Anglo Music Midway Series

This celebratory work, which Philip Sparke wrote for the 20th anniversary of the Nottingham Concert Band, starts with a hymn-like theme played as a fanfare in the brass. With a change of mood from 'so...

Moving Heaven and Earth consists of a theme and 4 variations; although the theme is original it contains a phrase heavily influenced by a 14-bar passage from the Libera Me in Fauré's Requiem. It is a...

Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains was commissioned by the Northern California Band Directors' Association to honour their 50th Anniversary in 2012. The first performance was given by the Associati...

The Shakers were a sect who, in the 18th Century, sailed out from England to America. Right into the late 19th Century, the numerous songs of this community were handed down orally, until they were wr...

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 Rot...

This work was commissioned by Dr. Robert Oertli from Möhlin, Switzerland, and is based on an earlier composition called Spirit of the Sequoia. The piece is inspired by how the human spirit can gain fr...

Salute to the Victor is in traditional march form and contains, as a tribute to Victor Grieve who was a devotee of English music (in particular that of Sir Edward Elgar), a short quote from Elgar's Se...

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...

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 w...

Zodiac Dances was commissioned by the Izumiotsu City Band, Osaka, Japan to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Sparke had previously written the piece, Prelude to a Celebration for the band, and in comp...

Zodiac Dances was commissioned by the Izumiotsu City Band, Osaka, Japan to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Sparke had previously written the piece, Prelude to a Celebration for the band, and in comp...

Three City Sketches' was commissioned for Soli Deo Gloria Alkmaar from the Netherlands. The work's three movements depict different aspects of the orchestra's hometown. This is an exciting and epic pi...

Three Norwegian Sketches was commissioned by Åndalsnes Musikkforening, Norway, who are conducted by John Hudson. The three contrasting movements - TROLLVEGGEN (The Troll Wall), RAUMA ELV (River Rauma)...

Three Norwegian Sketches was commissioned by Åndalsnes Musikkforening, Norway, who are conducted by John Hudson. The three contrasting movements - TROLLVEGGEN (The Troll Wall), RAUMA ELV (River Rauma)...

A Sevenoaks Suite was commissioned by the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Concert Band from Kent in the south-east of England. The suite describes 3 famous landmarks in the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge area: 'Knol...

A Sevenoaks Suite was commissioned by the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Concert Band from Kent in the south-east of England. The suite describes 3 famous landmarks in the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge area: 'Knol...

Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, just southeast of Las Vegas and surrounded by desert: this was the inspiration for the title. Desert Dances opens with a lively introduction, mostly in 3/4...

Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, just southeast of Las Vegas and surrounded by desert: this was the inspiration for the title. Desert Dances opens with a lively introduction, mostly in 3/4...

Aurora Dances' was commissioned by the Hong Kong-based Winter Band Festival, and consists of three movements, to be played without a break. 'Aurora Borealis' opens with florid woodwind figures and hig...

Aurora Dances was commissioned by the Hong Kong-based Winter Band Festival, and consists of three movements, to be played without a break. 'Aurora Borealis' opens with florid woodwind figures and high...

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. Klez...

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 o...

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...

Three Extraordinary Journeys was commissioned to mark the centenary of the death of the famous author Jules Verne. Based on three novels from his Voyages Extraordinaires series of travel stories, the...

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 i...