Philip Sparke
Pantomime
A concise, characterful showpiece that has become a favourite first 'big solo' for developing euphonium players.
| Composer | Philip Sparke |
|---|---|
| Composed | 1986 |
| Era | 20th century |
| Type | Original |
| Difficulty | intermediate |
| Available scorings | Piano, Brass Band |
| Duration | ~9 minutes |
| Clef | bass, treble |
| Originally for | Euphonium |
| Piano part | Difficult |
| Technical demands | character, clean articulation, lyrical contrast, moderate flexibility |
| Good for | developing player, first major solo, solo and ensemble |
| Publisher | Studio Music (1986) |
Philip Sparke’s Pantomime packs a lyrical central section between bright, playful outer material, all in a span short enough to sit comfortably on a contest or recital programme. It asks for clean articulation and a singing middle register without demanding the extreme range or endurance of the full concertos, which is exactly why it works so well as a stepping-stone into the serious repertoire.
Recordings
- Adam Frey ; New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; Bruce Hangen — Majestic Journey
Sources
- Lloyd Bone & Eric Paull, Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire (2007)