Vanderbeek & Imrie Composers

Howard Burrell

Howard Burrell

HOWARD BURRELL studied at Queen’s University Belfast and Nottingham University, and then joined The Hatfield Polytechnic in 1972 as a composer and to start music activity on the campus. Within comparatively few years academic courses were established within the Humanities and Combined Studies programmes and with the Hatfield Philharmonic Orchestra firmly established a professional string quartet residency was created. His personal composition flourished with publications (OUP, Chester, Novello) broadcasts and commissions (Harlow Chorus, Besses o’ the Barn Brass Band) and a full-length electronic ballet score with Ian Dearden for Nexus Dance Company. A parallel career in conducting was also developing with both the Philharmonic and Opera East with whom he gave over 500 performances. With two symphonies completed and a third planned he continues to compose.

All Howard’s recent music is published by Vanderbeek & Imrie Ltd.

List of works
Orchestral works:
  • Little Concert for Tuba (1974-5)
  • Symphony No 1 (1999)
  • Symphony No 2 (2000)
  • Festival Overture (2002) (2222; 4231; tp+1; stgs)
  • Concertino for violin and orchestra (2003)
  • We wish you a merry Christmas (2006) for chorus and orchestra
  • Anniversary (2009) (2222; 4230; tp; stgs)
Brass band and brass works:
  • Jubilee : prelude, fugue and variations (1983)
  • Sonatina for brass quintet (1983)
  • Arrangements (1999):
    • An die musik
    • Ave Maria
    • Who is Sylvia
    • Letter song
    • Don’t be cross
    • Laughing Song
    • Waltzing in the clouds
  • Fantasia: Shining (2000) – symphonic variations on the hymn tune Picardy for brass ensemble (2 hns, 2 tpts, 2 tbns, tuba and timpani)
  • Sturrocks’ Parade (2000) for brass ensemble (2 tpts, 2 hns, 2 tbns, tuba, timpani and organ)
  • SBC Fanfare : The entry of the Mace (2007) (3432; tp)
  • Concerto for trumpet and brass band (2008)
  • Fanfares and fugues (2009) (3432; tp)
  • Three Fancies (2009): (3432; tp)
    • St Andrew and St George
    • Leader’s Waltz
    • Roaring Meg
  • Mayor’s March (2009) (3432; tp)
  • A Graduation Ode (2003) (SATB and brass quintet)
Choral and vocal works
  • Adoremus Dominum: A Cantata for Christmas for narrator, chorus and small orchestra (fl., ob., 2 clts., bsn; 2hns., 2tpts.; tp; stgs) – 1st Performance scheduled for Christmas 2012
  • ‘And music shall untune the sky’ for chorus, brass quintet and organ (1997)
  • Missa brevis (SATB and organ) (1998)
  • A child was born (1999) (SATB and organ)
  • Te decet laus (SATB)
  • Three Blessings (1999):
    • May the rain fall soft
    • I am love
    • Peace and joy
  • Swing Low sweet chariot (1999) (SATB divisi)
  • A Graduation Ode (2003) (SATB and brass quintet)
  • ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’ (2006) for chorus and orchestra
  • Resonet in laudibus (2006) (SATB and organ)
  • Eia, eia arr. (2009) (SATB)
  • Gloria tibi, Domine (2009) (SATB)
  • Love came down (1994) (SATB and organ)
Chamber works
  • String Quartet No 3 (1974)
  • String Quartet No 4 (Fragments) (1981)
  • String Quartet No 5 (2007-8)
Miscellaneous
  • Gawain and the Green Knight (2001) a musical play for narrator, children’s choir, chorus and ensemble (fl., clt., tpt., tbn., perc., stg quartet, bass)
  • Contreband (2003) for symphonic windband
In preparation
  • Three Motets for double choir (2007) (SSAATTBB)

Works with Other Publishers

  • Festive Occasion for brass quintet (1974) – Chester
  • Studies and Exercises for Trumpet (1974) – OUP
  • Five Concert Studies for Trumpet (1974) – OUP
  • Occasion for brass band (1975) – OUP
  • Popular Suite for brass quartet (1979) – Simrock
  • King’s Variations for strings (1985) – Novello
  • ‘Das buch der hangenden Garten’ (Schoenberg) song cycle for mezzo and pno. arr. for voice and chamber ensemble (fl., clt., pno., vln., vcl.* ) (2007) – Universal
    *the same as ‘Pierrot Lunaire’