Huntingdon Celebration, A

Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke

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General Info

Year: 2003
Duration: c. 5:20
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: De Haske
Cost: Score and Parts - $110.00   |   Score Only - $17.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
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
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The Huntingdonshire Concert Band, based in the east of England, is a community band, which was founded in 1993. In 2001, they invited composer Philip Sparke to work with them on some of his pieces for a weekend. This led to the band asking Sparke to write a piece to celebrate their 10th Anniversary in 2003. A Huntingdon Celebration was the result.

This short and lively overture opens with a fanfare-like passage based on the main theme, which soon appears on clarinets and saxophones and is then taken up by the whole band. Answering phrases between brass and woodwind lead to a second legato theme over bubbling eighth notes. This in turn leads to a slower central chorale in the tenor register of the band. The original tempo returns and, after a period of thematic development, the main theme reappears until the opening fanfare returns to bring the piece to a close.

- Program Note from Philip Sparke website

Commercial Discography

• Audio CD: Osaka Municipal Symphonic Band (Kazuyoshi Akiyama, conductor) – 2004

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Louisiana: III
• Maryland: IV
• Michigan: Senior High B

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Pomona (Calif.) Concert Band (Christopher Northrop, conductor) – 11 August 2016
• Illinois State (Normal) University University Band (Gavin Smith, conductor) – 2 March 2016
• Blasorchester der Musikschule Spandau (Berlin) (Reinhard Kautz, conductor) – 30 November 2013

Works for Winds by This Composer

• Atlantic Odyssey (2010)
• Ballad for Benny (2001)
• Bandwagon (2004)
• Barn Dance and Cowboy Hymn (1982)
• Beethoven's Greeting (2008)
• Bestiarium Suite
  • Tropical Fishes (Appermont)
  • Dance of the Whale (Sparke)
  • Tyrannosaurus Rex (Ferran)
  • The Snail (Van der Roost)
  • The Apes (Smith)
  • The Woodworm (Valencia)
  • The Kangaroo (Houben)
  • Charlie, the Chameleon (Alarcon)
  • The Fly (Navarro)
• Between the Two Rivers (2003)
• Big Sky Overture
• Blazon (2010)
• A Bluegrass Overture (2017)
• Bolero (as arranger) (1928/2011)
• Cambridge Intrada
• The Camelot Chronicles
• Carnival (1997)
• Carol of the Shepherds (2001)
• Celebration (1993)
• The Centurion (1988/2000)
• Chorale and Variations (2004)
• Clarinet Calypso (2003)
• Colorado Springs (2007)
• A Colour Symphony (2015)
• Concert Prelude (1976/2000)
• Concertino Classico (2010)
• Concerto for Clarinet (2003)
• Dance Movements (1995)
• Dance of the Whale. See: Bestiarium Suite
• Deserts (2008)
• Diamond Concerto (2012)
• Diversions - Variations on a Swiss Folk Song (1998)
• Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes
• 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)
• Fiesta! (1998)
• Fiesta de la Vida
• Five Festive Fanfares
• Flying the Breeze (2002/2004)
• The Four Noble Truths (2003/2004)
• Four Norfolk Dances (2001)
• 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)
• A Klezmer Karnival (2004)
• The Land of the Long White Cloud (1980/1988)
• A Lindisfarne Rhapsody (1998)
• The Long Day Closes (as arranger) (1868/2007)
• Madrigalum (2006)
• Måndalen Landscapes (2004)
• Manhattan (2004)
• Marchissimo (2004)
• Mary's Boy Child (as arranger)
• Masquerade (2003)
• Merry-Go-Round (2002)
• Morning Song (2002)
• Music for a Festival (1985)
• Music of the Spheres (2004)
• Navigation Inn
• Once in Royal David’s City (as arranger)
• Orient Express (1987)
• 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)
• Postcard from Singapore (2004)
• The Pioneers (2005)
• A Quiet Moment (2007)
• Reflections
• 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
• The Seasons (2005)
• Shalom! (2001)
• Sierra Nevada (2006)
• Sinfonietta No. 1 (1990)
• Sinfonietta No. 2 (1992)
• Sinfonietta No. 3 (2001)
• Sleepers, Awake! (as transcriber)
• Snow Valley Sleigh Ride (2007)
• Song and Dance (1984)
• 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)
• 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)
• Tameside Overture (1989)
• Te Deum Prelude (as arranger)
• Ten Chorale Preludes (as arranger) (1914/2002)
• Theatre Music (1989)
• Three English Folk Song Miniatures (2013)
• Three Klezmer Miniatures (2009)
• Three Washington Statues (2015)
• To a New Dawn (2000)
• To a Wild Rose (as arranger)
• Tokyo Triptych (2007)
• Trombone Concerto (2007)
• Tuba Concerto (2007)
• The Unknown Journey (2014)
• Valerius Variations (2005)
• Veni Immanuel (2003)
• Victory Fanfare
• 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

• Sparke, P. (2003). A Huntingdon Celebration: For Concert Band [score]. Anglo Music Press: Wembley, England.