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£76.99Tango for Joe - Philip Sparke
Tango for Joe explores the lyrical properties of the trombone. A long introduction builds to the first entry of the soloist, who plays the main tango melody over a rhythmic accompaniment. In this work, the band and solo trombone parts alternate. A cadenza-like passage leads to a faster 'tango nuevo', which makes up the majority of the work. After a climax and extended cadenza by the trombone, the piece ends with a flourish for band and soloist.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£53.50Till We Meet Again - Philip Sparke
Till We Meet Again was commissioned by Floraskulen Brassband, Floro, Norway, as a tribute to their former tuba player, Gunstein Stromsnes, who died tragically young in a traffic accident in 2017. They gave the premiere in December 2018. After a short introduction, a solo euphonium intones a modal, folk-like melody. This is taken up by the flugel horn and leads to a series of short solos which build to a majestic chorale for the full band. The mood subsides to reintroduce the modal melody before hints of the introduction and a short euphonium cadenza bring the work peacefully to a close.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£72.99Dreamsong - Philip Sparke
Dreamsong was commissioned by Geir Ulseth and the Nidaros Brass Band from Trondheim, Norway. After a short introduction, the soloist introduces a rather nostalgic melody, accompanied by the lower brass parts. A fast central section is then played by the band, which leads to a climax. Eventually, the main melody played by the solo Cornet and Flugel Horn returns, overlaid with an ornamented counter-melody from the soloist, who then closes the piece with a short cadenza.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£68.99South Down Pictures - Philip Sparke
South Down Pictures was commissioned by Millenium Brass 2000, an organisation comprising three brass bands from the county of Sussex, England.The bands (Patcham Silver, Hangleton and Brighton Silver) had got together to organise many events to mark the new millennium and these culminated in a concert in Hove Town Hall on July 9th 2000 when all three bands combined to give the first performance of South Down Pictures. The composer spent much of his childhood amongst the South Downs, a range of hills in Sussex which runs parallel to the sea.Opening with a strong unison passage, interrupted briefly by faster figures based on the interval of a fifth, South Down Picturesdevelops with an often-passionate legato melody. Reaching a climax, this is then followed by the main vivo section of the work, whose main theme is based on the earlier 'fifth' figures. A bridge passage leads to a short chorale figure and a rhythmic climax which dissolves into a plaintive cornet solo over staccato chords. This theme is taken up by the whole band and leads back to a recapitulation of the main theme and earlier material. The cornet tune returns triumphantly in the major key before the opening unison passage reappears to provide a stirring coda.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£57.50Cavatina for Cornet - Philip Sparke
In this solo work - a commission for an 18th birthday present - the opening mood of a brooding modal blues gives way momentarily to a more optimistic central section.Following an emotional climax and reflective cadenza, the opening material returns, but now tying in with the central section, and the piece fi nally ends in a more positive mood.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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£29.95
The Land of the Long White Cloud (Score Only)
Dating from 1979, The Land of the Long White Cloud (Aotearoa) was Philip Sparke's first test-piece. It was commissioned by the New Zealand Brass Band Association for their 1980 National Championships (their centenary year) and set for the European Brass Band Championships, the same year, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Aotearoa was the name given to New Zealand by its Polynesian settlers whose first sight of the islands was a long, flat cloud lying low over the land. The work has no specific programme although many have seen pictures of the surging ocean in the opening bars. A faster dance-like section leads to a slow, haunting solo for soprano cornet; this is taken up by the whole band before earlier material returns. The dance-like tune is, this time, given a fugal treatment and the opening bars return to close the work.Philip Sparke was born in London and studied composition, trumpet and piano at the Royal College of Music, where he gained an ARCM. It was at the College that his interest in bands arose. He played in the College wind orchestra and also formed a brass band among the students, writing several works for both ensembles.At that time, his first published works appeared - Concert Prelude (brass band) and Gaudium (wind band). A growing interest in his music led to several commissions, his first major one being this featured piece for the Centennial Brass Band Championships in New Zealand - The Land of the Long White Cloud. He has written for brass band championships in New Zealand, Switzerland, Holland, Australia and the UK, including three times for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall.In September 2000, he was awarded the Iles Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his services to brass bands and in 2005 Music of the Spheres won the National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest. In 2011, he received the BUMA International Brass Award for his contribution to brass music.His conducting and adjudicating activities have taken him to most European countries, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada and the USA. In May 2000, he took the major step of becoming a full-time composer by founding his own publishing company, Anglo Music Press. The company is devoted to publishing his brass band, concert band, fanfare band and instrumental publications as well as recordings dedicated to his latest works.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£37.95The Year of the Dragon (Score Only)
The highlight of Cory's centenary celebrations throughout 1984 was a concert held in St. David's Hall, Cardiff, in March. The band, with the aid of funds provided by the Welsh Arts Council, commissioned Philip Sparke to write a work for first performance at this concert. The result was "The Year of the Dragon" of which the composer writes:"At the time I wrote The Year of the Dragon, Cory had won two successive National Finals and I set out to write a virtuoso piece to display the talents of this remarkable band to the full."The work is in three movements:TOCCATA opens with an arresting side drum figure and snatches of themes from various sections of the band, which try to develop until a broad and powerful theme from the middle of the band asserts itself. A central dance-like section soon gives way to the return of this theme, which subsides until faint echoes of the opening material fade to a close.INTERLUDE takes the form of a sad and languid solo for trombone. A chorale for the whole band introduces a brief spell of optimism but the trombone solo returns to close the movement quietly.FINALE is a real tour-de-force for the band with a stream of rapid semi-quavers running throughout the movement. The main theme is heroic and march-like but this is interspersed with lighter, more playful episodes. A distant fanfare to the sound of bells is introduced and this eventually returns to bring the work to a stirring close.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£68.99Brass Machine - Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor wrote the trumpet feature Scream Machine for a vinyl album by the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble in 1985. It was later published in a slightly simpler version called Brass Machine.This brass band arrangement by Philip Sparke has been arranged directly from the published jazz ensemble score and features soprano cornet and four solo cornets.
Estimated dispatch 5-14 working days
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