Amazing Grace

An eclectic bunch of top class Salvationist players produce a top class eclectic mix of music making with 20/20 musical Vision.

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Vision Brass
Cornerstone Studios: CSS005
Total playing time: 62.23 mins

The Vision Brass Ensemble was formed in 2001 following an invitation to participate in an event in the South West of England. Further requests ensued and since then they have fulfilled a number of engagements around the United Kingdom. The basic group consists of a brass sextet (two cornets – doubling trumpet and flugel as required – tenor horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba) plus percussion, and they have co-opted additional players for the recording, with vocalist Stephanie Lamplough also taking part.

Mix

Through a mix of religious and secular music, their declared aim is to “...spread God’s message through a unique blend of music and worship”. The items chosen include several adapted from Salvation Army repertoire and a couple of Canadian Brass arrangements. The booklet is quite striking, being printed in white and green on a black background, but very easy to read, although it would have been good to know which extra players were used on the various tracks.

Adapting arrangements from one medium to another is bound to bring about changes in the textures but, although initially there is a tendency to make comparison with the originals, one soon begins to accept the revised versions on their own merits. There are certainly occasions when one misses the richer sounds of the full band, but on the other hand the chamber scoring can also bring additional clarity. Some of the background figures, such as the running passages in “Music Maker”, mere decoration in the band scoring, become much more prominent, bringing a new dimension, but fortunately the players are well up to the challenges posed.

Ensemble

The ensemble copes well with the various styles required, with some crisp articulation in Erik Leidzen’s sparking march “Manhattan” and Eric Ball’s perennial favourite “Star Lake” contrasting with the more laid-back interpretation of “Yesterday”, “Amazing Grace” and “Just a closer walk”.

Of the more reflective items, Andrew Mackereth’s attractive “Fall afresh” appears in at least its third guise, having originated in a version for The Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble before being scored for brass band. The text of the chorus used is printed in the booklet, as is the case with other devotional items such as “Holy Ground” (arr James Curnow) and William Himes’ “All that I am”.

Sensitive

The latter, written during a time of personal crisis, is sensitively interpreted by Stephanie Lamplough, with due emphasis on the words, although some may find her reading a little intense. 

She is accompanied by Gavin Lamplough on piano. Stephanie features in lighter vein in Peter Graham’s “Wonderful Day”, originally written for Albert Avery and the New York Staff Band: written in big band style, it features both piano and brass to good effect. In total contrast is Mozart’s “Alleluia” from “Exultate Jubilate”, often heard on soprano cornet, for which the group adopt a straighter sound as befits the music.

Relaxed

Peter Graham’s “Ask” sets the song of that name from the musical “Spirit” in Latin-American style, and the players sound totally relaxed and comfortable in that idiom. 

They are also perfectly at home with the same composer’s “Music Maker”, another composition based round themes by John Larsson, where they seem to manage to incorporate all the main features of the band version, all the players being kept fully occupied. Adjusting quickly to the changing moods and tempi, the impression is of a slick pit band playing the overture to a show, full of verve and enthusiasm.

Chris Hazell penned “Mr Jums” for the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, on a number of whose recordings he acted as producer. It is one of several pieces he wrote depicting various cats and Mr Jums seems to be the most relaxed of them all, the ensemble catching the mood well, with some nifty work on trumpet. In Robert Redhead’s setting of “He is Lord”, after the unaccompanied opening on flugel it is rather disconcerting to hear a mixed ensemble enter where one is accustomed to hearing a full trombone section. Apart from that minor blip, however, it is an effective reading with a real sense of adoration and worship.

Divided opinions

Opinions are divided concerning the adaptation of music from earlier periods for modern brass, but there is no denying the technical skill displayed by the trumpeter in Mouret’s “Rondeau”, the ornamentation of the melodic line becoming more and more elaborate as the piece progresses.

Possibly the most unexpected successes come with “Toccata” and “Canadian Folk Song Suite”. Whilst the former lacks the weight and power of the full band, it maintains its drive and vigour from start to finish, aided by some well-judged percussion. Morley Calvert wrote for a wide variety of groups, and although his suite is probably best known in its brass band incarnation, parts at least of it also appear in wind quintet and brass quintet versions. 

Contrasting moods

Once again, the contrasting moods of the three movements are well conveyed, with the decision to omit the clapping in “J’entends le Moulin” probably being very sensible – the wood block supplies the rhythmic figure quite adequately! There is also a rare chance for the tuba to shine in the brief solo in the first movement.

The overall sound of the group is attractive, although one occasionally wishes for a little more contrast in tone colour between trumpet, cornet and flugel where employed. The tenor horn acquits itself well, with some particularly bravura playing in the New Orleans style end to “Just a closer Walk”, and there are times when, between the horn and euphonium, one would have thought french horns were playing, such as in the Mozart “Alleluia”.

This is a most enjoyable recording, and its eclectic choice of repertoire should have a broad appeal. Lovers of brass chamber music should not be disappointed, and those who tend to prefer the larger ensembles may be surprised at the range of timbres this flexible group is able to produce.

Peter Bale

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