The Arban Collection

Russell Gray
Accompanied by the Fodens Richardson Band
Conductors: Dr. Roy Newsome and Frank Renton
Egon Recordings: CD SFZ 114
Total Playing Time: 63.51 mins

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Jean Baptiste Arban was born just four years after the death of Napoleon Bonaparte, two years before Beethoven left his mortal coil and in the same year that the first railway line was set up between Stockton and Darlington. He died a year after the first County Councils were set up in Britain, four years after Gordon was killed in Khartoum and the year before Bismark resigned as Chancellor of Germany. The motor car was just three years old and the Marquis of Salisbury was Prime Minister.

It says something about the Frenchman that some 175 years or more after his birth, and 114 after his death, (1825 – 1889) he is still as relevant to the modern generation as any of the people and events that occurred during his lifetime. Arban was a product of the time, a musician whose early career oversaw the developments of the first valved instruments of the keyed bugles and cornopeans through to the cornet itself, following the development of the valve by Prussian makers Stolzel and Bluhmel and the commercial success of the instrument from the likes of makers Higham and Courtois from the mid 1840's onwards.

Arban made his reputation as a travelling exponent of the early instruments throughout Europe before he was eventually appointed Professor of the Cornet of the Paris Conservatoire in 1857. In 1864 he published his "Cornet Method", which although not revolutionary (the Committee of the Conservatoire recommended the Method as "of sensible development …founded on excellent principles") became the standard instructional text, with ideals of technique based on those that many wind players, especially flautists had used for many years. By the time of his death in Paris in 1889 with his reputation secure, the brass players of future generations had their "Bible" – the means of self improvement and development that would stand the test of time.

For this fine release, Russell Gray performs on a cornet used by Arban himself; a cornet that in many ways bears historical lineage with those used today, but one that not only belongs to a different time but also to a different heritage. The sound it produces in his capable hands reminds us that the modern cornet is now an instrument that has perhaps lost it unique textural characteristic. The larger bore, stricter technical tolerances in production and the use of lighter materials in construction now mean a fuller, broader and it must be said less incandescent timbre, whilst the modern player has a tool that is now massed produced like a mid priced motor car; well enough made, full of little extras and which produces a driving experience that excites like a dose of mogadon. All individuality has been succumbed by homogeneity.

This is why this recording is such a joy to listen to. Russell Gray has gained a fine reputation as a conductor, but like Arban himself, his younger years (he is only 34) saw him blaze a trail as a player of rare talent in many of the top bands in the country. He has also wanted to record the full 18 solos plus the 14 infamous "Studies" for some time and so for this first (hopefully of more) collection we get nine of the solos which Arban himself stated the player should "inculcate style and develop taste in his own performance, the result may be the acquisition of talent that will warrant his name worthy of being cited, and his performance quoted as an example for future imitation." Russell Gray does this in spades.

The soloist produces a lovely bright timbre throughout the whole range of the instrument; lighter in hue than the modern cornet sound as we have said, and one that sometimes wavers out of tune with the band at times, but it has a vibrancy and life and a "ring" that many modern instruments lack. This is perhaps due to the need to provide a more consistent passage and volume of air through the older cornet, whilst were are really pleased that the odd valve clank and the soloists air gulps have not been "airbrushed" out in an attempt to make a clean and sterile take. Playing a brass instrument is a physical business that requires a combination of musicality as well technique, and hearing a top class exponent like Russell Gray working at his craft makes it all the more laudable and emphasises that point Arban himself made when he said performances of his studies and solos can only be mastered " by diligent practice".

The solos themselves are also very much of their time and have been constructed with the exercises and studies that precede them as their core elements. Each is based around the famous tunes of the mid Victorian age, and with the exception of the Cornet "Polka" all take the form of Air and Variations. This can make them sound repetitive, but due to the excellent arrangements from the likes of Simon Kerwin, Roy Newsome, Thomas Wyss, Graham Walker, John Wallace and Fred Muscroft they sound fresh and interesting, whilst Fodens Richardson under Roy Newsome and Frank Renton are superb in their ability to extract detail as well as the moments of bombast in their accompaniment.

Russell Gray has a cast iron technique that makes the solos sound at times ridiculously easy and a musical approach that ensures that the complex introductory themes have shape and just the right style and the immensely difficult variations sound fluid and flexible. He takes the odd liberty – the ends of many of the solos end in the modern fashion of high and mighty rather than as written, whilst some of the variations are rather quick to say the least. Brilliantly quick we would add though!

Overall however we hear a superb player on top class form, who never strays away from the musical heritage that he endeavours to portray – they are played in a fashion that Arban would readily identify with. These are famous solos that surprisingly have rarely been heard, especially in this form and Russell Gray has triumphed with them with an approach that would have made Monsieur Arban a proud teacher indeed. The production values are very high, the design has a lovely feel of the yellowing cover of a well thumbed and well loved tutor of many years practice, whilst as we have said, the playing is excellent from all concerned. Our only gripe is that we don't get to know more about the pieces themselves – a small oversight on an otherwise excellent release.

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