News

'SINFONIETTA' ('FUSIONS') AT THE RNCM BRASS BAND FESTIVAL MANCHESTER JAN 31 2023, Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh presents an audio programme RNCM Brass Band Festival – An Online Tribute + Live Discussion with Brass Bands England Sunday 31 January 2021, 2.00pm Livestream LiveFromTheRNCM_Festivals To mark what would have been the 2021 RNCM Brass Band Festival, artistic director Paul Hindmarsh hosts an online event looking back at highlights from the Festival over the years. Paul's 'curator's choice' audio event will be livestreamed at 2pm. We are also delighted to be able to show a memorable performance from the 2019 Festival of Wilfred Heaton's trombone concerto with Foden's Band and soloist Ian Bousfield. This will be followed by a live Zoom discussion hosted by Brass Bands England and featuring special guests. 2PM – 2:45PM: AN ONLINE TRIBUTE – CURATOR'S CHOICE Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh presents an audio programme looking back at some Festival highlights featuring outstanding soloists and bands, great conducting and première performances. Programme:, RNCM

• FUSIONS (Opus 0361)

RNCM Brass Band Festival – An Online Tribute

+ Live Discussion with Brass Bands England

Sunday 31 January 2021, 2.00pm

Livestream

To mark what would have been the 2021 RNCM Brass Band Festival, artistic director Paul Hindmarsh hosts an online event looking back at highlights from the Festival over the years.

Paul’s ‘curator’s choice’ audio event will be livestreamed at 2pm. We are also delighted to be able to show a memorable performance from the 2019 Festival of Wilfred Heaton’s trombone concerto with Foden’s Band and soloist Ian Bousfield.

This will be followed by a live Zoom discussion hosted by Brass Bands England and featuring special guests.

2PM – 2:45PM: AN ONLINE TRIBUTE – CURATOR’S CHOICE

Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh presents an audio programme looking back at some Festival highlights featuring outstanding soloists and bands, great conducting and première performances.

Programme:

THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW AT BIRMINGHAM REP JAN 6-9 2022, BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE

• *THE SNOWMAN (ANIMATED CHILDREN'S FILM) (Opus 0310)

'THE SNOWMAN' STAGE SHOW AT PEACOCK THEATRE LONDON 20 Nov 2021-2 Jan 2022, THE PEACOCK THEATRE LONDON

• *THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION (Opus 0522)

THE BEAR - PETERBOROUGH CHOIR AND YOUTH ORCHESTRA, 7 Dec 2021, PETERBOROUGH YOUTH ORCHESTRA, New Theatre

• *THE BEAR (Opus 0496)

HOWARD BLAKE'S 'THE SNOWMAN' HARROGATE SYMPH.ORCH.19 Dec 2021, Harrogate Symphony Orchestra, Harrogate, Yorkshire

• *THE SNOWMAN CONCERT VERSION (to be performed with optional projected film, or narration, or both), for boy soprano and orchestra (Opus 0323)

CANTATA THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS, EVERSLEY CHOIR LANCASHIRE CUMBRIA 23/24 Dec 2021, I have found your name and contact details on the Howard Blake web site: Howard Blake English Composer of The Snowman, Lifecycle, Benedictus and many other musical works Howard Blake THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS (FOR SATB CHOIR AND PIANO) in Chorus & Organ Eversley Choir North Lancashire and South Cumbria. SATB choir and organ

• *THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS (Opus 0248)

THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS - publication with new rehearsal piano part

• *THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS (Opus 0248)

Past performances:THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF USHER 17 October 2021, Dong ill-Shin, Montreal,Canada

• *THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (Opus 0532)

Mozart at the Oratory

As part of the 5^th Edition of the Canadian International Organ Competition, Saint Joseph’s Oratory presents the concert Mozart at the Oratory, with organist Dong-Ill Shin.

Organist : Dong-Ill Shin
Date and time: Sunday, October 17, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Place : Basilica

Freewill donation

PROGRAM:

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prélude en mi bémol majeur, BWV 522/I
Trio en ré mineur, BWV 583
Fugue en mi bémol majeur, BWV 522/II

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Fantasia en fa mineur, K. 608

Howard Blake (né en 1938)
The Rise of the House of Usher, op. 532

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Sonate n° 1 en fa mineur, op. 65

• Allegro moderato e serioso
• Adagio
• Andante recitativo
• Allegro assai vivace

Past performances:CANTATA 'THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS' - CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA 2 Oct 20, The City of Bristol Choir and orchestra, Saint Alban's Church, Bristol

• *THE SONG OF SAINT FRANCIS (Opus 0248)

