Durham Cathedral will host the North East Premiere of ‘The Lambton Worm’ by composer Dave Collins (above) and Lewis Wilkinson on 6th June.

The work won the ‘Best New Composition’ Prize at the 2014 UniBrass Championships after being commissioned by Durham University Brass Band for the event.

Fearsome worm

It’s inspired by the North East folk tale of the Lambton Worm, which tells of a fearsome worm dragged from the river by the young Lambton Earl, but which escapes captivity and proceeds to terrorise the town.

The harassment is only ended when the Earl returns from the Crusades to kill the beast — an action that brings a terrible curse on his family.

Ideas

Dave Collins’s work involves the presentation of a number of key leitmotifs, and it is the combination and manipulation of these musical ideas that lead the narrative.

Narration

The narration which accompanies it by Lewis Wilkinson, is also written to present the accent used by the people in and around Lambton, which is situated at the North East of County Durham, and which incorporates quotations from the 1867 song of the same name, by C M Leumane.

tells of a fearsome worm dragged from the river by the young Lambton Earl, but which escapes captivity and proceeds to terrorise the town4BR

Excited

Dave Collins told 4BR: "I’m so excited to see this work receive its North East premiere in the magnificent Durham Cathedral by the band who commissioned it."

The concert is organised by the Durham University Music Society (DUMS) and will feature some of the University’s leading musicians including the Symphony Orchestra and Big Band.