Brass Arts Festival

Regent Hall, London
Friday 17th October, 2003

For the past few years the Brass Arts Festival, organised by Philip Biggs Brass Festivals Ltd and held at The Salvation Army's Regent Hall on Oxford Street, has offered a varied range of events leading up to the contest on the Saturday. On the Friday, there are a number of activities for which tickets are on sale, and these are usually prefaced by a free lunchtime recital, often given by some of London's talented music students.

Royal Academy Brass

The lunch-time recital this year was advertised as being given by Royal Academy Brass, conducted by Derek Watkins and James Watson, and a good crowd gathered in anticipation, consisting of regulars who attend the Rink's weekly series of Friday concerts boosted by those there specifically because it was contest weekend. In the event James Watson did not take the stage at all, although he was there to encourage and cheer on his students, and rather than the standard brass band or brass chamber music concert, they presented a thrilling combination of items in jazz and big band style, some on their own and some supported by a fine rhythm section of piano, bass and drums.

The brass group consisted of 11 trumpets, many of whom also doubled on flugel (and managed to produce a more rounder sound than is sometimes encountered in jazz), 6 trombones, one doubling on euphonium, 2 tubas, and a section of 4 french horns who, although not used in all the numbers, added considerably to the effect when they were used. Derek Watkins led the group in a relaxed manner, not only introducing each number and naming the various soloists, but also frequently joining in on trumpet or flugel. He explained how the idea for developing this line of study had come when he and James Watson had been working together on the soundtrack for the film "The Mummy Returns", and how it was seen as an important part of preparing students for the reality of life as a professional brass player.

Commencing with "Chops a la salsa" by Alan Botchinsky it was clear that the audience was in for a real treat. After a rendition of "Misty", Derek Watkins himself presented "We've only just begun" as a trumpet solo, the accompaniment featuring some stratospheric writing for the horn section. Trumpet legend Kenny Wheeler was present in the audience to hear a trumpet-only arrangement he had done of a "Bach Chorale", with some chording that Bach himself would certainly not have expected to hear!

Another item by Botchinsky, entitled "Interlude No 4", featured a walking bass, which was split between the two tuba players, before Ben Godfrey, of YBS fame, joined Derek for a duet version of "Memories of You", which for many was the highlight of the programme. A little patter followed in introducing the next item, "Don't shoot the banjo player", again by Botchinsky, in which six of the trumpets, playing with mutes, imitated the playing of a banjo throughout, calling for considerable stamina. "Ice Castles", by Marvin Hamlisch, was presented as a duet between Emma Pritchard and Pablo, and was counted in memorably by Derek with: "One, two, not too slow . . ."!

Richard Turner had his chance to shine in Dizzy Gillespie's "Night in Tunisia" whilst in contrast came "Gentle Piece" by Kenny Wheeler, opening with an unaccompanied string bass and featuring Derek Watkins on flugel - and he at last showed he was not infallible after all by fading on the last note! Kenny Wheeler had also arranged Irving Berlin's "How Deep is the Ocean", again for trumpets alone. Starting with a duet, more parts were gradually added until the eight players were all involved. It was quite a test of stamina at this stage in the programme, with a little uncertain tuning in the lower parts, but the audience were well and truly on their side by that stage. The final item was James Last's arrangement of
"McArthur Park", and brought the set to a rousing climax.

It was certainly the most memorable and enjoyable prelude that this listener had enjoyed, and all for free!

Sonar Brass

Following a break during which the buzz of conversation was heard, illustrating the camaraderie which exists whenever brass players join together, Sonar Brass took the stage: Alan Morrison and Richard Marshall cornets, Owen Farr, horn, Nick Hudson, trombone and Shaun Crowther, tuba. Sharing the compering between them, and injecting considerable humour in the process, they started off with Rimsky-Korsakov's "Procession of the Nobles", which featured some effective interchange between the two cornets. "Suite for Brass" by Ron Goodwin, best known for his film scores, provided an opportunity to showcase each of the instruments in turn, leading into the first of the solo interludes. Richard Marshall had chosen John Iveson's arrangement of "Tico Tico" which he played in his customary effortless style. Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" and the Dixieland style "Is you is or is you ain't my baby" were followed by an arrangement of Mozart's "Turkish Rondo" - more dove-tailing between the cornets and some very clean grace notes from horn and tuba.

Arban's "Carnival of Venice" is more often heard on cornet, but held no apparent terrors for Owen Farr, whose clear tone across the range of the instrument adds much to the timbre of this group. "Lezghinka", by Khachaturian, is one of those numbers that people tend to recognise without being able to put a name to it, and it was hard to believe that there were only five players tackling this very busy arrangement. The
first half of the programme was brought to a close by three movements of Martin Ellerby's "Songs of the American Dream", one of the small number of pieces specifically written for this combination of instruments.

After a well-deserved break the second half commenced with Handel's "Entry of the Queen of Sheba". Nick Hudson's superb rendition of "Czardas (Monti)" came complete with hammed up accompaniment, and the humour continued as Alan Morrison explained that he didn't like the next item ("James Bond Selection"), and was only playing it because the others insisted - as it happens, it was one of the less successful pieces. As a prelude to Saturday's "Enigma" Sonar produced their own Elgar in the form of a tasteful
arrangement of "Chanson de Matin".

Alan Morrison's solo contribution was his own "Buster Strikes Back", before which he explained that one of the advantages of Sonar Brass is that there is no percussion to hump around. The audience were then invited to watch out for the one bit of percussion in their whole programme, in the form of Shaun Crowther's cymbal impression on the last beat! Percy Grainger's "Shepherds Hey" and Gossec's "Tambourin" led up to Shaun Crowther's solo, "Tuba Tiger Rag", as featured at the Rink by Canadian Brass a couple of years ago. Complete with vocal contributions from the audience (as signalled by Shaun) and various animal noises emanating from the tuba itself, this fun number was very well received.

Alan Fernie's "When I'm 64" is familiar in its brass band guise, but it worked just as well in quintet form, with Nick Hudson relishing in the various contributions made by the trombone. The programme's last official number consisted of a couple of movements from "West Side Story" - the "Prologue" and "America", but Sonar also provided an encore in the shape of the piece that has almost become their signature tune, "Harlem Rag".

Thus ended an excellent afternoon of brass chamber music, played by five of the best players around. There is nowhere to hide when playing in a small group, and also precious little time to relax, but they each made their own contribution count, with remarkably few slips. A very varied programme, put together thoughtfully and presented in a relaxed manner.

Peter Bale

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