Fodens Band & NYBBGB

All England Masters International
Gala Concert
Conductors: Garry Cutt & