Event 38: Leon Goossens, the iconic oboist

Jonathan Tobutt (oboe) Daniel Gordon (piano)

Alan Richardson:     Sonata for oboe & piano (northern premiere)

                               3 birthday pieces for Leon Goossens (first public performance)

Gordon Jacob:         Sonatina for oboe & piano

Fifth in a series of performances dedicated to exploring the extraordinary impact of the oboist Leon Goossens.  In 2010 Jonathan discovered a large collection of manuscripts by the British composer Alan Richardson (1904-78) hidden in the deep recesses of the library vaults at the Royal Academy of Music.  The collection catalogued by Jonathan for the Academy comprises a large number of unpublished chamber music and includes hitherto unknown works for oboe written for Leon Goossens and Janet Craxton. Jonathan and Daniel perform two of the six works Alan composed for Leon Goossens. The blissful Sonatina by Gordon Jacob written for one of Leon’s favoured protégés, Evelyn Rothwell completes their programme celebrating British oboe music.