13.
ANDREW DOWNES PUBLISHED
WORKS
SOLO INSTRUMENTS WITH ORCHESTRA
with string orchestra:
1 piano; 2 pianos; 2 guitars;
native American flute (or alto flute);
with symphony orchestra: piano; 4 horns
FIVE MOVEMENTS FOR PIANO AND STRING ORCHESTRA Opus 10 (1976)
20'
First performed by Malcolm Wilson and the Birmingham Conservatoire String
Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Duggan, at Birmingham Conservatoire on
December 12th 1977.
' This work...has emotional strength displayed in
short movements of well developed structure. The
lay-out, clear and unfussed, uses string textures
with a solo piano part of effective proportions. Melodic ideas bearing a broad
family relationship tie the five parts, varied though they are, in a bond of
dramatic unity.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
Arrangement of the work for Piano Quartet, by Cynthia Downes,
first performed at the Friends' Meeting House, Hertford in October, 1997, by
'Contrasts', with subsequent performances in Birmingham and Holland.
'This proved to be constantly interesting music and delightfully approachable.
It has many beauties - melodies and fascinating rhythms - and makes the most of
each of the instruments. The performance was vigorous, sensitive and confident,
and in response to the audience's enthusiastic appreciation, the last movement
was repeated as an encore at the end of the recital. It confirmed the first
impression that further hearings would reveal even greater beauties in the
music.'
HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY
CONCERTO FOR TWO PIANOS AND STRING ORCHESTRA Opus 61 (1997) 25' View
Score
To hear a computer generated performance of this work, click: movement 1 movement 2 movement 3
Commissioned by the Bishop of Naples to celebrate the
restoration of the Cathedral of Barletta, S.Italy.
Piano parts written especially for the Duo Scaramouche. The Italian premiere has had to be
postponed because of tragic earthquake damage to the restored cathedral. At the
British premiere, in November 1997 in the Adrian Boult
Hall, Birmingham, and at the French premiere in March 1998 in the Salle Cortot, Paris, the Avison Chamber
Orchestra, conducted by Steven Lloyd, accompanied the Duo Scaramouche.The
first London performance by the same players took place at St.James,
Piccadilly, in August 1999. A video recording was made of this concert and is
available from Lynwood Music. The work has been broadcast many times on
Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.
'Appropriately, much of its thematic material derives from the close scalic nature of plainsong; rhythms and textures reflect
the composer's interest in World Music. Within these parameters the work
strikes as another example of Downes' craftsmanship.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
CONCERTO FOR GUITAR, BASS GUITAR AND STRINGS Opus 62 (1997)
25' View
Score
Commissioned by guitarists Simon Dinnigan and Fred T.Baker. The premiere took place on l8th November 1997 in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham. The guitarists were accompanied by the Thallein ensemble conducted by the composer. The concerto was subsequently performed on June 16th 2002 at the Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter, Devon, by guitarists Steve Gordon and Fred T Baker, with the Western Sinfonia conducted by Scott Stroman.
'Andrew Downes' Concerto..
was full of delightful music.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
This work was recorded for CD in July 1999, by Simon Dinnigan
and Fred T.Baker together with String players from
the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer. The CD,
entitled Concerto for Two Guitars (Classicprint
label - CPVP013CD), has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, several times on Dutch
Radio, and many times on Musicians
Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA. To purchase the CD, click here
The CD received an excellent
review on MusicWeb International in September 2001 Read
Review
To hear this
recording on YouTube, click: movement 1
movement 2
movement 3
Recorded
samples of Andrew Downes' music and how to order CDs
and videos
CONCERTO FOR NATIVE
AMERICAN (OR ALTO FLUTE) AND STRINGS Opus 64 (1998) 20' View
Score
First
performed on 25th March 2003 in the Adrian Boult
Hall, Birmingham, as part of the Birmingham Conservatoire Music Xtra Festival. Native American
Flute soloist, Rebecca Massey, was accompanied by the Strings of the Central
England Ensemble. The conductor was Richard Laing. A second performance by the
same musicians took place in St.Saviour's Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, on 6th April 2003.
'Typically for this composer, it
conveys a sense of some huge, pervasive spiritual force.' THE BIRMINGHAM POST
An arrangement by Cynthia Downes for Concert Flute, Oboe and Orchestra was first
performed on 24th April 2013 in St John’s Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, as part of the 2013 Hagley Music Festival.
Soloists Diane McCreedy (flute) and Nadia Accili (oboe) were accompanied by the Hagley
Community Orchestra. The performance was
introduced and directed by Cynthia Downes. The composer joined the orchestra (on
keyboard) for this performance.
‘Having Andrew Downes present at the concert and performing in it was very
special, as was having his wife’s personal observations on the background to
the Native American Concerto.’ David
Blackburn, CONTACT Magazine.
