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Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song
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General Info
Year: 2015
Duration: c. 8:40
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $145.00 | Score Only (print) - $33.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V
(percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Based on the traditional Japanese tune Suiryo-Bushi, Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song opens with two contrasting statements of the melody, first sparsely presented by the woodwinds and then in a harmonized version played by the full band. This is followed by a lively section with melodies based on the pentatonic scale which characterizes the folk tune. Next is a slower variation, which centers around a plaintive English horn melody made up of sections of the original tune, and presents the opening phrases of Suiryo-Bushi against an intensely florid accompaniment. The final section is in the form of a scherzo, which eventually forms the accompaniment to a final presentation of the folk tune.
- Program Note from publisher
Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song (2015) was commissioned by the Tokyo Wind Symphony Orchestra. It is based on the tune Suiryo-Bushi, which comes from the shamisen tradition; the shamisen is a versatile three-stringed, plucked instrument used in a variety of traditional ensembles and to accompany kabuki as well as solo singers, especially geisha. The melody was included in a groundbreaking 1892 publication by Y. Nagai (a military bandmaster) and K. Kobatake (a renowned saxophone player) called Collection of Japanese Popular Music. This included some of the first examples of Japanese traditional music in Western notation, with the aim of increasing its popularity outside Japan, following the
country’s resumption of trade with the West in 1853. It is assumed that Puccini used this book when composing Madama Butterfly, as he uses six of its songs (including Suiryo-Bushi) in the opera.
- Program Note from the University of North Texas Wind Symphony concert program, 29 September 2016
Commercial Discography
- Audio CD: North Texas Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor) - 2020
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of South Florida (Tampa) Wind Ensemble (John Carmichael, conductor) – 1 March 2018
- Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Dublin) (Liam Daly, conductor) – 19 July 2017 - WASBE Conference (Utrecht, Netherlands)
- University of North Texas (Denton) Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor) - 29 September 2016
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
- Carmichael, John C. "Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 11, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 776-782. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2018.
- Perusal score
- Philip Sparke website Accessed 29 September 2016