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Three Washington Statues

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Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke


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General Info

Year: 2015
Duration: c. 8:45
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Anglo Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €155.00   |   Score Only (print) - €33.00


Movements

1. The Lincoln Memorial
2. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
3. Encore


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contra-Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V

(percussion detail desired)


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Three Washington Statues was commissioned by the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier, leader and commander, for the inaugural High School Concert Band Invitational ‘The President’s Cup’, held in DAR Constitution Hall, Washington D.C. on April 10, 2015. This innovative competition saw ten of the country’s best high school bands, selected by audition, play the piece as part of a longer free-choice programme before it was later featured in a concert by the United States Army Band in the evening.

Washington D.C. contains some of the world’s most iconic monuments, memorials and statues, especially in and around the spectacular National Mall. Composer Philip Sparke has chosen three of these as the inspiration for this piece, which was premiered close to the White House itself.

1. The Lincoln Memorial. Situated at the west end of the National Mall, the majestic Lincoln Memorial is in the form of a Greek Doric temple. Designed by Henry Bacon, it houses Daniel Chester French’s 1920 statue, Abraham Lincoln, which depicts a pensive Lincoln seated on a throne-like chair. The music contrasts the static grandeur of the monument with the constant movement of some of the 3 million visitors it attracts every year.

2. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. One of Washington’s newest statues, having opened in 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is situated close to the Lincoln Memorial, on whose steps he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech in 1963. Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin chose this speech as his inspiration, referencing the line “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope”. It depicts the civil rights leader standing resolutely and half-hewn out of a block of granite which projects powerfully from between two other large boulders. The mood of the music is in part reverent, but also reflects the strength of character depicted by the powerful statue.

3. Encore. "Encore" statue in memory of the world famous African-American composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington. In this final movement, Sparke catches the virtuosic, energetic and unique dynamism of Ellington's music.

- Program Note by composer


Commercial Discography

None discovered thus far.


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • West Chester University (Penn.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Holtan, conductor) – 26 September 2019
  • Boston University (Mass.) Concert Band (Jennifer Bill, conductor) – 28 February 2018
  • Jenks (Okla.) High School Wind Symphony – 10 April 2015


Works for Winds by this Composer


Resources

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