Between the Two Rivers

Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke

Subtitle: Variations on Ein Fest Burg

General Info

Year: 2003
Duration: c. 14:55
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Fanfare Orchestra
Publisher: Anglo Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - 294.00   |   Score Only (print) - $34.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon/B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Crash Cymbal
• Glockenspiel
• Hi-hat
• Medium Tom-tom
• Ratchet
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tam-tam
• Tambourine
• Temple blocks
• Triangle
• Tubular Bells
• Vibraphone
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Between the Two Rivers was commissioned by Fanfare ‘Prins Hendrik’, from Aalst in the Netherlands. The title derives from the fact that the town of Aalst lies between two tributaries of the River Dommel. The community is a highly religious one, so the famous Luther chorale, Ein’ Feste Burg [known in English as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God], was an obvious choice for Philip Sparke to use as the theme for this new work. It takes the form of a theme with four contrasting variations.

- Program Note from Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music

This substantive work is a set of four variations on the familiar hymn Ein Fest Burg. A moto perpetuo, a slower march, a sinister treatment, and a fugue each form the basis of the variations before the final full recapitulation of the chorale tune.

- Program Note from publisher

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee) Concert Band (Terry S. Treuden, conductor) – 9 December 2016

Works for Winds by This Composer

• Atlantic Odyssey (2010)
• Ballad for Benny (2001)
• The Bandwagon (2004)
• Barn Dance and Cowboy Hymn (1985)
• Beethoven's Greeting (2008)
• Between the Two Rivers (2003)
• Big Sky Overture (2002)
• Blazon (2010)
• A Bluegrass Overture (2017)
• Bohemian Rhapsody as arranger) (1975/2011)
• Bolero (as arranger) (1928/2011)
• Cambridge Intrada (2007)
• The Camelot Chronicles (2007)
• Carnival (1997)
• Carol of the Shepherds (2001)
• Celebration (1993)
• The Centurion (1988/2000)
• Chorale and Variations (2004)
• Clarinet Calypso (2003)
• Clarinet Concerto (2003)
• Colditz March (as arranger) (1972/2014)
• Colorado Springs (2007)
• A Colour Symphony (2015)
• Concert Prelude (1976/2000)
• Concertino Classico (2010)
• Dance Movements (1995)
• Dance of the Whale (2013/2014), from Bestiarium
• David of the White Rock (as arranger) (1741/2003)
• Deserts (2008)
• Diamond Concerto (2012)
• Diversions (1999)
• Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes (1790/2011)
• The Earl of Oxford's Marche (as arranger) (1581-91/2006)
• Earth, Water, Sun, Wind (2000)
• An English Sea Song Suite (2006)
• Euphonium Concerto No. 2 (2005)
• Exultation (2010)
• Fanfare for Saint Cecilia (2008)
• Fanfare, Romance and Finale (1990)
• Fantasy for Euphonium (1995)
• A Festive Tribute (J.S. Bach) (2007)
• Fiesta! (1998)
• Fiesta de la Vida (2005/2006)
• Five Festive Fanfares (2000)
  • Victory Fanfare
• Flying the Breeze (2002/2004)
• The Four Noble Truths (2003/2004)
• Four Norfolk Dances (2001)
• Gemini Concerto (2017/2019)
• Girl with the Flaxen Hair, The (as arranger) (1910/2007)
• Hail the Dragon! (2010)
• Harlequin (2004)
• Hanover Festival (2000)
• A Huntingdon Celebration (2003)
• Infinity and Beyond... (2001)
• Invictus (2001)
• Jubilee Overture (1983)
• Jubiloso (2008/2009)
• A Klezmer Karnival (2004)
• The Land of the Long White Cloud (1980/1988)
• Letter from Home (2008)
• A Lindisfarne Rhapsody (1998)
• The Long Day Closes (as arranger) (1868/2007)
• MacArthur Park (as arranger) (1967/2005)
• Madrigalum (2006)
• Måndalen Landscapes (2004)
• Manhattan (2004)
• Marchissimo (2004)
• Mary's Boy Child (as arranger) (1956/2003)
• Masquerade (2003)
• Merry-Go-Round (2002)
• Morning Song (2002)
• Mountain Song (1990/1993)
• Music for a Festival (1985)
• Music of the Spheres (2004)
• Navigation Inn (2000)
• Once in Royal David’s City (as arranger) (1849/2004)
• Orient Express (1987/1994)
• Out of the Darkness, Into the Light (2003)
• Overture for Woodwinds (2000)
• The Painted Desert (2004)
• Panis Angelicus (as arranger) (1872/2001)
• Pantomime (1988/1996)
• Pastime with Good Company (as arranger) (15--?/2005)
• The Pioneers (2005)
• Portrait of a City (2002)
• Postcard from Singapore (2004)
• A Quiet Moment (2007)
• Reflections (2011)
• Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song (2015)
• Rhythm and Blues (arr. Wheeler) (1986/2012)
• The Roaring Forties (2008)
• Sailing with the Tall Ships (2012)
• Salute to a Hero (2009)
• A Savannah Symphony (2010)
• Scenes from a Comedy (2007)
• The Seasons (2005)
• Shalom! (2001)
• Sierra Nevada (2006)
• Sinfonietta No. 1 (1990)
• Sinfonietta No. 2 (1992)
• Sinfonietta No. 3 (2001)
• Sleepers, Awake! (as transcriber) (1731/2002)
• Slipstream (1987/1990)
• Snow Valley Sleigh Ride (2007)
• Song and Dance (arr. Brand) (1984/2009)
• Song of Friendship (2017)
• The Song of the Bell (2012)
• Sounds of the Saint Lawrence (2008)
• Spirit of the Sequoia (2004)
• St. Paul's Suite (as arranger) (1912-1913/2017)
• Strathcarron (2002)
• Suite from Hymn of the Highlands (2002)
• Summer Isles (2002/2006)
• The Sun Will Rise Again (2011)
• Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001)
• Symphonic Metamorphosis (2007)
• Symphony No. 1. See: Earth, Water, Sun, Wind
• Symphony No. 2. See: A Savannah Symphony
• Symphony No. 3. See: A Colour Symphony
• Tales of the River Wye (2007)
• Tallis' Canon (arr. Sparke) (/2012)
• A Tameside Overture (1989)
• Te Deum Prelude (as arranger) (1688-1698/2001)
• Ten Chorale Preludes (as arranger) (1914/2002)
• Theatre Music (1989)
• Three English Folk Song Miniatures (2013)
• Three Extraordinary Journeys (2006)
• Three Klezmer Miniatures (2009)
• Three Washington Statues (2015)
• To a New Dawn (2000)
• To a Wild Rose (as arranger) (1896/2002)
• Tokyo Triptych (2007)
• Trombone Concerto (2007)
• Tuba Concerto (2007)
• The Unknown Journey (2014)
• Valerius Variations (2005)
• Veni Immanuel (2003)
• Watch Your Step! (2017)
• A Weekend in New York (2008)
• The White Rose (2002)
• Wilten Festival Overture (1999)
• A Winter's Tale (2010)
• Year of the Dragon (1984/1985)
• Year of the Dragon (2017 edition) (1984/1985/2017)
• A Yorkshire Overture (1991)

Resources

• Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Philip Sparke." Accessed 28 November 2016
• Perusal score
• Sparke, P. (2004). Between Two Rivers : Variations on Ein' feste Burg [score]. Anglo Music Press: Wembley, England.