Music & Conversation: The Podcast of English Composer Andrew Downes

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Interviews and conversations about the stunning music of English Composer Andrew Downes

  1. 06/16/2023

    Remembering Andrew Downes

    Andrew Downes died on January 2nd 2023. This episode tells the story of his death from the point of view of his daughter, Paula Downes. https://www.andrewdownes.com/

    22 min
  2. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 17

    09/24/2022

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 17

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 17 covers the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, with Andrew Downes watching in his highchair; Frank's first TV broadcasts; a mishap with his horn pull-through; Sir John Reith and Sir John Manduel. Paula has chosen to end this episode with the Prelude from Andrew Downes' Five Dramatic Pieces for Eight Wager Tubas, from the CD, "Andrew Downes: Works for Horns and Wagner Tubas", dedicated to te memory of Frank Downes. This work was described as "Gorgeous writing" by Petroc Trelawny on BBC Radio 3 in 2014: https://www.andrewdownes.com/Instrumental-Ensemble.html#Wagner
 The image of the Queen is a photograph of a Candy Box at about the time of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 by Ross Dunn.

    26 min
  3. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 16

    09/11/2022

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 16

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 16 covers the late Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953, at which Frank's brother Herbert was leading the violas in the orchestra in Westminster Abbey that day. The image of the Queen is a photograph of a Candy Box at about the time of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 by Ross Dunn. The episode also covers the life of conductor and pianist Leo Wurmser, and violinist Ernest Element. Paula has chosen to end this episode with the second movement of Andrew Downes' Sonata for Violin and Piano, performed by Rupert Marshall-Luck and Duncan Honeybourne, since this work was composed in memory of Ernest Element: https://www.andrewdownes.com/Instrumental-Solo.html#VIOLINPIANO

    19 min
  4. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 15

    05/31/2022

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 15

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 15 leads to Frank's appointment to Hornist of the BBC Midland Light Orchestra in 1953, with whom he recorded The Archers theme tune, to be broadcast on Radio 4 multiple times a week until 1992, when it was re-recorded. It also covers Frank's move into teaching at the Birmingham School of Music. Paula has chosen to end this episode with the third movement of Andrew Downes' Centenary Firedances, since the loud noises in this piece (originally composed to be performed with fireworks) evoke the loud noises Frank and his CBSO colleagues had to make on their instruments on their way back from a gig, in order to be rescued from a train carriage, which had been forgotten about and shunted down a dark tunnel late at night at Birmingham New Street Station!  This work was written for the Centenary of Birmingham celebrations in 1989. Find out more here: https://www.andrewdownes.com/Orchestral.html#SYMPHONIC

    19 min
  5. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 14

    01/31/2022

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 14

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 14 is about Frank's appointment to Principal Hornist of the CBSO in 1949. Paula has chosen to end this episode with the second movement of Andrew Downes' Concerto for Piano and Symphony Orchestra, which was premiered at Birmingham Town Hall, which Frank mentions during this chapter.  This work was written for pianist Duncan Honeybourne with the Central England Ensemble, conductor Anthony Bradbury, Leader Anna Downes and Lead Violist Cynthia Downes. This recording is of the premiere on March 1st 2009. Find out more here: https://www.andrewdownes.com/Soloists-with-Orchestra.html#PIANOSYMPHONY

    21 min
  6. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 13

    12/06/2021

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 13

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 13 is about Frank's time in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under Malcom Sargent, performing at the first Edinburgh Festival in 1947, the Elgar Festival in Malvern, recordings with the Huddersfield Choral Society, and Sargent's Knightood. Paula has chosen to end this episode with the first movement of Andrew Downes' Sonata for Violin, Horn and Piano.  This work was commissioned by the Brahms Trio Prague (Ondrej Vrabec, solo and principal horn, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Monika Vrabcova, violin; and Daniel Wiesner, piano), who gave the world premiere on February 5th 2008 in the Suk Hall of the Rudolfinum, Prague. The Brahms Trio Prague (Ondrej Vrabec, Monika Vrabcova and Daniel Wiesner) recorded the work for CD in 2008, on the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Artesmon Label. Find out more here: https://www.andrewdownes.com/Instrumental-Solo.html#VIOLINHORNPIANO

    22 min
  7. Episode 34: Organist Robin Walker

    11/28/2021

    Episode 34: Organist Robin Walker

    Paula Downes chats to Robin Walker about his 2021 Regent Records release of The Forest at Dawn, organ works by Andrew Downes. Eastwood Records recorded all the organ works of Andrew Downes performed by Robin Walker in Ely Cathedral in October 2020.

    1h 6m
  8. Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 12

    10/04/2021

    Around the Horn by Frank Downes: Chapter 12

    Paula Downes reads her Grandfather and Andrew Downes' father Frank's book, Around the Horn, which tells the story of the Classical Music Industry from the point of view of a professional Horn player. Born 1921, died 2005, his fascinating orchestral career spanned the demise of the silent cinema, municipal seaside orchestras, the RAF Central band during World War II, orchestral playing in pre and post-war Britain, and the rise towards a Royal title for the Birmingham Conservatoire. Chapter 12 is about Frank's time in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under Malcom Sargent and Adrian Boult, tours around the UK, the Isle of Man and Ireland. Since Frank ends this chapter with a tale of the horn section attempting to leave a concert as soon as it ended, not realising that Malcom Sargent was planning to conduct the Prelude to Act 3 of Wagner's Lohengrin as an encore, and therefore not being ready to play some prominent horn passages, Paula has chosen to end this episode with the last movement of Andrew Downes' Concerto for Four Horns and Symphony Orchestra, a work in which the horns are particularly prominent! This work was composed for the Horns of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra to perform with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in the Rudolfinum, Prague in 2002 and Frank attended the premiere. The recording is the same horn players (Radek Baborak, Stanislav Suchanek, Ondrej Vrabec, and Zdenek Divoky), with the Czech Radio Orchestra, which was broadcast on Czech Radio in March 2003. https://www.andrewdownes.com/Soloists-with-Orchestra.html#FOURHORNS

    24 min
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Interviews and conversations about the stunning music of English Composer Andrew Downes

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