SKU: PR.465000130
ISBN 9781598064070. UPC: 680160600144. 9x12 inches.
Following a celebrated series of wind ensemble tone poems about national parks in the American West, Dan Welcher’s Upriver celebrates the Lewis & Clark Expedition from the Missouri River to Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, following the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Welcher’s imaginative textures and inventiveness are freshly modern, evoking our American heritage, including references to Shenandoah and other folk songs known to have been sung on the expedition. For advanced players. Duration: 14’.In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific and explore the uncharted West. He believed woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and mountains of pure salt awaited them. What they found was no less mind-boggling: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies.Ihave been a student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which Thomas Jefferson called the “Voyage of Discovery,†for as long as I can remember. This astonishing journey, lasting more than two-and-a-half years, began and ended in St. Louis, Missouri — and took the travelers up more than a few rivers in their quest to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. In an age without speedy communication, this was akin to space travel out of radio range in our own time: no one knew if, indeed, the party had even survived the voyage for more than a year. Most of them were soldiers. A few were French-Canadian voyageurs — hired trappers and explorers, who were fluent in French (spoken extensively in the region, due to earlier explorers from France) and in some of the Indian languages they might encounter. One of the voyageurs, a man named Pierre Cruzatte, also happened to be a better-than-average fiddle player. In many respects, the travelers were completely on their own for supplies and survival, yet, incredibly, only one of them died during the voyage. Jefferson had outfitted them with food, weapons, medicine, and clothing — and along with other trinkets, a box of 200 jaw harps to be used in trading with the Indians. Their trip was long, perilous to the point of near catastrophe, and arduous. The dream of a Northwest Passage proved ephemeral, but the northwestern quarter of the continent had finally been explored, mapped, and described to an anxious world. When the party returned to St. Louis in 1806, and with the Louisiana Purchase now part of the United States, they were greeted as national heroes.Ihave written a sizeable number of works for wind ensemble that draw their inspiration from the monumental spaces found in the American West. Four of them (Arches, The Yellowstone Fires, Glacier, and Zion) take their names, and in large part their being, from actual national parks in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. But Upriver, although it found its voice (and its finale) in the magnificent Columbia Gorge in Oregon, is about a much larger region. This piece, like its brother works about the national parks, doesn’t try to tell a story. Instead, it captures the flavor of a certain time, and of a grand adventure. Cast in one continuous movement and lasting close to fourteen minutes, the piece falls into several subsections, each with its own heading: The Dream (in which Jefferson’s vision of a vast expanse of western land is opened); The Promise, a chorale that re-appears several times in the course of the piece and represents the seriousness of the presidential mission; The River; The Voyageurs; The River II ; Death and Disappointment; Return to the Voyage; and The River III .The music includes several quoted melodies, one of which is familiar to everyone as the ultimate “river song,†and which becomes the through-stream of the work. All of the quoted tunes were either sung by the men on the voyage, or played by Cruzatte’s fiddle. From various journals and diaries, we know the men found enjoyment and solace in music, and almost every night encampment had at least a bit of music in it. In addition to Cruzatte, there were two other members of the party who played the fiddle, and others made do with singing, or playing upon sticks, bones, the ever-present jaw harps, and boat horns. From Lewis’ journals, I found all the tunes used in Upriver: Shenandoah (still popular after more than 200 years), V’la bon vent, Soldier’s Joy, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (a hymn sung to the tune “Beech Springâ€) and Fisher’s Hornpipe. The work follows an emotional journey: not necessarily step-by-step with the Voyage of Discovery heroes, but a kind of grand arch. Beginning in the mists of history and myth, traversing peaks and valleys both real and emotional (and a solemn funeral scene), finding help from native people, and recalling their zeal upon finding the one great river that will, in fact, take them to the Pacific. When the men finally roar through the Columbia Gorge in their boats (a feat that even the Indians had not attempted), the magnificent river combines its theme with the chorale of Jefferson’s Promise. The Dream is fulfilled: not quite the one Jefferson had imagined (there is no navigable water passage from the Missouri to the Pacific), but the dream of a continental destiny.
SKU: PR.46500013L
UPC: 680160600151. 11 x 14 inches.
