Land of the Long White Cloud - Aotearoa, Philip Sparke Wind Band

General Info

Year: 1980, rev. 1988
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: V

Instrumentation

Full Score
 Piccolo
 Flute I-II
 Oboe I-II
 Bassoon I-II
 Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
 Eb Alto Clarinet
 Bb Bass Clarinet
 Alto Saxophone I-II
 Tenor Saxophone
 Baritone Saxophone
 Cornet (in Bb) I-II-III
 Trumpet (in Bb) I-II
 French Horn I-II-III-IV
 Trombone I-II-III
 Euphonium
 Tuba
 String Bass
 Timpani
 Percussion I-II, including: Bass Drum / Cymbals (crash and suspended) / Glockenspiel / Snare Drum / Tenor Drum / Xylophone

Program Notes

Long before Europeans ventured out of sight of land, the bold and restless ancestors of the Maori people were making voyages of thousands of miles across the world's greatest oceans. It was around 1000 A.D. that they landed in New Zealand.

The discovery of New Zealand is attributed in Maori tradition to Kupe and the circumstances of the landfall gave the country its Maori name.

As land was approached, a long, flat volcanic cloud could be seen. Kupe's wife, Hine-te-aparangi, looked to the horizon and cried out, "he ao! He ao! A cloud! A cloud!" The name of Aotearoa was given to the islands - The Land of the Long White Cloud.

The Land of the Long White Cloud (Aotearoa) was originally conceived as a brass band work as a result of a commission by the New Zealand Brass Band Association for their National Championships held in 1980 in Christchurch, New Zealand. This transcription by the composer was commissioned by Keith Allen and Birmingham Schools' Wind Orchestra who gave the first performance in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, England on Sunday 15 May 1988.

Program Note by Philip Sparke