Concerto for Tenor Horn and Brass Band

Concerto for Tenor Horn and Brass Band by Gareth Wood was commissioned
by the Welsh Amateur Music Federation at Ty Cerdd-Music Centre Wales, with
additional funding from the Arts Council of Wales and the PRS Foundation. The
work was written for Owen Farr and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

The Concerto is a three movement work demonstrating the agility and lyricism
of the tenor horn, a neglected solo instrument of the brass band.

The soloist begins alone with a singing melody in 5/4 time, and is soon joined by
the Eb bass and solo cornet. The rest of the band later emerges, leading the music
into a strident Allegro. After a short tutti the soloist takes charge and a dialogue of
melodic and rhythmic ideas follows. After a brief return to the opening theme the
movement closes with a flourish.

The second movement is a true Adagio. A profound beginning, almost hymn
like, leads into a gentle melody which builds into a large tutti for band. A more
rhythmic section follows, rhapsodic in nature ending in a return to the melody
used at the very beginning of the concerto. After another short tutti section the
movement gently fades away.

The Finale is a combination of technical fireworks and an almost latin melody.