I n 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clarks Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific and explore the uncharted West. He believed woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and mountains of pure salt awaited them. What they found was no less mind-boggling: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies. I have been a student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which Thomas Jefferson called the Voyage of Discovery, for as long as I can remember. This astonishing journey, lasting more than two-and-a-half years, began and ended in St. Louis, Missouri and took the travelers up more than a few rivers in their quest to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. In an age without speedy communication, this was akin to space travel out of radio range in our own time: no one knew if, indeed, the party had even survived the voyage for more than a year. Most of them were soldiers. A few were French-Canadian voyageurs hired trappers and explorers, who were fluent in French (spoken extensively in the region, due to earlier explorers from France) and in some of the Indian languages they might encounter. One of the voyageurs, a man named Pierre Cruzatte, also happened to be a better-than-average fiddle player. In many respects, the travelers were completely on their own for supplies and survival, yet, incredibly, only one of them died during the voyage. Jefferson had outfitted them with food, weapons, medicine, and clothing and along with other trinkets, a box of 200 jaw harps to be used in trading with the Indians. Their trip was long, perilous to the point of near catastrophe, and arduous. The dream of a Northwest Passage proved ephemeral, but the northwestern quarter of the continent had finally been explored, mapped, and described to an anxious world. When the party returned to St. Louis in 1806, and with the Louisiana Purchase now part of the United States, they were greeted as national heroes. I have written a sizeable number of works for wind ensemble that draw their inspiration from the monumental spaces found in the American West. Four of them (Arches, The Yellowstone Fires, Glacier, and Zion) take their names, and in large part their being, from actual national parks in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. But Upriver, although it found its voice (and its finale) in the magnificent Columbia Gorge in Oregon, is about a much larger region. This piece, like its brother works about the national parks, doesnt try to tell a story. Instead, it captures the flavor of a certain time, and of a grand adventure. Cast in one continuous movement and lasting close to fourteen minutes, the piece falls into several subsections, each with its own heading: The Dream (in which Jeffersons vision of a vast expanse of western land is opened); The Promise, a chorale that re-appears several times in the course of the piece and represents the seriousness of the presidential mission; The River; The Voyageurs; The River II ; Death and Disappointment; Return to the Voyage; and The River III . The music includes several quoted melodies, one of which is familiar to everyone as the ultimate river song, and which becomes the through-stream of the work. All of the quoted tunes were either sung by the men on the voyage, or played by Cruzattes fiddle. From various journals and diaries, we know the men found enjoyment and solace in music, and almost every night encampment had at least a bit of music in it. In addition to Cruzatte, there were two other members of the party who played the fiddle, and others made do with singing, or playing upon sticks, bones, the ever-present jaw harps, and boat horns. From Lewis journals, I found all the tunes used in Upriver: Shenandoah (still popular after more than 200 years), Vla bon vent, Soldiers Joy, Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (a hymn sung to the tune Beech Spring) and Fishers Hornpipe. The work follows an emotional journey: not necessarily step-by-step with the Voyage of Discovery heroes, but a kind of grand arch. Beginning in the mists of history and myth, traversing peaks and valleys both real and emotional (and a solemn funeral scene), finding help from native people, and recalling their zeal upon finding the one great river that will, in fact, take them to the Pacific. When the men finally roar through the Columbia Gorge in their boats (a feat that even the Indians had not attempted), the magnificent river combines its theme with the chorale of Jeffersons Promise. The Dream is fulfilled: not quite the one Jefferson had imagined (there is no navigable water passage from the Missouri to the Pacific), but the dream of a continental destiny.
SKU: HL.1224747
UPC: 196288143659. 6.75x10.5x0.052 inches.
If you aren't aware already, Briton Jacob Collier has firmly established himself as the preeminent composer, theorist, improviser, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist of the modern era. Collier's Grammy-winning arrangement of “Moon River” is a thrilling exercise in form and style. A cappella arranger extraordinaire Paul Langford has taken Jacob's iconic arrangement and has meticulously set it to eight-to-twelve vocal parts on the page. While this would be one of the most difficult arrangements your choir could tackle, it would also turn out to be one of the most rewarding!
