Concertino for Tuba and Brass Band - Philip Sparke

[NickJones]

I don't think there is another commericial recording ( I assume your recording is from the All England Masters Gala Concert cd) , I do have a tape recording of the National Youth Band of Wales with James Gourlay . recording quality is not very good I am afraid.

[NickJones]

Concertino for Tuba and Brass Band
Written in 1988 for Jim Gourlay and first performed by him with the Sun Life Band in December of that year.

The piece opens slowly with a dreamy song-like theme for the soloist against a background of gentle muted figures. After a brief interlude for the band, the soloist returns and winds down into a short cadenza before returning to a varied version of the opening theme. A second variation follows and this leads to a lively vivo in sonata form with much rhythmic interplay between band and soloist.

As a climax is reached the percussion section breaks into a repeated ostinato figure against which the soloist plays the third and most elaborate cadenza, in free time. This eventually leads back to a recapitulation of the vivo and a hectic coda, which brings the work to a conclusion.

Just to add I am sure there are some Multiphonics in the cadenza sections , it is well worth buying ( I think it's around £60 ) and working on , a brilliant piece for tuba.

www.philipsparke.com

[LoyalTubist]

I wouldn't have heard of this piece unless I got involved with the inner circle of British brass band enthusiasts when I lived in Southeast Asia, about ten years ago.

The British brass band culture is amazing. It cuts across lines, includes both professional and amateur musicians, all ages, both genders, and it's a lot of fun.

If you are not familiar with the British brass band culture, I suggest watching the movie, Brassed Off. This is about a brass band sponsored by a soon to be defunct coal mine.

[NickJones]

Brassed off is not really an accurate depection of the problems colliery bands faced , for every Grimethorpe there are 10 bands which were not lucky to get a sponsership , the music in the film is definitly not represenitive of 21st century banding , we are lucky we have people like John Mcabe , Philip Sparke , Edward Gregson , Philip Wilby , Martin Ellerby writing for bands and new names like John Pickard ( composer of pieces like Wildfire and Men of Stone for the National Youth Brass Band of Wales) and Peter Meechan ( young composer in residence Black Dyke Band) and pieces written by young American Composer Matt Lima ( Big Sky 2001 NYBBW commission).
anyway back on topic if you want to play a fantastic testing major work for tuba and brass band , invest in a set of Concertino.

[LoyalTubist]

There really isn't that much available here to glean from.