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Re: Nationals Test Piece

To: "Brass Band Mailing List" <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Nationals Test Piece
From: "Alec Gallagher" <alec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 18:59:00 +0100
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: Alastair Wheeler <alastair@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 05 June 1998 18:41
Subject: Re: National Finals test - piece

>On Thu, 4 Jun 1998, Kevin Williams wrote:
>
>> How refreshing to read that Philip Sparke has written this years
>> National Finals test piece entitled "Between the Moon and Mexico".
>> Philip is without doubt, in my view, the greatest composer for brass
>
>Now that's an interesting one!  I expect a lot of people will have things
>to say there.  Lots of respect for Philip's compositions (and
>contributions to banding in other spheres) but what about Wilby? Gregson?
>McCabe?  Lloyd?  Heaton??  And all the new composers on the continent who
>are now discovering banding?

Readers looking for a motive for Kevin's comment may like to reflect on the
fact that he plays in a band (Denham Hendon Brass) which is currently being
rehearsed by -  Philip Sparke!!!!  He isn't going to give you an easy time
on that
intro to 'Far and Away' just because you say nice things about him, Kev!!!!
Seriously though, I am sure he says this for the least cynical of motives.

Mind you, as you haven't heard the piece yet, how do you know that
Sparky hasn't taken a radical departure from his 'normal' style, as Horovitz
did with Theme & Cooperation, Gregson did with Dances & Arias - or indeed,
Sparke himself did with Variations on an Enigma?

>>Following that, Theme and Co-operation, and Songs for B.L.  will probably
never be >>played again,

I seem to remember similar comments being made after the publication of
Spectrum, Fireworks, Images, Energy etc etc etc.

>>.... although putting on a recording of
>> Songs for B.L. is guaranteed to remove any unwanted guests or upset your
>> neighbours.
>
Readers may also like to know that I too play for Denham Hendon, that I
happen to like Gary Howarth's music, and that I have noted the above comment
in case Kevin comes round to my place and I want to get rid of him!!
>
>> I am sure that Philip's new work will .... return the movement to
traditional brass band values...

Oh dear.  If this means what I think it means, I'm not sure that any
composer, least
of all one who has contributed so much to brass bands as Philip, would like
to be thought of as taking such a retrograde motion.

Best wishes

Alec
________________________
Alec Gallagher
alec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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