Sierra Nevada

Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke

General Info

Year: 2006
Duration: c. 9:45
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Anglo Music, through Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $159.00;   |   Score Only (print) - $21.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto 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
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Glockenspiel
• Marimba
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Triangle
• Tubular Bells
• Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This work presents the listener with the wondrous grandeur of one of the great mountain ranges in America, the Sierra Nevada. When the music begins, the listener is greeted with the awakening of an early morning in the Sierras, complete with a mysterious, foggy mist that creates a feeling of complete stillness and peace with the world. As the mist slowly dissipates, hidden forms begin to make their presence known and gradually become a tremendous panorama of grand snow-covered mountain peaks. Grandiose and immense in all their beauty and glory, they stand before you with a sense of undeniable power, extending in all directions as far as the eye can see.

Upon closer inspection one can imagine the circling golden eagles, the regal elk and royal stags, all lazily wandering the hills and canyons of conifers that stand tall, reaching for the passing clouds in hopes of gaining a few rays of life-giving sunshine and moisture. Look in another direction and you will see the immense rolling hillsides of colourful wild flowers, fluttering butterflies, birds darting about, sparkling waterfalls and all critters existing in harmony. After the day's activities the sun begins to slip below the horizon, the mist returns, and all living things prepare for another still night of sleep, serenity and the warmth of their secure bedding places.

- Program Note from publisher

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of Central Arkansas (Conway) Symphonic Band (Ricky Brooks, conductor) – 10 October 2019
• Joyeux Winds (Hong Kong) – 31 August 2014

