The tuba is an instrument
that has had precious few champions over the years. Unlike the
trumpet and trombone, the repertoires of which have been expanded
beyond all recognition by Håkan Hardenberger and Christian Lindberg
in particular, the tuba has never achieved the same degree of
attention in the serious music world. The notable exception
is the late and sadly missed John Fletcher, whose years with
the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble did more for the reputation
of the instrument than anyone before or, arguably, since. To
this day he remains the player’s player of choice.
Like so many of
our top British brass players James Gourlay’s roots lie in the
brass band movement. Although his positions as a player have
included spells with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,
BBC Symphony Orchestra and Zurich Opera he has returned to his
brass band roots in recent years as a conductor, working with
a number of top bands including Brighouse and Rastrick. He also
holds the position of Head of Brass and Percussion at the Royal
Northern College of Music in Manchester; a busy man indeed.
Gourlay’s commitment
to new music for his instrument has been fruitful with Judith
Bingham, Harrison Birtwistle and Penderecki amongst the composers
whose work he has promoted. Given his position as principal
of the Royal Northern College, Edward Gregson is a composer
whose work Gourlay must know well. His Tuba Concerto
of 1978 was originally written with brass band accompaniment
before he later revised and orchestrated it for John Fletcher.
By the time Gregson wrote the concerto at the age of thirty-four
he already possessed a serious reputation in the field of music
for brass and wind and it is clear that he writes for the instrument
with both confidence and authority. As with all of Gregson’s
music the Tuba Concerto is highly approachable in its
strongly melodic and rhythmic content, whilst thoughtfully exploiting
the lesser known diversities of the instrument in all three
movements. It is in the Lento e mesto slow movement however
where this is at its most telling. Opening and closing with
a slow string chorale that recalls William Mathias, the soloist’s
slowly emerging, singing melodic line exploits a little known
side to the nature of the instrument whilst sounding never less
than idiomatic. Gourlay’s playing is equally atmospheric and
it makes for compelling listening. In contrast the often jazzy
Allegro giocoso that concludes the work brings Malcolm
Arnold to mind and includes a substantial cadenza before the
first movement is recalled and the work closes amid infectious
high spirits.
Gourlay himself
had a hand in Roger Steptoe’s Concerto of 1983, the music
originally existing in a version for tuba and piano before Gourlay
asked the composer to expand the work into a full-scale concerto.
Steptoe’s is a more austere soundworld than Gregson’s, the music
utilising twelve tone technique yet with a strongly lyrical
accent. Consequently and somewhat unusually given the stereotypical
image of the instrument, Steptoe chooses to place his quick
movement centrally framed by two predominantly slow outer movements
the first of which increases in tempo to a lively allegro that
calls for great dexterity from the soloist. Much of the lyrical
material is placed in the highest range of the instrument, a
range that is rarely heard in its conventional orchestral role
but which is highly effective when in the safe hands of a player
of Gourlay’s ability. The nimble articulation called for in
the central Giocoso is despatched with equal, at times
amazing, aplomb.
The F Minor Concerto
of Vaughan Williams is without doubt the grand daddy of all
tuba concertos. The work is a product of the composer’s incredible
Indian summer of creativity and a true indication of both an
enquiring mind and a delight in all things musically unusual.
Although traditional in its construction - like the Concerto
Accademico for violin and strings it owes a good deal to
Bach at a formal level - the writing for the tuba is wonderfully
original not to mention technically testing. There are two notable
performances of the work already available, the first of which
is by the team that gave the first performance, Philip Catelinet
and the London Symphony Orchestra. Catelinet’s smaller bore
tuba does not allow him the range of tone that the modern instrument
affords although John Fletcher’s later recording is typical
of his inimitable artistry. Gourlay is certainly up to the task
however and the outer movements in particular show him at his
very best.
John Golland is
the least familiar of the composer’s represented due partly
to the fact that much of his music was written for the brass
band, where even then it is rarely heard. Golland’s premature
death in 1993 meant that he never heard his Tuba Concerto,
the first performance not being given until 1997 when Andy Duncan,
the then tuba player with the Hallé and another who is actively
involved in the brass band scene, premiered the work in Manchester’s
Bridgewater Hall. In spirit and style the work is closest to
that of the Gregson being cast in three traditionally shaped
movements. Whilst the faster movements possibly lack the melodic
strength and invention of the Gregson the slow movement is certainly
very effective and Gourlay makes a strong case for a work that
was undeserving of its long wait for a first performance.
This may be one
of the more unusual discs that you purchase this year but it
is one which is highly recommended and well worth hunting out.
Both music and soloist offer much to enjoy and it certainly
succeeds in proving that there is far more to the tuba than
“Tubby”.
Christopher
Thomas
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James Gourlay (tuba)
