Derek Bourgeois RIP

[BBMmk2]

It is with sadness to hear of the passing of composer of Derek Bourgeois.

I came to like especially his brass band music, forexample, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Concerto Grosso, Blitz and The Forest of Dean. so varied in style and always good to hear,

[Serial_Apologist]

https://slippedisc.com/2017/09/death-of-a-prolific-british-composer-75/

More to follow in the press I would expect.

I met him once, in the early 1970s, when he was teaching at Bristol University.

[BBMmk2]

I don't know much about his other music but one other piece that should be mentioned is his Apocalypse. Probably he most difficult work in the repertoire.

[Nick Armstrong]

Sad news. Had the honour of taking part in a performance under his baton of his Serenade in the wind band arrangement, a piece in 11/8 (alternating with 13/8) he wrote for the end of his own wedding ceremony (for organ originally) so that everyone staggered out... A true musical gent with a sense of humour. RIP

[Hornspieler]

So sad.

Deryk and Jean were good friends and welcome company when I was working in Bristol.

I produced a recording of his 2nd Symphony with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

I don't remember who was conducting, but I do remember that I insisted on having my favourite recording engineer (Bill James) sitting at the mixing desk.

How he managed to read that score I shall never know - but the result sounded pretty good to me.

HS

[Pabmusic]

Sad news. Wikipedia says he was a composition pupil of Herbert Howells, a conducting pupil of Adrian Boult, and he wrote 114 symphonies.

[BBMmk2]

Sad news. Wikipedia says he was a composition pupil of Herbert Howells, a conducting pupil of Adrian Boult, and he wrote 114 symphonies.

Indeed he was, Pabs. He wrote numerous concerti too, plus one for tuba, for John Fletcher. But, imo, not a strong work, unfortunately.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sad news. Wikipedia says he was a composition pupil of Herbert Howells, a conducting pupil of Adrian Boult, and he wrote 114 symphonies.

Indeed.

(The Lebrecht site linked in Pet's #2 suggests that the number of symphonies had risen to 116 between the WIKI article and DB's death.)

[BBMmk2]

Indeed.

(The Lebrecht site linked in Pet's #2 suggests that the number of symphonies had risen to 116 between the WIKI article and DB's death.)

If I am right in saying, he had the ambition of writing mpre symphonies, than Haydn did

[Serial_Apologist]

If I am right in saying, he had the ambition of writing mpre symphonies, than Haydn did

He wasn't on a Haydn to nothing, then.

[Stanfordian]

He wasn't on a Haydn to nothing, then.

Probably!

[PJPJ]

So sad.

Deryk and Jean were good friends and welcome company when I was working in Bristol.

I produced a recording of his 2nd Symphony with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

I don't remember who was conducting, but I do remember that I insisted on having my favourite recording engineer (Bill James) sitting at the mixing desk.

How he managed to read that score I shall never know - but the result sounded pretty good to me.

HS

RIP



The Second Symphony was recorded in 1968 in Bournemouth, Vernon Handley conducted.

[BBMmk2]

He wasn't on a Haydn to nothing, then.

Absolutely not!

[Hornspieler]

RIP



The Second Symphony was recorded in 1968 in Bournemouth, Vernon Handley conducted.

Thanks for the information, But I was still working in Belfast, managing the Ulster Orchestra in 1968.

I presume that you are referring to a commercial recording; CD or DVD?

It was in 1976 that I produced a recording by the Bournemouth S.O of Deryck's 2nd Symphony for the BBC

I don't remember who was conducting on that occasion, but it was certainly not "Tod" Handley.

HS

[ardcarp]

Well here's a great tribute to Derek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INfCDaxkGgo

(The Plum and Wasp is Boiling in the Kitchen.)