Philip Sparke: Parade of the Clockwork Soldiers: Concert Band: Score

This piece was inspired by the composer watching his young son Benny playing ‘soldiers’ with his collection of teddy bears - how appropriate!But it made him think of the many character pieces which take the form of a ‘toy march’ the most notable examples being by Haydn Tchaikovsky and Leon Jessel. Parade of the Clockwork Soldiers is in the form of a ‘patrol’ (starting and ending quietly with a louder middle) and aims to represent a band marching past the listener. In fact where the hall layout permits it it could be possible to add a little choreography to the piece starting and ending with only a few instruments on stage.