On a Mission

The Household Troops Band of the Salvation Army
Conductor: Major John Mott
SP&S Recordings: 168CD
Total Playing Time: 70 mins approx

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In the eight years or so since its foundation in 1985, the Household Troops Band has built up a reputation for reliability, with a number of recordings and public performances to its name. Originally formed to undertake musical campaigns around various seaside resorts appearances have included the Great Northern Brass Arts Festival and a tour of the USA and Canada. The band only gets together a couple of times a year, drawing its members from various Salvation Army corps in the United Kingdom. It has become known for its attractive programming and enthusiastic playing, and this is borne out by their latest offering.

On a Mission, by Andrew MacKereth, skilfully combines the Salvation Army tune Happy Song with the Raiders March written by John Williams for the Indiana Jones films. The crisp playing needed to bring this off sets the tone for what follows, although the percussion could have been a little more to the fore.

One would expect hymn arrangements to feature on a Salvation Army recording, and Gareth Green has provided a transcription of Dear Lord and Father of Mankind that enables the band to demonstrate a full, round sound, which is also apparent in Ivor Bosanko's setting of In This Quiet Moment. Taking his own chorus of the same name he has created a meditation that is quite intense at times, featuring quotations from other related choruses, including This is God's Moment and Moment By Moment. Another fairly recent chorus, this time of Australian origin, is The Power of Your Love. Paul Terracini prepared an extended orchestration of this song for an orchestral recording being made in the Czech Republic, and Martin Taylor has expertly transcribed it for brass, originally for the Melbourne Staff Band's tour in 2002.

Occupying the Principal Cornet chair for the recording is Ralph Brill, a very busy man at present, playing end man for Enfield and Redbridge, as well as fulfilling his duties with the Welsh Guards Band - he also found time to prepare the informative sleeve notes that enhance the attractive presentation of this disc, which is illustrated by images of the American tour. It is a joy to hear Bert Langworthy's solo Heavenly Gales - maybe not played so often these days, but a good display vehicle to show off Ralph's lyrical style.

The euphonium player Chris Mallet was well-known both as a soloist and for his work encouraging young people. In Travelling Along he has left a solo with plenty of pyrotechnics, but also needing a player with a good control in the top register, and Keith Loxley fits the bill splendidly, well supported by the band's sympathetic accompaniment.

The third featured soloist, Paul Sharman from the Regent Hall Corps, has just been appointed to the soprano chair of the ISB, having been on the front bench for a while, and on this evidence he will not let the side down. Most people will probably recognise Gossec's Tambourin without being able to put a name to it, as it has been a favourite with flautists, and is often played as an encore by James Galway. Suffice it to say it comes over well on soprano, in a transcription made by Howard Davies for his brother Brian to play with the Camberwell Citadel Band.

The recording includes three marches, starting with a familiar old stager, Eric Ball's Torchbearers, all the more effective for being taken at a steady pace, with a good firm foundation from the bottom half of the band in the trio. In contrast, USA-based Welshman Ralph Pearce wrote The Phoenician in a lilting, relaxed style, to mark the opening of a new building in the Metro Phoenix district of Maryvale, USA. Kevin Norbury is currently living and working in Canada, having served in the Salvation Army's music departments in both London and New York, as well as providing Odyssey for the 1999 European Championships. Glorious and Free is written in a traditional brass band march style, and features the national anthem O Canada.

Keith Manners is at present conductor of the Essex Police Band, and has just retired after 20 years as bandmaster at Southend Citadel Corps. He has provided two items for the recording, Bizet's Entry of the Gladiators, and Power Divine, a swing-style item combining the choruses This Little Light of Mine and Sing Hosanna! Brass bands often find playing in this style problematic, but the Troops seem more comfortable than most with the relaxed rhythms required. Another classical transcription, this time arranged by Keith Wilkinson, is the march from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.

The most substantial work on the disc comes from the pen of Richard Phillips, probably still best known for his choral works and artistry at the piano, but capable of writing effectively for band, as Metamorphosis shows. The piece was written for the American tour, based round the chorus In His Time. The writer portrays in music the Christian belief that God is able to transform ugliness into beauty, and bring peace from out of conflict. It is an exciting work, making considerable demands on the players, and incorporating several exposed cadenzas. The band performs it effectively and with conviction, and it stands up well to repeated listening.

This is a disc full of variety, with something to appeal to anyone with an interest in good brass playing. The sound has been captured well by Brian Hillson and his team, and overall presentation is first class.

Peter Bale

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