(i) Allegro Vivace (ii) Lento con moto (iii) Allegro Molto Vivace.
Derek Bourgeois composed his Euphonium Concerto in the spring of 1990. It is a straightforward tuneful work in three contrasted movements. The first movement is in regular sonata form with a lively first subject that has a strong rhythmic character. The second subject is lyrical and wistful. The development is mainly concerned with material derived from the opening subject. The movement concludes with a jaunty coda.
The second movement again has two main themes. The first is slow and melancholy with a marching bass line. The second is more overtly melodic with lush accompanying harmonies.
The finale is brief, highly rhythmical, and in three sections. There is some complex time juggling in the outer portions, though the character of the music is light hearted. The central episode is more lyrical, with a close affinity to the second subject of the first movement.
The whole piece makes great virtuosic demands on the soloist, who for much of the time plays in a high tessitura. It calls for tremendous agility, yet also requires musicianship and shaping in its more reflective moments.
