Flying the Breeze

The Breeze Brass Band, based in Osaka, Japan, is a professional ensemble, which was founded in 1990 to encourage the growth of brass bands there. They have invited many leading British conductors, composers and soloists to share their expertise and without doubt have been responsible, through concerts and recordings, for a huge increase in interest in brass bands in their country.

In November 2000 they reached their 10^th anniversary and commissioned Philip Sparke, a frequent visitor, to write a piece to celebrate the occasion.

Flying the Breeze opens with three repeated B’s (the band’s initials) and a short introduction leads to a robust theme from the baritones and euphoniums which is then taken up by cornets and trombones. A restless bridge passage leads to a syncopated tune from the solo cornet and then to a third theme from a solo trombone. A graceful second subject leads back to a recall of the introductory material before a full-scale recapitulation. An intense allargando leads to a full-band version of the second subject under a running cornet passage, which leads to a short coda.