The concluding concert of the RNCM Festival came from an impressive Grimethorpe Colliery, directed by Dr Robert Childs.

With the British Open Shield proudly on display it was rather appropriate that the band bookended its programme with two test pieces that had been used at the contest.

Shimmering

John McCabe's shimmering 'Salamander' was written at the request of English Heritage to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. Subsequently it was used at the British Open in 1994. 

Organically conceived in the form of a passacaglia inspired by Brahms' 'Fourth Symphony', the beautiful central lento section featured a number of fine individual contributions - especially from principal cornet, Jamie Smith, who took on the role due to the imposition of Roger Webster.

Delight

Jamie then joined Alexis Demailly to perform Joseph Horovitz’s elegant 'Concertino Classico'. The work was commissioned as part of the 1985 Bach Tercentenary, and even on limited rehearsal time the duo produced a performance that balanced refinement with rich virtuosity - the lyrical playing in the slow movement a delight.

Thrilling

The première of Nigel Clarke’s, mysteriously entitled 'Further Adventures of the Same' was thrilling. 

Inspired by the film-noir releases of the 1940s that featured stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy, it was a multi-layered score that had an underlying sense of tense intrigue, brooding menace and feline sensuality. 

Right to its conclusion it deliberately kept you on the edge of your seat - as if at any moment Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre would make an appearance with the Maltese Falcon in their mitts.

Passionate warmth

The second half opened with Dean Goffin's 'My Strength, My Tower', played with passionate warmth and razor sharp technique, which provided a perfect introduction to Eric Ball’s delightful 'Sunset Rhapsody', delivered with a lovely sense of flowing lyricism. 

To close, a cracking performance of Michael Ball's 'Whitsun Wakes' - a mix of homage and merriment to a time when all things seems simpler and more wholesome. The MD gave the music acres of time and space - the result of which was a portrait that was both exquisite and thrilling. 

With no encore, it was the perfect way to round off yet another memorable RNCM series curated by Paul Hindmarsh. 

Malcolm Wood