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£134.9930 Original Chorales and Warm-Ups - Philip Sparke
These 30 Original Chorales and Warm-Ups have been designed to develop the most important aspects of band playing, by providing material that can be used at the start of a rehearsal to test balance, dynamics, tuning, flexibility and articulation. Band directors are encouraged to adapt them to address the specific needs and challenges of their ensembles. Dynamics and tempo indications are not given and should be chosen by the director as required. All the chorales are strictly four-part. This multi-purpose collection is an essential purchase for every ambitious band!
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£106.99Festival Prelude Ad Excel - Philip Sparke
Festival Prelude 'Ad Excel' was commissioned by the AD Concert Band, from Solihull in the UK, to celebrate their 40th Anniversary in 2016. The title, Ad Excel, is a play on words: it is Latin for 'to excel' but also celebrates the band's anniversary as XL is 40 in Roman numerals. The work opens with a bright fanfare with frequent changes of meter. This leads to a playful main subject, played first by woodwinds, followed by full band. A bridge passage leads to a legato second subject, played twice. The bridge passage returns to introduce the both main melodies in new keys and instrumentations before a coda, derived from the opening fanfare, brings the work to a close.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£141.99Wind In The Reeds - Philip Sparke
Wind in the Reeds was commissioned by Deena Draycott in memory of John Watson, an army bandsman, teacher and bassoonist. Wind in the Reeds is both a tribute and lasting memorial to John. The piece is largely pastoral in nature, evoking images conjured up by the 'play on words' in the title, but includes a faster central section which exploits other aspects of the character of the bassoon. Transitions between the various sections of the piece are achieved through a series of accompanied cadenzas for the soloist.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£152.99The Legend Of Spirit Island - Philip Sparke
The Legend of Spirit Island was commissioned by the Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, Duluth, Minnesota (Mark Whitlock, conductor), to honour the euphonium player, Dick Carlson. The piece takes its title from a local legend about Spirit Island, which lies in a gap of the St. Louis River called Spirit Lake. The legend tells the story of Chaska, the son of a Dakota Chief, and Wetona, the daughter of Ojibwe Chief Buckado. He was handsome and she was beautiful; it wasn't long before they fell in love. This is a challenging euphonium solo in which the versatile soloist can explore very expressive melodic sequences, as well as energetic, technical sections.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£106.99Song Of Friendship - Philip Sparke
Song of Friendship was commissioned by the Concert Band of Jumonji University, Saitama, Japan and their conductor, Yutaka Nishida. The commission marked the 50th year of Yutaka Nishida's involvement with bands as a player, conductor and radio presenter. The ceremonial Song of Friendship opens with an extended fanfare, largely featuring the brass section. This leads to the main theme, which develops slowly until it is played by the full band. A change of key signals a contrasting central section containing a quiet woodwind chorale, which grows until the return of the triumphant sounding main theme. Elements of the opening fanfare then close the work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£137.99A Bluegrass Overture - Philip Sparke
A Bluegrass Overture was commissioned by Gabriel Wooley and funded by a grant from Leslie and Cathy Anderson for the Central Kentucky Concert Band to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2016.This energetic overture opens with an introduction loosely based on 'bluegrass' chords before a slower, legato chorale appears in the clarinets and flutes. This is short-lived and soon a new mood is introduced, based on a repeated-note accompaniment. This leads to the main theme, heavily syncopated with bluesy inflections.A central section features a cantabile melody, which changes key frequently, before the main theme reappears, leading toa triumphal presentation of the earlier chorale melody.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£137.99Prelude to a Pageant - Philip Sparke
Prelude to a Pageant was commissioned by Woodley Concert Band to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2014. Celebratory in nature, Prelude to a Pageant includes a famous musical link to The Reading Rota (Sumer is icumen in), a manuscript dating from around 1240, discovered nearby Reading Abbey. This lively tune appears early in the work, after an arresting, rhythmic opening and expressive slower section, and also forms the final climax.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£110.99Highdays and Holidays - Philip Sparke
Highdays and Holidays was commissioned by the South Berks Concert Band to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2016. The band rehearses in the village of Mortimer, which has a long and fascinating history dating back to, and beyond, the BronzeAge. Mortimer is famous for The Mortimer Revel, an annual event which was apparently a fairly rumbustious and sometimes violent affair. Highdays and Holidays seeks to capture some of this festive event in the form of an energeticoverture, which explores a variety of moods including the somewhat chaotic atmosphere of the Revel.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£164.99Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song - Philip Sparke
Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song is based on the tune Suiryo-Bushi, which comes from the shamisen tradition and opens with two contrasting statements of the melody followed by several variations each in an own style based uponthe same tune, or sometimes only fragments of it. In one of the variants, the pentatonic scale is used. The final section is in the form of a scherzo, which eventually forms the accompaniment to a final presentation of the folk tune.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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£256.99The Unknown Journey - Philip Sparke
The Unknown Journey was commissioned by Kwansei Gakuin University Symphony Band which was established in 1954 and has grown to become one of the top college bands in Japan. The composer chose the title as the piece seemed to create its ownmomentum as it developed, starting slowly and continuously increasing the tempo. Towards the end it gradually transmogrifies into the closing bars of Ravel's La Valse, a piece which perfectly characterises the idea of unstoppable momentum.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
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