English Masters Concert

Brass Band Willebroek & The Fairey Band
Conductors: Frans Violet & Major Peter Parkes
Corn Exchange
Cambridge
Sunday 27th May

After a long days contesting, a Gala concert can be a bit of an effort, not only for the audience, but for the bands who have to perform them. Belgians, Brass band Willebroek, with their Musical Director Frans Violet, must be hardier than most bands, this was their second Gala this month, having also played the concert for the European Championships, in Birmingham.

On that occasion, although the standard of playing was extremely high, in general the concert was not well received, this wasn't to be the case here in Cambridge.

Starting, as they did in Birmingham, with Paul Lovatt-Coopers great opener, 'Horizons', the European champions, continued with their solo horn, Stijn Berbe performing, Kneal's, 'Variation on a Welsh Theme', which was played with great skill. They followed this with the set test piece from the Europeans, Martin Ellerby's, 'Elgar Variations', with a performance that I thought was better than the one they had given in the contest a few weeks ago.

Main sponsors Yamaha, provided the soloist, trumpet and flugel player Rex Richardson, who amongst his many playing associations is a member of the Brass Band of Battle Creek. He opened with 'Concerto de Aranjuez', continued with 'Malaguena', and closed this spot with George Gershwins 'Lets Face the Music and Dance'.

Willebroek continued with 'Reunion and Finale', with a fantastic contribution from the bands soprano player, and the big cheer they got at the end was well deserved. Trombonist Walter Hoeks, gave an amusing rendition, of 'Dear Frog', with its artistry on the harmon mute. The band were obviously keen to show all their skilled soloists, as Eb bass, Stefan Hoeks, played a Steve Sykes arrangement of the 'Czardas', copying Mr Sykes memorable style.

To complete their spot, Willebroek, played the Salvationist march, 'Jubilee', and this vibrant performance had the elderly lady next to me singing the words! This was a magnificent performance, and I only wish the last concert I saw them in had been this programme. The band left the stage and headed straight home, lets hope its not too long before they are able to return to these shores, and show us how the continental bands have caught the British Bands up!

The second half was performed by the Fairey Band, under the baton of Major Peter Parkes, whose conducting earlier in the day had been a joy to watch. Opening with the Blankenburg march, 'The Gladiators Farewell', they continued with the 'Force of Destiny', giving a truly memorable rendition of this piece.

It was nice to see they weren't afraid to perform a more traditional programme, a point made, when for their third item, they played, the almost forgotten, 'A Little Serenade', by Ernest Tomlinson. They followed it by playing the Judy Garland hit from 'Meet me in St Louis', 'The Trolley Song'. Rex Richardson, returned to the stage to perform 'Land of the Rising Sun', as he switched instruments it became clear this is a soloist to watch for in the future.

At this point my colleagues in the press corps, who had press ganged me into this, dragged me away, because they were starving, pity they couldn't do that during the bloody awful whistler, in Birmingham, so I will have to lie about the rest of the concert, and pretend I was too shocked to remember the naked dancing girls who were engaged by Phillip Biggs to promote the Brass Herald, and missed the fleet of ambulances who had to treat the fossilised audience who of course were in shock!!….and then they dropped me in it with my little error with Carlton Main, thanks gentlemen!  I degress……

Fairey's continued with let's face the ‘Music and Dance', and followed with the Welsh air, ‘David of the White Rock', before finishing with Phil Lawrence's ‘Bach Variations'. Special mention to Steve Walsh ion euphonium who was excellent all night as a soloist and leader of his section.

All in all this was a master class in how to stage a gala concert, two great bands, a good soloist, and a not too difficult programme for the audience to listen to after a long day of contest music, and not a whistler in sight! The attendance was probably better than last years concert, but it would have been nice to see a few less empty seats on what was a terribly wet bank holiday weekend night.

John Sirzaker

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