Concerto Premiere for Baker
A major new concerto for trombone composed by Philip Wilby provided the centerpiece of a recital, recorded last month in Ripon Cathedral, given by Brett Baker. The work entitled, 'Light Fantastic' formed part of a series at the venue. Pianist and organist Tim Harper joined Brett for the performance.
The work was written in memory of Canon Dr Colin Harrison, CBE, an eminent scientist and industrialist, and Capitular Canon of Ripon Cathedral, who died in 2019. Composed at the request of his widow Janina and with input from his children who both play the trombone, the piece celebrates his life, energy, and influence, with Professor Wilby explaining, "In planning the complexities of this score, Janina and I enjoyed memories of Colin's time at the cathedral. There were some reflective moments, of course but also some light hearted and happy times. In consequence of this mixture of memories, I have chosen to write a piece that reuses the pattern of the popular dance suites of the late Baroque era: Typically this involves the stately opening and complex inner movement of a French overture, followed by a string of dances. These include 'Kemp's Jig', a tribute to Shakespeare's famous clown who danced from London to Norwich, a solo adage, a duo jive, and a 'comedia dell'arte' trio for solemn Pantalone, lovely 'Columbina' and clown Pulcinella."
Commenting on the world premiere Brett stated, "I was delighted to work on and perform Philip's fantastic concerto. This was the first solo performance for me of 2021, so it was a thrill to play with Tim in the wonderful acoustic of the cathedral."
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