Winner of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association’s Ostwald Award for composition, Peter Graham is one of the leading brass band composers of his generation. Graham’s previous Naxos album with the Black Dyke Band, Metropolis 1927 (8573968), received widespread acclaim from the brass band press. The five world-premiere recordings heard on this album represent his long association with Black Dyke. The trumpet concerto Master of Suspense references Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic movies, the virtuoso euphonium concerto Force of Nature was inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s extraordinary life, and The Triumph of Time is a dazzling example of compositional craft and brass band virtuosity.

Peter Graham’s Brillante for euphonium and orchestra on Naxos 8570538 is summed up as ‘a special treat’ by the American Record Guide. This new recording follows on from Graham’s Metropolis 1927 album (Naxos 8573968), in which ‘the music sings, swoons, dances, pulsates, parties, and just has a good time overall. Graham’s brass writing is masterly… Warmly recommended – you won’t regret it’ (Fanfare).

The Black Dyke Band is legendary in brass band circles, and for Naxos has already recorded the music of Philip Wilby (8572166), considered ‘dazzling’ by the American Record Guide. We also had great success with their Symphonic Brass album (8570726), also conducted by Nicholas Childs, which remained in the Classical Top 20 for 18 weeks and was a MusicWeb International ‘Recording of the Month’.

Conductor Nicholas Childs’s award-winning recordings with the Black Dyke Band have been heralded as the very best in the brass band world. Euphonium soloist David Childs is regarded as one of the finest brass musicians of his generation, having appeared with leading orchestras all over the world, while trumpet and flugelhorn soloist Rex Richardson is renowned worldwide both as a jazz improviser and a champion of new music for his instrument.