THE SINFONIA OF LONDON, 'THE SNOWMAN ORCHESTRA' AT THE PROMS 4 Sept 2021, Note by Howard Blake: 'The Sinfonia of London' was a superlative London orchestra founded by Muir Mathieson, who conducted the scores of virtually every major movie made in England from the mid -'30s until 1960, vastly elevating the quality of orchestral film music in the process. Until 1982 I had been directing various 'session' orchestras including the symphonic-sized 'National Philharmonic Orchestra' for Sidney Sax. However, when it came to 'The Snowman', I decided I wanted to form a unique and top-class chamber orchestra consisting of my greatest musician friends: violinist Jack Rothstein, clarinettist Thea King, violist Kenneth Essex, harpist David Snell, and others all of a very high standard. My lead cellist was Peter Willison and he volunteered to book the players and 'Sinfonia of London', as heard in the wonderful 'The Snowman' recording, was a huge success, the film, uniquely made with a soundtrack solely of music, being nominated for an Oscar within days of its release. The recording was heard by the owners of the name, the Walker family,who immediately offerred the name to us, because they felt that it was the first orchestra to attain the very highest standard of orchestral accomplishment relating to film since Mathieson. I used it on various projects of a similar nature following 'The Snowman', including two sequels - 'Granpa' and 'The Bear', but was also working with various other orchestras and ensembles both in London and abroad. During the 80s and 90s Peter promoted the ensemble, particularly for USA movies recorded in London, but by 2018 this activity had somewhat slowed down and when John Wilson asked if he could have the name 'Sinfonia of London' we were pleased to give it to him.

PRELUDE,SARABANDE AND GIGUE FOR SOLO GUITAR 5th sept 2021, Paul Gregory, St.Michael's Lewes 3.00pm

• PRELUDE, SARABANDE AND GIGUE (Opus 0477)

ORCHESTRAL SUITE 'A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY', BRANDENBURG SYMPHONY 22 Aug 2021

• SUITE:A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY (Opus 0446)

'THE RAINBOW BOYS' FILM 1963 - CANADIAN RE-RELEASE 15th. AUG.2021, Donald Pleasance,Don Calfa. Kate Reid, Canadian cinema release

• *THE RAINBOW BOYS (Opus 0163)

Director Gerry Potterton

Editor Katherine Reynolds

Music composed and conducted by Howard Blake

Montreal Symphony Orchestra led by Jack Rothstein

KORROS ENSEMBLE - TRIOS FOR FLUTE,CLARINET AND HARP 2 JULY 2021, KORROS ENSEMBLE - CD Korros Ensemble: Eliza Marshall, flute, Nicholas Ellis, clarinet, Camilla Pay, harp, planning Convivium recording of Howard Blake Trio op.25 along with other works

• *TRIO FOR FLUTE CLARINET AND PIANO (Opus 0025)

PRELUDE,SARABANDE AND GIGUE FOR SOLO GUITAR, Paul Gregory, guitar will give a complete lunchtime recital which will include this work, Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield, Sussex, 1,00 pm

• PRELUDE, SARABANDE AND GIGUE (Opus 0477)

Press review of  a recent performance in Chapel Royal, Brighton: 'We then heard a masterwork, played by Paul Gregory on guitar. This is the Prelude Sarabande and Gigue Op 477, a typical guitar triptych. It’s a work from January 1995, again not only memorable but with its teeming invention in the quiet gentle Prelude, the Sarabande slipping quietly into an earworm and then a Gigue as memorable and fine as one of the Five Preludes of Villa-Lobos with its anticipated wrong-footing chords (like Beethoven’s Violin Sonata Op 12/3 with the violin and piano playing catch-up) this characterful works concluded. It really should be standard repertoire It’s the most distinct piece for guitar since Walton’s Five Pieces and Richard Rodney Bennett’s. Gregory is known as a sovereign interpreter, and here he gathered in the work’s expressive range, easy to bloom in this acoustic.'

Simon Jenner  4.12.2019

'DUEL IN THE WOODS' from 'THE DUELLISTS' on YT, Music from the prize-winning feature film 'The Duellists' composed and conducted by Howard Blake, film directed by Ridley Scott, produced by David Puttnam

'SCHERZO IN JAZZ' ON YT, Emmett Elvin (animation) Howard Blake (music), Howard Blake Official You Tube

A piece lasting 1 minute 40 seconds written as an item for a so-called 'background' album in 1967, 'Scherzo in Jazz' was scored for vibraphone, guitar, piano, bass and drums and just inspired my You-Tube Site creator, Emmett Elvin, to create this brilliantly-coloured abstract animation, synched to its every note.

