Die Alpen

Have Black Dyke managed to deliver a high peak of musical achievement for Obrasso, or is it a question of yet more Swiss inspired cheese?

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Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Nicholas J Childs
Soloist: David Thornton
Obrasso Recordings: CD937
Total Playing Time: 71.24

Every now and again out of the cheesy fondue melting pot of Obrasso’s musical mediocrity can be found some belting little CD gems.  

And this is one of them.

Mystery

Just why the company so rarely comes up with such impressive goods however, remains a mystery: The commercial success that Obrasso enjoys by using Black Dyke is undeniable, and perhaps vice-versa, but it’s a great pity that you have to wade through some pretty average output  (however well played) before you can get your hands on a recording such as this.

Perhaps Obrasso need to look at their marketing – because this release is a world apart from the ‘Film 2010 Spectacular Pop Hits 17’ that are usually churned out with such depressing regularity.

Here we get seven works from composer’s who show quite comprehensively that they are serious pros at their proper jobs, and not dumbed down versions of Stock, Aitken & Waterman when asked to churn out cheesy pap for the brass pop masses.

Absolute proof

Two lovely works from the pen of Alan Fernie are absolute proof of that; an expertly crafted sound picture inspired by a quote from the Robert Burn’s poem ‘Up in the Morning Early’ entitled ‘A Scot’s Pastorale’, and an extended impressionistic concert overture, ‘Landscape and Journey’ which is full of vibrancy, colour and originality.

Although much of the music on the release seems to be inspired by elevated vistas, there is plenty to enjoy in the more grounded reflections of Jean-Francois Michel’s chorale inspired ‘Peace on Earth’, and David Thornton’s wonderfully lyrical treatment of the atmospheric vespers of Goff Richard’s ‘Mountain Air’.

Ice picks

The listener will however have to pack their crampons and ice picks for the two extended ‘test piece’ climbs of Maurice Hamer’s title track, ‘Die Alpen’ and Bertrand Moren’s ‘Mountain Views’.

Both works should not be approached with a view to them being easy hikes in open toed sandals and khaki shorts up the slopes of the nearest Sound of Music hilltop either: They are seriously testing musical treks.

There is a touch of the Eric Ball ‘High Peak’ about ‘Die Alpen’, what with its opening sense of anticipation, storm scene and summit climax.

And whilst you are wary of composer’s metaphorical inspiration, (not everyone holds with the Reinhold Messner view that making it to the top of a mountain is akin to the inner freedom of reaching paradise on earth), you are left with an enjoyable sense of achievement by its close.

Eiger

Betrand Moren’s ‘Mountain Views’ on the other hand is certainly a more terrifying alpine experience – like an expedition up the North face of the Eiger. He doesn’t do things by half this lad: This journey would have come close to defeating Sherpa Tensin.

As a result the sense of satisfaction at its summit is offset more by a sense of musical exhaustion. You do wonder if the glory of the view from the top was worth the trouble getting there.  

Menacing anger

Finally, something of an oddity in this company – and Thomas Trachsel’s ‘Sinfonietta No 3 – Reflections of Colours’ – a very individual take on the spectrum to say the least, and as far away as you could possibly think from Gilbert Vinter’s treatment of the musical colour palette in his iconic test piece.

Where Vinter’s ‘Green’ was soothing and pastoral, Trachsel’s is anxious and full of anxiety. ‘Blue’ – lively and bright in Vinter’s hands, finds Trachsel interpretation full of cold, gloomy depression. And even though both treat ‘Red’ with a sense of drama and vividness, where Vinter’s was a vibrant, pulsating Ferrari brilliance, Trachsel’s is harsher, darker hued, full of bubbling, almost menacing anger.

It’s cracking work though to round off a very interesting and polished recording from Black Dyke – helped by excellent sound engineering from Richard Scott and some welcome, detailed sleeve notes from the composer’s themselves.

Let’s just hope we don’t have to endure too many servings of the usual Swiss cheese before we can enjoy such good stuff again.  

Iwan Fox

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