A brand new work from the pen of Edward Gregson is to be used as the set-work for the 2020 British Open Championship.

The World Rejoicing

The collaborative commission between five partner countries, entitled, 'The World Rejoicing' (Variations on a Lutheran Chorale) will face the bands at Symphony Hall on 12th September, before also being used as the test-piece for the National Championships in The Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium in November 2020 and Norway in February 2021.

A spokesperson for the commissioning partners told 4BR: "Edward Gregson will celebrate his 75th birthday in July 2020 with the work providing a fitting tribute to his career made to the brass band repertoire over the last 50 years."

Link

Speaking about the work, Edward Gregson told 4BR: "I'm delighted to be writing this new work for five of the major European banding countries.

In searching for a link between them I considered the fact that they all have some sort of Lutheran tradition, and thus hymns have played, and still play, an important part in their common heritage.

It seemed fitting therefore for me to return to a compositional form I have used before (ie Variations) and to write a work based on a well-known Lutheran chorale.

He added: "I hope it will be both challenging and enjoyable for the many bands and conductors who will perform it, as well as for the audiences who will hear it."

I'm delighted to be writing this new work for five of the major European banding countriesEdward Gregson

Bound scores

Representatives of the five commissioning countries will each be presented with a limited edition bound copy of the score at a special reception to be held at the RNCM Brass Band Festival in January 2020 in Manchester.

Further details about the publication of the work will also be announced at that time.