20.
ANDREW DOWNES PUBLISHED
WORKS
ORCHESTRAL Overtures
CONCERT OVERTURE "TOWARDS A NEW AGE" Opus 60 (1996)
7' View
Score
Scored for full Symphony Orchestra.
Commissioned by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in celebration of the
150th anniversary of its foundation.
First performed on January 28th 1997 in Symphony Hall, Birmingham by the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Constantine. As a result of the
success of this work Andrew Downes was awarded a commemorative gold medal for
his "outstanding contribution" to the anniversary celebrations of the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The Central England Ensemble
conducted by Anthony Bradbury performed the work in the Adrian Boult Hall,
Birmingham, in November 2004. In May 2009, the Haybridge Community
Orchestra, conducted by Cynthia Downes, gave a performance of the overture in
St John's Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, as part of the 2009 Hagley Music
Festival.
'...the overture flickers into life like a willing machine, broad chorales
soaring proudly over energetic rhythms.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
'...an incredible score. Among its many qualities is a marvellous understanding and control of the orchestra. The music is very loud and dramatic at times and almost unbearably exciting and yet the texture of the writing is absolutely faultless.' Dr David Wright MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL
OVERTURE FOR ST CERE Opus 8 (1975) 12'
(2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 horns, 3 trumpets, timpani,
strings)
Commissioned for the St Cere (France) International Music Festival of 1976,
this overture was first performed by the Birmingham School of Music Symphony
Orchestra, directed by Frank Downes, on February 24th 1976 in the
Recital Hall of the Birmingham School of Music. These artists then broadcast
the work live on BBC Radio from the Centre for the Arts at Aston University on
March 10th 1976. They gave
the French premiere at the Chateau de Montal, St Cere, on August 5th
1976.
'La musique en est detendue, agreable, comme il sied pour un soir de vacances.
L'auteur ne s'ecarte jamais d'un evident parti-pris de simplicite et de clarte.
Sa musique s'ecoute donc sans effort.
'(The music is relaxed, pleasant, as befits a holiday evening. The composer
never moves away from an obvious preference for simplicity and clarity. His
music is therefore listened to without effort.)'
LA DEPECHE DU MIDI
OVERTURE: IN THE COTSWOLDS Opus 36 (1986) 6' View
Score
(4 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones,
tuba, percussion (4 players), strings)
Commissioned by the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra for the opening concert of
the Three Choirs Festival on August 16th 1986.
Subsequent performers include the Dudley Schools Symphony Orchestra at the
National Festival of 'Music for Youth' at the Royal Festival Hall in July 1996,
and Central England Ensemble, directed by Lee Armstrong, in June 2012 at Carrs
Lane Centre, Birmingham.
'Downes talent is unquestionably a lyrical one, as is immediately demonstrated
in the work's evocation of the Cotswold landscape in the song-like opening
melody for strings...it stilled Gloucester Cathedral before the first bar-line
had been reached. But as if fully aware of this picture postcard world, Downes
soon clouds his musical vocabulary with more jagged, strident, wholly 20th
century utterances depicting the modern world of the town. The climax comes
when the two sound worlds are set against each other, with the enduring beauty
of the Cotswold landscape triumphing over all assaults. Instrumentation is
lavishly bold and technicoloured...'
CLASSICAL MUSIC FORTNIGHTLY
‘…our imaginations were teased by Andrew Downes’ overture In the Cotswolds: Gloucestershire lyricism, deliciously user-friendly. Sunny pastoral scenes, horn solos, then diminishing pianissimos disappearing to delightful oblivion: smiles all round.’ BIRMINGHAM POST