SKU: HL.44007329
UPC: 884088245269. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
The River Wye is one of longest rivers in the United Kingdom and forms a part of the border between England and Wales. The river takes its source from the Welsh mountains and curves gracefully through some of the favorite landscapes of Philip Sparke. It crosses the picturesque cities of Monmouth, Ross-on-Wye, Hereford, and Hay-on-Wye. Tales of the River Wye tells of an afternoon on the banks of the river. A splendid and serene addition to the concert band repertoire. Duration: 3:20.
SKU: HL.44007328
UPC: 884088245252. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
SKU: BT.AMP-061-120
Between the Two Rivers was commissioned by Fanfare ‘Prins Hendrik’, from Aalst in the Netherlands. The title derives from the fact that the town of Aalst lies between two tributaries of the River Dommel. The community is a highly religious one, so the famous Luther chorale, Ein’ Feste Burg, was an obvious choice for Philip Sparke to use as the theme for this new work. It takes the form of a theme with four contrasting variations. Variation 1 is a moto perpetuo, variation 2 has a slower march like feel, variation 3 is a sinister slow movement and the final variation is in the form of a lyrical fugue. Between The Two Rivers is sure to become a major work in modern concert bandrepertoire. Between the Two Rivers werd gecomponeerd in opdracht van de Fanfare Prins Hendrik uit Aalst. De titel verwijst naar het feit dat Aalst tussen twee zijrivieren van de Dommel ligt. Aalst is een streng gelovige gemeente, dus was heteen voor de hand liggende keuze van Philip Sparke om het beroemde lutherse koraal Een vaste burcht te gebruiken als thema voor een viertal variaties. Variation I is een moto perpetuo, Variation II is langzamer en marsachtig van karakter,VariationIII is een sinister langzaam deel en Variation IV heeft tot slot de vorm van een fuga. Between the Two Rivers zal beslist een belangrijk concertwerk worden in het repertoire van blaasorkesten. Het werk is verplichtgesteld op het Wereld Muziek Concours 2005 te Kerkrade.Philip Sparke wählte sich den berühmten Luther-Choral Ein' feste Burg als Thema für eine Reihe von Variationen. Nach einer kurzen, lebhaften Eröffnung folgen vier abwechslungsreiche Variationen über den Choral. Between the Two Rivers, dessen Name sich auf die zwischen zwei Flüssen liegende, Auftrag gebende Stadt Aals in Holland bezieht, ist ein prachtvolles Werk, in dem alle Register des Blasorchesters zum Zuge kommen. Philip Sparke a composé Between the Two Rivers n l'occasion du centenaire de la Fanfare Prins Hendrik (1904-2004) de la ville d'Aalst aux Pays-Bas. Le titre de cette composition trouve son origine dans le fait que la ville est enserrée entre deux affluents de la rivi¬re Dommel. Aalst est une cité pieuse. La création d'un ensemble de variations sur le th¬me du cél¬bre choral luthérien Ein' feste Burg (C'est un rempart que notre Dieu) s'imposait comme une évidence. Between the Two Rivers est une ?uvre fluide, lyrique, mystérieuse et élégante.
