Fodens (Richardson) Band
1-Nov-2006Brass Arts Festival 2006
Conductor: Garry Cutt
Regent Hall, London
Friday 27th October
The reigning English Champion band, Fodens (Richardson) conducted by Garry Cutt were in fine form here with a programme that set out to entertain the cosmopolitan capacity audience.
Throughout the evening, the band's level of performance was on a par that gave them victory at both the North West Area and English Championships and which has also seen them receive warm appreciation when they haven't featured in the results.
Having opened with a clean performance of ‘Agincourt Song', after which the MD puzzled the historians in the audience over the precise date of Agincourt (it was 1415), the band gave a polished performance of Shostakovich's ‘Festive Overture', making the most of the acoustic. Regent Hall is a venue where if any ensemble isn't careful, it can extremely loud without over-blowing and in fairness to Fodens they were mindful of this throughout the evening and kept the dynamics under control. In addition to the overture, the band performed more Shostakovich with plenty of vibrancy in the form of his ‘March' from the ‘Jazz Suite Number 2'.
Garry Cutt took the opportunity during the night to invite three Guest Conductors to conduct the band. Tribute was paid to Lt Col John Archibald and other leading banding personalities who have passed away recently by Major George Whittingham who conducted ‘In Perfect Peace' - the most poignant playing of the whole night.
Professor Takeo Yammamoto, a long-time friend of many of banding's leading personalities, including the MD, was invited to conduct the march ‘Old Panama' (at a fine tempo as well it has to be said) and Derek Broadbent took the baton as the band performed Arnold's ‘Padstow Lifeboat'. In addition to the familiar work of Sir Malcolm Arnold, Fodens produced an impressive interpretation of ‘Little Suite For Brass' – the ‘Siciliano' of which featured pianissimo playing of the highest order and was one of the highlights of the concert.
Five of the band's leading soloists were spotlighted on the night: Mark Wilkinson performed Harry Mortimer's arrangement of Mozart's ‘Alleluia', Principal Horn, George Thackary was in fine form in ‘Lark in the Clear Air', whilst Helen Fox, Glyn Williams and Les Neish all performed popular favourites ‘Concerto D'Aranajeuz', ‘Myfanwy' and ‘Carnival for Bass' – the latter bringing the house down courtesy of a virtuoso display.
Of particular interest was the inclusion of the test piece for the Nationals, ‘Les Francs Juges' which had plenty of good moments although not error-free throughout and which proved to be a useful workout for the band ahead of Saturday.
Both halves concluded with more music from the pens of classical composers. The first half concluded with the ‘Toreador's Song' from ‘Carmen' and the second with the old Tchaikovsky pot-boiler, ‘March Slav'.
The band could have played on and on such was the response but the audience were happy enough to get ‘Entry of the Gladiators' before heading off into Central London having been royally entertained and leaving the band to conclude its preparations for the contest.
Malcolm Wood
