Category: String Orchestra

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New Edition String Orchestra

The Heat of the Sun

New performing edition of
The Heat of the Sun
A Dream Cycle for Strings  (Op. 46)

New 3 minute
introductory video here

New Edition

The brand new performing edition of this work has just been completed.

The music has been revised and fully typeset to the highest standards.

A full score (A3 size) and full set of parts, available to purchase or hire.

Please complete the “contact” form above for full details.

Sample pages

Cover and Preface pages

OP46 – Full Score sample pages

OP46 – Violin I sample pages

OP46 – Violin II sample pages

OP46 – Viola sample pages

OP46 – Violoncello sample pages

OP46 – Double Bass sample pages

Structural Analysis

Op 46 Musical Elements

Performances

Original version, performed by The Wren Orchestra of London, leader: Nona Liddell, conductor: James Judd. St. John’s Smith Square. Broadcast on Capital Radio in March 1983.
Please Note: The Heat of the Sun has been revised slightly since this live recording was made.

I

II

III

IV

We’ve created a quick and dirty electronic ‘performance’ of the new 2018 version, taken directly from the full score, courtesy of Sibelius™.

Programme Note

The initial catalyst for ‘The Heat of the Sun’ was Shakespeare’s famous poem about death, with further inspiration provided by the desert scenes in Peter Weir’s 1981 film ‘Gallipoli’.

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

William Shakespeare
Cymbeline Act IV, Scene II

The music alternates material representing the desert sun, with various day dreams (in the form of ‘episodes’). From the outset we are exposed to the oppressively dry desert heat and throughout the four movements the sun reoccurs, piercing the progressively more diverse and distracted dreams, which by the final movement have become fragmented and wholly retrospective.

‘The Heat of the Sun’, completed in June 1982, was awarded the Capital Radio Composition Prize. The first performance was given by the Wren Orchestra of London, conducted by James Judd
at St John’s, Smith Square the following year ­— a performance which was subsequently broadcast on Capital Radio.

Performance Notes

• Total duration: about 20 minutes.

I      6:45
II    6:00
III   3:30
IV   3:30

• The work is scored for the following instrumentalists:

7 x Violin I
6 x Violin II
4 x Viola
4 x Cello
2 x Double Bass

These numbers may be advantageously increased by up-to 50%

• If the above forces are not readily available, the work can be performed in a reduced version, with bare minimums of:

5 x Violin I
4 x Violin II
3 x Viola
3 x Cello
2 x Double Bass

Alternative parts are required.

• Mutes are required for most instruments.

• Metronome marks are merely indications of tempi and are not to be taken as gospel.

• It is assumed that at least one of the Double Basses is equipped to play ‘low C’.

Categories
Brass Band Brass Band and Solo Trombone Chamber Orchestra Choir and Orchestra Flexible String Ensemble Larger scale works Light Orchestra Orchestra Orchestra and Narrator String Orchestra String Quartet

List of works (larger scale works)

Wind Band

Buffoonery for Solo Bassoon & Wind Band  (SP209)      available from Spartan Press

Goddard, arr: Goddard

Duration: 4-5 minutes.  This arrangement was made for use by the R.A.F. massed bands tour of the U.K. in October 1991 and subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in January 1992. The solo bassoon part is almost the same as the version for bassoon and piano (SP143), with the piano part freely arranged for military band. The piece would work equally well for trombone and band. Recorded on CD: Polyphonic QPRM 117D played by the arranger with the Massed Bands of the Royal Air Force – U.K. tour 1991.    Completed: 14th November, 1991. YouTube video excerpts viewable here.

Brass Band

Paso-doble Demento – A Lollipop for Brass Band  (SP126)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 3 minutes.  This entertaining ‘lollipop’ item started life as a bassoon quartet(!) but was ‘refurbished’ for Wantage Silver Band in 1989. The style of the piece is rooted in ‘big band’ sounds and is in a simplified scoring with a single part for each of Eb horns, baritones and euphoniums. The ‘kit’ percussion part is optional. The scoring is thinned out. Manuscript form.    Completed: 1st May, 1989

Sands Of Time  (Op. 48)     more details

Two pieces for brass band. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st May, 1983

Sea Legend – A Symphonic Poem  (SP125)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 15 minutes.  15 minute ‘tone poem’ written for Wantage Silver Band, featuring three solo cornets. The ingredients of a ‘Rip-roaring Seafarer’s Yarn’ permeate the musical textures unfettered. Manuscript form. (Also available for small orchestra on hire only).    Completed: 1st May, 1989

The Circus – A Light Overture for brass band  (SP129)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 5 minutes.  1st Performance: Wantage Silver Band.  This overture, which parallels some of the traditional circus acts (for example trapeze, jugglers, clowns etc), is meant as an affectionate parody of a musical style all too readily neglected these days. Manuscript form. (Also available for orchestra).    Completed: 1st May, 1983

Brass Band and Solo Trombone

Bone Shaker  (SP127)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 4-5 minutes.  Solo trombone and brass band. This piece was originally written as the final ‘prank’ movement of a concerto for trombone and orchestra. Manuscript form.    Completed: 1st May, 1989

