The announcement of the death of Elgar Howarth just a week or so before the RNCM International Brass Band Festival brought into focus not only the magnitude of the loss of a remarkable polymath musician, but also that of the musical direction he could, and arguably should have been at the forefront of, for the benefit of the brass band movement.
However, for all the tributes and anecdotes, stories and affectionate tales that will be heard this weekend, the truth was that far too many in it treated him with suspicion borne of ignorant insularity.
Mesmerising comet
His influence was indeed immense, yet for the last 20 years of his active musical life it was as a peripheral musical visitation, like the elliptical orbit of a mesmerising comet – seen and wondered at, but all too fleeting, nonetheless.
His influence was indeed immense, yet for the last 20 years of his active musical life it was as a peripheral musical visitation, like the elliptical orbit of a mesmerising comet – seen and wondered at, but all too fleeting, nonetheless.
He last conducted on the contest stage in 1979. ‘In Memoriam R.K.’ was last heard at the Masters in 2007.
Respect for excellence
Despite his background and pivotal connection to Grimethorpe Colliery Band, he remained an outsider (arguably proudly so in allegedly turning down a CBE). His respect for our excellence was not universally reciprocated though.
The conservative traditionalists were contemptuous of his championing of new compositional voices and especially of his own major works. They questioned his open puzzlement at our lingering desire to live in a world of nostalgia and revel in the snide aspects of its luddite amateurism.
The conservative traditionalists were contemptuous of his championing of new compositional voices and especially of his own major works.
It was a communal misjudgement every bit as ludicrous as the pantomime crowd response to ‘Fireworks’ at Belle Vue in 1975 as he walked from the box to the stage.
The work of a genius
Those who appreciated its substance, as they did with Robert Simpson’s ‘Energy’ a few years before, knew of its, and his, true value. Eric Ball said it he liked it “enormously”. George Thompson called it “the work of a genius”.
Eric Ball said it he liked it “enormously”. George Thompson called it “the work of a genius”.
In later years Howarth recalled the 1975 British Open with a wry smile, yet it turned rather more severe when he spoke of the reaction that came from the banding movement to his own ‘In Memoriam R.K.’ and especially ‘Songs for BL’, as well as for the likes of ‘Images’, ‘Prague’, and ‘The Maunsell Forts’, let along Birtwistle’s ‘Grimethorpe Aria’, Takemitsu’s ‘Garden Rain’ or Henze’s ‘Ragtimes and Habaneras’ for that matter.
He remained gracious, but it hurt deeply.
Without Howarth we would not have enjoyed 'Grimethorpe Aria' performed at the Festival
Fireworks
It will be interesting then to note the reaction this weekend when Foden’s perform ‘Fireworks’ on Friday evening under Michael Fowles.
Half a century has certainly dated its ‘sardonic wit’ as Eric Ball described it, yet it remains a touchstone of adventurism – like a rather carefree favourite uncle taking his young nephew on Belle Vue’s ‘Bob’s Racers’ for the first time. The ‘fugue’ remains one of the great glories of brass band writing.
Half a century has certainly dated its ‘sardonic wit’ as Eric Ball described it, yet it remains a touchstone of adventurism – like a rather carefree favourite uncle taking his young nephew on Belle Vue’s ‘Bob’s Racers’ for the first time.
Shared appreciation
Thankfully, those who also shared his appreciation of works of musical intellect and substance – notably former RNCM Principal, Edward Gregson and RNCM Festival Director Paul Hindmarsh were in a position to support his ambition to reach out to the wider musical world at a time when his direct involvement in banding was waning.
Without them (and now through Linda Merrick CBE and Dr David Thornton) there would have been no place for this showcase festival.
A brace of RNCM Festival Artistic Directors: Paul Hindmarsh and David Thornton
Personal tribute
Fittingly then, Paul Hindmarsh will give a personal tribute to Howarth at the weekend.
It will be well worth listening to, as will Howarth’s own remarkable teenage composition ‘Mosaic’, (written for a competition to mark the death of Fred Mortimer) and played by the RNCM Brass Band, and two lighter works in ‘Hogarth’s Hoe Down’ and ‘Berne Patrol’ (Junior RNCM Brass Band). It is understood that bands have been asked if they wish to add their own musical tributes in their programmes.
