Hendon Highlights

Soloists: David Childs, Simone Rebello, Marjory Watson
Cadogan Hall
London
Saturday 4th March

Following their successful concert in the Royal Festival Hall last year, and as a result of the Queen Elizabeth Hall not being available, this year's event was held at one of London's newest concert venues.  The bright and airy Cadogan Hall, just off Sloane Square and the London home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, has been created from the former New Christian Science Church. 

It proved most suitable, and has already been booked by Hendon Band for next year's event, as well as a Christmas concert in conjunction with The King's Singers.

Hendon was the only band participating this year, but they were ably supported by Simone Rebello (marimba and xylophone), David Childs (euphonium) and Marjory Watson (vocal).  To open the programme, Stephen Cobb had chosen William Himes' lively march "Motivation" and it gave the band ample opportunity to display their full, clear sound.  From the outset the rhythms were very crisp, with the bright trombone sound cutting through when appropriate.  Hendon is a large band but is well drilled, and the massed horn sound was very effective.  It was also good to see David Daws back in the hot seat, leading the band.

Following the singing of Len Ballantine's "The Musician's Prayer" by Marjory Watson, accompanied by her own backing group, the band presented Kevin Norbury's overture "Truth aflame".  This combines two melodies associated with William Booth's words "Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame", the older one being the tune of "Tucker", as used by Erik Leidzen in the cornet solo of that name. 

There was a little uncertainty and unevenness in the opening section on the cornets, both its initial muted entry and then the open reprise, before the soaring euphonium, flugel and bass in turn added their contributions.  The melody of "Send the fire" emerged from the clamour played on flugel and horns, and the ensuing 7/8 passage flowed very smoothly, with an attractive duet between bass and xylophone, before David Daws' cornet struck up with "Tucker".  The fugue section kicked off at quite a pace, but the band was up to the challenge, with all the entries being played very cleanly, right down to the basses.  The passage where the cornets and horns turned their bells out towards the audience was kept in context, and the quote from Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" was nicely pointed before the final blaze of sound resounded around the hall.

Following the introductions by Ray Steadman-Allen, who conducted proceedings in his usual self-deprecating, easy-going manner, it was the turn of David Childs to dazzle the audience with his rendition of Philip Sparke's "Harlequin". 

Once the music stand had been prepared, David produced the music from the bell of his euphonium with a flourish, causing no little amusement, before displaying his all-round ability on the instrument.  The slow opening section was something of a master-class in legato playing, and seeing him play as well as hearing the music brought home just how high-lying the solo part is at times.  His playing was lyrical, gently articulated, with sympathetic accompaniment from the band.  "Harlequin" does not include an elaborate cadenza as such, but the runs and flourishes in the second part call for considerable skill and agility, particularly taken at the tempo David set, and the knowledgeable audience burst into appreciative applause immediately after the final "whoop".

Marjory Watson, who is currently the Songster Leader (choir leader) at Regent Hall Corps in London, brought two songs from the world of musicals.  Stephen Schwartz is probably best known for his music to "Godspell", but "The Spark of Creation" is taken from his 1991 work "Children of Eden".  With her husband at the piano, Marjory's exceptionally clear diction ensured that a song that was unfamiliar to most was projected very effectively.  Her second offering was "Unexpected Song" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Song & Dance", in which she was accompanied by the band in an arrangement by Paul Sharman, also of Regent Hall. 

Starting with just the backing group, the brass was added gradually, starting with horns and baritones, and it was a relief to find there were no tuning problems between brass and piano.  The brass gradually took on a more prominent role, although the cornets were held in reserve for the final bars, allowing the soloist to be heard clearly. There were some signs of strain from the soloist in the upper register which may have been avoided by allowing the sound engineers to adjust the balance where necessary, although limited rehearsal time in the hall may have been a factor.

After Marjory's songs the marimba was wheeled to the front of the stage and the waif-like figure of Simone Rebello stepped forward to play Goff Richards' "Zimba Zamba".  Commissioned for Evelyn Glennie, it is a work Simone has performed many times with bands, including a performance with Enfield at one of their pre-contest festivals at St John's, Smith Square. 

Ray Steadman-Allen had commented on the opposition within The Salvation Army when a big bass drum was introduced in the 1870's, pointing out how the use of percussion had changed since then, and Simone quickly won over the audience with her lively playing.  With eyes sparkling and full of fun, jigging away during the band's tutti bars, she communicated excellently with her listeners, who marvelled at the speed at which the mallets moved across the keys, and all the more so at her dexterity with four sticks in the slow, middle section.  The band joined in most sensitively, with the high-lying euphonium part being handled very delicately, and there was clearly a good rapport between soloist and conductor.  The reprise of the opening section was even faster than before, but there didn't seem to be a note out of place.

