A Mingled Chime

Despite the title, Virtuosi GUS send out plenty of signals with this release that they could well be ringing in contest celebration in the near future.

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Virtuosi GUS Band
Conductor: John Berryman
Soloists: James Fountain, Chris Jeans
Harlequin Recordings: CDHAR1130
Total Playing Time: Approx 60 mins

It’s some time since Virtuosi GUS has released a CD, but this new disc is certainly fortuitously timed, coming on the back of a period of renewed contesting success for the famous outfit from Kettering since John Berryman was reappointed for his second stint as MD in 2008.

Boost

With the Midlands Regional title secured for the first time since 2004, 2010 will see the band compete at both the Royal Albert Hall and British Open, whilst an impressive 4th place amongst a colossal field at this year’s All England Masters was a further timely boost to contesting confidence.

There is more than a hint of the GUS illustrious history in the choice of music on offer, which draws on a broad range of composers and arrangers, all of whom are united by their close association with the band down the years.

Historical links

Two former conductors are represented in the shape of William Halliwell and Bramwell Tovey, whilst music by Gilbert Vinter (his late life passion for brass bands being inspired by a visit to Munn and Felton’s bandroom) is highly appropriate given that it was GUS that won the National Championship on ‘Variations on a Ninth’ in 1964...with a certain John Berryman sitting in the principal cornet chair.

At the other end of the timeline, the band’s newly appointed composer in residence, Andrew Wainwright contributes an attractive and lively ‘Spanish Dance’, as well as providing the comprehensive sleeve notes.

Mature

With ‘Variations on a Ninth’ forming part of the band’s historic musical make up, the performance given on the disc is marked by some meltingly beautiful playing in the slower variations, as well as a remarkably mature contribution from NYBB principal cornet James Fountain.

There are one or two minor lapses in ensemble coupled with a slight heavy handedness on occasion when not always necessary, but the latter points detract little from an enjoyable reading of a work that John Berryman (amongst other veterans of the band) must hold close to his heart.

Just as enjoyable is the same composer’s ‘Lisbon Carnival’, now all too rarely heard, but a melodically appealing and masterful example of just why Vinter was so highly regarded as a composer of so called ‘light music’.

Bracing

Weber’s irrepressible overture ‘Ruler of the Spirits’ is again a touch ragged at times but William Halliwell’s warhorse of an arrangement is nonetheless given a bracing reading, buzzing with energy from start to finish.

Amongst the soloists, Cliff Pask gives a smooth if somewhat ‘straight’ performance of Cole Porter’s ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, whilst Chris Jeans is a suitably laid back trombone lead in Rob Wiffin’s ‘Blue Jeans’ - a lazily relaxed feature that is every bit as easy going as the title implies.

Pride of place

Pride of place though goes to James Fountain, a young man that continues to grow in musical stature.

It’s difficult to listen to Philip Sparke’s ‘Song and Dance’ without thinking of Hans Gansch and his breathtaking performance at the European Championships in 2005 in Groningen, but James demonstrates a purity of tone and musical sensitivity that confirms what we have already know for some time – he is the genuine article and a player with almost unlimited musical horizons.

When Bramwell Tovey wrote ‘Coventry Variations’ in 1986 he was GUS’s professional conductor, and with the Luftwaffe bombs of the Coventry blitz seventy years ago surely almost audible in Kettering at the time, the band gives a vivid, colourful performance to bring the disc to a rousing conclusion.

In many ways it’s a work that still plays to the band’s strengths of weight of sound and nuanced phrasing, with some wonderfully sonorous ensemble timbres on show from the lower band and viscerally exciting playing in the faster variations.   
                   
Campanologists

One disappointment however is that ‘A Mingled Chime’ is a pretty dismal name for a CD (even for dedicated campanologists out there) and it’s frustrating that there are no timings given for the any of the tracks.

Overall though this is a varied and thoughtfully put together programme, given enjoyable and committed treatment by a stalwart amongst bands that appears to be heading at impressive pace back towards future glory days.

Perhaps then we will hear the mingled chimes of celebration on an even more regular basis.

Christopher Thomas

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