One of the most satisfying aspects of being part of Onyx Brass is to discover pieces by well-known composers which, for whatever reason, have been neglected – neither performed or recorded. Our Fanfares disc started us out on this journey but the journey continues. The Britten Pears Archive very kindly shared with us sketches from some manuscript paper, a Funeral March, where Britten had clearly written a 1st subject, a 2nd subject and some accompanying harmony. The piece was not complete but the bare bones were in place. With the permission of the BP Estate, Onyx commissioned long-term collaborator Bernard Hughes to delve into Britten’s sound world and complete the journey that Britten had started.
We were delighted to record this piece in 2024 as part of Transatlantic, again on the Chandos label, and now it has been agreed that the rest of the brass world should be allowed to explore this multi-layered work. Premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2025, the piece opens with an initial trombone solo, leaves the trumpets to develop the theme before it returns in canon, this is a work of depth and weight as befitting a Funeral March. It is in stark contrast to the Russian Funeral Music (also for brass) and adds a further Britten brass piece to the repertoire which, surely, can only be a good thing. Soon to be available on Onyx Brass Publishing.
