2023 4BR Test Piece of the Year

Thierry Deleruyelle's exciting 'Sand and Stars' claims its own title success as Test Piece of the Year

4BR Test Piece of the Year

Monday, 25 December 2023

Winner: Sand and Stars (Thierry Deleruyelle)

2. Of Men and Mountains (Edward Gregson)

3. Astralis (Philip Wilby)

Every so often a test-piece comes along that completely captures the interest and imagination of conductors, players and audiences alike.

That work this year was 'Sand and Stars' by French composer Thierry Deleruyelle, who followed up the success of 'Fraternity' (which won the 4BR Award in 2016 and 2017), with this exotically colourful, dramatic and hugely entertaining literary inspired composition, which gained 11 first choice nominations from our panel.

Edward Gregson's masterful 'Of Men and Mountains' also made a major impression (as it did at the Royal Albert Hall on its long awaited return), to come runner-up, with Philip Wilby's 'Astralis', a bit of a slow burner after being heard first at the European and then the Scottish Open, coming third.

Panel:

The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (4BR Editor); Malcolm Wood; Paul Hindmarsh; Andrew Wainwright; Chris Thomas; Gordon Simpson; Annie Crookston; Steven Mead; Sarah Groarke-Booth; Alexander Zwann; Jess Tredrea; Tim Mutum; Katrina Marzella; Stein Skorpholm; Camila Soderstrom Tveit.

Past Winners:

2022: The World Rejoicing: Variations on a Lutheran Chorale (Edward Gregson)
2021: The World Rejoicing: Variations on a Lutheran Chorale (Edward Gregson)
2020: Neverland (Christopher Bond)
2019: Dear Cassandraâ€¦ (Ludovic Neurohr)
2018: Concerto Grosso (Derek Bourgeois)
2017: Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
2016: Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
2015: The God Particle (Rolf Rudin)
2014: Vita Aeterna Variations (Ed de Boer writing as Alexander Comitas)
2013: Of Distant Memories (Music in an Olden Style) (Edward Gregson)
2012: Goldberg 2012 (Svein Henrik Giske)
2011: Breath of Souls (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
2010: Saint Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)
2009: Titan's Progress (Hermann Pallhuber)
2008: The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
2007: Music for Battle Creek (Philip Sparke)
2006: Vienna Nights (Philip Wilby)
2005: Eden (Dr. John Pickard)
2004: St. Magnus (Kenneth Downie)
2003: Festival Music (Eric Ball)
2002: Masquerade (Philip Wilby)
2001: Albion (Jan Van der Roost)

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