Peter Graham's work, 'On the Shoulders of Giants' has been selected for the British Open Championship that will take place at Symphony Hall in Birmingham on Saturday 4th September.
Own choice selection at European
The owner of the contest, Martin Mortimer announced that Peter Graham's three movement work work had been chosen during the results ceremony at the Spring Festival in Blackpool.
The work was commissioned by Cory Band for its own choice selection at the European Championship in Ostende in 2009, and helped them on their way to retaining their title.
'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants' will be the first piece from the pen of Peter Graham since 'Montage' in 20044BR
Giants background
Explaining the background to 'On the Shoulders of Giants', composer Peter Graham says the following about the piece:
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants":
Letter from Isaac Newton to Robert Hooke, 5th February 1676
The art of brass playing embraces a range of diverse approaches and styles. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the musical melting pot of the USA.
On the Shoulders of Giants pays tribute to this diversity and to the great American brass virtuosi whose legacy has provided the foundation for countless brass giants of today.
The opening movement, Fanfares, reflects on the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section. It has been suggested that the much-admired and distinctive style of the CSO Brass was initially driven by the Germanic repertoire favoured by the early music directors. Here the opening bars from the finale of Bruckner’s 8th symphony provide the departure point for the musical journey.
The work continues (attacca) with an Elegy. America’s role as the birthplace of jazz and two of her leading brass lights are remembered here – Miles Davis (through the sound world created for him by Gil Evans) – and the father of lyrical trombone playing Tommy Dorsey. In acknowledgement that jazz owes its origins to Negro spirituals, the gospel song Steal Away underpins the movement.
The finale, a Fantasie Brillante, pays homage to the turn of the century brass virtuosi of Sousa Band fame. The centrepiece of the movement finds Herbert L. Clarke, Arthur Pryor and Simone Mantia stepping from the mists of time to deliver snippets from their greatest solos (together with passing references to Sousa’s highest paid soloist, drummer August Helmecke).
Moments of individual virtuosity lead to a series of brass band power chords — giant footsteps in musical imagery – as present day brass giants conclude this tribute to their predecessors.
CD & DVD recording
This year's Open test piece is featured on the 2009 European CD and DVD and Cory's 125th anniversary concert DVD entitled 'Brass and voices...and all that jazz.'
All are available for purchase from 4BR's shopping section at the following links:
www.4barsrest.com/shopping/cd_detail.asp?id=814
