With regular weekly brass band output on the BBC now a thing of the past following the demise of 'Listen to the Band', any profile and understanding about the medium can now only be found through occasional features or inserts on programmes — mostly disappointingly clichéd or misinformed.
However, the latest 'Inside Music' programme on Radio 3 hosted by conductor Greg Beardsall certainly showed that not all is lost.
Coventry Variations
The former Tewit Youth Band and National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain tuba player is the Music Director of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland and has worked with many of the UKs leading professional ensembles, including the Bournemouth and Ulster Orchestras.
On the programme he featured Bramwell Tovey's 'Coventry Variations' performed by Foden's Band from the award winning CD, 'Maestro' released in 2009.
Bust out of the water
His introduction to a work he calls "...a great piece to play on the radio", is full of insight, as he discusses its "amazing harmonic structure"and "utterly astonishing"climax.
It is he says, "...a piece full of innovation"and one that challenges the "preconceptions"some people have of brass band music — adding that he hoped it will "bust all that out of the water".
It is he says, "...a piece full of innovation" and one that challenges the "preconceptions" some people have of brass band music — adding that he hoped it will "bust all that out of the water"4BR
To hear
To hear the programme go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b65lxt
The feature can be heard at around 23.00 minutes, with the programme available for the next 28 days.
