2006 Mountbatten Festival of Music

Her Majesty's Royal Marines Bands
Royal Albert Hall,
Thursday 16th February

Although one might be forgiven for thinking the only musical event of any signifance held at the Royal Albert Hall is the National Brass Band Championships, there are a few other pretty good evenings to be had there throughout the year. 

The bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines first held a concert in memory of Sir Malcolm Sargent in 1973 and since then they have become an annual fixture.  In 1980, following the death of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the name was changed to the Mountbatten Festival of Music, but the link with Sir Malcolm continues, with the money raised going to the CLIC Sargent cancer charity.  The Royal Marines take approximately 50 new recruits into the band service each year, many of them young brass players, and so it was that 4barsrest was invited to attend this year's festival. 

Having passed through the stringent security measures, we were welcomed as part of a group including representatives from the Portsmouth Festival of Music and the Royal Welsh National College of Music and Drama, although we wouldn't dream of allowing that hospitality to influence our view of the proceedings.

With 150 musicians taking part, the platform scene was most impressive, trumpets and horns on the left-hand risers, trombones and other lower brass (plus two baritone saxophones) on the right, woodwinds, piano and keyboards on the floor of the platform, and a vast array of percussion set up at the rear, with the kit drummer placed in the middle.  As the lights dimmed the fourteen-strong fanfare team entered from either side and took up their positions behind the percussion, only for the effect to be lost somewhat by an inordinate delay waiting for the conductor to take the stage, the tension being broken by members of the band (and in particular the tuba section) making great play of greeting friends and relatives in the audience. 

Following the National Anthem, complete with the Gordon Jacobs fanfare, the first item proper was the fanfare "Nostra Regina (Annus Celebrates)", written by Michael McDermott to mark the Queen's 80th birthday later this year.  Following the percussion opening, the sound of unison horns led into a piece very much in the ceremonial style of William Walton, or Malcolm Arnold, during which members of the Corps of Drums took their place on the steps either side of the platform.

The compere for the evening was the BBC's Darren Jordan, and his relevant and succinct introductions played a great part in keeping things flowing smoothly, particularly as the lighting was such that it was impossible to read the excellent notes in the well-produced programme.  Claudio Grafulla's march "Washington Grays" received a crisp reading, if a little deliberate at times, and was followed by a violin feature, "Bolero", written by Walter Taleb for Vanesa Mae. 

The arrangement by Peter Curtis ensured that the solo line (which was subtly amplified) was never swamped by the acompaniment, which was built on a rhythmic pattern established by drums and flutes, and also made use of the full range of woodwind, including cor anglais and double bassoon.  By the end of the piece the corps of drums had grown to some 33 players, who then presented one of their trade-mark drumming displays. 

Entitled "St Nazaire", and named after the raid on that port by HMS Cambeltown during WW2, their precision was remarkable, including a "Mexican wave" effect, and various sections playing in canon.  Edwin Goldman's march "Chimes of Liberty" was replaced for the occasion by Earl Brigham's "Royal Standard" in honour of one of the leading figures in the Marines who had recently passed away, and the march off was to Vivian Dunn's arrangement of "Sarie Marais", the Regimental March of the Royal Marines Commandos.

Wagner's "Introduction to Act III of Lohengrin" often features at such concerts, and received a full-blown account by the massed bands, which comprised four individual bands, from Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scotland and the Commando Training Centre.  The trombones were nicely together in the familiar rising arpeggio phrases, although the flutes and piccolos jarred a little.  The final crescendo was well-paced, growing to a full, well-balanced climax.

This led into the first of two segments featuring some of the band's soloists.  Eva Cassidy's rendition of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" has won Ray Farr many plaudits for his transcription for flugel, but the soloist for the Marines was Band Colour Sergeant Gary Halsey on trombone.  Arranged by David Johnson to feature additional strings, guitar, keyboard and harp, and full of sensitive expression, it was well received by the packed audience, and proved a quiet interlude before the antics which followed.

There has been much debate over what constitutes appropriate entertainment in a band programme, including discussions over whether people should dress up in funny costumes to perform.  For "Errinnerung an Zirkus Renz" we were presented with not one but four xylophone soloists, one dressed as the Ringmaster, one as a lion and two as clowns, but as well as dressing up they had put some thought into the presentation, with the lion jumping - or rather clambering laboriously - through a hoop, and the two clowns coming complete with unicycle, minibike and varous other props - there was even a bit of juggling in the band tutti at one point! 

As for the playing, it was first class, as the soloists divided into two pairs, trading two-bar phrases with each other at breakneck speed, and it was definitely a hit with the audience.

After "An Irish Blessing", reharmonised and reworked by Mick Dowrick, Band Sergeant Darren Pattison and Musician Brian Lloyd of the Scotland Band, dressed in combat uniforms, stepped forward to present the light-hearted rendition of "Me and my Shadow" with which they had entertained the troops serving overseas, the accompaniment featuring some effective contributions from muted brass.

