Grimethorpe Colliery, Cory, ISB, Black Dyke
Conductors: Frank Renton, Dr Robert Childs, Dr Stephen Cobb, Dr Nicholas Childs
Doyen Recordings: DOY CD278
Total Playing Time: 58.42

In a few weeks time it will be all over for another year; the eight regional championship contests will have run their course – and five pieces of interesting music will in all probability be consigned to the back of the librarian’s cupboard to gather a fresh coating of dust.

User friendly

Maybe not as quickly as other years this time though, as the selection made by the Music Panel does have a more ‘user friendly’ look about this time around – even if the users in question are perhaps to be found in the sections the actual test pieces have not been picked for.

In difficult banding times, will these selections help lift the miasma of apathy that has increasingly descended on contests up and down the country?

Alton Towers

The top section bands will be smiling though.

’Paganini Variations’ is the Alton Towers of test pieces – everyone has been there and had a go on its variation based thrill a minute rides. Its popularity has not tamed its true ferocity however – far from it. You can count the bands that have come away from it unscathed pretty much on a pair of Homer Simpson’s hands.

20 years after it was first used at the British Open, it will surely claim more than its fair share of hubristic victims – those who think they can actually play it. It will sort the best from the rest.

Misapprehension

As for ‘Le Carnival Romain’? It seems a nostalgic choice born of misapprehension – and not just because it will take a band of considerable talent and conductors with real nous to produce a performance that captures the sheer vibrant brio of the writing: They are very thin on the ground at First Section level at present.

The less said of ‘Resurgam’ for the Second Section, perhaps the better:  Eric Ball’s unquestionable masterpiece is ill served by this downgrading. 

It has the potential to be the best recruiting tool for atheism since Richard Dawkins wrote ‘The God Delusion’.

Philip Wilby’s ‘A Little Light Music’ offer a great deal to engage and challenge in the Third Section – a piece of subtle whimsy and clever observation that will take some playing, whilst John Golland’s ‘Prelude, Song and Dance’ is also a tough one for embattled Fourth Section bands, with its triptych of Swiss inspired themes.

Sizzler

The release itself sees the producers raid the back catalogue for three of the five items.  

Grimey’s ‘Rentonesque’ treatment of ‘Paganini’ is a real sizzler whilst Cory’s brilliant whiz through the Berlioz, and the ISB’s elegant, respectful treatment of ‘Resurgam’ a reminder of what we will all too rarely hear in the First and Second Sections.

Cory and Dyke play the Third and Fourth Section offerings with good grace and sensibility, somewhat highlighting the challenges ahead for lesser mortals.

Much to look forward to then, although it’s a pity the not all the sleeve notes are as comprehensive or well researched as those provided by Ronald Holz. A bit more detail would have been helpful on some of the other pieces. Wikipedia has a lot to answer for.

Iwan Fox

Contents

1. Paganini Variations, Philip Wilby, Grimethorpe Colliery Band (Frank Renton), 16.47
2. Le Carnival Romain, Hector Berlioz arr. Frank Wright, Cory Band (Robert Childs), 8.57
3. Resurgam, Eric Ball, The International Staff Band of The Salvation Army (Stephen Cobb), 12.36
A Little Light Music, Philip Wilby, Cory Band (Robert Childs)�����
4. I. Fanfare, 1.52
5. II. Clog Dance, 1.55
6. III. The Lady of the Fountain, 4.20
7. IV. Cardiff Bay Ice Cream, 1.55
8. V. Fanfare, 0.49
Prelude, Song and Dance, John Golland, Black Dyke Band (Nicholas Childs)�����
9. I. Prelude, 3.05
10. II. Song, 3.04
11. III. Dance, 2.47