An impressive sounding Fairey Band amply displayed their confidence and cultured appreciation of lyrical repertoire under Garry Cutt at the RNCM - even at 11.30am on Saturday morning. 

Strengths

The programme certainly played to the MDs strengths: ‘Overture: Henry V’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams and William Alwyn’s ‘The Moor of Venice’ was surely the stuff he was weaned on in his formative banding years, such was the instinctive understanding of structure, balance and pace, whilst ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’ and ‘Ballet for Band’ displayed discerning hallmarks of textured nuance and detail.

In addition there was also something new; with an intriguing premiere from the pen of Tom Davoren - precisely directed by the composer himself, entitled ‘The Divinity of Hell’.  

Venal scheming

Inspired by the venal scheming of the Shakespearian villain Iago, it was a portrait of a man, as viewed by a knowing audience, consumed by his jealous hatred of Othello; the resultant machinations seemingly having no purpose other than the implementation of his own evil malignity. The ending left the listener poised with a silent question mark in what was a clever piece of musical dubiety.  

Dignity

Earlier Fairey opened with a sense of regal dignity on ‘Henry V’ - played with just the right contrast between sprightly pomposity, deep seated anxiety and crowning glory in Agincourt victory.  

Meanwhile, Alwyn’s ‘The Moor of Venice’ was Saturday morning pictures stuff; all Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone in tights. It was splendidly played - even though the score sounded incredibly dated; a cut-price Erich Korngold. Alwyn’s Iago sounded more like Dick Dastardly in his malevolent intent.     

Arrondi

No such dated problems with the masterful elegance of ‘Ballet for Band’ - played with a delicate touch and mannered sense of character. Even the tiny ‘introducing’ baritone motif was like a perfectly formed arrondi. 

To close, McCabe’s powerfully bucolic ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’ - a work that also remains relevant and remarkably fresh despite the passing of three decades of varied appreciation - especially from contesting bands.  

Here the MD allowed time and space to bring the beauty of the writing to the fore - and although some tiredness crept into before its immense close, it did not spoil what had been a very impressive exhibition of high class musicality from a band and MDs in touch with their lyrical hearts.

Iwan Fox