Enigma

Fairey FP (Music) Band
Conductor: Allan Withington
Egon: SFZ 121

~ Buy with 4barsrest shopping

This recording features four works from composers who have had a huge impact on the banding movement in years gone by.  Each piece has been used as a test piece in major competition, and more often than not have found themselves placed into concert programmes by many of our top bands, in either full or part performances.  Therefore for this recording we get an Eric Ball arrangement of Elgar, the music of Bliss, John Ireland and Ralph Vaughan Williams, all played with a degree of freshness.

The Fairey FP (Music) Band has been through a year of change in 2004 with the break up of its double National Championship winning players coming after the European Championships in Glasgow in May.  This is a recording that demonstrates why that band won back to back National titles in the previous two years (it was recorded at the end of 2003) as they produce wonderful high quality playing throughout, which also includes the distinctive cornet sound of Phillip McCann who returned to the band (for a short period and for this recording), he graced a number of years earlier.

The year of 2003 saw the banding world pay homage to the centenary of Eric Ball's birth and the set work that was chosen for the National Finals in London was an arrangement of Elgar's Enigma Variations.  First appearing in 1982, the arrangement of the theme and eight variations has that real feel of eloquence and 'Englishness' throughout and is the first of the four works on the disc.

It is however a poor arrangement from such a master as Eric Ball: it is rather colourless and monotone and lacks any real creative thinking in terms of instrumentation. Ball by the time he was asked to arrangement the work was at the end of his life and had himself stated was "composed out", so this isn't the master at anywhere near his creative best. It is a second rate piece of work. 

4BR paid tribute to Fairey's after the contest win by talking about the band's ability (on the day) to 'win ugly' - not play at it's best, but be consistent enough to sway the judges that they deserved to retain their title.  Fairey's were not at their very best on the day, but there was a still a fine reading produced from the MD that had enough style about it to win them the title.

This performance provides the listener the opportunity to rediscover why, with a performance that is substantially better than the "live" account they gave in London.  What certainly comes through in the Enigma and elsewhere on the recording (Elegy from the Downland Suite in particular) is the real empathy and understanding between players and the conductor, Allan Withington.  The sensitivity and feeling at times takes the breath away and this is most noticeable in variations six and seven, 'W.N' and 'Nimrod', which are quite outstanding here and would have raised the hairs on the back of the neck if they had been reproduced on the contest stage at the Albert Hall.  In fact, this is quite an outstanding rendition and shows just how good the Fairey band of 2003 vintage really was.  

The music of Henry V dates back to 1913 when Vaughan Williams composed the incidental music for the Shakespeare season at Stratford-upon-Avon.  The Agincourt Song and music from Act III Scene Seven survived with the former still being popular to this day, but the banding composition first appeared at the British Open in 1947.  The winners then were Fairey's under, the great Harry Mortimer and this is an Overture that perhaps isn't as heard as often as it should be nowadays.

The Agincourt Song is in evidence within the Overture along with the French musical flavour that appears as the storyline develops.  The star of the show in this performance is soprano player, Kevin Crockford, who shines like a light in the top register of his instrument, and with the thrilling conclusion and quality of sound on offer from within the band, makes it edge of the seat stuff.

You have to go back fifteen years from Henry V in 1947 to arrive at John Ireland's 'A Downland Suite,' written for the National's at Crystal Palace.  Ireland loved the countryside, and late in life found comfort around the Sussex Downs.  The title relates as a musical picture to the area and it is hard at times within the four movements not to transport yourself to the area and be at peace with inner thoughts.

The opening 'Prelude' certainly has that feel of whole-hearted goodness about it.  The 'Elegy' is still regarded by many as the finest piece of writing ever for brass band with solos for cornet and euphonium.  Once again, the communication between band and conductor is full of feeling and the playing of Morgan Griffiths is a real joy.  The third movement ('Minuet') continues that real sense of compactness before this fine performance concludes with an emphatic 'Rondo', where you can hear snippets of the delightful 'Elegy' reappearing.

It is only a four-year gap between Ireland's composition and Sir Arthur Bliss's 'Kenilworth'.  Bliss was an enthusiast of history and pageantry and this work is written in partial homage of Queen Elizabeth I stay at Warwickshire Castle, Kenilworth in 1575.  No real surprise that the music has a regal feel to it within the three continuous movements.  The opening (At the Castle Gates) is full of pomp and ceremony that can be associated with Royalty and brass playing certainly suites the style of the composition.  The performance certainly captures that sense of excitement that such an arrival can bring, but in total contrast brings calm, peacefulness and delight at a Royal visitor being present, before the grandeur of the opening movement returns in the final movement, the March as the visit comes to a triumphal conclusion.

Without question, this is a disc of high quality playing throughout, providing the perfect example of why Fairey's were crowned National Champions two years in a row.  The excellent producer, Brian Hillson, and the informative programme notes from Rodney Newton enhance the overall production values greatly as well.

A disc that is highly recommended for its playing and one that will certainly appeal to those who enjoy a trip down memory lane with works from composers that played an important part in the heritage of the brass band movement.

Malcolm Wood

~ Buy with 4barsrest shopping

^back to top