It will be well worth listening to, as will Howarth’s own remarkable teenage composition ‘Mosaic’, (written for a competition to mark the death of Fred Mortimer)
Admired
Howarth would surely have been delighted that Foden’s (a band he also shared links to) will perform ‘Cloudcather Fells’ (he greatly admired John McCabe) as well as featuring works by composers who have already reached out to new audiences with their progressive musical thinking in Paul Mealor, David Stanhope and Elisabeth Vannebo.
Foden's featured soloist is Tim de Maeseneer
Pioneering outlook
The pioneering outlook of the featured soloist Tim de Maeseneer with the world premiere of Edward Gregson’s ‘Tenor Horn Concerto’ would also have brought a deep smile of satisfaction.
The desire of youth to explore musical boundaries was also a particular Howarth passion – and the appearances of the ‘Saxhorn Renaissance’ ensemble of RNCM students as a festival prelude on the Friday evening (6.15pm), the Junior RNCM Brass Band (Saturday afternoon at 4.45pm), the RNCM Brass Band (Sunday 11.00am) and the Macclesfield Youth Band (Sunday 1.30pm) continues an admirable, long established commitment by the festival organisers to celebrate inclusiveness through merit.
Athena Brass
Talking of which, Saturday morning sees the welcome appearance of the all-female Athena Brass Band from the USA (with a sprinkling of Europeans). Their programme under conductors Jessica Sneeringer and Marieka Grey compromising works by female composers – including a world premiere of ‘Ghosts of Industry’ by Lucy Pankhurst and ‘The Cosmographic Mystery’ by 2024 4BR ‘Newcomer of the Year’, Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen.
The soloist spotlight falls on the superb quartet of Jen Oliverio (flugel), Ashley Hall-Tighe (cornet), and euphoniums of Bente Illevold and Gail Robertson.
Their programme under conductors Jessica Sneeringer and Marieka Grey compromising works by female composers – including a world premiere of ‘Ghosts of Industry’ by Lucy Pankhurst and ‘The Cosmographic Mystery’ by 2024 4BR ‘Newcomer of the Year’, Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen.
Ben Goldscheider will join Tredegar Band as their guest soloist
Fearless
Tredegar, a band with a fearless approach to new repertoire take to the stage on Saturday afternoon under Ian Porthouse, featuring French Horn soloist, Ben Goldscheider. His performance of the Gregson ‘Concerto’ is sure to be a festival highlight, whilst there will also be a welcome reprise of Judith Bingham’s ‘Prague’ and the world premiere of Ed de Boer’s intriguingly titled, ‘Homage to Julian Assange’.
His performance of the Gregson ‘Concerto’ is sure to be a festival highlight, whilst there will also be a welcome reprise of Judith Bingham’s ‘Prague’ and the world premiere of Ed de Boer’s intriguingly titled, ‘Homage to Julian Assange’.
Rounded off
The Junior RNCM Brass Band (Mark Bousie) offers a tasty musical early evening aperitif at 4.45pm with their programme that includes those two Howarth ‘amuse-bouche’ lip smackers as well as Edward Gregson’s eloquent ‘Variations on Laudate Dominum’.
Saturday is rounded off in commanding fashion by Black Dyke Band (Prof Nicholas Childs) with a programme featuring two major concertos and a brace of imposing test-pieces.
Ian Bousfield will be a featured soloist with Black Dyke
Premium tickets
No wonder tickets are at a premium to hear David Childs (Peter Graham’s ‘Force of Nature’) and Ian Bousfield (Gregson’s ‘Concerto for Trombone’) as well as Philip Wilby’s ‘Astralis’ and Gregson’s ‘Of Men and Mountains’ alongside works by Jacob Larson, Andrea Price and Karl Jenkins (who will be in attendance).
Sunday kick off
Sunday kicks off with the RNCM Brass Band (Katrina Marzella-Wheeler and Harry Lai) presenting a programme of intriguing contrasts – from Simon Dobson’s powerfully emotive ‘HorrorShow’ and Howarth’s ‘leitmotif’ signature ‘Mosaic’, to Gregson’s touching ‘Four Etudes’ and Keely Marie Murphy’s wide-vista ‘Drumming the Plain, the Horseman is Coming’.
David Bremner will be both soloist and conductor
Multi talented
Their featured soloist is David Bremner, the multi-talented trombonist and conductor, who will perform the fearsome Bourgeois concerto before taking up the baton to lead Brighouse & Rastrick in the Sunday evening concert.
