National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain

Conductor: Glenn Price
St John’s
Smith Square
London, 12th April

Formed in 1968, the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain offers opportunities to wind players aged from 15 to 21.  Residential courses are held in April and August, in addition to short courses focussing on chamber music.  Having presented their programme at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham on the Wednesday, the group descended on St John's Smith Square in London, where they found a receptive audience ready for the repeat performance.  The seventy-strong group filled the platform as they tuned up (concert A for the woodwinds followed by Bb for the brass) and awaited the appearance of their conductor, Canadian Glenn Price.

They opened the concert with Donald Hunsburger's fine transcription of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor", in which he uses the varied tone colours of the ensemble much as an organist would choose the registration on the organ, contrasting blocks of sound.  After numerous performances of the rock version of "Toccata", it was most refreshing to hear it in a more straightforward setting, and it proved a good display vehicle, demanding precision in pitch and timing across the board. 

From the arresting opening on trumpets and piccolo, the players worked well together, with well balanced woodwind and full chords from the brass.  Glenn Price's direction was somewhat laid back, but he communicated his intentions clearly, making much use of rubato.  There was a little untidiness at the start of the fugue, but things soon settled down, and the unison lines were neatly negotiated.  It was good to hear the lower winds coming through clearly, especially the cor anglais and bassoons, although the hard-working percussionists seemed rather overwhelmed, or maybe it was just that one is so used to the xylophone dominating the texture in Ray Farr's version!

As the applause died down, Glenn Price introduced the orchestra, and spoke about their second item.  Percy Grainger's "Lincolnshire Posy", described by the composer as "a bunch of wild flowers", was premiered in 1937, although it wasn't until it was revived by Frederick Fennell, who recorded it with the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1957, that it began to grow in popularity.  Even then, there was no definitive edition or full score, the composer having written out the parts as he went along and producing a typically eccentric short score for the conductor's use. 

A new set of parts and full score were eventually produced in 1987, so the performance was marking a triple anniversary.  The six-movement work was based on folk songs that Percy Grainger had collected in 1905/6, recording them on wax cylinders, and his treatment reflects the natural rhythms of the original performers.

The suite itself was preceded by Grainger's "Duke of Marlborough Fanfare", which some may recall as having been played by Grimethorpe at Brass in Concert in 2005.  Opening with a solo off-stage horn the remaining brass gradually joined in, with Grainger's idiosyncratic harmonies to the fore.  The first movement proper, "Dublin Bay", a lilting sailors' song in 6/8 metre, saw the horn section in good form as their fanfare soared above the ensemble. 

The slow, chorale-like "Harkstow Grange" featured lower reeds and horns, with the distinctive sound of the cor anglais prominent.  This movement was well measured, with care taken in the balance between the sections, and a climax that was at once powerful and controlled.

"Rufford Park Poachers", the longest movement, is also the hardest to bring off, with the need to balance pairs of high and low instruments playing in a tight canon.  The soloists were on top form, and it was good to hear the Eb clarinet, although some may have preferred to have Grainger's favoured soprano saxophone rather than the cornet alternative, well played as it was.  There is also a striking passage where the melody appears at the top and bottom of the ensemble, with rich and full harmonies in between, and this came across very effectively. 

After a little uncertainty in the second canon, the conductor soon rallied his young charges once more.  The rippling arpeggios of "The Brisk Young Sailor" passed smoothly first amongst the woodwind and then the brass, whilst the stately war song "Lord Melbourne", written in a very free metre, featured a strong trumpet lead, with haunting chords emerging at the climax.  The final section, a relatively straightforward 3/4 romp, is the only one not based on one of the songs that Grainger himself had collected. 

"The Lost Lady Found" was discovered by Lucy E. Broadwood, Secretary of the Folk Song Society.  There was a slight tendency to race, although the conductor kept a tight grip on the reins and, with the timpani leading the way with the final counter-melody, it proved a fitting finale to the suite, which Grainger dedicated to "the old folksingers, who sang so sweetly to me".

