A London Overture (Philip Sparke)

Commissioned by and especially published for the Dutch National Brass Band Championships 1984.

A London Overture opens majestically with a figure on the baritones and euphoniums that recurs throughout the piece.  At (A) the cornets start a "bell" effect that builds to a climax when the opening figure returns.  This subsides into a slower section with a wistful tune for the solo cornet.  Over a quiet drum roll, trombone, horn, cornet and euphonium each play a short cadenza and a lively allegro follows based on fanfare-type material until the first real tune emerges at (E).  After a short bridge passage, a calmer tune in 7/8 appears which the fanfare material soon interrupts.  A sudden plunge into minor tonality at (K) heralds a sad tune on the solo cornet, answered by the euphonium.  After a slightly more optimistic passage for the full band the sad cornet tune returns, loud and uncompromising.  The climax subsides and a perky figure on the horn leads to a new tune on the trombone a (R) which gives way after a brief allusion to the opening of the piece to a recapitulation of the allegro .  The 7/8 tune returns with florid passages from the cornets until the final statement of the main theme at (U).  This is suddenly interrupted by a loud gong, which heralds the return of the opening material.  The overture ends with a presto containing the original euphonium and baritone figure and ending with a rush of notes.