A Suffolk Prelude

Ipswich & Norwich Co-op Band
Conductor: Robin Norman
Soloists: Stephen Gilbey, Peter McLean, Danny Wright, Trevor Laird
Total Playing Time: 77.05 mins

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Making a recording can be a monumental occasion for a band, particularly if they're never done it before. And when it's completed, they'll certainly ask themselves the question why they took so long in actually producing it?

Having made a recording,it can generate extra revenue and of course, it's a great marketing tool when it comes to promoting yourself for future events.  The Ipswich & Norwich Co-op Band has finally taken the plunge into the commercial world and will no doubt be absolutely delighted with the outcome – you may have already heard a track on BBC Radio 2's Listen to the Band during October.

The band has been in existence for almost twenty five years and this recording is a celebration of that landmark with the current day players doing their predecessors proud.

What certainly catches the ear on this recording is the amount of fun the band seems to have whilst playing.  They've gone for that familiar formula that works when producing a recording - they're playing music they enjoy and their audiences have enjoyed in recent times.  It's a light entertaining mix with compositions and arrangements from some of banding's familiar names such as Andrew Duncan, Peter Graham, Goff Richards and Steve Sykes.

There's something on it for everyone, with some old and new favourites on offer; Nimrod, the hymn tune Crimond and Kenneth Downie's popular, In Perfect Peace, not forgetting a Harry Potter Selection, and no concert, let alone a CD recording would be complete without one of the old pot-boiler finale's.

Each of the four soloists on offer seem at ease with the music they perform.  Principal cornet Stephen Gilbey opts for the trumpet in the first movement of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in Eb and flugel player Danny Wright performs With You I'm Born Again.  Trevor Laird on euphonium is featured in the Lament from Cry of the Celts but the star is Peter McLean on the xylophone in The Typewriter.

The only omissions are a march and an overture and even though it's a recording of enjoyable concert repertoire, it did catch the reviewer's eye when looking down the playlist, that those two most enjoyable offerings for any concert, weren't included. 

New commissions always create interest and the band requested Andrew Duncan to produce a work that takes both gives the release its title and is a highlight of the CD.  A Suffolk Prelude is a collection of five folk songs connected with the county of Suffolk and it is certainly well played by the band. Those who know Suffolk well will appreciate the way Andrew Duncan has linked Nutting Time, Blackberry Fold, Cupid's Garden, A Seaman's Life and the Bold Richard together.

Another impressive Duncan piece is Gathering of the Clan (this was the piece featured on Listen to the Band) and to conclude the disc, the band join's forces with organist, Stephen Kenna, in Procession to the Minster.

Overall, this is an enjoyable seventy-seven minutes with informative programme notes and one that will appeal to a variety of tastes.  It's a recording that will please the band at it's sponsors.

Malcolm Wood

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