Garland 1133 of British Light Music Composers
 
My first entry relates to the previously covered Andrew Downes, who more recently has written a fanfare for Madam Speaker (Betty Boothroyd, of course) for six trumpets, two horns, three trombones and tuba and Songs of Autumn - a musical journey during October to Different parts of the world, six of them, for children (2003).
 
Brian Boulton composed an agreeable Nocturne for piano solo.Also for piano Dennis France published various books of pieces for young pianists - Piano Pastime (five-four-fun, March, Minuet, Ragtime tune, Twilight moods, village green), Piano Playtime (Aubade, The Storm, Expressly oriental, Holiday in the sun, Mist 'ndHeather, Promise of spring) and Piano Pleasure (Bouncing blues, Cinderella waltz, Falling snow, Fife and drum, Sundown blues, Theme for a blues man) all in 2000 or 2001.
 
Ron Gardner is a prolific composer/arranger for brass (e.g. jazz me a waltz (1989), Slumbering for horn (1996), A frog he would a wooing go, Feeling blue, a euphonium/baritone solo, (1990)and Serenade for baritone and brass band (1990). The trombone and piano solo Equator (1998) is the work of Tansey Davies. Two modern composers worth mentioning are Neil Harvey eg for BBC2's Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets (2010) and Howard Jacques eg for his Radio 4 drama Atching Tan (November 2010).
 
And finally a word for Gary Ryan, whose guitar solos for youngsters include Bird flew over the Spire, and Peter Fisher for his bassoon quartet Four by Four.
 
Philip L Scowcroft
November 2010

Return to Review Index