Musical Aspects

An enjoyable mix of styles and inspiration from Bellshill as they once more explore different avenues of Salvationist music making.

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Bellshill Band of The Salvation Army
Conductor: Ian Dickie
SP&S Ltd: SPS 224 CD
Total Playing Time: 74.09 mins

Opinions differ as to who was the first to pose the question “Why should the devil have all the good music?” but it was certainly a dictum adopted by William Booth in the early days of the Salvation Army.  

Whilst having reservations about formal church music-making, he certainly knew the value of a good tune, and in the days when there was little attention paid to copyright issues many secular tunes were co-opted into service, either married to existing words or with freshly written lyrics added.  

Regarding the music played by Salvation Army bands, although they were only permitted to play works specially written within and published by the organisation, this would often include such secular melodies as were deemed fitting, particularly extracts from the classics. 

Over the years, many of the restrictions have been removed, leaving the choice of music in the hands of individual musical leaders, under the guidance of the local Commanding Officer.  

The idea of juxtaposing music from the secular world with that with a religious theme in a recording is not a new one – witness Norridge Citadel’s “Beatles Theology” – but setting the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber alongside the melodies of John Larsson here proves quite effective.  

John Larsson and John Gowans, both of whom are now retired having served as Generals within the Salvation Army, were fairly young officers when they were asked to produce something new, as far the Salvation Army was concerned.  Many of their musicals were produced “on the hoof” in conjunction with residential courses for young people, but they have since stood the test of time, with several of the featured songs being regularly used in worship.

The music of Andrew Lloyd Webber may not be to everyone’s taste, but he is capable of writing a good tune, and is possibly at his best when writing pastiche numbers or parodying an established genre of writing.  Even his more mundane offerings can be enhanced by the judicious work of an arranger, and he is well served here by such luminaries as Stephen Bulla, Peter Graham and Goff Richards.  Prominent among the arrangers of John Larsson’s music is Ray Steadman-Allen, who was a member of the Territorial Music Board at the time of the musicals’ conception.

In the opening number on the disc, Ian Robinson has used the opening rhythmic pattern of the song “To a God like this” (from “Hosea”) to produce a striking fanfare prelude, building in strength and intensity as the music develops.  The flugel solo “I don’t know how to love Him”, sung in “Jesus Christ, Superstar” by Mary Magdalene, and played here by Lynn Shanks, offers a total contrast, with its depiction of someone confused over her feelings and emotions.

There have been two selections made from the music of “Hosea”, one by Robert Redhead which is fairly straightforward, and the more elaborate one by Bruce Broughton which is performed here.  

Written for the New York Staff Band, and presented by them at the 1978 Congress in London, it includes the songs “His Love Remains the Same”, “Down the Street came the Band of the Salvation Army” and “I nearly forgot to say Thank You”, the latter being set in an attractive Latin American style. 

The central theme running through “Hosea” is that of God’s love for his people, and whilst it is the love between a man and a woman that is referred to in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Changes Everything”, the analogy can also be made with the transforming power of God’s love.  

The theme of aspiration can also be traced in “Any Dream Will Do”, drawn from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s early work “Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”, currently playing to packed houses following a television competition to select a lead singer for the production.

The musical “Take Over Bid”, dating from1967 and the first collaboration between the two Johns, tells the story of a group of young people wanting to bring new life into their Corps (church), and the song “Someone Cares” is sung to reassure people that not only does God care, but that caring is worked out in practical terms by His people coming alongside those in need.  

Ray Steadman-Allen has developed the theme into an effective cornet solo, and Principal Cornet Yvonne Ferguson makes the most of her chance to shine.  The trombones are nicely balanced in the second verse, and the tempo chosen allows Yvonne to dispatch the semiquaver runs neatly, without it seeming hurried or scrambled.

Vocal soloist Gemma Gunn presents “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from “Phantom of the Opera”, and Julian Bright in the sleeve note draws a comparison between the singer’s song of regret and forgiveness addressed to her father, and the prayer of one wishing to repair a broken relationship with their saviour.  

She sings to an orchestral backing track, the woodwind and string sounds offering a change in tone colour from the brass.  Olwyn Mathie has chosen “Burning, Burning”, from the musical “Spirit”, reflecting on the impact of the Holy Spirit on the early church, as depicted in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  Performing with sensitive (un-credited) piano accompaniment, her thoughtful interpretation makes the song into a personal testimony to her own faith. 

Ray Steadman-Allen’s selection from “Spirit” includes several dramatic moments, particularly depicting the persecution endured by the embryonic Christians.  Reflective songs such as “For Jesus’ Sake”, “To be like Jesus” and the afore-mentioned “Burning, Burning” sit alongside the more exuberant “Ask, Seek, Knock” and “What Does The Spirit Say?”

Ray’s compilation of music from “Jesus Folk” is also quite colourful, with opportunities for the soloists to shine, such as the trombone in “I’m a Rat”, which betrays something of the work’s original concept, having being designed specifically with children in mind, and intended for an Australian audience.  Contemporary figures and the situations in which they find themselves are depicted, and then set against appropriate New Testament parallels.

The overture to “Take-Over Bid” was actually composed by Ray Steadman-Allen as a prelude to the first performances which took place in October 1967 at Butlin’s Holiday Camp, Clacton on Sea.  It was subsequently published in the Band Journal and has proved a popular programme item ever since.  

Tunes featured include “Hundreds and Thousands”, “I Dream of a Day”, “It Happened to Me”, “We have a Gospel” and the title number, “Take-Over Bid”.  Ray has joined the items neatly together, frequently using brief extracts from the songs as links, and with John Larsson’s powerful setting of “For Thine is the Kingdom” making for a fitting climax.

The most recent item included from the pen of John Larsson is “They Shall Come from the East”: taken from “The Blood of the Lamb”, written for and premiered at the 1978 International Congress, the origin of the title can be found in St Luke’s gospel, and reflects on the universality of the gospel message. 

One of the most poignant moments in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s oeuvre comes in the musical “Cats”, when the aging Grizabella – memorably performed on stage and video by Elaine Paige – looks back on her life with “Memory”.  Goff Richards has caught the spirit of the song beautifully in his band arrangement.

No doubt the title for Peter Graham’s “Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber” draws its inspiration from the composer’s “Aspects of Love” show.  As the title implies, he has taken various extracts including “Love Changes Everything”, “Variations” – written for Andrew’s cellist brother Julian, and given added exposure through its use as the theme tune for The South Bank Show – and “The Music of the Night”.

The disc is attractively packaged, with the front cover depicting posters from the various productions, and Julian Bright’s lucid sleeve note links the items together effectively, with extracts from the lyrics of several of the songs being included.  

Whilst the playing and intonation is not faultless, and the overall sound could be a little richer and fuller, it is undoubtedly a much more enticing prospect than their Christmas release, and should provide enjoyment whether or not the listener is familiar with John Larsson’s music.

Peter Bale

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