Black Dyke’s latest amalgam of auric tinted musicality is a timely reminder that even when its value varies, gold never loses its allure: There is rarely a shortage of customers.
That’s not surprising given the quality of this second volume of popular concert repertoire.
Alchemy
Dr Nicholas Childs may be loathe to reveal the secrets of the Queenbury band’s version of the philosopher’s stone, but the dozen bars of well-balanced tracks displayed on this release showcase an enviable degree of musical alchemy.
The ingredients are tried and tested: A rousing march, sumptuous overture, lightweight concert contrasts, a batch of top notch soloists and touch of humour - all rounded off with a classic bit of brass band history:
It’s high class playing embossed with a stamp of authentic 24 carat superiority.
Segue
Ord Hume’s ‘BB & CF’ opens at a brisk pulse without losing the essential sense of Edwardian bombast, whilst Philip Sparke’s expertly crafted ‘A Bandsman’s Overture’, is a neat segue connection – written to celebrate the recent 125th anniversary of the British Bandsman newspaper – and played with real melodic zest.
Sparkling
The soloists are on sparkling form: Richard Marshall capturing the fragile beauty of Rusalka’s impending lunar damnation in the famous Dvorak aria with refined musicality, whilst Gary Curtin is splendidly waspish in Alven’s skittish ‘Herdmaiden’s Dance’.
Bellstedt’s ‘Capriccio Brillante’ is played with tasteful virtuosity by Sheona White, and the inclusion of ‘Gospel Time’, featuring the excellent Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet is a neat and well merited bit of target marketing.
Fizzer
Contrasts come with the PLC fizzer ‘Enter the Galaxies’ and evocative ‘A Gannochy Lullaby’, although the revamped ‘Tribute to Glenn Miller’ still sounds rather stiffly bolted together.
The well pitched humour of the Black Dyke ‘Spooktacular’ set though is both clever and very well played.
Dan Price’s witty musical snapshot of all things from beyond the hellish spectral veil encompasses a contrasting trio of Verdi’s ‘Day of Wrath’, the satanic toddler Damien in Carl Orff inspired ‘The Omen’ and the more child friendly ‘Caspar’ the ghost.
Indulged
Concert traditionalists are certainly indulged though with the sparkling treatment of the overture, ‘The Beautiful Galathea’- an operetta that tells the maddening tale of a man’s desire to get his hands on a statuesque beauty with the morals of an alley cat.
It’s a cracker – played with the type of gusto the leading lady herself showed in amorous abundance.
Weight
That leaves ‘Labour & Love’ – with its rhapsodic drama bubbling with wide eyed emotion.
It is played with a sensitive appreciation of style; the MD subtly shaping the music without ever losing its original theatrical presence.
It’s a performance worth its weight in gold.
Iwan Fox
Contents
1. B.B. & C.F., J Ord Hume, 4.17
2. A Bandsman's Overture, Philip Sparke, 6.09
3. Rusalka's Song To The Moon, Antonín Dvorák, arr. Gordon Langford, Richard Marshall (Cornet), 5.53
4. Tribute to Glenn Miller, 3.45
5. Enter the Galaxies, Paul Lovatt-Cooper, 3.04
6. The Beautiful Galathea, Franz von Suppe, arr. Gordon Langford, 6.30
7. Capriccio Brillante, Herman Bellstedt, arr. Sandy Smith, Sheona White (Tenor Horn), 4.22
8. Spooktacular, arr. Dan Price, 5.56
I. Carmina Burana (excerpts), Carl Orff, arr. Roy Newsome
II. Casper, the Friendly Ghost, James Horner, arr. Sandy Smith
III. Dies Irae, Giuseppe Verdi, arr. Peter Graham
9. Herdmaiden's Dance, Hugo Alfvén, arr. Frode Rydland, Gary Curtin (Euphonium), 3.45
10. A Gannochy Lullaby, Peter Graham, 1.52
11. Gospel Time, Jeffrey Agrell, Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet, 4.23
12. Labour and Love, Percy Fletcher, 10.38