The first half concluded with a selection by Tony Smallwood entitled "The Best of Barry Manilow".  Whilst there may be those who would suppose that to be a very short item indeed, he has proved a very popular entertainer over the years, and several of his well-known numbers were included.  Band Colour Sergeant Miles Bolton was the trumpet soloist in "Copa Cabana" and Musician Iain Ferguson also featured on tenor sax, although his sound seemed a little overwhelmed at times by the band. 

It was certainly an opportunity for the players to let their hair down, with some showband contributions from the trumpets and trombones, although there may be those who felt the percussion became a little too ebullient.  There was a moment of uncertainty at the start of "One Voice" but the intonation quickly settled as the three male and one female vocalists got into their stride.  Starting with the voices a capella, the band gradually joined in and the music rose in intensity until it reached its triumphant final chord.

The fanfare "Eastney" which opened the second half was written by Musician Sol Fenne, whose father was Bugle Major before his death in 1968.  Making good use of lighting effects, especially a sun-like projection emanating from the organ loft, the music gradually built up, with the Corps of Drums again playing their part.  This led to another solo slot, this time based around film music, and entitled "Guns, Nuns and all that Jazz".  It comenced with a lively impersonation of the Blues Brothers in "Everybody needs Somebody", which would probably have meant more to someone a little more familiar with the original charcaters, although any lack of impact was in no part due to any lack of effort by the performers! 

The guns took the form of "A Fistful of Dollars", Band Colour Sergeant Paul Beal and Musician Greg Norton barefoot, complete with sombreros - one twice the size of the other - and ponchos as they engaged in a musical duel, sometimes trading phrases, sometimes in unison and sometimes in outright competition.  Following a link provided by the "James Bond Theme" three far from feminine nuns stepped forward trombones in hand to present "I will follow Him".  The opening trio was as well played as we have ever heard it, and there was no lack of energy as they moved up-tempo, with a few steps and hand movements, together with some very un-nun-like solo contributions.  The final soloist was Musician Mark Upton on alto saxophone, with "Soul Man" and "Against all Odds", finishing his accomplished spot with a note way up in the stratosphere.

Darren Jordon had referred previously to the higher prominence being given to the piano on the stage this year, saying that one of the tuba-players had informed gravely that it was because it had to play in a higher key. 

The real reason was to allow Musician Peter Woffenden - who was probably glad to have permission to play without his tunic - to perform exerpts from Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No 2" under the title "Impromptu", transcribed by Gordon Langford.  Hearing this deservedly popular music, it is hard to believe that the composer nearly turned his back on writing music following the poor reception given to his first symphony.  Having retuned to ensure there was no clash between band and piano - other bands and promoters please copy!!! - Peter's playing and the band's sympathetic backing served to communicate well the romantic nature of the music, with flexiblity and rubato where appropriate.

The final solo item of the evening was given over to Musician Mark Upton, currently a student of renowned trumpeter Derek Watkins, who presented an idiomatic rendition of Chuck Mangione's "Children of Sanchez", complete with guitar introduction and a rousing finish for the full band.

Although Shostakovich wrote little specifically for wind band, his natural affinity with both woodwind and brass seems to make his music particularly successful in transcription.  His fifth symphony was written following intense criticism by the Soviet authorities, and scholars are divided as to whether it was indeed a contrite response to such criticism, or a cynical exercise in writing within the rules whilst retaining his own creative spirit.  Whichever line is accepted, it is definitely a powerful piece, and the band's rendition of the "Finale" in a transcription by Charles Righter was for us one of the highlights of the evening, with some particularly fine playing from the clarinet section, including the two bass clarinets. 

The 2005 Mountbatten Festival had featured the "Benedictus" from Karl Jenkins' "The Armed Man" and this year Michael Dowrick had arranged the "Sanctus" to feature the Corps of Drums.  This proved an apt choice, as its steady, somewhat relentless tread lent itself to the addition of the extra drummers, marching slowly up the length of the arena, their rhythm adding to the overall effect.  Various interjections, particularly from the trumpets, were neatly slotted into place without breaking into the solemnity of the piece.

There has long been a tradition to end military and concerts with some form of "Evening Hymn and Sunset", with various hymn tunes having been employed, often with very mixed results.  On this occasion, the hymn tune was left to stand on its own, in the form of William Himes's version of "Amazing Grace", which was followed by "Sunset" and Ray Woodfield's spectacular arrangement of "Rule Britannia", incorporating the fanfare trumpets and the Corps of Drums.  The concluding programme items, the march past of the Royal Navy, "Hearts of Oak", and Kenneth Alford's setting of "A Life on the Ocean Wave", were both carried out with enough swagger to sink a battleship, if the Royal Navy still had any, and the audience was left wondering if there would be an encore.

Sure enough, a couple of players slipped into their places in the percussion section and they were off into an up-tempo number that certainly left people with their feet tapping, even if the sightly excessive percussion may have left their heads throbbing as well.  A packed Albert Hall had enjoyed a very entertaining evening, with music in a variety of styles very well played and slickly presented.  With an increasing number of women enlisting - there was at least one female tuba player on the stage - and recruitment currently on the up, it appears that the future of Royal Marines' music is in good hands.
   
Peter Bale

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