18.
ANDREW DOWNES PUBLISHED
WORKS
INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE brass ensembles; brass with organ
SUITE FOR BRASS QUINTET Opus 28 (1983) 15'
2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba
5 movements: Pastorale, Fanfare, Elegy, Folk Dance, Epilogue.
Dedicated to the memory of Bernard Brown.
Commissioned by the Cambrian Brass Ensemble. First performed at the Bernard
Brown Memorial Concert in Birmingham Cathedral on 9th November
1983. Numerous subsequent performances
include ones at the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre in London, The
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Birmingham Conservatoire and several
music societies around the UK.
Arrangement for strings first performed by young musicians in Hagley,
Worcestershire, in April 1998 and again in September 1999. The 'Elegy' has been
recorded as a keyboard piece with flutes for CD by Ellie Brockman with the
group "Essence".
'...individual style...immediately characterful'
BIRMINGHAM POST.
BRASS QUINTET N0.2 OPUS 57 (1995) 20' (Suite No..2
for Brass Quintet)
Four movements: Blazon; Queen Elizabeth's Fantasy; Scherzo; Finale
2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba. 4 movements.
Commissioned by 'Brass Pages' for first performance at the Barber Institute of
Fine Arts at Birmingham University on l2th October 1995. The group performed
the first movement as soon as it had been written on Canadian TV in the Summer
of 1994. The work was performed by Paradise Brass at the composer's 60th
birthday concert at Birmingham Conservatoire on November 29th 2010.
Arrangement for strings, by Cynthia Downes, of the 2nd movement, Queen
Elizabeth's Fantasy, first performed at the Clent Millennium Festival
(Worcestershire) in April 2000; and subsequently at the May Day 2000 concert at
St John's Church, Hagley (Worcestershire); and at the St Saviour's Church,
Hagley, Centenary Concert on 29th November 2008. Full orchestral
arrangement of the whole work, by Cynthia Downes, first performed at the Hagley
Music Festival by the Hagley Community Orchestra on May 11th 2011.
SONATA FOR BRASS SEXTET Opus 73 (1999) 20' View
Score
2 trumpets, horn, trombone, bass trombone, tuba. 5 movements
Specially composed for Stanislav Suchanek and the Czech Philharmonic Brass
Sextet, as a token of the composer's gratitude for the wonderful interpretation
of his Sonata for Eight Horns by the Czech Philharmonic Horns.
First performed in the Dvorak Hall, Prague, on 21st February 2001 by Miroslav
Kejmar and Marek Zvolanek, trumpets, Stanislav Suchanek, horn, Jiri Novotny,
trombone, Karel Kucera, bass trombone and Karel Malimanek, tuba.
Extract from the concert programme: '....The composer was so pleased with
their performance that he dedicated a new work for our artists - the Sextet for
Brass instruments, the premiere of which we shall hear today. The music has
contrasting parts and demands top qualities from all six players. The audience
will appreciate its unusual sound and compositional brilliance. We can now look
forward to a similar event in the next season of the Czech Philharmonic Concert
Calendar - again a world premiere - Andrew Downes' Concerto for 4 Horns and
Symphony Orchestra.' (See page
13)
SONATA FOR 13 BRASS INSTRUMENTS Opus 16 (1978) 18'
6 trumpets, 4 horns, 2 trombones, tuba. 3 movemnts
Commissioned by the Brass Ensemble of the Birmingham School of Music (director
Frank Downes), who gave the first performance on March 3rd 1978 in
the Recital Hall of the Birmingham School of Music, as well as subsequent
performances in 1978, 1979 and 1980 in Hereford Cathedral, St Cuthbert’s Church
Wells, Ludlow Town Hall, the Bromsgrove Festival, Blakedown Parish Church
(Worcestershire), all conducted by Frank Downes, and the Church of the
Ascension, Hall Green, Birmingham, conducted by Andrew Downes.
In March 1982, the BSM Brass Ensemble, directed by Frank Downes, performed the work twice in Lyon, France. In October 1984, they gave a further performance in Birmingham Cathedral. In July 1985, the Finale from the Sonata was performed by the BSM Brass Ensemble, directed by Frank Downes, in Birmingham Town Hall, in a joint concert with Thomas Trotter, City Organist.
In December 1990, the Birmingham Conservatoire Brass Ensemble, directed by Reg Reid, gave a performance of the work in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, and a further performance in March 1991 in Birmingham Cathedral. In December 1993, the Birmingham Conservatoire Brass Ensemble, directed by Nigel Evans, performed the work in the final concert of the Birmingham Conservatoire Music Extra Festival.
‘An excellent and integrated work … highlight of a lively evening’ Stephen Daw BIRMINGHAM POST following performance at the Church of the Ascension, Birmingham, March 1979.
FANFARE FOR A CEREMONY Opus 13 (1977) 3' View
Score
5 trumpets, 4 horns, 2 trombones, tuba
(version for brass band also available)
Commissioned for performance at the Degree Ceremonies of the Open
University. First performed on 15th
July 1977 by the Brass Ensemble of the Birmingham School of Music, directed by
Frank Downes, in the Recital Hall of the Birmingham School of Music. Subsequently, regularly performed at the
Wembley Conference Centre, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, the Assembly Rooms,
Derby, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Cambridge Sports Hall and the National
Exhibition Centre. Performances have
been televised. Used in 1998 for
Independent Local Radio commercials.
FESTIVAL FANFARE for SAVE THE CHILDREN Opus 34 (1985) 1'
View
Score
4 trumpets, 1 horn, 4 trombones, tuba
Written to open Birmingham Children's Song Festival, in aid of Save the Children,
on May 10th 1986 and in subsequent festivals. Premiered by Gemini Brass.
FANFARE FOR MADAM SPEAKER Opus 57 (1995) 4' View
Score
6 trumpets, 2 horns, 3 trombones, tuba
Piano version also available.
Composed for the Installation of the Rt Hon Betty Boothroyd MP, Speaker of the
House of Commons, as Chancellor of the Open University. The ceremony took place
on l8th March 1995 in Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Betty Boothroyd was delighted
with the work and asked for the piano version so that she could play it on her
piano in the House of Commons (See INSTRUMENTAL SOLO Piano page
11).
An arrangement for orchestra, by Cynthia Downes,
of this fanfare was first performed by the Hagley Community Orchestra,
conducted by Cynthia Downes, in a concert in St Saviour’s Church, Hagley,
Worcestershire, on March 17th 2012.
Brass with organ:-
ANNA’S BRIDAL MARCH Opus 83 (2003) 2' Organ, 2 trumpets, 2 horns
Specially composed for the wedding of the composer’s daughter, Anna
Rebecca, to Michael Jason Price, at St.John’s Church, Hagley, Worcestershire,
on 28th December 2003. Performed by Duncan Honeybourne, organ, Ian & Jo
Hattersley, trumpets, Claire Beckett and Phil Dawes, horns.
THE MERCIES OF OUR LORD organ, 2 trumpets, SATB Choir - see CHORAL ACCOMPANIED page 8