Soloists with Orchestra

Central England Ensemble, Conductor Anthony Bradbury, Pianist Duncan Honeybourne performing Andrew Downes' Piano Concerto, Birmingham Town Hall, 2009 (Photograph by Jenni Bradbury)

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This work was first performed by Malcolm Wilson and the Birmingham School Of Music String Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Duggan, in the Recital Hall of the Birmingham School of Music (now Birmingham Conservatoire) on December 12th 1977.

' This work...has emotional strength displayed in short movements of well developed structure. The lay-out, clear and unfussed, uses string textures with a solo piano part of effective proportions. Melodic ideas bearing a broad family relationship tie the five parts, varied though they are, in a bond of dramatic unity.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST

Movement 4 of the work was performed by Paula Downes (piano) with the Lynwood Lea Ensemble, in a concert devoted to music by Andrew Downes and entitled 'Downes Towards the Millennium', in St John's Church, Hagley, in September 1999.

2 Movements from this work were performed by Kevin Robson with Oldswinford Hospital School Chamber Crchestra, directed by Anna Downes, in St Mary's Church, Oldswinford, and in St John's Church, Hagley, in July 2008. 

The whole work was performed by Duncan Honeybourne with the Central England Ensemble (leader Anna Downes), directed by Lee Armstrong, in Carr's Lane Church, Birmingham, in June 2015.

Arrangement of the work for Piano Quartet, by Cynthia Downes, first performed at the Friends' Meeting House, Hertford, on October 10th 1997 by 'Contrasts': Gillian Mayer (piano), Alla Sharova (violin), John Mayer (viola) and Thomas Gardner (cello).  These musicians gave subsequent performances at Birmingham Conservatoire (February 1999), Middachten Castle in Holland (October 2000), and in Luxembourg. 

'This proved to be constantly interesting music and delightfully approachable. It has many beauties - melodies and fascinating rhythms - and makes the most of each of the instruments. The performance was vigorous, sensitive and confident, and in response to the audience's enthusiastic appreciation, the last movement was repeated as an encore at the end of the recital. It confirmed the first impression that further hearings would reveal even greater beauties in the music.'
HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY

Arrangement of the work for Piano Quintet, by Cynthia Downes, first performed at the United Reformed Church, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, on May 6th 2017 by the Amabile Quintet: Anna Downes and Dan Neville (violins), Victoria Backhouse (viola), Joanne Jefferis (cello)  and Marcel Zidani (piano).

Arrangement of movements 2,3 and 4 for piano and orchestra, by Cynthia Downes, first performed by Michael Jones (piano) with the Hagley Community Orchestra, conducted by Cynthia Downes, in a 'Spring Celebration' concert in St Saviour's Church, Hagley, in May 2014.

Commissioned by the Bishop of Naples to celebrate the restoration of the Cathedral of Barletta, S.Italy. Piano parts written especially for the Duo Scaramouche. The Italian premiere had to be postponed because of tragic earthquake damage to the restored cathedral. 

At the British premiere, on November 27th 1997 in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, and at the French premiere on March 11th 1998 in the Salle Cortot, Paris, the Avison Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Steven Lloyd, accompanied the Duo Scaramouche.  The first London performance, by the Duo Scaramouche with Symphonia UK, conducted by Steven Lloyd, took place at St James, Piccadilly, in August 1999. A video recording was made of this concert and can be viewed on TouTube.

The work has been broadcast many times on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.  During Andrew Downes' 70th birthbay year, all 3 movements were broacast online, in August 2020.

'Appropriately, much of its thematic material derives from the close scalic nature of plainsong; rhythms and textures reflect the composer's interest in World Music. Within these parameters the work strikes as another example of Downes' craftsmanship.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST

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CONCERTO FOR GUITAR, ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR AND STRINGS Opus 62 (1997) 25'  

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Read Cynthia Downes Blog post about the premiere and subsequent performances

Commissioned by guitarists Simon Dinnigan and Fred T.Baker. The premiere took place on l8th November 1997 in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham. The guitarists were accompanied by the Thallein ensemble conducted by the composer.  The concerto was subsequently performed on June 16th 2002 at the Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter, Devon, by guitarists Steve Gordon and Fred T Baker, with the Western Sinfonia conducted by Scott Stroman.'Andrew Downes' Concerto.. was full of delightful music.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST

This work was recorded for CD in July 1999, by Simon Dinnigan and Fred T.Baker together with String players from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer. The CD, entitled Concerto for Two Guitars (Classicprint label - CPVP013CD), also features Cool Largo, which is an arrangement for guitar and electric bass guitar of Downes' Piano Sonatina Mvt 2. The CD has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, several times on Dutch Radio, and many times on Musicians Page Radio, Los Angeles, USA.

During Andrew Downes' 70th birthday year, the CD recording of the Concerto was broadcast online, in April 2020.  It can be heard on Youtube or Soundcloud by clicking on either of the the links below the CD picture above.  To purchase the CD, click here  

The CD received an excellent review on MusicWeb International in September 2001 Read Review 


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Andrew Downes first discovered the Native American flute during his trip to New Mexico (for the premiere of his Sonata for 8 Horns) in 1996. During this visit, he was fortunate enough to meet Pueblo Indians and visit Sky City, all of which, together with the New Mexican landscape, inspired this concerto.