SKU: HL.44012459
8.25x11.75x0.52 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
Between the Two Rivers was commissioned by Fanfare 'Prins Hendrik', from Aalst in the Netherlands. The title derives from the fact that the town of Aalst lies between two tributaries of the River Dommel. The community is a highly religious one, so the famous Luther chorale, Ein' Feste Burg, was an obvious choice for Philip Sparke to use as the theme for this new work. It takes the form of a theme with four contrasting variations. Variation 1 is a moto perpetuo, variation 2 has a slower march like feel, variation 3 is a sinister slow movement and the final variation is in the form of a lyrical fugue. Between The Two Rivers is sure to become a major work inmodern brass band repertoire. Between the Two Rivers werd gecomponeerd in opdracht van de Fanfare Prins Hendrik uit Aalst. De titel verwijst naar het feit dat Aalst tussen twee zijrivieren van de Dommel ligt. Aalst is een streng gelovige gemeente, dus was heteen voor de hand liggende keuze van Philip Sparke om het beroemde lutherse koraal Een vaste burcht te gebruiken als thema voor een viertal variaties. Variation I is een moto perpetuo, Variation II is langzamer en marsachtig van karakter,VariationIII is een sinister langzaam deel en Variation IV heeft tot slot de vorm van een fuga. Between the Two Rivers zal beslist een belangrijk concertwerk worden in het repertoire van blaasorkesten. Het werk is verplichtgesteld op het Wereld Muziek Concours 2005 te Kerkrade.Philip Sparke wahlte sich den beruhmten Luther-Choral Ein' feste Burg als Thema fur eine Reihe von Variationen. Nach einer kurzen, lebhaften Eroffnung folgen vier abwechslungsreiche Variationen uber den Choral. Between the Two Rivers, dessen Name sich auf die zwischen zwei Flussen liegende, Auftrag gebende Stadt bezieht, ist ein prachtvolles Werk, in dem alle Register der Brass Band zum Zuge kommen. Philip Sparke a compose Between the Two Rivers a l'occasion du centenaire de la Fanfare Prins Hendrik (1904-2004) de la ville d'Aalst aux Pays-Bas. Le titre de cette composition trouve son origine dans le fait que la ville est enserree entre deux affluents de la riviere Dommel. Aalst est une cite pieuse. La creation d'un ensemble de variations sur le theme du celebre choral lutherien Ein' feste Burg (C'est un rempart que notre Dieu) s'imposait comme une evidence. Between the Two Rivers est une oeuvre fluide, lyrique, mysterieuse et elegante.
SKU: BA.BA11309
ISBN 9790006577705. 27 x 19 cm inches. Text Language: English.
It is a small music history sensation: Thanks to Yves Grard an unknown and unpublished manuscript penned by Camille Saint-Saëns has been unearthed in the Mdiathèque Jean Renoir in Dieppe in France.It is the top four instrumental parts which make this manuscript something of a sensation. Placed under each other are â??Saxophone Soprano en Si bâ?, â??Saxophone Alto en Mi bâ?, â??Saxophone Tnor en Si bâ? and â??Saxophone Baryton en Mi bâ?, strings, soprano solo with chorus and organ. Musical history has hitherto credited Jean-Baptiste Singele (1812â??1875) with having written the first saxophone quartet, his opus 53, which he completed in 1857. Now this historiography clearly has to be revised. The date 1854 has been found under the first page of the treasure from Dieppe, which is pasted over and also sewn, meaning that Saint-Saënsâ?? work was written three years earlier than that of Singele.In contrast to Singele, Saint-Saëns does not have the wind instruments taking solo parts but rather uses their tonal colour to depict textual moods and nuances. On the one hand the saxophones accompany the choral parts (certainly singable by amateurs) and support the human voices in fugal passages. On the other hand, they take the melody in the purely orchestral passages.Saint-Saëns wrote the motet in the period when he had taken up his first permanent appointment as organist at the Church of Saint-Merri in Paris. He revised the work several times over the decades, changing the motifs at the beginning, correcting obvious mistakes, reworking the ending, eventually changing the instrumentation several times and even â?? probably in the final stage â?? replacing the Latin text with an English one. Today, three-and-a-half versions have been handed down, one of them stopping after just a few pages. The compositional steps have been successfully reconstructed by means of detailed detective work. Furthermore, the first saxophone version (BA 11305) and the last English piano version (BA 11309) have been edited to produce a scholarly-critical edition.The present edition of the English version for soprano solo, choir and piano (BA 11309) serves both as a full score and as a vocal score due to the instrumentation.
About Barenreiter Urtext
What can I expect from a Barenreiter Urtext edition?
MUSICOLOGICALLY SOUND - A reliable musical text based on all available sources - A description of the sources - Information on the genesis and history of the work - Valuable notes on performance practice - Includes an introduction with critical commentary explaining source discrepancies and editorial decisions ... AND PRACTICAL - Page-turns, fold-out pages, and cues where you need them - A well-presented layout and a user-friendly format - Excellent print quality - Superior paper and binding
SKU: HL.303776
ISBN 9781540066145. UPC: 888680969004. 9.0x12.0x0.398 inches.