The final item of the first half was Philip Sparke's "Tallis Variations".  Commissioned for the 1998 European Championships in Birmingham it takes as its theme the same tune that Vaughan Williams used in his "Tallis Fantasia", and Ray Steadman-Allen caused some amusement when he referred to the words associated with the melody, which spoke of ". . . rising from my bed of death".  There can be difficulties in playing such a work with a band which is larger than usual, but on this occasion it seemed to work well, with the doubling of the horn parts being particularly effective, and they phrased beautifully well together. 

The dynamic contrasts were well managed, and the early solo work was very good, especially from vibraphone and flugel.  The cadenzas later on were nicely balanced, flowing neatly from one instrument to the next, and the various appearances of the melody were highlighted as appropriate.  The band displayed an admirable lightness of touch, with a gentle lilt keeping the music flowing. The performance certainly proved that such works can be more than acceptable to a non-contest audience, and should be programmed more often.  The one disappointment, with such a large band on stage, was that the "Con tutti forza" passage towards the end seemed a little too restrained, when they could have really raised the roof.

The return after the interval marked the only real hiccup of the evening: the congregational song, "Amazing love".  Following the band's introduction there was considerable confusion as some seemed to be trying to sing to the tune "Cardiff", some to "Sagina" and some just didn't seem to know what was happening!  It was something of a relief when the band settled into William Himes's laid-back arrangement of "This is my story" in Latin American style.  Opening with the trombone soloist standing at the front of the stage, and playing in a style that the members of "Spiritual to the Bone" would have been proud of, the whole number was under-pinned by a steady tread from the basses and percussion.  The cornets, who had started muted, removed them to produce a gloriously warm sound, with David Daws taking the muted solo towards the end.
 
For Peter Graham's "Brilliante" David Childs didn't need to produce any music, and he certainly showed that the item is appropriately named.  With snatches of melody appearing in various octaves, and with some multi-phonics that were a talking point among non-brass players afterwards, he gave a bravura performance in which the music itself remained paramount.  In the central minor mode section, his playing was smooth and sustained, whilst the fireworks and tricks towards the end were dispatched with alacrity. 

Simone Rebello returned to the stage with two pieces in contrast, with both marimba and xylophone at the ready, the band accompaniments for both pieces having been penned by Rodney Newton, who was present in the hall. 

Having briefly explained the difference between the two instruments – in a nutshell: xylophone short, fat notes, hard sticks, incisive sound; marimba bigger, thinner notes, softer sticks, more resonance – she commenced on the marimba with Dewi Ellis Jones' version of Vivaldi, entitled "Summer Storm".  Her technique astounded the audience, with much cross-stick work, and precise repeated notes in the toccata-style writing, although the band was a little heavy at times.  For Jan Berenska's "Taps in Tempo" she turned to the xylophone, and the band was transformed into a 1920's dance orchestra, with spiky rhythms galore and crisp answering phrases, whilst Simone demonstrated once more her facility with four sticks, but this time at a considerably faster tempo.

Marjory Watson's next song, entitled "The Alto's Lament" (Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich), took the form of a frustrated soloist bemoaning the fact that she never has the chance to sing the tune.  Cleverly interpolating references to such favourites as "The Sound of Music", "Three little maids from school" and "I feel pretty", each time the piano carried the lead, while the vocalist was relegated to a couple of notes in the lower register.  With Marjory's clear diction and obvious sense of fun, this was very well received, as was her version of Harold Arlen's "Get Happy", which she performed at the Salvation Army's Gospel Arts Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in 2004.  With band accompaniment again arranged by Paul Sharman, the vocal range seemed more comfortable for the soloist, and although the band seemed slightly ill at ease with the placing of some of the shot chords, the number as a whole worked well.

Each soloist took part in a devotional segment of the programme, framing Ray Steadman-Allen's scripture reading and comment.  In Karl Jenkins' "Benedictus" David Childs' restrained playing was an example to all the brass-players in the audience, whilst the moment when the full band burst in at the climax was well-balanced, with the trombones coming through especially well.  Marjory Watson sang "I'm finding", by Leslie Philips, and after Ray's words Simone closed this section of the programme with Evelyn Glennie's "A little prayer", the sound just whispered out at times, with some sonorous bass notes and very delicate placing of the moving notes in the inner parts.

Tchaikovsky can usually be relied upon to provide a rousing finish to a concert and so it was with William Gordon's arrangement of "Excerpts from the Little Russian".  Although this, Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony, is indeed the shortest in his oeuvre, it actually takes its name from the link with the Ukraine, commonly known as "Little Russia", and incorporates several Ukrainian folksongs.  The opening grace notes on the cornets were tucked in very neatly, and it was a very tidy reading from the band all round.  Their bright sound, tightly controlled playing and attention to the marks served to bring out the best in the music which built up to an exhilarating finish.  No doubt many in the audience will have already pencilled in the date for next year's concert, which they will share with the vocal duo The Opera Babes.

Peter Bale

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