Imps in Concert

Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Bend
Conductor: David C. Evans
Doyen: DOY CD145
Total Playing Time: 62.14 mins

~ Buy with 4barsrest shopping

When planning a recording there are various questions to be resolved ­ should it be a themed programme, devoted to a single composer, all major works, test pieces? For their latest release David Evans and the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band have chosen to present a straightforward concert programme, with Robert Westacott even identifying in the sleeve notes where the interval would come.

The programme opens with Kabalevsky's "Overture from Colas Breugnon", full of rhythmic intricacies that the band handles very well, with the horns sounding impressive in the big tune without going over the top as can sometimes happen. There is also some tidy playing on the xylophone, often prominent in works by Russian composers, and dynamic contrasts are made effectively.

Robert Westacott, who has previously occupied the principal's chair with Leyland and Brighouse, presents two solos, the first being Alan Morrison's arrangement of "Ciribiribin", which I'm sure has caught out a few comperes who have tried to announce it. He plays it stylishly and demonstrates considerable agility as he negotiates the twists and turns of the melodic line.

Stephen Bradnum's setting of "The Irish Blessing" calls for considerable control, particularly when taken as slowly as it is here. From the opening quartet onwards the band blend well, with the crescendo being carefully judged. Film music features prominently in a number of bands' programmes, and Imps continue with Ray Farr's version of John Williams' music for "Star Wars". The theme is presented confidently, with the driving rhythms well controlled, although the cornets seem a little harsh in the upper register when taking over the theme. The centre section is very effective, with a chamber-music feel to it.

The intermezzo from Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" is probably more often heard on cornet or soprano, but Roy Bowater has prepared a setting especially for Wendy Orr. Her clear tenor horn sound suits it well, and the arrangement is sparing in the use of cornets, ensuring that the melody line comes through. To end the first half, more film music, this time from the pen of Miklos Rozsa, who after fleeing to Hollywood from Hungary seemed to make the Roman epic his own. "The Parade of the Charioteers" from "Ben Hur" has been arranged by Steve Sykes, and is always worth hearing, although maybe a little more swagger would not have been out of place.

Anyone present at the Barbican when Peter Graham's "Cry of the Celts" was premiered by Yorkshire Building Society will recall the impact it had. In "Gaelforce", Peter continues the Celtic theme, sandwiching the beautiful The Minstrel Boy ­ well played by Joanne Winspear on flugel ­ between two more lively tunes, "The Rocky Road To Dublin" and "Tossing The Feathers". For this piece to work, the rhythms need to be established by the percussion and then maintained by the band, and Imps carry it off well. Indeed the percussion are impressive throughout the recording ­ always there, prominent when they should be but never intrusive. Joanne Winspear features again in the next track, another from the pen of Peter Graham, this time setting Gabriel Faure's "Apres Un Reve", which creates an appropriately dreamlike atmosphere.

Not everyone approves of additional instruments being included in band concerts, although adding an organ at appropriate places has been done frequently. On this occasion, the synthesizer, played by percussionist Stuart Peacock, is used to good effect in Andrew Duncan's version of "The Gael", featured in the film "Last of the Mohicans", adding a fulness to the sound and giving the impression at the end that a wordless celestial choir is joining in.

"Ricercata", which follows, has been arranged by Simon Kerwin especially for this recording. This little Spanish dance is reminiscent of some of the arrangements Elgar Howarth has made of Elizabethan keyboard pieces, and calls on the whole band to negotiate some fast semiquaver runs around the melody. Goedicke's "Concert Etude", originally for trumpet, has also been commandeered by horn players and trombonists, but here it is Robert Westacott who has the chance to shine once more, not least in the double-tonguing passages, and the band accompany him tastefully, with the throwaway ending working better than it sometimes does.

There are those who do not feel that "Soul Bossa Nova", as featured in the Austin Powers film, works well on brass, but Imps make out a very persuasive case for it, in Andrew Duncan's arrangement. Their slightly laid-back approach seems just right, with the horns nicely balanced and good work from the trombones with their falls. They say that familiarity breeds contempt, and the risk in playing anything as well known as Eric Ball's "Star Lake" is that markings and phrasing can become a little lax. In fact it is clear that thought has been given to these very things, with none of the clipped notes that can sometimes mar performances of this popular march, in which they include the da capo as written, although the crash cymbal sounds a little subdued.

Irving Berlin may have only been able to play in one key, with a special piano to change key for him, but Alan Fernie is clearly not troubled in that way! "Cheek to Cheek" calls for some precision from the band, who handle the waltz-like interpolations especially very smoothly, which can otherwise sound rather disjointed.

Mussorgsky, in common with a number of other prominent Russians of his period, was not a full-time composer. Having served for a period as an officer in the military, he also had a couple of spells in the civil service, and his relatively short life was troubled through alcoholism. "A Night On Bare Mountain" was written in 1867, although it was not performed in his lifetime, despite him preparing three different versions. Even then, it was heard in a version virtually recomposed by Rimsky-Korsakov, who felt the public was not ready for Mussorgsky's innovative approach to harmony, melody and orchestration. Mussorgsky had been inspired by a book on witchcraft including an account of the Sabbath, or festival of evil, that took place on isolated mountains such as the Bald Mountain near Kiev. He depicts the assembly of the witches, Satan's cortege and the Sabbath itself. In an arrangement by Huckeridge that gives the lower end of the band in particular the opportunity for some aggressive and menacing playing, it makes an impressive finale to the programme.

Imps In Concert is an excellent recording, and should bring much enjoyment. Many of the items may be familiar, but they are stylishly played, and on several occasions I had to remind my self that I was supposed to be preparing a review, rather than just enjoying the music. The band seem to revel in their music making, even if at times it felt a little restrained, and was lacking that final something that the adrenalin of a live performance would bring. David Evans and the band work well together and, although not a featured soloist, mention should be made of the warm euphonium sound of Adam Rutter, ever present in the middle of the ensemble.

~ Buy with 4barsrest shopping

^back to top