ROTHSTEIN VIOLIN SONATA HISTORIC RECORDING ON YOU-TUBE, Jack Rothstein violin, Howard Blake piano, This is the original recording made just after it was composed in 1973

• THE ROTHSTEIN SONATA - VIOLIN SONATA NO.1 (Opus 0169)

AGATHA - BEST CLASSIC FILM MUSIC RELEASE USA 2020, Here, alphabetically, are our choices for the best classic film music releases of 2020: Agatha (on the Dragon's Domain label). English composer Howard Blake's original score for the 1979 movie about Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance was thrown out at the behest of star Vanessa Redgrave. This first release shows it to be a richly romantic and dramatic work that deserved better. The pandemic may have cancelled live performances and moviegoing for most of 2020, but for film-music buffs, that just meant more time at home listening to their favorite music, including many releases of music never before heard outside their original cinematic contexts. "There is still an unquenchable thirst for classic scores, both previously unreleased and reissues of scores that are expanded, re-mastered, or both," says Matt Verboys, co-owner of L.A. label La-La Land Records. "As technology keeps advancing, many previous releases can now get a sonic upgrade that makes the music well worth a revisit." The business challenges remain unchanged, however, he says: "Who holds the rights to a given score and can those rights be obtained? Do the music elements even exist and if so, can they be rounded up? Once obtained, is the audio good enough to release, or does massive restoration work need to be done?" Perennial favorite composers Bernard Herrmann, John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith — always assured to generate strong sales — were again represented this year on several different labels. Here, alphabetically, are our choices for the best classic film music releases of 2020: Agatha (on the Dragon's Domain label). English composer Howard Blake's original score for the 1979 movie about Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance was thrown out at the behest of star Vanessa Redgrave. This first release shows it to be a richly romantic and dramatic work that deserved better., The pandemic may have cancelled live performances and moviegoing for most of 2020, but for film-music buffs, that just meant more time at home listening to their favorite music, including many releases of music never before heard outside their original cinematic contexts. "There is still an unquenchable thirst for classic scores, both previously unreleased and reissues of scores that are expanded, re-mastered, or both," says Matt Verboys, co-owner of L.A. label La-La Land Records. "As technology keeps advancing, many previous releases can now get a sonic upgrade that makes the music well worth a revisit." The business challenges remain unchanged, however, he says: "Who holds the rights to a given score and can those rights be obtained? Do the music elements even exist and if so, can they be rounded up? Once obtained, is the audio good enough to release, or does massive restoration work need to be done?" Perennial favorite composers Bernard Herrmann, John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith — always assured to generate strong sales — were again represented this year on several different labels. Here, alphabetically, are our choices for the best classic film music releases of 2020: Agatha (on the Dragon's Domain label). English composer Howard Blake's original score for the 1979 movie about Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance was thrown out at the behest of star Vanessa Redgrave. This first release shows it to be a richly romantic and dramatic work that deserved better.

• *AGATHA (Opus 0265)

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/best-classic-film-music-albums-2020-1234877250/

The Best Classic Film Music Albums of 2020

By Jon Burlingame

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The Film Music Society

XMAS 2020: WALKING IN THE AIR 1,330,000,000 RESULTS, Peter Auty(treble), Howard Blake (conductor, composer, lyric writer.)

• *THE SNOWMAN (ANIMATED CHILDREN'S FILM) (Opus 0310)

'THE BEAR' - National Kaohsiung Arts Center Weiwuying 19-20 Dec 2020, 'The Bear', music and lyrics by Howard Blake, Stuart Hancock, conductor

• THE BEAR CONCERT VERSION WITH PROJECTED FILM (Opus 0697)

THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW FILM - LONDON DRIVE-IN, The London Drive-In Cinema are considering matinees on Sat Dec 19 and Thur Dec 24. To be confirmed.

SONY FILM OF SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW SHOWING DUBAI 14-22 DEC, The full-length film of the Snowman Stage Show, as presented live at The Peacock Theatre in London's West over the last 23 years, will this year be projected on screen in its full-length 85-minute cinema version made by Sony Entertainments.

• THE SNOWMAN - FILM OF THE LIVE STAGE SHOW (Opus 0628)

Theatre run announced of the full-length Sony film of the The Snowman Show with the West End cast from the famous, long--running Peacock Theatre production

CD: 'FOUR MINIATURES AND MOVEMENT FOR ORCHESTRA-SYMPHONY NO.1, Orchestral music of Howard Blake, a short CD album resurrected from original 33rpm vinyl recordings made in the early seventies - two of Howard's earliest orchestral works - 'Four Miniatures'(8'20'',1961) and 'Movement for Orchestra' (12'14'',1967) on Dinmore Records, beautifully-produced by Philip.T.Lane

• *SYMPHONY NO. 1 - IMPRESSIONS OF A CITY - MOVEMENT FOR ORCHESTRA (Opus 0042)

HOWARD AND CHANNEL 4, A FILMED INTERVIEW - 'C4 GOES BACK TO...', A filmed interview with Howard made on Wednesday 18th August 2020 for a series about the 40 years of TV Channel 4, which virtually started on October 1 1981 when Jeremy Isaacs viewed Howard's 8-minute demo of the symphonic animation film 'The Snowman' and decided to make it with the new channel. Howard tells just how that came about.

