Chatham Dances

The Music of Elgar Howarth
Eikanger Bjorsvik Band
Conductor: Elgar Howarth
Soloists: Robert Childs, Leslie Howie
Doyen Recordings: DOYCD203
Total Playing Time: 68.41

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The music of Elgar Howarth can be an acquired taste, but it is nevertheless a taste well worth acquiring.

A musician of international reputation he has for some in the brass band movement, and in the same sense that Mrs Thatcher used to comment on those politicians she didn't feel were of her particular brand of thinking – ‘not one of us.' His approach has been believed at times to been too cerebral, dry and academic to the movements taste and as such his spasmodic appearances on the contest, concert and recording stage have been treated rather like a eccentric uncle coming to tea – to be indulged rather than enjoyed. It is one of the movement's greatest mistakes.

In his way Howarth has always brought an outsider's view of our more introspective ideals, even though he is a brass band man through and through. His professional up bringing and subsequent career rubbing shoulders with some of the truly great musicians of the late 20th century has detached him far enough so that he can treat the more xenomorphic short comings of the movements musical development with a warmth of response. He must though despair at times that it has not broken free of its narrow mindedness and occasional spiteful musical xenophobia.   

This fine release from the Eikanger Bjorsvik Band, conducted by Howarth himself and featuring three of his most important later original works may not win over those with opinions set in stone, but it should be welcomed wholeheartedly by those who have removed the musical blinkers.

Two of the works are for euphonium and tenor horn, whilst the third is his very personal musical pastiche homage to Stravinsky via the very English setting of Medway. 

The Euphonium Concerto, 'Songs for Saroyan' takes its inspiration from the American-Armenian writer William Saroyan whom the composer is a great fan and is performed with stunning virtuosity by Robert Childs.

Each of the nine mini movements plus cadenza and coda reflect Howarth's very personal appreciation of the writer. Each has its own title (the choice of which are intrinsically of Howarth and no one else) and character and displays a somewhat dislocated, elegiac feel even in the faster more vibrant sections of writing. There is a warm, but sly wit as an undercurrent most readily heard at the very opening which takes its cue from a local pub sign ‘Now Thus', but there is also a sense of sadness and touching humanity in other areas most notably the ‘Lullaby'. 

As we have said it is quite stunningly played by Robert Childs for whom it was written and dedicated. Some ten years after he gave up ‘competitive' playing if that is the right phrase, he still commands the instrument in world class fashion. Like a great tenor singer his ‘voice' has matured and deepened somewhat, giving it a darker hue, but the technical virtuosity and sense of musicianship remain almost unparalleled.  It is a performance of rare quality.

It is not an understatement to suggest either that Leslie Howie's performance of the ‘Tenor Horn Concerto' is also of the same class.

Originally written for the talents of Sandy Smith it is delivered magnificently by the former Black Dyke star with such an assured touch in each of the three movements that it rather stuns you to think just how immense a musical challenge the piece poses.

The opening section has Howarth's wry sense of humour running through it, although he is quite vicious in his technical challenges, whilst his lovely Nocturne in the second movement is hallmarked by his development of the original musical line with such lyrical intuitiveness. The final Allegro is ironic and yet playful and makes clever use of snapshot returns to the thematic material of the other sections without ever sounding forced or artificial. It ends with a broadness of scope that lifts the spirits and is given a wonderful reading by the soloist who is on sublime form.   

Finally, ‘Chatham Dances' which owes as much to the great modernist Russian composer as it does the iconic beauty of the Medway area of the UK, for whom it was written on commission in the mid 1980's.

It is a glorious pastiche of style and character made up from a rather queer storyline that features workers on the factory floor to a bullying foreman, dancing women and men, Summer bells and final workers redemption. It's a bit like reading a musical version of Robert Tressell's, ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists', the great socialist novel about workers dreams and aspirations in the construction trade at the turn of the 20th century.

It is both funny and sad, witty yet pointedly satirical, dark but uplifting, and is a musical polemic of real resonance.  It may not appeal to everyone with its approach, but it is well worth taking the tie to listen to time and time again as it reveals its hidden caveats and nuances. It really does flick a switch somewhere in the mind, even though you may not realise quite why.

This is a very fine recording of music from perhaps our finest musical innovator. He still has the ability to ask questions of the listener which demand an intelligent response. For that we should be eternally grateful.

Iwan Fox. 

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