CONCERTO FOR FOUR SOLO
HORNS AND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Opus 77 (2000) 25'
View
Score
Composed for the Czech
Philharmonic Orchestra and first performed by them with soloists Radek Baborak, Stanislav Suchanek, Ondrej Vrabec, and Zdenek Divoky, conducted by
Vladimir Valek, in the Dvorak Hall of the Rudolfinum, Prague, Czech Republic, on 28th February 2002.
A second performance took place in the same venue the following evening, 1st
March. The work was recorded by the same soloists with the Czech Radio
Orchestra and broadcast on Czech Radio in March 2003.
The following extract is from
the programmes note to the first performance:-
'The British composer Andrew
Downes (born 1950) ranks today among the
internationally acclaimed personalities. He has produced compositions of all
genres: song cycles, choirs, cantatas, chamber pieces for various ensembles,
symphonic compositions as well as church music. Downes's
chamber pieces are often written for the woodwinds - Downes
pays special attention chiefly to flute and French horn ... Downes
made a successful debut in Prague with his Sonata for 8 French Horns,
and the horn section of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic
Horns, recorded this sonata for Czech Radio and a CD, which was well received
and highly appreciated by experts. In February 2001, another Downes composition for brass instruments interpreted by
members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra was heard in the Dvorak Hall - Sonata
for Brass Sextet. The premiere tonight - Concerto for 4 French
Horns and Orchestra - was directly inspired by the
interpretational art of the horn section of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.'
'In my forty five years of
listening to music seriously there have been some notable and unforgettable
milestones. These include the first hearings of such masterworks as Beethoven's
Symphony no. 7, Dvorak's Carnival Overture, Humphrey Searle's The Riverrun (and, indeed, all else that he wrote) Irving
Fine's The Hour Glass, the music of Webern and now, Andrew Downes's
Concerto for four horns and orchestra Op.77, a truly staggering
piece.' DR DAVID WRIGHT, MUSICWEB For the
whole article, click here
CONCERTO FOR PIANO AND
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Opus 98 (2008) 25'
Composed for pianist Duncan Honeybourne, the Central England Ensemble and Music
Director Anthony Bradbury, and first performed by them at Birmingham Town Hall
on 1st March 2009. The work was recorded for CD at the first performance,
and copies are available by sending an email to Lynwood Music. The recording has been broadcast many times
on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.
To hear this world premiere
performance, click: movement 1
movement 2
movement 3
There was a great audience
reaction to the premiere of the concerto, and written comments
included:
'Andrew's composition, Concerto
for Piano and Symphony Orchestra was wonderful. I felt so uplifted after
the
performance.'
'We thought the second movement
particularly
wonderful.'
'So many people said wonderful things
about the evening - we thought the music was superb - you really are a great
composer Andrew. ... Have you begun the next one Andrew, because you now have a
captive
audience?'
'Congratulations on a wonderful
composition. Keep them
coming!'
'The piano concerto was real
success!'
We loved the Piano Concerto -
I'd love to hear it
again!'
'It was a great privilege to be
present at the premiere of your piano concerto. It was an unforgettable
experience. Several people around us said it should be in the general
repertoire. It is such an exciting work that it deserves many more performances.
You seem to go from strength to strength! Do continue to excite and
entertain your friends and supporters with your
music.'
'Wow, what can I say?! We all
thoroughly enjoyed the concert last night, especially the piano
concerto.'
'The piano concerto was
fantastic ---- hearing the concerto at the first performance is something that
I will remember for a long time.'
CONCERTO FOR FRENCH HORN AND
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Opus 101 (2009 - 2012) 28'
Composed for
Ondrej Vrabec
(Principal and Solo Horn Czech Philharmonic Orchestra), the Central England
Ensemble and Music Director Anthony Bradbury, and first performed by them in
Birmingham Town Hall on October 21st 2012, in a concert to celebrate the
10th anniversary of CEE. The concert was sponsored by Irwin Mitchell,
solicitors.
'the
renowned composer Andrew Downes ---- horn star Ondrej Vrabec took centre stage
in the exhilarating new Andrew Downes Horn
Concerto. Conductor Anthony Bradbury had obviously worked everyone
thoroughly for this taxing work, therefore all evidently enjoyed the fanfares,
echo phrases, catchy dance-rhythms, musical questions and answers.
Thrilling woodwinds eventually
led to a richly harmonic plainsong style and gentle sensitive solo lines.
Complex rhythms teased in the
exciting finale of this most accessible work, eventually finishing with the
soloist's triumphant 'whoop'.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
‘The audience were enraptured,
and left the building with the harmonies dancing round their heads.’
FOCUS ON SPINAL INJURY (Winter
3013)