts of our life that induce stress, feeling, craving, desire; Nirodha which tells us how to eliminate those aspects of our lives which induce stress and Magga which describes the eight didciplines which can help us eliminate the origins of stress from our lives. It can be seen from these over-simplified definitions, that the Four Noble Truths fall into two pairs, the first two describingthe origins of stress and the second two describing how we can reduce stress. To reflect this, the four movements of this work are also combined into two pairs - two quick movements and two slow movements. A fascinating work from this great English composer.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£106.99Manhattan - Philip Sparke
Manhattan was commissioned by the United States Army Band for their solo cornet player Woodrow English and first performed by them in Carnegie Hall, New York, in November 2003. The two-movement work demonstrates both the lyrical and technical abilities of this outstanding player. The 'theme' is a weekend in New York and the opening bluesy movement, Saturday Serenade, describes the city on a Saturday night. While writing the second movement, Sunday Scherzo, the composer pictured an early morning jog in Central Park. This vivaciously rhythmic second movement ends with an even quicker coda bringing the work to a brilliant close. Each movement can also be playedindividually when a shorter solo is required.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£59.99Once in Royal David's City - Henry John Gauntlett - Philip Sparke
Sparkling and majestic brass playing introduce this wonderful arrangement of the classic carol! Each of the four verses are treated differently, creating beautiful textures and a multi-faceted setting of the familiar tune. This fresh new arrangement for developing bands is a great choice for both church and school!
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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