Trombone Concerto (Sparke)

Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke

General Info

Year: 2007
Duration: c. 25:30
Difficulty: VI (solo), V (ensemble) (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Anglo Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €410.00   |   Score Only (print) - €32.50

Movements

1. Allegro - 9:45
2. Agitato - 8:55
3. Sambezi – 6:30

Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Trombone
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon/ B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat 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
• Glockenspiel
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tambourine
• Triangle
• Tubular Bells
• Wood Block
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Philip Sparke's Trombone Concerto was written for Olaf Ott, principal trombonist with the Berlin Philharmonic. The concerto is in traditional three-movement form, and the whole work could be seen as a dramatic soliloquy for the soloist, who starts in earnest and agitated mood but, as the concerto progresses, is able to take a more optimistic tone before ending the work with what could be called a “symphonic samba.”

Movement 1 begins darkly until the solo part introduces a more positive theme -- only to be “overruled” by a faster, troubled accompaniment; the movement closes over a sombre drum ostinato. Movement 2 opens with a heartfelt “plea” in the accompaniment that is echoed by the soloist, who then plays a simple chorale melody introducing a delicate central section. A chant-like tune leads to a joyous climax, heralding a return of the opening material.

Movement 3 casts all troubles aside in a joyful samba -- a jazz-influenced central tune explores the higher ranges of the trombone before the samba rhythms set up a “contest” between trombone and piano. The soloist is the eventual “winner” (of course) and celebrates by reintroducing the samba melody before bringing the work to a virtuosic close.

- Program Note by publisher

Commercial Discography

• Audio Download: Hiroyuki Odagiri, trombone - 2010

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Osakan Philharmonic Winds (Osaka, Japan) (Tomo Matsuo, conductor; Joseph Alessi, trombone) - 21 December 2019 (2019 Midwest Clinic)
• Dublin Wind Symphony (Jeff hesser, conductor; Brett Baker, trombone) – 18 May 2011

Works for Winds by this Composer

• Atlantic Odyssey (2010)
• Ballad for Benny (2001)
• Bandwagon
• Barn Dance and Cowboy Hymn (1982)
• Between the Two Rivers (2003)
• Big Sky Overture
• A Bluegrass Overture (2017)
• Cambridge Intrada
• Camelot Chronicles, The
• Carnival
• Carol of the Shepherds
• Celebration (1993)
• Centurion, The (1988/2000)
• Chorale and Variations
• Clarinet Calypso
• Colorado Springs
• Concert Prelude (1976/2000)
• Concerto for Clarinet
• Dance Movements (1995)
• Deserts (2008)
• Diamond Concerto (2012)
• Diversions - Variations on a Swiss Folk Song
• Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes
• Earth, Water, Sun, Wind (2000)
• English Sea Song Suite, An
• Euphonium Concerto No. 2
• Exultation (2010)
• Fanfare for Saint Cecilia (2008)
• Fanfare, Romance and Finale
• Fantasy for Euphonium
• Festive Tribute, A (J.S. Bach)
• Fiesta! (1998)
• Fiesta de la Vida
• Five Festive Fanfares
• Flying the Breeze (2002/2004)
• Four Norfolk Dances (2001)
• The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (as arranger) (1910/2007)
• Hail the Dragon! (2010)
• Harlequin (2004)
• Hanover Festival (2000)
• Huntingdon Celebration, A (2003)
• Infinity and Beyond...
• Invictus
• Jubilee Overture (1983)
• Klezmer Karnival, A (2004)
• Land of the Long White Cloud, The
• Lindisfarne Rhapsody, A (1998)
• Madrigalum (2006)
• Marchissimo (2004)
• Mary's Boy Child (as arranger)
• Masquerade
• Merry-Go-Round (2002)
• Morning Song (2002)
• 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
• Overture for Woodwinds (2000)
• Panis Angelicus (as arranger) (1872/2001)
• Pantomime (1988/1996)
• Pastime with Good Company (as arranger) (15--?/2005)
• Postcard from Singapore (2004)
• Pioneers, The (2005)
• Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song (2015)
• Roaring Forties, The (2008)
• Sailing with the Tall Ships (2012)
• Salute to a Hero (2009)
• Scenes from a Comedy
• Shalom! (2001)
• Sierra Nevada (2006)
• Sinfonietta No. 1
• Sinfonietta No. 2
• Sinfonietta No. 3 (2001)
• Sleepers, Awake! (as transcriber)
• Song and Dance (1984)
• Spirit of the Sequoia (2004)
• Strathcarron (2002)
• Suite from Hymn of the Highlands
• The Sun Will Rise Again (2011)
• Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001)
• Symphonic Metamorphosis (2007)
• Symphony No. 1. See: Earth, Water, Sun, Wind
• Tales of the River Wye (2007)
• Tameside Overture
• Te Deum Prelude (as arranger)
• Ten Chorale Preludes (as arranger) (1914/2002)
• Theatre Music
• 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)
• Trombone Concerto (2007)
• Valerius Variations (2005)
• Victory Fanfare
• A Weekend in New York (2008)
• White Rose, The (2002)
• Wilten Festival Overture
• Winter's Tale, A (2010)
• Year of the Dragon (1984/1985)
• Year of the Dragon (2017 edition) (1984/1985/2017)
• A Yorkshire Overture (1991)

Resources

• Perusal score
• Philip Sparke website Accessed 22 December 2019
• Sparke, P. (2007). Trombone Concerto [score]. Anglo Music: Wembley, England.