The picturesque town of Mandalen lies amid snow-covered mountains and scenic fjords on the west coast of Norway. MANDALEN LANDSCAPES was commissioned by and written for Måndalen Skule og Ungdomskorps (Mandalen School and Youth Band) for a major concert in November 2003 at the instigation of its conductor, John Hudson, a long-time friend of composer Philip Sparke.

Sparke set out to capture the beauty of the area in music and the piece opens with an evocation of the crisp, clear air of a Norwegian morning. After this introduction, the main theme is stated on clarinets and saxophones. A central bridge section takes the listener through several moods until the brass reintroduce the main theme under a woodwind descant. Material from the introduction brings the work to a peaceful close.