The lucky Barbican audience was treated to magnificent playing by the LSO Brass Ensemble, which amply demonstrated the sheer versatility of the ensemble to superb effect - especially the transcriptions of keyboard works by Bach, Brahms and Grieg.

These were delivered with fresh insight and varied tone colours; piccolo trumpets and flugel horns adding their distinctive timbre, together with a wide range of mutes.

Delicacy and precision

From the opening ‘Prelude and Fugue in G Major’, the artistry was revealed in full; with neat dove-tailing snugly precise in its delivery - all with a delicacy of touch that suited the work so well.

Two Brahms ‘Intermezzi’ brought mellifluous sounds, with Gerald Ruddock on flugel horn and Tim Jones on horn placed centre stage.  The wistful tones of the E minor work contrasted nicely with the dancing figures of that in C major.

Varied miniatures

Four of Edvard Grieg’s ‘Lyric Pieces’ showed his skill as a miniaturist; with the trumpet melody in ‘Arietta’ split seamlessly between the players. ‘Grandmother’s Minuet’ featured neat grace notes and tight unison playing, whilst ‘Homeward’ shared something of the sound world of ‘Peer Gynt’; with fuller sounds and darker hues using the full range of the ensemble.

Finally, ‘Remembrances’ was gentler in nature - its opening played muted first, then open.

Attractive 

Patrick Harrild introduced Ayanna Witter-Johnson to talk about ‘Where Clouds Meet the Sea’, which was receiving its UK premiere.  

Inspired by a visit to St Leonard’s-on-Sea, and the view from her flat, she explained that the lyrical side of brass playing appealed to her as a songwriter. 

This was heard in her work, which was largely meditative in nature, with inventive writing as brief melodic phrases overlapped and with warm sounds from the tutti ensemble. At times the trumpets were set against the lower brass, with some chattering semiquavers giving the work an added momentum before dying away.

Neat interplay

Dudley Bright’s arrangement of nine sections from Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’ offered considerable variety - from stately opulence to double-dotted precision, with trills and ornaments despatched with aplomb.  Once again, the interplay was a joy to behold - all marked by elegance and restraint.

New York

Three movements from ‘A Londoner in New York’ allowed the players off the leash with the jazz-tinged ‘Echoes of Harlem’, the imposing edifice of the ‘Chrysler Building’ and the cosmopolitan busyness of ‘Grand Central Station’.

There was some particularly nifty tuba playing from Patrick Harrild, whilst Jason Evans featured impressively on flugel horn.

Gershwin 

The final programme item was a suite from ‘Porgy and Bess’, inventively arranged by Mark Nightingale.  Philip Cobb shone in ‘Summertime’, whilst there was some excellent high register horn playing.  All the players featured at some point, with the more reflective sections contrasting with the energy of ‘Oh Lawd I’m on My Way’.

Following calls for an encore, the ensemble obliged with Ray Premru’s ‘Blues March’, sending everyone home with their feet tapping.

Peter Bale