Concerto for Tenor Horn
Gareth Wood’s Concerto for Tenor Horn was commissioned by the Welsh Amateur Music Federation at Tŷ Cerdd-Music Centre Wales, with additional funding from the Arts Council of Wales and the PRS Foundation. The work was written for tenor horn soloist Owen Farr and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales. It is in a traditional three movement form demonstrating the agility and lyricism of the tenor horn.
In the original brass band accompaniment, the soloist begins alone with a singing melody in 5/4 time and is soon joined by the E¨ bass and solo cornet. The rest of the band later emerge, leading the music into a strident Allegro. After a short tutti the soloist takes charge, and a dialogue of melodic and rhythmic ideas follows. After a brief return to the opening theme the movement closes with a flourish. The second movement is a true Adagio. A profound beginning, almost hymn like, leads into a gentle melody which builds into a large tutti for band. A rhythmic section follows, rhapsodic in nature ending in a return to the melody used at the very beginning of the concerto. After another short tutti section, the movement gently fades away. The finale is a combination of technical fireworks and an almost Latin melody, both soloist and band finishing with great aplomb!
Gareth Wood’s Concerto for Tenor Horn received its world premiere by Owen Farr and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales under the direction of Dr. Robert Childs during their Summer Course of 2006 at Bangor University’s Pritchard-Jones Concert Hall North Wales. The work can be heard on Owen Farr’s debut solo release entitled ‘Untold Stories’ (DOYCD225) available from World of Brass.