Derek Bourgeois(1941-); a Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

Derek Bourgeois is a 71 year old British composer. He studied under Herbert Howells and Sir Adrian Boult, was Director of the National Youth Orchestra and Director of Music at St. Paul's Girls School in London(the post held by Gustav Holst). Bourgeois has composed a very substantial amount of music for brass bands. He is a serious musician

I can assure the sceptical however that, had not Bourgeois composed some substantial works of genuine quality, at least amongst those I have heard from the 1960s and 1970s, I would not have even started on this. Over the last ten years of course he has composed virtually nothing but symphonies and rather a lot of them

I shall now take myself off to a darkened room


DEREK BOURGEOIS: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

1960:   Symphony for Chamber Orchestra, op.8: 15 minutes
1961:   Symphony No.1, op. 10: 19 minutes
1963:   Overture "Mail Train", op. 16: 9 minutes
             "Jabberwocky"-Extravaganza for baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.18: 55 minutes
1964:   Symphonic Variations, op.19: 24 minutes   *
             Promenade for large or small orchestra, op.20: 4 minutes
1965:    Serenade for Small Orchestra, op.22a: 3 minutes
1966:   Variations on a Theme of Mozart for Two Double Basses and Orchestra, op. 24: 12 minutes
1967:    Concertino for Clarinet and Strings, op.25: 13 minutes
1968:   Symphony No.2, op. 27: 36 minutes   *
1969:    Orchestral Fantasy "The Globe", op.29: 16 minutes   *
             Variations and Commentaries for Strings, op.31: 15 minutes
             Overture "Green Dragon", op.32: 8 minutes
1971:   Concerto for Amateur Orchestra, op.36: 25 minutes
1972:    Bass Tuba Concerto, op.38: 43 minutes    *
1973:    Symphonic Pageant, op. 41:13 minutes
1975:    Fanfare for Shakespeare for orchestra, op.45: 2 minutes
1976:   Dance Variations for Small Orchestra, op.50: 18 minutes  *
             Clarinet Concerto, op.51: 19 minutes
             "Conflicts" for orchestra, op.52: 10 minutes
1977:   Concerto for Three Trombones, Strings and Percussion, op.56: 22 minutes   *
            Symphony No.3, op.57: 50 minutes
1978:   Symphony No.4 "A Wine Symphony", op.58: 55 minutes
            "Triumphal March" for tenor, chorus and orchestra, op.59: 18 minutes    *
1979:   Double Bass Concerto, op.62: 26 minutes
            Cantata Gastronomica for mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra, op.63: 35 minutes
             Romance for Double Bass and Orchestra, op.64: 11 minutes
1980:   "Chamber of Horrors"-Four Demonic Dances for orchestra, op.66: 14 minutes   *
             Symphony No.5, op.68: 25 minutes
1982:   Overture "Red Dragon", op.83: 8 minutes
1983:   A Gloucester Fanfare for chorus, organ, brass band and orchestra, op. 89: 4 minutes
1984:   Fantasy for Orchestra, op.92: 10 minutes
             Sinfonietta for Chamber Orchestra, op.93: 20 minutes
             Flourish for DCPS for orchestra, op.94: 2 minutes
1985:   "Kubla Khan" for soprano, tenor, chorus, brass band and orchestra, op.95:22 minutes
1986:   Organ Concerto, op.101: 16 minutes
1987:   "Armada" for mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra, op.104: 58 minutes
1988:   Symphony No.6 "A Cotswold Symphony", op.109: 35 minutes
             Trombone Concerto, op.114: 20 minutes    + (BIS cd)
1989:   Variations "Bass is Beautiful" for orchestra, op.118: 8 minutes
1990:   Euphonium Concerto, op. 120: 20 minutes
             Horn Concerto, op.121: 20 minutes
1992:   Concert March "Happy and Glorious" for orchestra(with optional chorus), op.128: 7 minutes
             Welsh Fanfare No.1 for orchestra, op.132: 1 minute
1994:   Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, op.138: 29 minutes
             Welsh Fanfare No.2 for orchestra, op.140: 1 minute
1995:   Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, op.143: 20 minutes
1997:    "Song of Farewell" for orchestra, op.153: 10 minutes
1998:   "MM" for chorus and orchestra, op.157: 32 minutes
             "A Dorset Celebration" for orchestra, op.159: 9 minutes
1999:   Symphony No.7 "The First Two Thousand Years" for tenor, chorus and orchestra, op.158: 55 minutes
             Romance for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, op.165: 10 minutes
2000:   "The Fruit of That Forbidden Tree" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.166: 30 minutes
2001:   "Holy Ground" for choirs, four saxophones and strings, op.172: 10 minutes
            West of England Fanfare for orchestra, op.177: 3 minutes
2002:   Prelude "What Ho!" for orchestra, op.178: 6 minutes
             "Seascapes" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.180: 15 minutes
             Violin Concerto, op.181: 35 minutes
             Symphony No.8 "The Mountains of Mallorca", op.184: 73 minutes
2003:   Symphony No.9, op.185: 111 minutes
             Symphony No.10, op.190: 40 minutes
             Symphony No.11, op.195: 45 minutes
             Symphony No.12, op.197: 34 minutes
             Fox-Trot for orchestra, op.198: 10 minutes
             Symphony No.13 "The Unlucky", op.199: 65 minutes
             Symphony No.14 in one movement, op.200: 20 minutes
             Wedding Song for soprano, chorus and orchestra, op.272a: 3 minutes
             Symphony No.15, op.201: 50 minutes
2004:   Symphony No.16 "Songs of Mallorca" for soprano and orchestra, op.207: 40 minutes
             Symphony No.17, op.208: 65 minutes
             Symphony No.18, op.214: 43 minutes
             Symphony No.19, op.216: 34 minutes
2005:   Symphony No.20, op.218: 42 minutes
             Symphony No.21, op.219: 21 minutes
             Symphony No.22, op.221: 50 minutes
             Symphony No.23, op.226: 35 minutes
             Symphony No.24, op.230: 42 minutes
             Symphony No.25 in one movement, op.232: 28 minutes
             Symphony No.26, op.233: 30 minutes
             Symphony No.27, op.235: 52 minutes
2006:   Symphony No.28, op.237: 34 minutes
             Symphony No.29, op.238: 45 minutes
             Symphony No.30, op.241: 65 minutes
             Symphony No.31, op.244: 21 minutes
             Symphony No.32, op.245: 65 minutes
             Symphony No.33, op.247: 62 minutes
             Symphony No.34, op.249: 44 minutes
             Symphony No.35, op.250: 50 minutes
2007:   Symphony No.36, op.252: 43 minutes
             Symphony No.37, op.254: 31 minutes
             Symphony No.38, op.256: 48 minutes
             Symphony No.39, op.258: 42 minutes
             Symphony No.40, op.269: 38 minutes
             Symphony No.41 "Sinfonia Andalucia", op.261: 70 minutes
2008:   Symphony No.42 "Life, the Universe and Everything", op.262: 155 minutes
             Symphony No.43, op.270: 31 minutes
2009:   Symphony No.44, op. 273: 30 minutes
            Symphony No.45 ("What Ho! Symphony)", op.275: 25 minutes
             Symphony No.46 "A Dorset Symphony", op.276: 43 minutes
             Symphony No.47 in one movement, op.278: 18 minutes
             Symphony No.48, op.280: 43 minutes
             Symphony No.49, op.281: 45 minutes
             Symphony No.50, op.284: 37 minutes
             Symphony No.51, op.286: 28 minutes
             Symphony No.52 The Halfway", op.287: 38 minutes
2010:   Symphony No.53 "Sinfonia Semplice", op.288: 39 minutes
             Symphony No.54, op.289: 32 minutes
             Symphony No. 55, op.290: 28 minutes
             Symphony No.56, op.292: 28 minutes
             Symphony No.57, op.294: 35 minutes
             Symphony No.58 in one movement, op.296: 22 minutes
             Symphony No.59 "Percussion Symphony", op. 298: 29 minutes
             Symphony No.60, op.299: 41 minutes
             Symphony No.61, op.300: 38 minutes
             Symphony No.62, op.302: 42 minutes
2011:   Symphony No.63, op. 303: 38 minutes
             Symphony No. 64, op. 305: 38 minutes
             Symphony No.65 "Overture, Concerto and Symphony", op. 306: 85 minutes
             Symphony No.66, op. 311: 29 minutes
             Symphony No. 67 "The Tuneful", op. 315: 36 minutes
      

