It Takes Two is taken from Karl Jenkins' Euphonium Concerto, an extended work given its world premiere by euphonium soloist David Childs and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes in St. David's Hall, Cardiff during the last night of the 2009 Welsh Proms.

 

It Takes Two, which would normally form the third movement of the concerto, is an improvisatory style for the soloist.  The music is in the form of a habanera style tango with the euphonium 'partnering' a number of instruments in the ensemble while 'breaking away' from time to time in rolling roulades.  A judicious use of multi-phonics rounds off the coda.

 

On his eagerness to compose the work for David, Karl Jenkins stated, "It's been a privilege to write for such a virtuoso performer. We had been talking about it for some time and happily it all came together in 2009. David is a wonderful musician of the highest quality and it was a joy and, indeed, a challenge, to write a work for both him and an instrument of such beauty and agility."

 

It Takes Two for euphonium and brass band recieved its premiere on November 29th 2009 in Swansea's Brangwyn Hall performed by David Childs and the Cory Band conducted by Dr. Robert Childs, and can be heard on Doyen CD262 Moto Perpetuo.

 

Other individual movements and the complete Concerto for Euphonium with brass band accompniament are available from Prima Vista Musikk. Orchestral and wind band versions are available from Boosey and Hawkes.