British Tuba Concertos

The tuba has generally been ignored as a solo instrument, and although it enjoyed some success in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and the operas of Wagner, it didnt really emerge as a solo instrument until the 20th century. However, recently the tuba's potential as a soloist has been realised through the children's tale, Tubby the Tuba, where the whole point of the story is to highlight the fact that most peoploe would not think the tuba of being ...
...it can take this role, and take it extremely successfully is shown here in this CD with these four Tuba Concerti, that were all written in the years after Tubby the Tuba.

The first Tuba Concerto on the CD is Tuba Concerto (1978) by Edward Gregson.
1 - Allegro deciso
2 - Lento e mesto
3 - Allegro giocoso
This concerto begins with a fanfare like opening to the first movement and then launches into the main ... more

The tuba has generally been ignored as a solo instrument, and although it enjoyed some success in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and the operas of Wagner, it didnt really emerge as a solo instrument until the 20th century. However, recently the tuba's potential as a soloist has been realised through the children's tale, Tubby the Tuba, where the whole point of the story is to highlight the fact that most peoploe would not think the tuba of being capable in taking a soloistic role, but the fact that it can take this role, and take it extremely successfully is shown here in this CD with these four Tuba Concerti, that were all written in the years after Tubby the Tuba.

The first Tuba Concerto on the CD is Tuba Concerto (1978) by Edward Gregson.
1 - Allegro deciso
2 - Lento e mesto
3 - Allegro giocoso
This concerto begins with a fanfare like opening to the first movement and then launches into the main material. It has two contrasting themes in the first movement, a rhythmic one and a much more lyrical one. The first movement makes a great opening to the concerto, with a good bright tempo, a great melodic line (especially in the middle with a lovely, high, lyrical melody) and great orchestral accompaniment. The second, middle, movement is much slower and has a main string chorale (hymn like tune) which is heard at the start and end of the movement. The middle has the tuba solo which is very chromatic and leads to a climactic point. This movement isn't as good in my opinion, but as contrast is a very important part in many concerti, this is achieved, and achieved quite well. The final movement is faster again, with a rondo structure and bright dance like melody. This movement has an amazing cadenza (a show off section for the soloist) which then leads to a final flourish which rounds up the concerto wonderfully. This third movement is also quite good and is a perfect way to finish up the concerto.

After the Gregson Concerto, comes the Tuba Concerto (1983) by Roger Steptoe.
4 - Con poco moto - poco piu mosso - Allegro
5 - Giocoso
6 - Molto calmo
This concerto is my least favourite of the four, possibly because compositionally it is twelve-toned and doesn't really seem to have a nice melodic line to it. The first movement is slow and good enough to listen to, but its not really that wonderful, then the second movement is a bit faster but it still sounds as horrible as the first movement with the lack of a nice sounding tune, and then finally there is the thrid movement which is very calm, and is slightly better to listen to than the first two movements of the concerto, however it still isn't wonderful.

The third concerto is the Tuba Concerto in F Minor (1954) by Ralp Vaughan Williams.
7 - Prelude
8 - Romanza
9 - Finale: Rondo alla tedesca
This concerto is more classical in nature with a structure similar to something Bach would've used as opposed to something more modern by Beethoven for example. Although minor, the concerto still has a good melodic line and a great accompaniment that would be expected from an 82 year old composer with much experience in composition and is a work with originality and freshness. The first movement is a great start to the concerto, with a nice melodic line and a lovely cadenza towards the end of the movement and has an amazing final few bars which bring the movement to a close. The second movement of this concerto is much more romantic and lyrical and is a nice, peaceful, calming movement 'of exceptional lyricism and tenderness' to use the words of the composer. It appears even more peaceful when played with the other two more elaborate movements. The concerto ends with a faster movement, which although isn't as good as the previous two, is still a good enough way to finish off the concerto.

The final concerto is the Tuba Concerto, Op. 46 (1980s) by John Golland.
10 - Allegro
11 - Adagio
12 - Allegro giocoso
This concerto is based, especially in the first and third movements, around the interval of a perfect fourth, which in my opinion does not help give a nice sound to the concerto and this concerto is another of my least favourites and is not one that I would want to sit down and listen to. The first movement has the not so nice sound and isnt really that great, and is followed by the second movement which is much more reflective and is a lovely piece of music to listen to. After this comes the final movement which goes back to making much use of the interval of a perfect fourth and has some passages in the unnerving time signature of 7/8. This movement, like the first, isn't really that wonderful to listen to.

All these concerti have been played by James Gourlay who, as a soloist has championed many works by Birtwistle, Bingham, Gregson, Horovitz and Penderecki as well as many others and as a conductor he has directed many of the major wind and brass bands. He is accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia Orchestra under the conducting of Gavin Sutherland.

This CD really isn't one that you would lift up and buy just for general listening. However, for those who are interested in brass instruments, especially the tuba, it is interesting to listen to and well worth listening to. I wouldn't recommend going out and buying this CD but would recommend that if you ever see this CD then it shold be listened to. Although it isn't a great CD to listen to, it is a good one to have in a collection because Tuba Concerti are not that common, and one CD with four concerti is certainly worth having, if that sort of music interests you. 

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