St. Ronan's Silver Band - Spring Concert
17-May-2004St. Ronan's Silver Band
Conductor: David McLeod
Innerleithen Memorial Hall
Saturday 1st May
Not only was Innerleithen blessed with exceptionally fine spring weather at the weekend but the many who had the good sense to go along to the Memorial Hall on Saturday evening enjoyed an exceptionally fine Spring Concert given by St. Ronan's Silver Band. This was just one of numerous events being held all over Scotland between 24th April and 2nd May 2004 to celebrate this year's Scottish Brass Band Week. Alluding to the previous concerts featuring top guest bands conductor David McLeod said that, on this occasion, it would be, "by special request, just us."
For just over two hours the members of St. Ronan's Silver Band delighted its audience with a scintillating and varied programme of the finest music. Not content merely to drench the hall with superb musical sounds, humour and education were also provided. For instance, for those not quite up to speed on the subtleties of brass band music there are at least two types of marches - contest and road. The band gave a tremendous rendition of Geoffrey Allan's "Senator" in the former category to open the show and later they had the hall reverberating with a rousing version of a Games Week favourite, Alan Fernie's "The Granites", an example of the latter type of march. And from the top of the Granites you get a great view of the "Pentland Hills", the title of the regimental march of the Royal Scots, powerfully performed by the band in the second half.
In calmer vein St. Ronan's showed their mastery of melody with equal facility. This was exemplified in their playing of "Leaving Leithenside" by Kenny Speirs, arranged for brass band by Alan Fernie and featuring on the band's CD "From Leithenside". This wonderful "local" tune is now a firm favourite with the musicians and their many fans. Two other favourites from the CD also featured on Saturday's programme - the theme music from Walt Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and the Adrian Drover arrangement of "Here's That Rainy Day" from the big band era. Needless to say, the "live" versions were warmly received by an appreciative audience.
Much musical talent is contained within St. Ronan's Silver Band, as was revealed by no less than seven solo appearances during the evening. Dazzling performances by principal cornet Scott Forrest with Dvorák's "Rusalka's Song for the Moon" and by Scottish Intermediate Solo Champion Ross Brotherston also on cornet with "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" set a standard to put the "aulder yins" on their mettle. David Lindsay cuddled up to his somewhat larger instrument and showed what an "old master" could do with a superb rendition of "Rhapsody for Euphonium".
Band treasurer Mark Cockburn on baritone rewarded ticket purchasers with an excellent performance of the lively "Rondo" by Mozart while secretary Keith Belleville demonstrated he has excellent musical as well as organizational skills with a fine rendition of "I Wish You Love" on trombone, a tribute, suggested David McLeod, to Keith's wife Caroline.
There was a rare treat for the audience in the shape of not one but two solo spots from the bass section. Introduced by the conductor as a "film star" due to his albeit brief appearance in the ranks of a rival band in "Brassed Off", bass musician Randy Hudson soon had everyone in stitches with his mighty and side-splitting version of Herbie Flowers' "Tuba Smarties". As Randy manfully blew his several and somewhat protracted cadenzas, members of the band added to the general hilarity and mayhem first by bobbing up and down and clapping to the rhythm of the tune. They later affected boredom by throwing paper aeroplanes and opening sandwich packs. The soloist retaliated by waiting till the band was ready to resume its accompaniment then deciding to have a drink of water. Yet through all the fun and frolics (including a blast of "On St. Ronan's") there was never a wrong note played. This was a real tour de force by Randy and the band - it's easy to understand why they win prizes for "most entertaining" as well as for musicianship!
The last soloist of the evening came forward, placed his tuba on the floor of the stage, stepped up to the microphone and, to everyone's surprise and delight, sang! Neal Wade has a fine baritone voice and his rendition of "The Holy City" (the "Jerusalem" well loved by "Last Night at the Proms" audiences) was simply breathtaking. No pins were heard dropping as Neal worked his way flawlessly and with superb control through this beautiful hymn and for a second or two after he had finished. The audience had heard something special and in expressing their appreciation the applause was just that much louder, longer and warmer.
The future of St. Ronan's Silver Band is assured. Why? Because of St. Ronan's Future Band. Formerly St. Ronan's Junior Band - age limitations have long been swept away - this group of once raw beginners has evolved into a practiced unit of accomplished brass musicians, complete with its own percussion section. Conducted by David McLeod and playing to fourth section standard the Future Band played four items in the second part of the concert, all extremely well received. These comprised "When the Saints Go Marching In", "Grand Canyon Gallop" featuring the cornets in standing mode, "The Rising Generation" (in three parts) and the theme from "Rocky". Another outstanding example of Innerleithen's musical youth were the quartet who performed "Fanfare and Elegy" following the interval. Under the baton of Keith Belleville, Scott Forrest and Max Giegerich on cornet, Abbie Smith on horn and Bruno Giegerich on euphonium played with a talent, composure and excellence that quite enthralled their audience.
It certainly was an evening of musical variety and enjoyment. From the sweetly rendered competition hymn tune "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" to the outrageous fun of "Clog Dance" the band demonstrated their mastery in different genres. Other pieces on the programme included "Glasnost", celebrating the disintegration of the Iron Curtain and the joy of political freedom, and "Skirl", a medley of well-known Scottish tunes which, we were assured, was a great hit in Norway. Then suddenly, two and a half hours later and the obligatory encore duly delivered, it was time to go home. This was a brilliant evening's entertainment and thanks and praise by the bucket load are due to St. Ronan's Silver Band, their sponsors and all their families and friends who provide the vital backup.
