Spectacular Classics – Volume 6
10-Nov-2007
Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Soloists: Richard Marshall, David Thornton
Obrasso Recordings: CD922
Total playing time: 69.40
The latest release in what has seemed to be a never series sees both Black Dyke and Obrasso on good form. The playing from the band on the 15 items has a stamp of classy authority whilst the post production from the Swiss producers at last comes up to scratch to match them.
Black Dyke won’t now have to feel sheepish about having their name and reputation associated with this lightweight series, which has in the past been tarnished by being sold like an out of date Tobelrone bar by the Swiss manufacturers.
Roy Newsome’s sleeve notes are comprehensive and precise and there is an up to date picture of the band and personnel that reflects more accurately the line up that actually recorded the CD in May/July 2007. Keith Farrington and Richard Scott have done a fine job with the recording too, with the acoustic of Morley Town Hall no longer sounding like the cavernous Millennium Dome.
The sound is quality is compact with just the right touch of reverb, whilst the percussion (which on previous recordings has been intrusive at times) is kept discreetly in the background. This is in fact a first class recording.
The actual ‘spectacular classics’ are a little more open to debate however. There can’t be too many people who would describe ‘Abide with Me’ or Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio’ as being ‘spectacular’ although they may be classics of their genre, whilst Mora’s ‘The Flash’ and ‘Variations on the Harmonius Blacksmith’ wouldn’t feature too highly on any top 1000 list of classics either – but overall it is a pretty well thought out eclectic selection.
The two featured soloists are on good form – Richard Marshall displays a wonderful sense of poise in the Mozart ‘Canto’ whilst David Thornton is in his element with Handel’s Blacksmith. The band too is admirably well drilled for this release – with some cracking ensemble playing throughout.
The arrangements are a cut above some of the usual fare we have unfortunately come to expect from Obrasso in recent years also, with none of the items coming from their basement ‘cheap as chips’ selection box.
Alan Fernie, Darrol Barry, Sandy Smith, John Howarth, Goff Richards and Stephen Roberts all have done pretty good jobs with their items whilst Howard Lorriman once again shows that he has the ability to peel back the yellow pages of old scores and buff up the contents of old brass band bangers in fine style. His ‘Coronation March’ from Meyerbeer’s ‘The Prophet’ is a little corker.
The weak points are few and far between, with the ‘Adagio’ by Barber understandably never able to have the sense of poignancy that the original so chills the backbone with, whilst the 'Paganini 18th Variation' never quite sets the tear ducts on overdrive with memories of unrequited love in a deserted railway station.
Overall all though it all adds up to an enjoyable release with Dyke (and Obrasso to be fair) injecting new life into what was in danger of becoming a pretty stale concept. Let’s hope it continues with Volume 7.
Iwan Fox.
What's on this CD?
1. Coronation March from the Opera ‘The Prophet’, Meyerbeer arr. Lorriman, 3.43
2. 18th Variation On A Theme By Paganini, Rachmaninoff arr. Fernie, 2.57
3. Polovtsian Dances — Polowetzer Tänze, Borodin arr. John Howarth, 6.50
4. Harmonious Blacksmith : Air And Varie — Euphonium Soloist: David Thornton, Handel arr. Fernie, 7.16
5. Abide With Me, W.H. Monk arr. Richards, 3.51
6. Thunder And Lightning Polka, Staruss arr. Fernie, 2.58
7. Adagio For Strings, Samuel Barber arr. Darrol Barry, 6.56
8. Bacchanale from ‘Samson And Delilah’, Saint-Saëns arr. Sandy Smith, 6.37
9. Allerseelen Op. 10 No. 8, Strauss arr. Stephen Roberts, 3.13
10. March To The Scaffold from ‘Symphonie Fantastique’, Berlioz arr. Barry, 6.04
11. Canto On A Theme By Mozart — Bb Cornet Soloist: Richard Marshall, Mozart arr. Fernie, 5.28
12. Dance Of The Rose Maidens from the Ballet ‘Gayaneh’, Khachaturian arr. Sandy Smith, 2.61
13. The Flash: Gallop, Carlo Mora arr. Sandy Smith, 2.05
14. Ride Of The Valkyries, Wagner arr. Darrol Barry, 5.04
15. Finale from ‘William Tell’, Rossini arr. John Howarth, 3.07
Total Playing Time: 69:40