• *THE SNOWMAN (ANIMATED CHILDREN'S FILM) (Opus 0310)

SINFONIETTA IN LEEDS CITY HALL, THE ORCHESTRA OF OPERA NORTH BRASS ENSEMBLE:, LEEDS TOWN HALL

• *SINFONIETTA (Opus 0300)

Christian Jones, bass trombonist in the Opera North Brass Ensemble, recalls that a memorable performance of Howard Blake's 'Sinfonietta' was conducted by Paul Daniel in Leeds Town Hall with virtually the same players who then constituted the  brass section of The English Northern Philharmonia. The concert was recorded and issued on the ASV label along with the premiere of Howard's Violin Concerto.

HOWARD BLAKE: GHOST STORIES (USA ALBUM RELEASE), Film scores of two cinema feature films, composed and conducted by Howard Blake, limited edition of collector CDs released in Hollywood, CA, USA on Dragon's Domain Records

• *AMITYVILLE 3-D (Opus 0324)
• *THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (Opus 0365)

Amityville 3-D (1983) opus 324 - feature film directed by Richard Fleischer, produced by Dino de Laurentiis for Paramount Films, music composed and conducted by Howard Blake, recorded at CTS Wembley UK by the Sinfonia of London, solo soprano Elaine Barry, synthesizer Brian Gascoigne, sound engineer, John Richards.

 The Canterville Ghost'(1986) opus 365 - feature film starring Sir John Gielgud, directed by Paul Bogart for The Golden Torch Corporation, Harlech TV , Columbia Films, recorded at CTS Wembley UK by the Sinfonia of London, music composed and conducted by Howard Blake, synthesizer Brian Gascoigne. sound engineer Dick Lewzey

PRELUDE SARABANDE AND GIGUE FOR SOLO GUITAR, Paul Gregory plays a concert of works for solo guitar including these three guitar pieces by Howard Blake, St Matthews Church,71 Station Rd, Redhill RH1 1DL 1.00PM

• PRELUDE, SARABANDE AND GIGUE (Opus 0477)

[Review of a performance of the three guitar pieces played by Paul Gregory in The Chapel Royal, Brighton, Dec.3rd 2019.]

We then heard a masterwork, played by Paul Gregory on guitar. This is  Howard Blake's 'Prelude Sarabande and Gigue' Op 477, a typical guitar triptych. It’s a work from January 1995, again not only memorable but with its teeming invention in the quiet gentle Prelude, the Sarabande slipping quietly into an earworm and then a Gigue as memorable and fine as one of the Five Preludes of Villa-Lobos with its anticipated wrong-footing chords (like Beethoven’s Violin Sonata Op 12/3 with the violin and piano playing catch-up) this characterful works concluded. It really should be standard repertoire It’s the most distinct piece for guitar since Walton’s Five Pieces and Richard Rodney Bennett’s. Gregory is known as a sovereign interpreter, and here he gathered in the work’s expressive range, easy to bloom in this acoustic.

Published December 4, 2019 by Simon Jenner, Brighton Year-Round, 4/12/2019

MADELEINE MITCHELL PLAYS HOWARD BLAKE, Madeleine Mitchell,violin; Howard Blake,piano STREAMED LIVE on 20th September 2020 at 4.00pm https://www.st-marys-perivale.org.uk/events-2020-09-20.shtml, St. Mary's, Perivale,near Ealing (outside London} Link to view: https://www.st-marys-perivale.org.uk/events-2020-09-20.shtml

• *THE ICE-PRINCESS AND THE SNOWMAN FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (Opus 0699)
• JAZZ DANCES ARRANGED FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (Opus 0520a)
• PENNILLION FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (Opus 0571)
• VIOLIN SONATA NO.2 - THE MADELEINE MITCHELL SONATA (Opus 0586)
• WALKING IN THE AIR (Opus 0730)

SOLILOQUY FOR SOLO CELLO - BENEDICT KLOECKNER, Benedict Kloeckner Cellist Founder & Artistic Director Internationales Musikfestival Koblenz, Kloster Eberbach,Germany

• *SOLILOQUY FOR SOLO CELLO (Opus 0712)

Howard writes: 'Written in the midst of the Corona virus lockdown Benedict opened his solo cello recital with 'Soliloquy' my new piece composed at his request - which expressively reflects the tragedy of the times but ends on a note of hope for the future.

Benedict wrote :'There is a review of your new cello solo piece in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which is one of the most important newspapers in Germany. People loved your piece!!

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/a4db031323ef1075dfdb76ec31713d5b20200714141241/801fbadfa5d46ff55b38cbaa2fa8dbe920200714141304/29213d

Unfortunately the link expired before I heard it!

