Philip Sparke: Måndalen Landscapes: Orchestre d'Harmonie

The picturesque town of Mandalen lies amid snow-covered mountains and scenic fjords on the west coast of Norway. MANDALEN LANDSCAPES was commissioned by and written for Måndalen Skule og Ungdomskorps (Mandalen School and Youth Band) for a major concert in November 2003 at the instigation of its conductor, John Hudson, a long-time friend of composer Philip Sparke.Sparke set out to capture the beauty of the area in music and the piece opens with an evocation of the crisp, clear air of a Norwegian morning. After this introduction, the main theme is stated on clarinets and saxophones. A central bridge section takes the listener through several moods until the brass reintroducethe main theme under a woodwind descant. Material from the introduction brings the work to a peaceful close.