Before then, Macclesfield Youth Band (Louise Renshaw) present a great showcase including Philip Sparke’s latest work, ‘Fanfares, Songs and Dances’, whilst Cory (Philip Harper) will display the full array of their talents in a substantive programme, the centrepiece of which is an arrangement by soloist Tommy Tynan of Ricardo Molla’s ‘Concerto for Tuba‘ - ‘Amai’.
Contrast comes with two classic test-pieces in Hubert Bath’s curious but glorious ‘Freedom’ and Edward Gregson’s ‘Dances and Arias’, whilst there are exciting explorations to enjoy in Thibaut Bruniaux’s ‘Storm’ and Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri’s ‘Ensemble Mecanique’.
Contrasts
Contrast comes with two classic test-pieces in Hubert Bath’s curious but glorious ‘Freedom’ and Edward Gregson’s ‘Dances and Arias’, whilst there are exciting explorations to enjoy in Thibaut Bruniaux’s ‘Storm’ and Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri’s ‘Ensemble Mecanique’.
The event comes to a rousing close with Brighouse & Rastrick, led by the New Zealander David Bremner in a programme that straddles both hemispheres.
Liz Lane's 'Silver Rose' will be performed with narration
Two hemispheres
Works by Dani Howard (‘Warp and Weft’), Liz Lane (‘The Silver Rose’ – with narration) sit alongside Edward Gregson’s ‘Rococo Variations’ and the Elgarian sentiments of the Denis Wright ‘Cornet Concerto’ (played by principal cornet Tom Smith) to represent the northern global banding movement, whilst engaging works by John Psathas (‘Saxon’), Estella Wallace (‘Ka mate te reo i te reaka kotahi’), Gareth Farr (‘Waipiro’) and Paul Terracini (‘Gegensatze’) proudly fly the AnZac musical colours.
The rich diet of the musical menu over the three days will surely cater for all the demands of what promises to be a near sell-out set of audiences.
Whether or not that will include the type of people who could, or should, be inspired by the visionary outlook of Elgar Howarth to start programming more adventurous music for their contests or even concert programmes, remains to be seen though.
The who's who list
Whether or not that will include the type of people who could, or should, be inspired by the visionary outlook of Elgar Howarth to start programming more adventurous music for their contests or even concert programmes, remains to be seen though.
It is always interesting to note at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival who is and who isn’t in attendance – from contest organisers and adjudicators to conductors and social media commentators.
It is always interesting to note at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival who is and who isn’t in attendance – from contest organisers and adjudicators to conductors and social media commentators.
Brass Bands England’s panel discussion on the need to attract, develop and support a new generation of composers to write major works for the medium will therefore be an interesting 45 minutes or so on Sunday afternoon. (Carole Nash Room – 4.45pm)
Oh what a pity Elgar Howarth couldn’t have been there to make his opinions known.
Iwan Fox
Schedule:
Friday: 24th January
Festival Prelude: A Saxhorn Renaissance
6.15pm
Free
Tickets: http://https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=14001
Foden's Band
Conductor: Michael Fowles
Soloist: Tim de Maeseneer
7.30pm
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=13401
Saturday 25th January:
Athena Brass
Conductor: Jessica Sneeringer
Soloists: Jen Oliverio; Ashley Hall-Tighe; Bente Illevold; Gail Robertson
11.00am
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=13601
4Barsrest Interview with David Bremner
Free
1.30pm
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=17601
Tredegar Band
Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Soloist: Ben Goldsheider
3.00pm
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=13801
Junior RNCM Brass Band
Conductor: Mark Bousie
4.45pm
Free
Tickets: http://https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=16401
Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Prof Nicholas Childs
Soloists: Ian Bousfield, David Childs
7.30pm
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=16601
Sunday 26th January
RNCM Brass Band
Conductor: Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
11.00am
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=16801
Macclesfield Youth Band
Conductor: Louise Renshaw
1.30pm
Free
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=17001
Cory Band
Conductor: Philip Harper
Soloist: Tommy Tynan
3.00pm
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=16802
Brass Bands England Discussion
4.45pm
Free
Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=17201
Brighouse & Rastrick Band
Conductor: David Bremner
Soloist: Tom Smith
6.30pm
Tickets: http://https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=17401