Howard Blake

AGATHA - ALBUM RELEASE OF THE 'LOST SCORE' HOLLYWOOD 2020, A NEW RELEASE OF AN ALBUM OF THE ORIGINAL FILM SCORE BY HOWARD BLAKE COMPOSED IN 1978 Howard Blake conducted The National Philharmonic Orchestra (leader Sidney Sax), for the score of the feature film made in 1978 starring Dustin Hoffmann and Vanessa Redgrave, This is the release of a complete soundtrack recording in 2020 under the title 'Agatha - music inspired by the motion picture.' The score was dubbed onto the film and given an enthusiastic reception at BAFTA. However, at the instigation of Vanessa Redgrave and a replacement producer, Jarvis Astaire, this large and opulent period-sounding score was scrapped and replaced by something much smaller and more contemporary.

• *AGATHA (Opus 0265)

Warner Brothers/Sweetwall First Artists/Casablanca Productions

Producers Lord David Puttnam, Gaverick Losey

Director Michael Apted

Editor Jim Clarke

'Agatha' the feature film told the story of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1927. Under a false name she had in fact escaped from public view to The Swan Hotel, Harrogate, where much of this film was shot, making much use of its splendid ballroom.There were two pre-production recordings of period incidental music for the ballroom scenes made on 22 Oct, 1978, 10-1 and 4-7, 1978. They featured a typical period piano trio - violin Sidney Sax, cello Reginald Kilbey, piano Howard Blake.   Existing period music included:

My wonderful one; I love the moon; I wonder where my baby is tonigh; Yessir that's my baby; They didn't believe me; 'Softly awakes my heart' from Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saens; HMS Pinafore, Sullivan; Somewhere a voice is calling; Serenade -Heykens,  plus a theme tune for the film by Howard himself entitled 'Could it be you'.

A post-production recording of further incidental music took place 14th April 1978 10.00 --5.00

The main original music soundtrack score composed and conducted by Howard Blake was recorded at CTS Studio 1, Wembley: 19, 20, 21 October 1978. Recording engineer John Richards.

THE CD ALBUM IS RELEASED UNDER LICENSE BY

DRAGON'S DOMAIN RECORDS DDR 687

A DIVISION OF BUYSOUNDTRAX.COM

2828 COCHRAN STREET #287

SIMI VALLEY, CA 93065, USA

PHONE/CELL/TEXT  818-209-908

E-MAIL: fordat1@aol.com

FLUTE CONCERTO, Anna Hodgson and MAS, All Saints Church Lewes, Sussex

• FLUTE CONCERTO (Opus 0493A)

PIANO CONCERTO - JULIAN TREVELYAN, JOHN GIBBONS, Julian Trevelyan piano, John Gibbons conductor, Howard Blake narrator, Worthing Symphony Orchestra "Walking In The Air" concert at Assembly Hall, Friday 31 January 2020 (7.30pm)

• *PIANO CONCERTO (Opus 0412)
• *THE SNOWMAN CONCERT VERSION (to be performed with optional projected film, or narration, or both), for boy soprano and orchestra (Opus 0323)

Worthing Symphony Orchestra “Walking In The Air” concert - review

REVIEW BY Richard Amey

By Phil Hewitt

Thursday, 6th February 2020, 11:15 am

Updated Thursday, 6th February 2020, 11:17 amWSO Conductor John Gibbons

REVIEW BY Richard Amey

Nik Rimsky-Korsakov, Dance of The Tumblers (from The Snow Maiden); Fred Delius, Sleigh Ride; Emil Waldteufel, Skaters Waltz; Howard Blake, The Snowman, concert version; Pete Tchaikovsky, Waltz (from Swan Lake); Leroy Anderson, Sleigh Ride; Johnny Sibelius, March (from Karelia Suite); Howard Blake, Piano Concerto Op412.

It was as though Sergei Prokofiev had been right there, narrating his own Peter And The Wolf with Worthing Symphony Orchestra. To audience surprise, Howard Blake was doing the same in The Snowman – a children’s composition of parallel universal success composed by he, an ex-Brighton & Hove Grammar School boy, and with some primary and secondary classmates in the audience.

Unbilled except last-minute on social media, Blake told me he was narrating a Snowman concert performance for the first time in five years. He was standing in for also-unpublicised actor Bernard Cribbins OBE, whose wife was unwell. Wombles voice-over Cribbins reached 91 in December. A month earlier, Blake OBE made it to 81, although he scarcely moves or looks older than 70. That’s the therapy of music for you.

Blake’s own ‘local lad makes good’ story happened 40 years ago when his idea of a TV cartoon outlawing dialogue struck gold. Instead, it’s musically with descriptive richness and synchronised with the precision of a Tchaikovsky-Petipa ballet, and delivering a hit song that seasonally sits alongside Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

The familiar I’m Walking In The Air – the only words heard in the cartoon film – is sung by the Boy when the Snowman he has built suddenly lifts him up into flight, out over Brighton and up to the North Pole for a knees-up at a snowmen’s party visited by Father Christmas. A thaw-surviving scarf from that is living proof it happened for real, trumping at Christmas the Nutcracker Doll that can only underline a dream.

