Gordon Jacob
Fantasy for Euphonium
One of the cornerstones of the solo repertoire, written when serious composers were only beginning to take the euphonium seriously as a solo voice.
| Composer | Gordon Jacob |
|---|---|
| Composed | 1969 |
| Era | 20th century |
| Type | Original |
| Difficulty | advanced |
| Available scorings | Piano, Wind Band |
| Duration | ~12 minutes |
| Clef | bass, treble |
| Originally for | Euphonium |
| Piano part | Medium |
| Technical demands | lyrical phrasing, agility, range, formal pacing |
| Good for | undergraduate recital, audition, solo and ensemble |
| Publisher | Boosey & Hawkes (1969) |
Gordon Jacob’s Fantasy is often cited as the work that opened the modern euphonium repertoire — a piece of real compositional weight written by an established orchestral composer specifically for the instrument. Cast as a continuous fantasy rather than a multi-movement concerto, it moves between lyrical, singing writing that shows off the euphonium’s vocal tone and brisk, agile passagework that proves its technical range. It remains a standard audition and recital choice.
Recordings
- Steven Mead ; Joyce Woodhead; Richard Phillips — The World of the Euphonium, Vol. One
Sources
- Lloyd Bone & Eric Paull, Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire (2007)
- Boosey & Hawkes — Gordon Jacob, Fantasia