[semloh]

Yes, indeed, Colin - your most useful list reveals a prodigious symphonist - and the durations are interesting - 155 mins. for the Sym. No.42! As anyone familiar with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy would realize, its title bespeaks a man with a powerful sense of humour! 

[Dundonnell]

It would be so easy to dismiss this quite phenomenal output as a composer who seems to have become so obsessed with the symphony that he simply cannot stop composing them.

........but, I just wonder....

Article from the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/09/derek-bourgeois-symphonies

[Leea25]

Nice article - there are music excerpts there too people. Good for him, I say. The excerpts sound pretty awful as they are computerised, but they did make me want to hear some of his music played by a full orchestra!

[TerraEpon]

Well I absolutely love his Trombone Concerto. I kinda wonder if any of his other music is like that.

Still, I love any composer that can add humor into their music in whatever fashion.

[Mark Thomas]

HIs sense of humour and obvious lack of stuffiness is appealing, I agree. Having only recently come across him, I have no worthwhile views on his music but my jaw did drop at the statement in the very interesting Guardian article: "Bourgeois's other compositional rule is to start his next symphony on the day he finishes the previous one".

[Christo]

As Delius would have said: Ce n'est pas mesquin.

Yes, indeed, Colin - your most useful list reveals a prodigious symphonist - and the durations are interesting - 155 mins. for the Sym. No.42! As anyone familiar with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy would realize, its title bespeaks a man with a powerful sense of humour! 

'Life, the Universe, and some other Futilities' would have done. 

[karelm]

I really like this composer and wish there were more recordings.  I too enjoy his trombone concerto which has been recorded several times, but none of his symphonies as far as I can find.  I would certainly appreciate anyone adding to what we have to listen to in this forum.

[semloh]

I really like this composer and wish there were more recordings.  I too enjoy his trombone concerto which has been recorded several times, but none of his symphonies as far as I can find.  I would certainly appreciate anyone adding to what we have to listen to in this forum.

In case you hadn't spotted it, I think his 2nd symphony may be available in the British downloads section.
But, yes it would be good to hear some more.