Now it was happening right here, without the images but with author Raymond Briggs’ dialogue pointed up by Blake’s music. A different and rewarding audience experience this way round. And a master class in light film music orchestration . . .

Sleep? Harp or strings. Fun building a snowman? Fairy harp and chirpy flute. Snowman greets his young creator? Cheery piccolo. Atmosphere around the boy’s house? Sober, nostalgic oboe. Terrified fleeing cat? Screeching strings. Snowman curious about human life? Cheeky bassoon or avuncular horn.

Perilous sources of heat? Cymbals! (Furtive footsteps? Xylophone) Music box? Glittery harp, piano, flute, piccolo. Motor-bike escapade? Tearing orchestra with xylophone saddled on top! The Celidh of the Father Christmases? Celtic pub dance tunes on flutes, piccolo, xylophone, muted trumpet.

And binding much together, the piano – setting new scenes, initiating rhythm and texture, creating mystery, punctuating or decorating percussively, bringing sentiment and affection, opening the mood and flow of I’m Walking In The Air for vocalist Victoria Ridgway – from Crawley, invited from the West Sussex Youth Choir.

The 17-year-old was singing it publicly for the first time and her nerves in the opening verse counted in her artistic favour. Initially frayed-edged in childlike wonder and fear (“What? My snowman’s really a bird?”), her voice gained in confidence (“He’s not going to drop me now – I’m flying too!”) arriving at a purity (“This is the best adventure I’ve EVER had”).

Incidentally, the washes of cymbals evoked for me the Cornish beach hut where Blake, years before, first thought of this tune. Blake’s is an unfamiliar face to most. His narration was thus like listening to a story a nice granddad at a small (under-control) children’s birthday party up the road. Throughout The Snowman, I sensed the audience’s adults captured by their own fascination and progressively moved. The final ovation’s vocal element was heartfelt.

Blake brought also his own Piano Concerto and soloist, the 21-year-old Paris-trained Briton, Julian Trevelyan. It’s rarely played, despite its distinctive, pleasing and constantly entertaining vigour and melodic content, easy form and good humour, since its commission for Princess Diana’s 30th birthday 29 years ago. Blake performed it for her at the Royal Festival Hall. Surely, her death is not the reason for its back seat in Blake’s output? “Yes, it is a portrait of her,” he replied. “There’s her warmth and sense of fun.”

After a shyly radiant opening musical vision, it garrulously flecks in syncopations and cross-rhythms of popular musical styles – though less prominently than in for example Ravel’s two-handed Concerto. Imagine a lively garden party, getting going. But in the jubilant, cosmopolitan finale of theme and variations they shine brightly and integral to the effervescence which, at the end, unexpectedly but poetically leaves us with a bookending repeat of that halting opening camera shot.

There are one or two royal sweeps of cinematic strings and French Horn grandeur, and the tenor trombone pair join in the contrapuntal fun.

The middle movement, far less loquacious, paints its own intimate photo or character album.

It began and ended with just piano plus the leaders of the three violin and viola section leaders, whom at rehearsal Blake persuaded Gibbons and the players themselves that they should stand to play. The effect in performance was of something original being done spontaneously as an apt focus on music speaking of loving homage and respect. A remarkable concert moment and result.

Trevelyan was bristlingly alive, alert and responsive to the Concerto’s solo demands and range, and evidently attuned with a composer whose birthday precedes his by a day. It was Trevelyan’s second performance of a piece composed for Russian prodigy Evgeny Kissin – who reportedly backed out of the premier, finding it too demanding to prepare in apparently ample time. It took Blake three months to prepare in Kissin’s place because Blake had abandoned concert piano performing.

But it took Trevelyan just a month before his December debut in it. “It’s challenging with its use of non-classical rhythms being put in a classical context,” he told me. “The trick is to let it sing, and to make an interpretation without destroying its simplicity.”

This climaxed and closed the concert, and won another enthusiastic reception. Trevelyan brought Blake on stage for a hug and then won over the audience without him in Chopin’s Mazurka No 2 in D major of Opus 33 as an encore.

What of the rest of the programme? Far from makeweights or fillers, they were Gibbons with reindeer bells setting a winter’s scene around a snowman. Rimsky’s bounding dance of the Russian street performers laid out cold any preference for a conventional overture. Delius’ Sleigh Ride and wander off on foot around snow-laden countryside may well have been a WSO first.

A Skater’s Waltz by a Strasbourg-born composer could not escape the notice of politically-aware Gibbons on Brexit Day. Out on Anderson’s stateside Sleigh Ride, the WSO were fully on the ball with its finger-snapping wit, and the Karelia Suite finale marched in out of the tundra chill with a genuine glow.