The concerto was first performed on a Cedarwood flute made by Pueblo Indians. The premiere took place on 25th March 2003 in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, as part of the Birmingham Conservatoire Music Xtra Festival. Soloist, Rebecca Massey, who learnt the instrument especially for the occasion, was accompanied by the Strings of the Central England Ensemble. The conductor was Richard Laing. A second performance by the same musicians took place in St.Saviour's Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, on 6th April 2003.

'Typically for this composer, it conveys a sense of some huge, pervasive spiritual force.' THE BIRMINGHAM POST

The first American performance of this work was given at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church in Phoenix, Arizona, by Alexander Viazovtsev (alto flute) with the Fine Arts String Orchestra, conducted by Warren Cohen, on 6th May 2007.

An arrangement by Cynthia Downes for Concert Flute, Oboe and Orchestra was first performed on 24th April 2013 in St John’s Church, Hagley, Worcestershire, as part of the 2013 Hagley Music Festival.  Soloists Diane McCreedy (flute) and Nadia Accili (oboe) were accompanied by the Hagley Community Orchestra.  The performance was introduced and directed by Cynthia Downes.  The composer joined the orchestra (on keyboard) for this performance.

‘Having Andrew Downes present at the concert and performing in it was very special, as was having his wife’s personal observations on the background to the Native American Concerto.’  David Blackburn, CONTACT Magazine.

Paula Downes created an arrangement of the opening of movement 1 for Soprano and String Quartet for her to perform as part of some Climate Change concerts in Cambridge in 2019.

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Composed for the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and first performed by them with soloists Radek Baborak, Stanislav Suchanek, Ondrej Vrabec, and Zdenek Divoky, conducted by Vladimir Valek, in the Dvorak Hall of the Rudolfinum, Prague, Czech Republic, on 28th February 2002. A second performance took place in the same venue the following evening, 1st March. The work was recorded by the same soloists with the Czech Radio Orchestra and broadcast on Czech Radio in March 2003.

'The British composer Andrew Downes (born 1950) ranks today among the internationally acclaimed personalities. He has produced compositions of all genres: song cycles, choirs, cantatas, chamber pieces for various ensembles, symphonic compositions as well as church music. Downes's chamber pieces are often written for the woodwinds - Downes pays special attention chiefly to flute and French horn ... Downes made a successful debut in Prague with his Sonata for 8 French Horns, and the horn section of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Horns, recorded this sonata for Czech Radio and a CD, which was well received and highly appreciated by experts. In February 2001, another Downes composition for brass instruments interpreted by members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra was heard in the Dvorak Hall - Sonata for Brass Sextet. The premiere tonight - Concerto for 4 French Horns and Orchestra - was directly inspired by the interpretational art of the horn section of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.' PROGRAMME NOTE TO FIRST PERFORMANCE

'In my forty five years of listening to music seriously there have been some notable and unforgettable milestones. These include the first hearings of such masterworks as Beethoven's Symphony no. 7, Dvorak's Carnival Overture, Humphrey Searle's The Riverrun (and, indeed, all else that he wrote) Irving Fine's The Hour Glass, the music of Webern and now, Andrew Downes's Concerto for four horns and orchestra Op.77, a truly staggering piece.'  DR DAVID WRIGHT, MUSICWEB  For the whole article, click here

In February 2020, Colin Graham posted the recording of the premiere in The Listening Room, BBC Music Magazine, asking when it might be performed again. 

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Composed for Ondrej Vrabec (Principal and Solo Horn Czech Philharmonic Orchestra), the Central England Ensemble and Music Director Anthony Bradbury, and first performed by them in Birmingham Town Hall on October 21st 2012, in a concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CEE.  The concert was sponsored by Irwin Mitchell, Personal Injury Solicitors, and raised funds for Paraplegic Sports at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

'the renowned composer Andrew Downes ---- horn star Ondrej Vrabec took centre stage in the exhilarating new Andrew Downes Horn Concerto.  Conductor Anthony Bradbury had obviously worked everyone thoroughly for this taxing work, therefore all evidently enjoyed the fanfares, echo phrases, catchy dance-rhythms, musical questions and answers.
'Thrilling woodwinds eventually led to a richly harmonic plainsong style and gentle sensitive solo lines.
'Complex rhythms teased in the exciting finale of this most accessible work, eventually finishing with the soloist's triumphant 'whoop'.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST

‘The audience were enraptured, and left the building with the harmonies dancing round their heads.’
FOCUS ON SPINAL INJURY (Winter 2013)


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Violinist Rupert Marshall-Luck recording Andrew Downes' Violin Concerto with Central England Camerata under Anthony Bradbury with Leader Anna Downes in 2022, Countess of Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, recorded and filmed by Paul Baker.

This work was specially composed for virtuoso violinist, Rupert Marshall-Luck, for recording for YouTube, with Central England Camerata, leader Anna Downes, directed by Anthony Bradbury, in the Countess of Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, on 21st August 2022, filmed and recorded by Paul Baker.

Following Andrew's heartbreaking and untimely death on January 2nd 2023, the same artists gave the world premiere performance of the Concerto at the Hagley Music Festival (Worcestershire), in St John's Church, on 21st April 2024.

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