Works for Winds by This Composer

• Atlantic Odyssey (2010)
• Bacchanalia (2019/2020)
• Ballad for Benny (2001)
• The Bandwagon (2004)
• Barn Dance and Cowboy Hymn (1985)
• Beethoven's Greeting (2008)
• Between the Two Rivers (2003)
• Big Sky Overture (2002)
• Blazon (2010)
• Blue Rock (2008)
• A Bluegrass Overture (2017)
• Bohemian Rhapsody (as arranger) (1975/2011)
• Bolero (as arranger) (1928/2011)
• Cambridge Intrada (2007)
• The Camelot Chronicles (2007)
• Carnival (1997)
• Carol of the Shepherds (2001)
• Celebration (1993)
• The Centurion (1988/2000)
• Chorale and Variations (2004)
• A Christmas Herald (2008)
• Clarinet Calypso (2003)
• Clarinet Concerto (2003)
• Colditz March (as arranger) (1972/2014)
• Colorado Springs (2007)
• A Colour Symphony (2015)
• Concert Prelude (1976/2000)
• Concertino Classico (2010)
• Dance Movements (1995)
• Dance of the Whale (2013/2014), from Bestiarium
• David of the White Rock (as arranger) (1741/2003)
• Deserts (2008)
• Diamond Concerto (2012)
• Diversions (1999)
• Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes (as arranger) (1790/2011)
• The Earl of Oxford's Marche (as arranger) (1581–91/2006)
• Earth, Water, Sun, Wind (2000)
• An English Sea Song Suite (2006)
• Euphonium Concerto No. 2 (2005)
• Exultation (2010)
• Fanfare for Saint Cecilia (2008)
• Fanfare, Romance and Finale (1990)
• Fantasy for Euphonium (1995)
• A Festive Tribute (J.S. Bach) (2007)
• Fiesta! (1998)
• Fiesta de la Vida (2005/2006)
• Five Festive Fanfares (2000)
  • Victory Fanfare
• Flowerdale (2002/2010)
• Flying the Breeze (2002/2004)
• The Four Noble Truths (2003/2004)
• Four Norfolk Dances (2001)
• Gemini Concerto (2017/2019)
• The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (as arranger) (1910/2007)
• Hail the Dragon! (2010)
• Hanover Festival (2000)
• Harlequin (2004)
• A Huntingdon Celebration (2003)
• In Memoriam: For the Fallen (2015)
• Infinity and Beyond... (2001)
• Invictus (2001)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (1723/2004)
• Jubilee Overture (1983)
• Jubiloso (2008/2009)
• A Klezmer Karnival (2004)
• The Land of the Long White Cloud (1980/1988)
• The Legend of Spirit Island (2017)
• Letter from Home (2008)
• A Lindisfarne Rhapsody (1998)
• The Long Day Closes (as arranger) (1868/2007)
• Looking Up, Moving On (2012)
• MacArthur Park (as arranger) (1967/2005)
• Madrigalum (2006)
• Måndalen Landscapes (2004)
• Manhattan (2004)
• Marchissimo (2004)
• Mary's Boy Child (as arranger) (1956/2003)
• Masquerade (2003)
• A Medieval Christmas (2011)
• Merry-Go-Round (2002)
• Morning Song (2002)
• Mountain Song (1990/1993)
• Moving Heaven and Earth (2012)
• Music for a Festival (1985)
• Music of the Spheres (2004)
• Navigation Inn (2000)
• North Hills Fantasy (2021)
• Of Skies, Rivers, Lakes, and Mountains (2012/2013)
• Once in Royal David’s City (as arranger) (1849/2004)
• Orient Express (1987/1994)
• Out of the Darkness, Into the Light (2003)
• Overture for Woodwinds (2000)
• The Painted Desert (2004)
• Panis Angelicus (as arranger) (1872/2001)
• Pantomime (1988/1996)
• Pantomime (arr. Maldonado) (1988)
• Pastime with Good Company (as arranger) (15--?/2005)
• Pentangle (2021)
• The Pioneers (2005)
• A Pittsburgh Overture (1992)
• The Planetarium
• Portrait of a City (2002)
• Postcard from Singapore (2004)
• Prelude to a Celebration (2007)
• Pulcinella (2021)
• A Quiet Moment (2007)
• Reflections (2011)
• Reflections on an Old Japanese Folk Song (2015)
• Rhythm and Blues (arr. Wheeler) (1986/2012)
• The Roaring Forties (2008)
• Royal Salute (2007)
• Sailing with the Tall Ships (2012)
• Salute to a Hero (2009)
• A Savannah Symphony (2010)
• Scenes from a Comedy (2007)
• The Seasons (2005)
• Shalom! (2001)
• Sierra Nevada (2006)
• Sinfonietta No. 1 (1990)
• Sinfonietta No. 2 (1992)
• Sinfonietta No. 3 (2001)
• Sinfonietta No. 4 (2012)
• Sinfonietta No. 5 (2021)
• Sleepers, Awake! (as transcriber) (1731/2002)
• Slipstream (1987/1990)
• Snow Valley Sleigh Ride (2007)
• Song and Dance (arr. Brand) (1984/2009)
• Song of Friendship (2017)
• The Song of the Bell (2012)
• Sounds of the Saint Lawrence (2008)
• Spirit of the Sequoia (2004)
• St. Paul's Suite (as arranger) (1912–13/2017)
• Strathcarron (2002)
• Suite from Hymn of the Highlands (2002)
• Summer Isles (2002/2006)
• The Sun Will Rise Again (2011)
• Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001)
• Symphonic Metamorphosis (2007)
• Symphony No. 1. See: Earth, Water, Sun, Wind
• Symphony No. 2. See: A Savannah Symphony
• Symphony No. 3. See: A Colour Symphony
• Tales of the River Wye (2007)
• Tallis' Canon (arr. Sparke) (/2012)
• A Tameside Overture (1989)
• Te Deum Prelude (as arranger) (1688–98/2001)
• Ten Chorale Preludes (as arranger) (1914/2002)
• Theatre Music (1989)
• Three English Folk Song Miniatures (2013)
• Three Extraordinary Journeys (2006)
• Three Klezmer Miniatures (2009)
• Three Washington Statues (2015)
• Time Remembered (2001)
• To a New Dawn (2000)
• To a Wild Rose (as arranger) (1896/2002)
• Tokyo Triptych (2007)
• Trombone Concerto (2007)
• Tuba Concerto (2007)
• Two-Part Invention (2003/2008)
• The Unknown Journey (2014)
• Valerius Variations (2005)
• Variations on a Fourth (2019/2022)
• Veni Immanuel (2003)
• Watch Your Step! (2017)
• A Weekend in New York (2008)
• The White Rose (2002)
• Wind in the Reeds (2017)
• Wilten Festival Overture (1999)
• A Winter's Tale (2010)
• Year of the Dragon (1984/1985)
• Year of the Dragon (2017 edition) (1984/1985/2017)
• A Yorkshire Overture (1991)

Resources

• Perusal score (in Attachments)
• Philip Sparke website. Accessed 17 May 2020