The Strum Together series enables players of five different instruments - or any combination of them - to strum together on 70 great songs. This new, easy-to-use format features melody, lyrics, and chord diagrams for five popular folk instruments: standard ukulele, baritone ukulele, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. This collection includes 70 folk songs: Amazing Grace * Beautiful Dreamer * Camptown Races * (Oh, My Darling) Clementine * Danny Boy * The Drunken Sailor * The Erie Canal * Home on the Range * In the Good Old Summertime * Kumbaya * Michael Row the Boat Ashore * My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean * On Top of Old Smoky * The Red River Valley * Shenandoah * Take Me Out to the Ball Game * When the Saints Go Marching In * Yankee Doodle * and more.
SKU: HL.381031
ISBN 9781705152423. UPC: 196288019435. 9.0x12.0x0.292 inches.
It's super easy! This series features accessible arrangements for piano, with simple right-hand melody, letter names inside each note, basic left-hand chord diagrams, and no page turns. The arrangements also include lyrics. This big edition includes 60 folk favorites: Auld Lang Syne * Aura Lee * Beautiful Dreamer * Buffalo Gals (Won't You Come Out Tonight?) * (Oh, My Darling) Clementine * Cockles and Mussels (Molly Malone) * Danny Boy * Deep River * For He's a Jolly Good Fellow * Frankie and Johnny * He's Got the Whole World in His Hands * My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean * My Wild Irish Rose * Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen * 'O Sole Mio * Sailing, Sailing * Scarborough Fair * She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain * Simple Gifts * Skip to My Lou * Take Me Out to the Ball Game * Wayfaring Stranger * Wellerman * When Johnny Comes Marching Home * When the Saints Go Marching In * The Yellow Rose of Texas * and more.
SKU: HL.841443
ISBN 9780634004469. UPC: 073999250060. 9x12 inches. Book/Online Audio.
14 songs for solo instruments, complete with online audio play-along tracks. Includes: Bernie's Tune • Cry Me a River • Fever • Fly Me to the Moon • God Bless' the Child • Harlem Nocturne • Moonglow • A Night in Tunisia • One Note Samba • Opus One • Satin Doll • Slightly Out of Tune (Desafinado) • Take the “A†Train • Yardbird Suite.
SKU: HL.1315782
ISBN 9798350110272. UPC: 196288179023. 9.0x12.0 inches.
No matter your age or if you're at the very start of your piano journey, you can play the 49 favorites in this collection! Each song is presented in arrangements with no page turns, simple right-hand melody parts, letter names written inside each note head, and basic left-hand chord diagrams. Songs include: Chasing Cars â?¢ Dancing Queen â?¢ Don't Stop Believin' â?¢ Drivers License â?¢ Every Breath You Take â?¢ Free Fallin' â?¢ Golden Hour â?¢ He's a Pirate â?¢ Heart and Soul â?¢ Imagine â?¢ La Bamba â?¢ Lean on Me â?¢ The Lion Sleeps Tonight â?¢ One Call Away â?¢ 100 Years â?¢ Peaches â?¢ Piano Man â?¢ Stand by Me â?¢ Star Wars (Main Theme) â?¢ Sweet Caroline â?¢ Take Me Home, Country Roads â?¢ We Don't Talk About Bruno â?¢ and more.
