Kingdom of Dragons

It seems Tony Blair's sound bite mantra is alive and well in the land of the Kingdom of Dragons.

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Greater Gwent Youth Band
Conductor: Philip Harper
Egon Recordings: CDSFZ149
Total Playing Time: 69.34

’Education, Education, Education’: Who said that eh?

For all the brilliance of his sound bite aphorisms, Tony Blair’s never quite understood that some people were investing in children’s educational needs well before he came to power.

Long term

And one of the finest examples was to be found in South Wales, where the then country council of Monmouthshire held its first annual brass band course in 1960, and started a long term commitment to musical tuition in schools and local communities that continues to this day.

The result of the investment (which continued through numerous local government reorganisations and is now underwritten by the councils of Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Newport) is a music support service that is regarded as one of the finest in the UK – something local politicians, and not Mr Blair, can claim a great deal of credit for.

Proud

Thousands of youngsters (hundreds of whom have gone on to enjoy a long term commitment to banding at all levels) have enjoyed high quality peripatetic teaching, with brass players in particular benefiting enormously.  

No wonder this well produced 50th anniversary celebration CD is something to be proud of.

Talented crop

The latest award winning crop of talent is a fine one, and shows it off to fine effect, from the opening ‘Castell Caerffili’ (which technically is outside the Greater Gwent boundaries, but was written by a man from Tredegar), all the way through to Peter Graham’s colourful ‘Renaissance’.

In between we have an eclectic selection of easy listening repertoire with a home nation bias (the musical geography does wander over the Principality and beyond), that although not as demanding as some of the works the band has performed in contest mode, does call for them to be on good concert form.  

Stiff upper lips

The ubiquitous trio of ‘All through the Night’, ‘Suo-Gan’ and ‘Sosban Fach’ are well handled with broad, warm ensemble sounds, whilst the stirring ‘633 Squadron’ is delivered with just the right feel of RAF war time stiff upper lips and wax moustaches.  

There is nice relaxed feel to Neal Hefti’s ‘Cute’, John Rutter’s ‘Gaelic Blessing’ is performed with subtle lyricism, and there is stylistic neatness and vibrancy of execution in James Curnow’s imaginative ‘Jubilation!'

Trecco Bay

Less successful though is Duke Ellington’s ‘Caravan’, which is seems to be inspired more by the caravans of Trecco Bay than Arabia, and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, which not for the first time seems so camp it should be performed by players dressed as the Village People.

Both are played for the fun they are though.

Thankfully, order is restored by the ‘fowzands of ‘em’ in ‘Zulu: The Battle at Rourke’s Drift’, which is narrated in best Richard Burton fashion by local lad Matthew Routley (back on his former stamping ground from doing his long term tuba missionary work in Yorkshire with Black Dyke), and which is given a rousing old outing worthy of Victoria Cross or two.

Impressive

Peter Graham’s ‘Renaissance’ rounds off the CD with control and excitement in equal measures, but it is the performance of the title track ‘Kingdom of Dragons’ which is most impressive, conjuring up just the right musical images of the four supporting unitary authorities.

It’s a performance that evokes the ancient battlements of the castles of Monmouth, the hell holes of Blaenau Gwent’s pits and steelworks, the schizophrenic delights of Pontypool Park – from flora and fauna to fearsome front row forwards - and finally to the modern metropolis of Newport – and its desire to attract the rich, vain and famous thanks to the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Tony Blair would be at home there wouldn’t he now?

Iwan Fox

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