The Legend of Gordon Langford

The brass band movement worldwide recently lost one of its most adored English composers, arrangers and performers in Gordon Langford, who died on 18 April aged 86. BBW pays tribute to the man and his music with a little help from his friends - the MD of Chandos Records, Ralph Couzens, conductor Richard Evans, and founding bass of the King’s Singers, Brian Kay.

Richard Evans: "In Gordon Langford we have lost one of the brass world's most prolific composers, arrangers and orchestrators that we have ever known.

Many years ago, in 1984, a remarkable genius 'phoned me to ask if could he bring a set of parts, still in proof form, to my band - Leyland Vehicles - to run through a commissioned piece that he had written for the inaugural Pilkington's Open Contest in St. Helens - at that time still in Lancashire. That evening, I met a man who became a very dear special friend. His name? Gordon Langford..." 

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