SKU: BT.DHP-1053813-401
ISBN 9789043122276. 9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
The following situation may be familiar to you: You’re at a party, visiting friends or hosting relatives and someone asks you to play something on the piano. It’s best to choose a song that people know, but it is often difficult to choose one that is suitable. You are expected to perform on the spot and impress your audience. This book contains thirteen pieces written especially for such occasions. From Lambada to Beethoven, from The Muppet Show to Sting, you’re sure to find familiar songs for your impromptu performances. And best of all, these pieces can be played by anyone who has taken piano lessons for just a few years.Een stuk spelen op verzoek - van klassiek tot populair? In dit boek staan dertien bekende stukken waarmee de pianist voor de dag kan komen bij diverse gelegenheden. Van de Lambada tot Beethoven en van The Muppet Showtot Sting: By Request is geschikt voor iedereen die een paar jaar les heeft gehad.Die folgende Situation ist sicherlich vielen vertraut: Bei einer Party oder einem Familienfest wird man gebeten, etwas Nettes auf dem Klavier vorzuspielen. Da ist es oft schwer, das Passende zu finden. Dieses Buch enthält dreizehn leichte Stücke, mit welchen auch Spieler mit wenig Erfahrung bei solchen Gelegenheiten groß herauskommen können. Ob vorgetragen oder zu Hause zum eigenen Vergnügen gespielt: Es ist für jeden Anlass und jede Stimmung etwas dabei! Lors d’une soirée entre amis ou en famille, on vous demande de vous mettre au piano et de jouer une petite musique sympathique. By Request contient treize moreaux adaptés spécialement ce genre de situation : de la Lambada Ludwig van Beethoven, du Muppet Show Sting, toutes les pièces présentées dans ce recueil sont célèbres et sont accessibles aux pianistes ayant quelques années de pratique instrumentale. Quando alla sera fra amici o in famiglia, vi viene domandato di mettervi al pianoforte e di suonare una piccola e simpatica musica, la difficolt risiede nella scelta del brano. By Request contiene 13 brani adatti a questo genere di situazione: dalla Lambada a Ludwig van Beethoven, da Muppet Show a Sting, tutti i brani presenti in questa raccolta sono celebri e accessibili a tutti i pianisti con qualche anno di pratica strumentale.
SKU: KN.KSS2301FS
12 x 9 inches.
Come and take an exhilarating ride down the Colorado River. The music captures the essence of the river racing through whitewater rapids and flowing through tranquil canyons.
SKU: HL.365041
ISBN 9781705135259. UPC: 840126960624. 9.0x12.0x0.359 inches.
The Strum Together series enables players of five different instruments – or any combination of them – to “strum together†on 70 great songs. This new, easy-to-use format features melody, lyrics, and chord diagrams for five popular folk instruments: standard ukulele, baritone ukulele, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. This collection includes 70 gospel/hymn favorites: Amazing Grace • Blessed Be the Name • Down by the Riverside • Great Is Thy Faithfulness • His Eye Is on the Sparrow • In the Garden • Just As I Am • Love Lifted Me • Nothing but the Blood • The Old Rugged Cross • Precious Memories • Rock of Ages • Shall We Gather at the River? • There Is a Balm in Gilead • What a Friend We Have in Jesus • When the Saints Go Marching In • and more.
SKU: KN.KSS2301
SKU: AP.12-0571570542
ISBN 9780571570546. English.
Simon Dobson's work takes Perth's great River Tay as its inspiration and attempts to portray the eternal nature of the river in both its never-ending flow and its timelessness. The river becomes the omnipresent narrator of the work and as such flows throughout the piece in various guises. There are three movements in And When the River Told, but they flow without a break from one to the next; each one begins with the ancient river and shifts into one of three episodes, centered around a different aspect of Perth and its history in the 800 years since it was granted a charter in 1210 by King William the Lion of Scotland, confirming it as a Royal Burgh. And When the River Told was commissioned by the Scottish Brass Band Association for the Scottish Open Brass Band Championship, held on 20 November 2010 and the Perth Concert Hall.
SKU: BT.AMP-340-140
9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.
Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains was commissioned by the Northern California Band Directors' Association to honour their 50th Anniversary in 2012. The first performance was given by the Association’s 2012 Honor Band, conducted by Dr Royce Trevis, in the Harlen Adams Theater, California State University, Chico, California, on 4th February that year.The brief for the commission asked for a piece that celebrated the United States’ natural resources and composer Philip Sparke turned to Katharine Lee Bates’s lyrics for the song America the Beautiful, of which the first and last verses are:O beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purplemountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaThe three movements each take their title from these verses:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: Opening with filigree woodwind figuring, this movement aims to recreate the light and lightness of a spring sky, birds and blossoms floating on gentle breezes.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: A vivacious celebration of water bubbling in streams, rivers and lakes.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties: A slow final movement representing an awe-inspiring range of mountains Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains is geschreven in opdracht van de Northern California Band Directors' Association, ter gelegenheid van het vijftigjarig jubileum van deze organisatie, dat in 2012 werd gevierd. De première werd op 4 februari van dat jaar onder leiding van dirigent Royce Trevis uitgevoerd door de Association’s 2012 Honor Band, in het Harlen Adams Theater, California State University, Chico, Californië.De componist kreeg het verzoek een werk te schrijven dat een lofzang zou zijn op alles wat de natuur van Verenigde Staten te bieden heeft. Philip Sparke gebruikte de tekst van Katharine Lee Bates voor de song America the Beautiful, waarvan heteerste en laatste couplet als volgt luiden:O beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaDe titels van de drie delen van de compositie zijn ontleend aan deze coupletten:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: Dit deel, dat opent met verfijnde figuren in het hout, is een poging om het licht en de lichtheid van een lentehemel te herscheppen, met vogeltjes en bloesems die wiegen in een milde bries.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: Een levendige ode aan water dat stroomt in beken, rivieren en meren3. For Purple Mountain Majesties: Een langzaam laatste deel waarin het beeld wordt opgeroepen van een indrukwekkende bergketen Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains wurde von der Northern California Band Director’s Association (Dirigentenverband Nord-Kaliforniens) zum 50-jährigen Jubiläum im Jahr 2012 in Auftrag gegeben. Die Uraufführung mit dem Ehrenorchester 2012 des Verbands fand am 4. Februar desselben Jahre unter der Leitung von Dr. Royce Trevis im Halen Adams Theater an der California State University, Chico Kalifornien) statt.Der Kompositionsauftrag verlangte ein Stück zu Ehren der Reichtümer der Natur Amerikas. Der Komponist Philip Sparke wählte daher die erste und letzte Strophe aus Katherine Lee Bates’ Text zum Lied America the Beautiful, die da lauten:O beautiful for spaciousskies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining seaDie Titel der drei Sätze stammen alle aus diesen Strophen:1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies (O wunderschön, der weite Himmel): Mit filigranen Figuren im Holz beginnend, will dieser Satz das Licht und die Leichtigkeit des Frühlingshimmels, die Vögel und von einer sanften Brise getragene Blüten zum Leben erwecken.2. From Sea to Shining Sea (Vom Meer zum strahlenden Meer): Mit lebhafter Musik wird hier in Flüssen, Bächen und Seen sprudelndes Wasser zelebriert.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties (Die Erhabenheit der purpurrot leuchtenden Berge): Der langsame Schlusssatz richtet den Blick auf ehrfurchtgebietende Gebirge. Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes and Mountains est une commande de la Northern California Band Directors' Association pour marquer son 50e anniversaire, en 2012. Cette œuvre a été créée par le Honor Band 2012 de l’Association sous la direction du Dr Royce Trevis au thé tre Harlen Adams de l’université de Californie Chico, Californie, le 4 février de cette même année.La commande stipulait que la pièce devait célébrer les ressources naturelles des États-Unis. Le compositeur Philip Sparke s’est donc inspiré des paroles de Katharine Lee Bates pour la chanson America the Beautiful, dont voici les premier et dernier couplets :O beautiful for spacious skies,For amberwaves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!(Oh belle pour tes vastes cieux,Tes vagues de grains ambrés,La majesté de tes montagnes violettesDominant des plaines fruitées !)America! America!God shed His grace on thee,And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea(Amérique ! Amérique !Dieu t’a donné sa gr ceCouronnée de la fraternité des hommesDe la mer la mer étincelante)Les trois mouvements empruntent chacun leur titre ces couplets :1. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies: S’ouvrant avec des figures en filigrane jouées par les bois, ce mouvement cherche recréer la lumière et la légèreté d’un ciel printanier, d’oiseaux et de fleurs flottant au gré d’une douce brise.2. From Sea to Shining Sea: Plein de vivacité, ce mouvement évoque les frémissements de l’eau des ruisseaux, des rivières et des lacs.3. For Purple Mountain Majesties:Le dernier mouvement, lent et majestueux, dépeint une impressionnante chaîne de montagnes.
