An expectant hum filled the Brighton Dome as the thousand-strong audience took their seats for the world premiere of A British Symphony.

They had travelled from all over the country in the hope of hearing something extraordinary from Andrew Gant, the respected composer who is also the Queen’s choirmaster. Instead, they heard it from Barry Wordsworth, the conductor of the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO).

Moments before the afternoon’s performance was due to begin he announced that he “did not believe” in the work and it would therefore be hypocritical to perform it. Gant’s patriotic homage to the British Isles had been replaced by Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony.

Nearly two weeks on from the concert, on February 25, Mr Gant is still mystified by the sudden change of plan. “I haven’t heard a single word from anybody at the orchestra to explain why it was done or offer an apology,” he said yesterday. “I am genuinely baffled.”

Mr Gant has composed numerous orchestral and choral works and is also the organist, choirmaster and composer at the Chapel Royal in London. He was commissioned to write A British Symphony by Rodney Atkinson, the businessman brother of the comedian Rowan Atkinson. At a meeting with Mr Wordsworth in November he played the conductor a piano version of the score and made, he thought, a warm impression. “He said it was extremely exciting and beautiful,” he recalled.

But Mr Wordsworth, who is also the musical director of the BPO, the conductor laureate of the BBC Concert Orchestra and a former musical director of the Royal Ballet, remembers their meeting differently. “I had concerns from the start,” he said. “I thought it was a thoroughly professional job but with no inspiration. I really believe conducting is more than getting the notes in the right order. You have to believe in the work — and I didn’t.”

He discussed his feelings with Ivan Rockey, the general manager of the BPO and Jackie Lythell, the orchestra’s chair, and Mr Gant was informed of the decision to drop his premiere on the Saturday afternoon. By that time, Mr Atkinson and his 20 strong party of guests were already in transit from Northumberland and other parts of the country.

On the day, the decision was greeted with a round of applause, but many of the audience were unhappy. Ann Haig-McVity, a regular at the BPO’s Sunday concerts, said: “This is quite disgraceful.”. The Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra confirmed that a small number of the audience had complained and had the cost of their tickets refunded.

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