But seizing the biscuit was the one item which could have passed by unnoticed in a routine rendition – but instead launched the second half with hum-along anticipation. Gibbons and WSO gave us a Swan Lake Waltz with astute variation in dynamics and a sweeping conclusion of festive Russian theatricality lacking only Bolshoic vibrato in Tim Hawes’ important trumpet solo. Do take us the whole way to Moscow next time, Tim!

Richard Amey

'THE PASSION OF MARY' FROM CATALUNYA, At 18.00 in Catalunya on Easter Sunday 12 April 2020 Ars Aurea Sonora Channel broadcast the film of the oratorio 'The Passion of Mary'. It was originally recorded in Manresa Cathedral on 8th December 2015 in a concert conducted by the composer with principal parts taken by Patricia Rozario (soprano), Richard Edgar Wilson (tenor) and David van Asch (Bass), with the choir and orchestra of Tarragona University. The Liverpool Quartet and Jaume Comas were also featured in a performance of 'The Snowman'. See coverage below., Manresa Basilica.

• *BENEDICTUS (Opus 0282)
• *FESTIVAL MASS (for a cappella double choir) (Opus 0377)
• *FLUTE QUINTET (Opus 0493)
• *THE PASSION OF MARY (for solo soprano,treble,tenor and bass soloists, SATB chorus and orchestra (with additional alto, tenor and bass solos from within the choir) (Opus 0577)

PIANO TRIO SOCIETY IN CHETHAMS, International young artists will compete for a prize to be awarded by recently-appointed Vice-President of the society Howard Blake OBE FRAM along with Vice-President Christine Talbot Cooper. Senior Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition. Sadly cancelled due to C-virus., Chetham's School of Music, Manchester 10.00am-6.00pm, 22nd. March 2020

• *PIANO TRIO NO. 3 ELEGIA STRAVAGANTE (Opus 0654)
• *PIANO TRIO NO.1 (FANTASY-TRIO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO AND PIANO) (Opus 0662)
• *PIANO TRIO NO.2 (Opus 0524)
• SLEEPWALKING, PIANO TRIO no.4 (Opus 0665)
• SUITE - THE UP AND DOWN MAN (FOR PIANO TRIO) (Opus 0186)
• THE ICE PRINCESS AND THE SNOWMAN - PAS DE DEUX FOR PIANO TRIO (Opus 0557)

The full title of the competition is the Senior Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition.  www.pianotriosociety.org.uk  

ACE TRIO -TRIO FOR FLUTE, CLARINET AND PIANO, Ace Trio, CSUN Cypress Hall

• *TRIO FOR FLUTE CLARINET AND PIANO (Opus 0025)

flute: Shannon Conchola

clarinet: Ryan Glass

piano: Jason Stoll

As of 23/01/2021 this excellent performance has clocked up 738 views on YT

(Well-deserved! Howard Blake UK.)

PIANO QUARTET IN FLORIDA, The Velox Quartet: Nicholas Hatt (violin), Jacob Clewell (viola), Jordan Galvarino (cello), Sasha Bult-Ito (piano)., Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival, Tyler Recital Hall, Niceville, Florida

• *PIANO QUARTET (Opus 0179)

SONATA FOR TWO PIANOS IN MOSCOW, Rustem Kudoyalov and Oleg Polianskiy, Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire

• *SONATA FOR TWO PIANOS (Opus 0130)
• DANCES FOR TWO PIANOS (four-stave version) (Opus 0217a)

SINFONIETTA FOR TEN BRASS IN CAMBRIDGE, Cambridge University Brass Ensemble conducted by Chris Lawrence, Wolfson College. 1.30pm

• *SINFONIETTA (Opus 0300)

PIANO CONCERTO AND THE SNOWMAN, JULIAN TREVELYAN, JOHN GIBBONS, Julian Trevelyan and the Worthing Symphony Orchestra play Howard Blake's Piano Concerto with prize-winning pianist Julian Trevelyan and 'The Snowman' narrated by the 'local personality' Howard Blake (who grew up in Brighton 1944-1963 and lived in Cuckfield mid-Sussex, 1971-1981)and wrote the original words and music, based on the children's picture-book by 'local' artist Raymond Briggs (who taught in Brighton and later lived in Ditchling), Assembly Hall, Worthing

• *PIANO CONCERTO (Opus 0412)
• *THE SNOWMAN (ANIMATED CHILDREN'S FILM) (Opus 0310)

"The Snowman played by WSO in the presence of the composer himself – Howard Blake, along with the Piano Concerto he composed for the 30th birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales. The latter is played by exciting young pianist Julian Trevelyan making his Worthing debut. "

