Sarabande and Tarantella
In 2016 I composed two miniatures, both dedicated to friends: the first was written in fond memory of the composer John McCabe, who sadly died before his time; whilst the second was written as a belated 70th birthday present for the recorder player John Turner.
They were originally written for recorder and piano, but in 2018 I orchestrated them for a recording made in 2018, and at the same time re-titled the work. The Sarabande (sub-titled John’s Farewell) is a short, simple, but wistful. John loved Italian and French music and this little piece has something of the …
Read MoreEuphonium Concerto
The Euphonium Concerto was commissioned by the Euphonium Foundation UK and was written for, and dedicated to, David Childs. Lasting some 22 minutes, it is a large-scale symphonic work in both its structure and scale. Its three movements, subtitled Dialogues, Song without Words, and A Celtic Bacchanal, explore the full range of the technical, musical, and emotional scope of the euphonium.
The first movement, Dialogues, is concerned with contrast and development, using as a reference point a five note musical cypher (BACH – B flat, A, C, B natural – followed by a tritone F). This cypher is …
Read MoreAria for Philip
Written in memory of Philip Jones, this short work was first performed at his memorial concert held at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2000. Scored for Brass Quintet, it was performed by former members of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
My friendship with Philip Jones stretched back to my student days, when my Quintet for Brass was performed during my final year at the Royal Academy of Music. Philip was present at that premiere in 1967, and soon after that his ensemble performed and broadcast the Quintet on a UK Tour, including a performance in the finals of …
Read MoreMusic of the Angels
In 1998 Gregson was commissioned by conductor Martyn Brabbins to write a short concert opener with choir to mark his debut as Music Director of the Huddersfield Choral Society. Entitled …and the seven trumpets… this ten minute flourish is founded on a verse from Chapter 8 of the Revelation To John (The Apocalypse), the last book in the Bible: ‘and I saw the seven Angels which stood before God: and to them were given seven trumpets’. The performance employed the full power of the Huddersfield Town Hall organ and the brass section of the BBC Philharmonic, including seven trumpets and …
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