Philip Jones, who was the first trumpet of the Convent Garden Opera House Orchestra, established this ensemble in 1951. Depending on the size of their auditorium they played as a five or ten-piece classical brass ensemble and were one of the first of this type to be formed in modern day.
They have made many concert tours and performances and have also made many recordings of their works and after Philip Jones retired in 1986 they became known as the London Brass.
The commissioned works that were arranged for the ensemble were bequeathed to the Royal Northern College of Music on the death of Philip Jones’ death in 2000. Elgar Howarth and John Iveson have conducted them with numerous world-class performers on trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba and percussion.
Their repertoire consists of music that ranges from Renaissance to contemporary works and in the world of popular music they appeared on the track “Wanderlust” on the albums Give My Regards to Broad Street and Tug of War by Sir Paul McCartney.
Members of the ensemble throughout their history are:
James Anderson (tuba)
Norman Archibald (trumpet)
Paul Archibald (trumpet)
Graham Ashton (trumpet)
Joseph Atkins (trumpet)
Julian Baker (French horn)
Roger Brenner (trombone)
Raymond Brown (trombone)
James Buck (French horn)
Anthony Chidell (French horn)
Roy Copestake (trumpet)
David Corkhill (percussion)
Eric Crees (trombone)
Alan Cumberland (percussion)
Harry Dilley (trumpet)
Lawrence Evans (trumpet)
Simon Ferguson (trumpet)
John Fletcher (tuba)
Rod Franks (trumpet)
Peter Gane (trombone)
Nigel Gomm (trumpet)
James Gourlay (tuba)
Charles Gregory (horn)
James Handy (French horn)
Peter Harvey (trombone)
Roger Harvey (trombone)
Stephen Henderson (percussion)
Mike Hext (trombone)
James Holland (percussion)
William Houghton (trumpet)
Elgar Howarth (conductor/trumpet)
Robert Howarth (percussion)
John Iveson (conductor/trombone)
Derek James (trombone)
Ifor James (French horn)
John Jenkins (tuba)
David Johnson (percussion)
Philip Jones (founder/trumpet)
Carry Kettel (percussion)
Michael Laird (trumpet)
Frank Lloyd (French horn)
John Miller (trumpet)
David Moore (tuba)
Christopher Mowat (trombone)
Maurice Murphy (trumpet)
Harold Nash (trombone)
Crispian Steele Perkins (trumpet)
John Pigneguy (French horn)
Raymond Premru (trombone)
David Purser (trombone)
Anthony Randall (French horn)
Peter Reeve (trumpet)
Christian Rutherford (French horn)
Frank Ryecroft (French horn)
Stephan Saunders (trombone)
Colin Sheen (trombone)
Lindsay Shilling (trombone)
Michael Skinner (percussion)
Howard Snell (trumpet)
Patrick Steevens (French horn)
David Stewart (trombone)
Norman Taylor (percussion)
John Wallace (trumpet)
Evan Watkin (trombone)
James Watson (trumpet)
Graham Whiting (trumpet)
Denis Wick (trombone)
John Wilbraham (trumpet)
Stanley Woods (trumpet)
Cecil Alexander & Henry John Gauntlett recordings
Once in Royal David’s City
London 417 898-2 (1990, CD: O Come All Ye Faithful)
The Bach Choir
Organ – John Scott
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Anonymous recordings
The Agincourt Song
Decca B0000807 (2003, CD: Music from the Royal Court)
Angelus Ad Virginem
London 417-898-2 (CD: O Come All Ye Faitfhul )
The Bach Choir
Organ – John Scott
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Jones_Brass_Ensemble
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/835731-Philip-Jones-Brass-Ensemble
- http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/news/03101404.html
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/835731-Philip-Jones-Brass-Ensemble