To close the first half of the concert, the wind orchestra was joined by trombonist Andrew Connington, who presented the first movement of Johann de Meij's "T-Bone Concerto".  Andrew, a former Principal Trombone of both the National Youth Orchestra and the European Youth Orchestra, is establishing a blossoming career following studies at Chethams School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London.  The concerto, which was the composer's first composition for solo instrument and band, was commissioned by The Kentucky Music Editors Association.  In addition to the soloist, it features a small concertante group consisting of a double wind quintet, cor anglais and double bass, although in performance, with the players remaining in their usual seats, one was not particularly conscious of this. 

It is a very accessible work, with much being made of the interplay between soloist and accompaniment.  Following the opening on low clarinets and bassoons, a jaunty but steady march-like figure emerges, gradually building up in tempo until the entry of the soloist.  The solo part contrasts energetic passages with more peaceful and serene writing, the solo part covering the full range of the instrument, and including a muted section where he has to work hard to project across the ensemble. 

The piano, played on this occasion by one of the flautists, also had a prominent part to play, and both trumpet and flute shared duets with the soloist.  A reprise of the energetic opening section drew the movement to a triumphant conclusion with fervent applause for both soloist and orchestra.

Music from Canada opened the second half: John Estacio's "Frenergy" was originally written for orchestra, but has been transcribed for wind by Fraser Linklater.  Taking its title from an amalgamation of the words "frenetic" and "energy" it certainly lived up to its title, keeping all sections of the ensemble on their toes. 

The introduction gave the percussion section their chance to shine as they pounded out an infectious 6/8 pulse, with more than a hint of "633 Squadron" as it juxtaposed various rhythmic patterns.  The angular, chromatic melody which followed tested the precision and intonation of the players, but they passed with flying colours.  A low melody played by unison flutes was very effective, as was the bravura writing for the horn section.  The scoring contrasted blocks of sound as it alternated between woodwinds, brass and horns.

After such a frantic start to the second half, contrast was provided in the form of the Second Movement from Martin Ellerby's "Symphony for Winds".  This series of chorales, often quite lightly scored, featured various individual or small groups of instruments: tinkling piano and percussion against sustained chords and a low flute melody, clarinets over trombone chords, for example. 

The sound of the saxophone section, seated at the back of the stage behind the clarinets, was masked for much of the evening, but both alto and tenor had prominent solo lines, as did a quartet of oboe, clarinet, cor anglais and horn, and a clarinet quartet accompanied by the piano.  The tubular bells chimes rang out as the movement drew to a close.

For their finale, the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain performed Marco Putz's tour de force "Derivations".  Written originally for the Dutch Fanfare Band "Kunst en Vriendschap, Partij-Written" in 2003 it was reworked for symphonic wind band in 2006, and has been selected as the test piece at the 6th Biennial Internationale Musiktage Voecklabruck in Austria. 

The composer has used a very short motif, which he then manipulates in various ways, and Glenn Price pointed out that there are numerous changes of time signature in the opening bars, although these seemed to hold no fear for either conductor or players.  Much of the music is quite cinematic, with some passages reminiscent of the Roman war epics scored by Miklos Rozsa, with rich textures and driving rhythms. 

Many soloists were featured, including fine work on oboe, clarinet and trumpet, with particular mention for Amy Smith on euphonium, who impressed with her calm control, and the way in which she dominated the ensemble in both her solo and the ensuing duet with Beth Schofield on clarinet.  The horn section played their "pavilions en l'air" passage with confidence and panache, and all in all it was a splendid performance of a piece that seems destined to become one of the classics for wind.

Various thanks were given during the evening, particularly to the back-room staff who are essential to the smooth running of such courses, and to the parents – or chauffeurs, as Glenn Price referred to them! – whose support and encouragement are so important.  On the evidence of this performance, the future of wind music in this country is in good hands, and the National Youth Wind Orchestra can justly take its place alongside the other similar groups for Orchestra, Brass Band and Jazz Orchestra.

Peter Bale

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