2006 RNCM Festival of Brass: Buy As You View Band
2-Feb-2006Conducted by Dr Robert Childs
Soloist: David Childs
Saturday 28th January
If there was one piece of music that stood out from the advertised programme in advance more than any other for the festival, it was ‘Gaia Symphony' by John Pickard performed by BAYV.
The four movement work (with percussion windows to give the players a breather) is the longest work written for the idiom and whether you admire the composer's work or not (and this reviewer certainly does) anyone present during the concert can have nothing but admiration for the music and the performance.
Having sat and listened to the work in its entirety for the first time, the biggest challenge for the players it seemed was concentration. Without doubt, the music is taxing, but the most difficult thing to contend with is maintaining that intense level of focus for such a long time.
All of the players (not forgetting the MD) carried it off superbly, and the whole performance was compelling listening, with its overall length, being forgotten. The opening ‘Tsunami' was quite literally a musical tidlewave with so much power and energy being created, whilst the percussion windows were fascinating both to listen too with some imaginative effects being created.
'Wildfire' is the second part (that the band performed at this Festival in 2002) evoking thoughts of a forest fire, with the powerful sounds testing the players to the limit. ‘Aurora' followed another breather for the players with the extended percussion team producing something entitled ‘Fire-Air', which was wonderfully executed, as was the concluding ‘Men of Stone'.
With such a complex piece of music, it is perhaps unfair to single out individual players from the rest of the band, but the principal players (Ian Williams, Michelle Ibbotson, Joanne Deane, Owen Farr, David Childs, Gavin Saynor, John Prosser and Chris Thomas) produced some wonderful moments that can't be praised highly enough.
The ovation from the audience at the end said it all, and no doubt the performance at this event will be persuading those present to invest in the CD recording, if it's not in their collection already. It was a fantastic achievement.
BAYV's first half opened with a fine performance Sir Malcolm Arnold's ‘Four Scottish Dances' where the beautiful Allegretto (the third dance) produced some sublime playing.
David Childs meanwhile performed Hummel's ‘Fantasy Op.94' arranged by his father which was polished off in what can only be described as typical DC style – with a sublime lyricism combined to a frightening technique - all without music as well.
William Mathias' ‘Vivat Regina' as an encore was fascinating listening although the sound of the band seemed a little loud in places in the amphi-theatre that is the Haden Freeman Concert Hall.
No-one present though will forget the polished performance of Dr Pickard's masterful work by the BAYV Band under Dr Childs – it was simply breathtaking.
Malcolm Wood
