Robert Simpson: A Listener’s Guide. Pt. 4: ‘Symphonic Studies’ for Brass Band

Energy is an essential quality in any of Simpson’s music. Even his static and calm music is often brimming with potential which is usually fully realised later in the piece – the 7^th Quartet (1977) is a prime example of this. It’s also a term I found myself using more and more frequently to describe various aspects of the symphonies prior to this, whether it be the sustained energy of the Scherzo of the 4^th, or the increasing energy and momentum of the finales of all 4 discussed so far. It’s an intrinsic element in Simpson’s symphonic and musical thinking and would appear to be a highly appropriate term given Simpson’s decision to title his first Brass Band piece, Energy.

The first of five significant works for the ensemble, which are probably his most performed works given their role as test pieces for brass band competitions, and are highly virtuosic, as one would expect from such pieces. The first two of these are subtitled as ‘symphonic suites’, yet another inference that Simpson was incapable of non-symphonic thinking – a thinking that places potential energy at its heart.

Energy is structured as a 10 minute long accelerando – not dissimilar to the last movement of the 3^rd Symphony, although this time the dynamics are certainly not suppressed. Whilst continuous, the Hyperion recording it is split into five tempo-based tracks which clearly illustrate this accelerando:

–Adagio maestoso
–Andante tranquillo
–Allegro grazioso
–Allegro molto
–Presto vivo

Volcano continues in the same vein of juxtaposition of violent and calm (with the opening tempo mark amusingly, calmissimo) seen in the 4^th Symphony and Energy to some extent; however, it is significantly more violent (appropriately, given the title), and features the percussion to a much greater extent (notice that before Energy and the 4^th Symphony, there has been very little use of percussion from Simpson other than timpani).

It’s worth noting here that Volcano comes at the end of a very productive decade for Simpson. Its predecessor, written at the same time as the 4^th Symphony coming 8-years prior. In the meantime, Simpson had completed three more Symphonies and five Quartets, including the three, 40-minute long ‘Rasumovskys’, making Volcano very much a late-mid period work, coming just 2 years before the 8^th Symphony.

It is a rare example of a programmatic title, although later there are a couple of other examples in the brass band music, but none quite as descriptive as this depicting a volcanic eruption. This may be true, but as a listener it is still quite abstract and difficult to attribute a concrete story to the music, which one would expect to be able to do with purely programmatic music. It can be seen more as a natural process. This is not unique among Simpson’s structure either. The 6^th Symphony depicts life growing from a cell into a grown individual.

The opening of Volcano is not unlike that of Energy. In fact, the two works very clearly demonstrate the development of the composer’s ability to write for the ensemble, Volcano taking far more risks and as mentioned before, introduces a far greater array of percussion. Perhaps it is easier to justify the use of purely timbral instruments in a programmatic work? Regardless, the result is a much more turbulent and immediately exciting piece compared to the logical and organic growth of Energy. Volcano continually peaks and troughs, each time more violent than the last until the eruption is over and stillness returns at the end.