The Year of the Dragon (music)
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| The Year of the Dragon | |
|---|---|
| by Philip Sparke | |
| Catalogue | EAN 9790050019947 |
| Form | |
| Occasion | Centenary Celebration |
| Commissioned by | Cory Band |
| Duration | 13:00 |
| Movements | 3 |
| Premiere | |
| Date | March 1984 |
| Location | St David's Hall |
| Conductor | Major Arthur Kenney |
| Performers | Cory Band |
The Year of the Dragon is a musical composition by Philip Sparke originally written for the internationally acclaimed and awarded [1] Cory Band's Centenary Celebrations held at St. David's Hall in Cardiff in March 1984. The composition has since made a regular appearance worldwide as a test piece for brass band competitions.[2]
Background
[edit]The Cory Band, with the aid of funds provided by the Welsh Arts Council, had commissioned Philip Sparke to write a work for their centenary concert in celebration of being the very first ever Welsh band to win the European Brass Band Champions in 1980.[3] The title The Year of the Dragon is in reference to the red dragon as the national emblem for Wales.
At the time I wrote The Year of the Dragon, Cory had won two successive National Finals and I set out to write a virtuoso piece to display the talents of this remarkable band to the full.
— Philip Sparke, Composer's Notes
Philip Sarke transcribed The Year of the Dragon for wind band a year after its premiere in 1985.,[4] which he later revised as a new 2017 wind band edition commissioned by the Siena Wind Orchestra he himself premiered on June 17, 2017, at Bunkyo Civic Hall, Tokyo with the orchestra.[5]
There are many rhythms and chord progressions throughout the piece that would suggest a slight jazz influence, mostly in the style of George Gershwin.
Structure
[edit]The Year of the Dragon is written in three movements: Toccata, Interlude, and Finale.[6] Approximate performance time is thirteen minutes 13'00".
Toccata
[edit]The first movement starts with a sudden drum roll solo, which is then followed by a low, ominous motif. This is repeated until the rest of the winds join in, introducing the first melodic theme in the piece. This is intermitted by a dance-like section. The rest of the band then re-enters the fray, leading into a brief chorale section before going back into the dance. This continues until the movement fades out with the final faint echoes of the opening melody.
Interlude
[edit]This movement is largely a sorrowful, delicate trombone solo. A slightly more joyful chorale offers a brief exit from the melancholic setting, before the solo returns to bring the movement to a hushed close. This solo is often played in a rubato form, allowing the soloist to slow down or speed up for virtuosic effect.
Finale
[edit]The final movement of this piece begins with a fast feature with occasional outbursts in the background. Following this is a march-like section with playful strains planted throughout. The main theme is then reiterated with more triumphal sounding excerpts played by the horns. The bells are given a fanfare to play as the winds crescendo to a final climax and ending the piece with a fast-paced, rousing conclusion..
Instrumentation
[edit]Brass Band
[edit]- E♭ Soprano cornet
- 9 B♭ Cornets
- B♭ Flugelhorn
- 3 E♭ horns
- 2 B♭ baritones
- 2 B♭ Trombones
- Bass trombone
- 2 B♭ Euphoniums
- 2 E♭ Basses
- 2 B♭ Basses
- 3 Percussion (snare drum, bass drum, timpani, xylophone, glockenspiel, cymbal, tambourine, triangle, tam-tam)
Concert Band
[edit]- Piccolo
- Flute I, II
- Oboe I, II
- English Horn
- Bassoon I, II
- Double Bassoon
- E♭ Clarinet
- B♭ Clarinet I, II, III
- E♭ Alto Clarinet
- B♭ Bass Clarinet
- B♭ Contrabass Clarinet
- B♭ Soprano Saxophone
- E♭ Alto Saxophone I, II
- E♭ Alto Saxophone I, II
- B♭ Tenor Saxophone
- E♭ Baritone Saxophone
- B♭ Cornet I, II, III
- B♭ Trumpet I, II
- F Horn I, II, III, IV
- Trombone I, II, III
- Euphonium
- Tuba
- Double Bass
- Timpani
- Percussion (Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Bells, Xylophone, Tambourine, Tam-Tam, Triangle, Wood Block)
References
[edit]- ^ "The Cory Band Nominated for Culture award". Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh Government. 13 September 2017.
- ^ "Test Piece: The Year of the Dragon". Brass Band Results.
- ^ "The Cory Band". Welsh Proms Cymru.
- ^ "The Year of the Dragon". philipsparke.com.
- ^ "The Year of the Dragon – 2017 Edition". philipsparke.com.
- ^ Burns, Alex (26 September 2021). "Philip Sparke The Year of the Dragon: A Tour-De-Force for Band".
External links
[edit]- The Year of the Dragon (Brass Band) ‐ The Music of Philip Sparke (www.philipsparke.com)
- The Year of the Dragon (Concert Band) ‐ The Music of Philip Sparke (www.philipsparke.com)
- The Year of the Dragon ‐ The Music of Philip Sparke (www.philipsparke.com)
- The Year of the Dragon (Brass Band Score and Parts) M-050-01994-7 ISMN 979-0-0500-1994-7 EAN 9790050019947 ‐ Publisher:Studio Music Company London England
- The Year of the Dragon Brass band score and Parts ‐ OCLC 494164488 Worldcat.org
- The Year of the Dragon (2017 Edition) M050094135 ISMN 979-0-0500-9413-5 EAN 9790050094135
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