Enter the Galaxies
9-Jul-2009
It may have taken them 37 years, but are Cory now the band to beat on the entertainment stage too?
Cory Band
Conductor: Dr Robert Childs
Soloists: Joanne Childs, Ian Williams, Gavin Pritchard, Owen Farr, David Childs, Christopher Thomas
Doyen Recordings: CD 264
Total Playing Time: 75.02
Given their fine record of contesting achievement over their 125 years of history, it is rather surprising that Cory’s entertainment pedigree amounts to only two major titles – the 1971 Granada Band of the Year and the 2008 Brass in Concert Championship.
That though doesn’t quite tell the whole story.
Force
During those formative years of the entertainment format, Cory was something of a force to be reckoned with – their subsequent record at the Granada contest saw them come runner up six times in the following decade.
Technically strong, but musically conservative however, they eventually fell behind their main rivals as both the band personnel and the musical direction became staid and rather introspective. The great Major Kenney stated that no band could win the contest unless they played at least six pieces – something Cory did almost every year.
Lack of flair
They still won entertainment contests at local level (They were BBC Radio Wales Band of the Year on numerous occasions), but they lacked musical flair and the priceless ability to inject that all important visual wow factor to back their playing strengths to add to that single Granada title.
Pot Noodle
Their occasional appearances at Brass in Concert were dated (their visual play on the Village People song YMCA in 1998 was a cross between Little Britain’s ‘only gay in the village’ and the much maligned Welsh miner ‘Pot Noodle’ advert), and after a rather musically restrained performance at The Sage in 2005, it seemed that the Achilles’ heel of Robert Child’s ensemble had been exposed.
Different animal
Not so. That appearance was a musical reconnaissance for the MD and his band, and on their return in 2008 they were a completely different animal.
What they delivered in taking the Brass in Concert title was still a high class performance, but one that utilised their playing strengths of technical brilliance and musical cohesiveness allied to inventive and fresh musical programming. Now they are the band to beat both on the test piece and entertainment contesting stage.
With this enjoyable recording you can hear why.
Glitz
That winning programme is reprised – from the sparkle and glitz of the Paul Lovatt-Cooper title opener, through to Dan Price’s evocative Americana pairing of ‘Sunrise over Blue Ridge’ and the effective finale, ‘An American Tale’.
Highly polished
Cory’s fine stable of soloists is on classy form (as they were at The Sage last November), and you get to enjoy a clutch of highly polished renditions from each of the featured sextet.
The band’s association with the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins sees his ‘Aspects of Adiemus’ brought effectively to life in Peter Graham’s sympathetic arrangement, whilst the band ensure that their Welsh roots are not forgotten with a rousing old rip through ‘Men of Harlech’.
Interesting
The two most interesting works though are Steven Ponsford’s ‘Turris Fortissima’, played with bravura appreciation and immense detail, and Rodney Newton’s musical novella, ‘King Solomon’s Mines’, which really does evoke the spirit of the Rider Haggard classic story – its all stiff upper lipped Stuart Grainger meets Indiana Jones: Diamonds, danger and daft plot lines brought brilliantly to life.
Photo shop
There are few, if any, reservations about this deliberately aimed easy listening release – the post production work is high class (Richard Scott’s sound engineering is first rate), although you do raise the odd eyebrow at the strangely oversized European Trophy in the main band picture, whilst one player portrait seems to have come courtesy of ‘photo shop’.
Even Cory can’t do everything perfectly – but you can bet they won’t stop trying.
Iwan Fox
What's on this CD?
1. Enter the Galaxies, Paul Lovatt-Cooper, 3.09
2. Aspects of Adiemus, Karl Jenkins arr. Peter Graham
3. I. Adiemus, 3.14
4. II. Song of the Spirit, 3.57
5. III. Chorale (Vocalise), 2.18
6. IV. Song of the Plains, 3.43
7. Sunrise Over Blue Ridge, Dan Price, 4.03
8. Mexican Hat Dance, Trad arr. Roger Webster, Ian Williams (Cornet), 5.01
9. Sirocco, Peter Graham
I. Tarantella, 2.09
II. Romanza, 2.36
III. Sirtaki, 2.11
13. Kopanitsa, Andrew Baker, Gavin Pritchard (Percussion), 4.24
14. Turris Fortissima, Steven Ponsford, 9.21
15. Tom Bowling, Charles Dibden arr. Kenneth Downie, Christopher Thomas (Trombone), 3.58
16. Men of Harlech Trad arr. Gareth Wood, 3.19
17. Capricorno, Philip Sparke, Owen Farr (Tenor Horn), 6.47
18. King Solomon's Mines, Rodney Newton, 4.55
19. The Hot Canary, Paul Nero arr. Simon Wood, David Childs (Euphonium), 2.46
20. An American Tale, Dan Price, 5.57