String Orchestra

Chesterton Flowers  (SP124)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 10 minutes.  1st Performance: November 1987.  Chesterton Flowers was written for a concert given as part of a Flower Festival at the Oxfordshire village of Chesterton, in June 1985. Hollyhocks, Deadly Nightshade, French Marigolds and Canterbury Bells. 4 Bassoons (No contra required).    Completed: 1st November, 1987

Heat Of The Sun, The – A Dream Cycle for Strings  (Op. 46)     more details

Duration: 21 minutes.  1st Performance: James Judd with the Wren Orchestra. BBC Capital Radio Broadcast from St. Johns Smith Square London..  Winning work in the Capital Radio Prize 1982. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st June, 1982

Medieval Carol  (SP150)      available from Spartan Press

Originally arranged for West Oxfordshire Adult Education String Workshop, this short piece is for players of an early grade. Individual parts for all Spartan Press ensembles are available separately, quickly and inexpensively.     Completed: 10th June, 1990

Chamber Ensemble, Choir, Narrators, Actors

Beowulf – A Theatrical Event  (Op. 55)     more details

Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (full score, vocal score and parts).    Completed: 10th October, 1984

Choir and Orchestra

5 Epithets of War – Conductor’s Full Score  (SP106)      available from Spartan Press

Composer: Goddard, Author: Scannell

Duration: 10 minutes.  Scored for: 5 part choir (SSATB) Organ Brass Quintet String Quartet Timpani/Percussion Player 1: Timpani and bass drum Player 2: Glockenspiel, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam-tam and snare drum. Adapted from the poetry of Vernon Scannell (1922 – 2007) Commissioned in 1980 by Oxford Education Department for performance by the combined secondary school choirs of Oxfordshire, conducted by Chris Banks.    Completed: 1st November, 1980

5 Epithets of War – Set of Parts  (SP1310)      available from Spartan Press

Composer: Goddard, Author: Scannell

PARTS include: Organ, Brass Quintet, String Quartet, Percussion Player 1: Timpani and bass drum Player 2: Glockenspiel, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam-tam and snare drum.    Completed: 1st January, 1980

5 Epithets of War – Vocal Score  (SP1309)      available from Spartan Press

Composer: Goddard, Author: Scannell

Duration: 10 minutes.  Scored for: 5 part choir (SSATB) Organ Brass Quintet String Quartet Timpani/Percussion Player 1: Timpani and bass drum Player 2: Glockenspiel, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam-tam and snare drum. Adapted from the poetry of Vernon Scannell (1922 – 2007) Commissioned in 1980 by Oxford Education Department for performance by the combined secondary school choirs of Oxfordshire, conducted by Chris Banks.    Completed: 1st January, 1980

A Pardoner’s Tale – A Dramatic Cantata  (Op. 40)     more details

Duration: 25 minutes.  Text by Chaucer, music by Mark Goddard. Scored for Choir, Tenor and Baritone Soloists, Narrator and Orchestra. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score, vocal score and parts).    Completed: 15th April, 1981

Weber: Trauer-Musik J116  (Op. 60)     more details

Weber, Reconstructed by Mark Goddard, editor: Marshall Stoneham

Duration: 6 minutes.  1st Performance: March 1986.  Choir, Baritone soloist and Orchestra. Reconstruction. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 15th March, 1986

Light Orchestra

The Circus – A Light Overture for orchestra  (Op. 39)     more details

Duration: 5 minutes.  Completed: 1st April, 1981 and revised in September 2018. Winner of the Eric Coates Prize for composition at the Royal Academy of Music. First performance: Abingdon and District Music Society.

Chamber Orchestra

Caverns  (Op. 44)     more details

Duration: 14 minutes.  Single wind/brass timps and strings. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st April, 1982

Sinfonietta  (Op. 31)     more details

Duration: 16 minutes.  1st Performance: John Carewe with RAM orchestra.  Four movements for chamber orchestra. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st December, 1979

Orchestra

Beowulf – A Symphonic Poem  (Op. 62)     more details

1st Performance: Oxford Symphony Orchestra, Oxford Town Hall. MG conducing..  Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st September, 1986

Caverns  (Op. 45)     more details

Duration: 14 minutes.  Double wind/brass timps and strings. Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts).    Completed: 1st April, 1982

Sea Legend – A Symphonic Poem For Orchestra  (Op. 69)     more details

Printed facsimile of the original manuscript (score and parts: Fl, Obx2, Bn, Trpx3, Tps and Strings).    Completed: 1st February, 1989

Trombone Concerto – Full Orchestral Score  (SP1394)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 20 minutes.  1st Performance: Mike Skitt – Burford Orchestra, March 1986 and Wantage Silver Band..  Commissioned by John Esaias for the Burford Orchestra and the trombonist Michael Skitt. Five movements.     Completed: 1st June, 1987

Trombone Concerto  (SP1395)      available from Spartan Press

Duration: 20 minutes.  1st Performance: Mike Skitt – Burford Orchestra, March 1986 and Wantage Silver Band..  Commissioned by John Esaias for the Burford Orchestra and the trombonist Michael Skitt. Five movements.     Completed: 1st June, 1987

Orchestra and Narrator

A Tale of Five Winds – A Story for Christmas (Orchestra with Narrator)  (SP179)      available from Spartan Press

Composer: Goddard, Author: Pegg

Duration: 25-30 minutes.  1st Performance: Headington Singers Concert in 1990?.  Text adapted from a Chinese poem by Stephen Pegg.    Completed: 1st December, 1985