Concert Band
The White Rose
Grade 5 | 8 Mins
The White Rose was commissioned by the White Rose Concert Band from Harrogate, England. It was written in memory of Bob Thompson, long-time conductor and driving force behind this highly successful Yorkshire-based community band — the white rose is the county symbol of Yorkshire.
Opening with a flourish from the trumpets and running woodwind figures, the piece settles into a rhythmic tune from the clarinets which is then taken up by the whole band. A short bridge passage leads to a second subject presented by a solo trumpet and this develops until the music relaxes into a lyrical central section, opening with an expressive flute solo. A climax is reached and eventually the opening material returns. This time it culminates in a version of the flute tune for the whole band followed by a coda which brings together elements of the whole piece.