An Analysis and Performance Interpretation of Philip Allen Sparke's The Year of the Dragon 2017 Version

• Main Authors: CHIEN, CHENG-HSUAN, 簡晟軒
• Other Authors: WANG, CHAN
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/8cgk53

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 音樂學系 === 108 === Since the 19th century, wind band has settled with an instrumental format following the innovation and the improvement of wind instruments. Immediately after, repertoire for wind ensemble has begun to grow tremendously. Philip Allen Sparke (b. 1951) is one of the composers who contributed a large amount of compositions for wind band and brass band. Instead of playing only overtone pitches before, the inventions of piston and valve during the Industrial Revolution have increased lots of flexibility to brass instruments, which are able to play chromatic pitches ever since. For wind band, these two innovations provide more possibilities on brass parts. Therefore, the sound of wind band becomes as vibrant and flexible as the string ensemble. This thesis is to introduce the work of Sparke’s The Year of the Dragon, 1984 as an example of creating vocal-like sound, and showing technical challenges for winds. In this thesis, the background of the composer and the composition are introduced in the first part. In the second part, the two versions for wind ensemble (1985 and 2017) of the piece are compared side by side, and provide analysis focused on the 2017 version in terms of its structure, motive, and thematic development. Lastly, the writer will suggest proper performing interpretations from a band conductor and a performer’s point of view.