Tickets available here:

https://worthingtheatres.co.uk/show/wso-walking-in-the-air/

'CHRISTMAS LULLABY', ST. PAUL'S COVENT GARDEN - NADINE BENJAMIN AND DANAE ELENI, Nadine Benjamin soprano and Danae Elena Mezzo-soprano, St. Pauls Covent Garden 1.00-2.00pm

• CHRISTMAS LULLABY (Opus 0413)

KATHERINE JENKINS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, Katherine Jenkins soprano, Howard Blake conductor, Royal Albert Hall

• 'WALKING IN THE AIR' SPECIALLY ARRANGED FOR KATHERINE JENKINS (Opus 0695)

'THE SNOWMAN' AT THE GREAT WARNER THEATRE HOLLYWOOD, The Golden State Pops Orchestra conducted by Steven Allen Fox, perform the concert version of 'The Snowman' with 'the voice of Disney', Bill Rogers, as narrator. 21st December 2019 at 8.00pm, Great Warner Theatre, San Pedro, Los Angeles, USA

• *THE SNOWMAN CONCERT VERSION (to be performed with optional projected film, or narration, or both), for boy soprano and orchestra (Opus 0323)

THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW AT LONDON'S PEACOCK THEATRE (22ND SEASON), Robert North full ballet company directed by Julian Moss, orchestra directed by Costas Fotopoulos, Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre, Kingsway London

SNOWMAN ON CLASSIC FM - CHRISTMAS EVE WITH ALED JONES, Aled narrates and sings the words and music of Howard Blake OBE, who conducts The Sinfonia of London, CLASSIC FM 5.30PM

• *THE SNOWMAN CONCERT VERSION (to be performed with optional projected film, or narration, or both), for boy soprano and orchestra (Opus 0323)

THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW-ESPLANADE THEATRE SINGAPORE, Peacock theatre touring company

• *THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION (Opus 0522)

THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW - LYRIC THEATRE HONG-KONG, Peacock theatre touring company

• *THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION (Opus 0522)

'IN TUNE' BBC RADIO BROADCAST, An interview from BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, followed by the playing of the Sony recording of the third movement of the Piano Concerto, featuring the composer as soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir David Willcocks.

• *PIANO CONCERTO (Opus 0412)

THE PIANO CONCERTO: JULIAN TREVELYAN and JOHN GIBBONS - EALING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Ealing Symphony Orchestra., St. Barnabas Church

• *PIANO CONCERTO (Opus 0412)

ALL-BLAKE CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT AT THE CHAPEL ROYAL, BRIGHTON, Paul Gregory (solo acoustic guitar), Alan Parmenter (violin), Howard Blake (piano), Chapel Royal, North Street,Brighton Tuesday 3rd December 1.00pm

• PENNILLION FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (Opus 0571)
• PRELUDE, SARABANDE AND GIGUE (Opus 0477)
• THE ROTHSTEIN SONATA - VIOLIN SONATA NO.1 (Opus 0169)

ALL-BLAKE ORCHESTRAL CONCERT WITH THE MID-SUSSEX SINFONIA, Jonathan Willcocks,conductor,The Mid-Sussex Sinfonia and Sussex Children's Choir, The Dolphin Hall, Haywards Heath

• *ALL GOD'S CREATURES (Opus 0468)
• *THE SNOWMAN CONCERT VERSION (to be performed with optional projected film, or narration, or both), for boy soprano and orchestra (Opus 0323)
• SUSSEX PRELUDE (Opus 0488)

HOWARD BLAKE INTERVIEWED BY AFSHIN RATTANSI FOR RT TV, Howard Blake talking and playing some of his piano music, filmed for TV in his Kensington Studio by friend and interviewer, Afshin Rattansi. For RT TV LONDON,10th Dec 2019, Kensington, London

• Walking in the Air (extract Lifecycle) (Opus 0489u)

Showings of film on RT on Dec 11th 2019 at 11.30am, 2.30pm and 9.30pm

Channel 234,

Freeview

SKY 511 

HOWARD BLAKE INTERVIEWED BY JACK PEPPER FOR SCALA RADIO, HOWARD BLAKE is interviewed by JACK PEPPER who introduces some of Howard's recorded music., Scala Radio, Golden Square, London

• Walking in the Air (extract Lifecycle) (Opus 0489u)

PIANO CONCERTO RECORDING AND VIOLIN CONCERTO REVIEWED, HOWARD BLAKE PIANIST IN A RE-ISSUE OF HIS RECORDING OF HIS OWN CONCERTO FOR PRINCESS DIANA WITH THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA GAINED 5 STARS AND THE COMMENT ON HIS VIOLIN CONCERTO AS BEING 'ONE OF THE MOST MOVING WORKS OF ITS KIND IN THE LAST 100 YEARS' (BALLERINA - AMAZON), ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL

• *VIOLIN CONCERTO 'Requiem to the memory of a most true and saintly soul' (Opus 0441)

Ballerina