Composers
Edward Gregson
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Born: 1945
Edward Gregson is one of Britain’s most respected composers; one who writes with a fresh and distinct tonal voice. His unshakable handling of structure and natural melodic lines stand out as two consistent markers throughout his varied catalogue of music. Better known in recent years for his concertos for various instruments, the main thread running through his early career was a series of innovative works for brass.
His Brass Quintet (1967) won him one of the five composition prizes he received whilst at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Communicative, inventive, and enjoyable, the success of this work led to a string of commissions for brass band, each one developing the artistic range of that ensemble in differing ways. Within this period came the Tuba Concerto (1976), undoubtedly now a worldwide repertoire standard with subsequent versions for both symphony and wind orchestra.
The concerto genre best exemplifies Gregson’s ability to write works of intense dramatic contrast – the inherent oppositional relationship between soloist and ensemble being mirrored in the music itself. The outstanding Clarinet Concerto (1994) is a substantial work constructed in two large symphonic sections. As with so many of his large-scale pieces (in many genres – orchestra, choral, chamber), the journey undertaken is one of detailed exploration that gradually focuses in towards a concluding goal.
With a tonal language underpinning Gregson’s music, his pieces naturally retain a strong harmonic structure. His sound also lends itself well to two long-established compositional influences – the dance, and the fanfare. Equale Dances (1983, brass quintet), Dances and Arias (1984, brass band), and The Dance, forever the Dance (1999, mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra) all instantly convey the spirit of movement within; and Contrasts, a concerto for orchestra (1983), Festivo (1985, wind orchestra) and Occasion (1986, brass band) incorporate both the joyful and militaristic connotations of the fanfare particularly well.
One can hear the influence of the great composers of the twentieth century in Gregson’s music – the formal structures of Tippett, the aleatoric techniques of Lutoslawski, the orchestral colours of Stravinsky, and the drive and lightness of touch of John Adams - all embraced within his own distinct voice.
Following on from the success of the Saxophone Concerto for Nobuya Sugawa, which was premiered in May 2006, his most recent work is A Song for Chris - concerto for cello and chamber orchestra. The premiere performance was given by Li-Wei and the Manchester Camerata in May 2007 at the RNCM Manchester International Cello Festival.
Having recently retired from an academic career in music, most recently as Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, a post he held for twelve years, Edward Gregson has returned to full-time composing. He will be fulfilling a number of important commissions over the next few years and travelling to conduct performances of his music in various parts of the world.
© Novello & Co, 2008
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External Websites
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