Top Brass

The best of the lads and lasses of the British Army Brass Band go on musical parade with their debut release. Do they come up to scratch though?

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The British Army Brass Band
Conductors: Captain David Barringer, WO1(BM) Christopher King
Soloists: LSgt Richard Evans; LCpl Andrew Porter; Cpl Tim Hammond, Musn Gareth Lancaster
MHP Recordings: MHP 208
Total Playing Time: 70.30 

These are difficult times for musicians in the British Army. Long gone are the cushy days of tours to distant parts of the Empire to keep up morale and the Union Jack flying high.

Now, much more is expected (and given) in many a hot spot around the globe. It is still without doubt a very rewarding occupation for those with a love of music making, but it can come at some considerable personal cost.

Valuable

For those players with a background in domestic brass banding, the Army has also evolved its appreciation of just how valuable that musical hinterland is too. Now it has its very own brass band, formed in 2007 and fast developing into a well respected ensemble both within the Armed Forces and beyond.

That should come as little surprise to those lucky enough to get the nod to play in it, as on the evidence of this enjoyable release, there is a veritable musical platoon of talent for the Army to call upon.

Experience

The performers themselves are drawn from across the Corps of Army Music and the Territorial Army, and since making their debut as something of a musical curiosity at the Pontins Championships they have continued to flourish under the guidance of David Barringer and Chris King – two men with considerable civvy street brass band experience.

Here they showcase what they have to offer with 16 eclectic tracks, from the obligatory Army inspired march to quite a bit of jazz orientated fun and games.

The lack of a really substantive work is perhaps a pity, but there is enough musical evidence here to suggest that the band would fit very competitively in the Championship Section in just about any area of the country.

High quality

The four soloists are as polished and precise as the buttons on a Sergeant’s mess jacket, with Andrew Porter a confident euphonium voice, Gareth Bowman a lyrical flugel, Tim Hammond a suave cornet and Richard Evans a classy soprano. Each reveals themselves as a performer of high quality.

The two marches, ‘Keighley Moor’ and ‘Army of the Nile’ are especially well played, with a real sense of precision about the former and just that right hint of imperial swagger about the latter.

The two Wilby test piece excerpts are perhaps a little less impressive however, with a lack of tenderness about the approach to the ‘Nativity’ from ‘Dove Descending’ (something which is apparent throughout when the band plays at the mid dynamic range and below) and a slightly over ambitious approach to the tempo in ‘Peel Park’ that robs the difficult filigree work of clarity.

Million miles

Fortunately that isn’t the case in the other more deliberately up tempo numbers such as ‘Los Hermanos de Bop’ and the interesting ‘Diversions on a Welsh Hymn Tune’, which is given an outing that is a million miles away from the usual sombre Methodist chapel version of  ‘St Denio – ‘Immortal, Invisible’ if ever there was one. Both are very well played.

There is much to admire too with the neat rendition of ‘Preludium’ and the ubiquitous ‘Where Eagles Sing’ (is there anyone out there who hasn’t played this by now?), although ‘Abu Hassan’ seems a rather colourless arrangement of a somewhat insubstantial Weber overture.     

Cheese ration

The band certainly enjoy their cheese ration on ‘Battle of the Planets’ and the chance to rattle a few skeletons out of their boxes in ‘Danse Macabre’, even if the call to return to quarters does sound as if played by the Bugle Boy from Company B.  

It is all rounded off though with an old ripper in the form of ‘Birdland’, with a neat bit of high wire work from the excellent Richard Evans. 

Fine debut

All in all ‘Top Brass’ is a fine debut recording release from the lads (and one lass?) under the command of David Barringer and Chris King, and is enhanced by some quality recording work and a very informative booklet and design.

Given the choice of a new Chieftain tank or an extended life for this particular musical arm of the forces, lets hope the Brigadiers in charge of the purse strings way behind the front line opt for the latter to keep up morale in the years to come.  

Iwan Fox

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