Essential Dyke Vol. III – President's Choice
15-Apr-2001
Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Nicholas J Childs
Doyen Recordings CD121
If your band's got a President, would you trust him to choose a complete programme to put on your latest CD recording? Black Dyke have by all accounts, and his name is Donald Hanson, a retired businessman and part time church organist born in Slaithwaite and a man who has more directorships to his name than Black Dyke have had British Open wins. On the value of this latest CD though, he is a President with a very keen and perceptive ear and heads a band that is back on top form.
The third volume of Dykes "Essential" series is a mix of the traditional and new that on CD forms very much of a mini concert programme. Thus you get the obligatory march, "The President" (did he really pick this one himself) as the neatly played opening item, which leads into a spankingly good whip through "The Corsair". Messer's Webster, Baker and Thornton show off to good effect in their spots and there is a welcome recall into the proceedings of Derek Bourgeois' quirky "Serenade" and Peter Graham's "Cartoon Music", which somehow is more entertaining as a piece on CD than when performed in concert.
"Toccata in D Minor" is given a good thrashing and two movements from the Eric Crees arrangement of Bernstein's "West Side Story" Suite are thoughtfully given a very good airing. The highlights are however the treatment given by both band and arrangers of two golden oldies. First up there is George Willcocks simple and refined adaptation of "David of the White Rock" (an object lesson in class arranging) and Eric Ball's superb realisation of Boellmann's "Suite Gothique". Dykes performs these with real class and distinction as there is no recourse to the technical pyrotechnics available to conductor from his band – the pieces retain their quality due to the restrain shown, and the listener is rewarded for it.
This is the first airing of Dyke under Nicholas Childs and all in all it's very good stuff, well produced and cleverly aimed at banding enthusiasts as well as the usual anorak brigade. Highly recommended and should sell a few even if the President really did choose all the music.
What's on this CD?
|
1 |
The President, German |
4.15 |
|
2 |
The Corsair, Berlioz arr Brand |
7.52 |
|
3 |
Napoli, Bellstedt arr Owenson, Soloist: Roger Webster |
4.53 |
|
4 |
David of the White Rock. Trad arr Willcocks |
2.52 |
|
5 |
Olympic Fanfare and Theme, Williams arr P Graham |
2.30 |
|
6 |
I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You, Bassman arr Geldard, Soloist: Brett Baker |
4.36 |
|
7 |
Serenade, Bourgeois |
2.53 |
|
8 |
West Side Story, America and Somewhere, Bernstein arr Crees |
7.02 |
|
9 |
Endearing Young Charms, arr Boddington, Soloist: David Thornton |
7.04 |
|
10 |
Tocatta in D Minor, Bach arr Farr |
3.34 |
|
11 |
Cartoon Music, Graham |
4.50 |
|
12-14 |
Suite Gothique, Boellmann |
13.12 |
|
|
Total playing time |
63.35 |
