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British Tuba Concertos / Gourlay, Sutherland, Et Al
Naxos

British Tuba Concertos / Gourlay, Sutherland, Et Al

$13.99
$19.99 Save 30%

Details

Composer
VARIOUS
Artist
Sutherland, Gourley
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Jan 17, 2006
Catalog #
8557754
UPC
747313275427

About


Four British composers give the tuba a good workout, beginning with Ralph Vaughan Williams. His concerto from 1954 displays all the hallmarks of the composer: tunefulness of the English pastoral variety, expert scoring, and a thorough knowledge of the instrument’s capabilities, notably its mellifluous upper register. The first movement gallumphs along in 6/8 time, the thematic material recalling the finale of the Fourth Symphony, then a typically mellow slow movement follows. The Sixth Symphony is recalled in the dramatic finale. The venerable master broke no new ground in this piece (as he did in some of his later works); still it is swift, enjoyable, and well crafted.


That description applies to the other concertos as well, all of which were composed in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Edward Gregson has written a lot of music for brass—the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble recorded his brass quintet years ago for Argo—and he is comfortable with concerto form, as witness the fine Chandos CD of his clarinet and violin concertos. His tuba concerto is memorably melodic and heavily (but expertly) scored à la Hollywood wide-screen. The first movement’s thematic material makes attractive use of the Lydian mode. I am not acquainted with the work of Roger Steptoe (b. 1953) or John Golland (1946–1993) but their concertos are similarly from the sophisticated end of the British light-music genre. Harmonies are spiced with dissonance, but overall the appropriate adjective is jolly. I particularly liked Golland’s concerto, which boasts a moody and reflective slow movement.


The performances are just right. James Gourlay is both mellow and nimble, while Gavin Sutherland and his band are completely at home in this kind of music. Recording is fine. When I played the CD on a small portable system, the speakers buzzed merrily in sympathetic vibration: that is the nature of the tuba’s full timbre, but it’s not a problem on a regular system. An enjoyable disc, with more variety in it than you might suppose.


FANFARE: Phillip Scott

Tracklist 12 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro deciso 06:30
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro deciso
    Duration
    06:30
    Composer
    Edward Gregson
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  2. 2 II. Lento e mesto 05:59
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Lento e mesto
    Duration
    05:59
    Composer
    Edward Gregson
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  3. 3 III. Allegro giocoso 06:23
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro giocoso
    Duration
    06:23
    Composer
    Edward Gregson
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  4. 4 I. Con poco moto – poco più mosso – Allegro 05:13
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Con poco moto – poco più mosso – Allegro
    Duration
    05:13
    Composer
    Roger Steptoe
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  5. 5 II. Giocoso 03:46
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Giocoso
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Roger Steptoe
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  6. 6 III. Molto calmo 05:50
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Molto calmo
    Duration
    05:50
    Composer
    Roger Steptoe
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  7. 7 I. Prelude 04:45
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    04:45
    Composer
    Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  8. 8 II. Romanza 04:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Romanza
    Duration
    04:59
    Composer
    Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  9. 9 III. Finale: Rondo alla tedesca 03:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Finale: Rondo alla tedesca
    Duration
    03:10
    Composer
    Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  10. 10 I. Allegro 04:40
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    04:40
    Composer
    John Golland
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  11. 11 II. Adagio 06:32
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    06:32
    Composer
    John Golland
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland
  12. 12 III. Allegro giocoso 06:29
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Allegro giocoso
    Duration
    06:29
    Composer
    John Golland
    Performer
    James Gourlay
    Ensemble
    Royal Ballet Sinfonia
    Conductor
    Gavin Sutherland