One Clear Call – for Tuba and Piano

Late in 2002 I was invited by Kathy Gifford, conductor of the Aylesbury Music Centre Brass Band, to play a couple of solo items with the band as part of their “Monster Brass Day 2003”. After a little thought, I decided to write my own three-movement piece, and with much encouragement (and help with preparation of the score and parts, for which I remain extremely grateful) from Kathy and her husband Nick, I was able to complete it in time for the first performance in March. The piece was entitled “Some Kind of Something”; “One Clear Call” is the first movement of that piece and this version is a revised transcription for tuba and piano. It is dedicated to my wife.

The soloist is encouraged to play in a spontaneous way, as if improvising, and may vary or decorate the written line. In fact, the cadenzas at the beginning and end could be improvised, with one exception which is from the “largamente ed espressivo” to the end, which should be played according to the score.

David Powell 2006