There will be a rare chance to hear one of the brass band movement’s most controversial works this weekend, as Tredegar Band perform Harrison Birtwistle’s ‘Grimethorpe Aria’ at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre in London today (Saturday 25th April at 3.00pm).

Iconic

As part of the high profile ‘Changing Britain’ festival, Birtwistle’s iconic composition will be contrasted with ‘Le Carnival Romain’, ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’, ‘Sadly now the Throstle sings’ by Gavin Higgins and ‘The Miner’s Hymn’, as cultural and economic changes and the legacy left on mining areas of the UK during the period 1979- 1997 are explored.

Amazing work

Composer Gavin Higgins told 4BR: “This really is a rare opportunity to hear works that reflect the rapidly changing musical hinterland of the brass band movement.

Birtwistle’s amazing work for was ahead of its time — written in 1973, with a mood closely related to his ‘The Triumph of Time’. It has huge funereal resonance with the demise of the mining industry that followed the 1984 Miners Strike.”

Touchstone

He added: “It also provides a remarkable touchstone to the rapidly contrasting changes heard with the last of the great orchestral overture arrangements used at the British Open contest with ‘Le Carnival Romain’ in 1979 and the emergence of the wonderful originality of McCabe’s ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’.”

It has huge funereal resonance with the demise of the mining industry that followed the 1984 Miners StrikeComposer, Gavin Higgins

Tickets

Tickets for the concert, which starts at 3.00pm, can be purchased for just £5 by using the code BRASS when booking online, over the phone (0844 875 0073), or in person at any Southbank Centre ticket desk.

Get a day pass for the Changing Britain festival for £5 and see the Tredegar Town Band for FREE. Use the code CHANGE when booking online, over the phone (0844 875 0073) or in person.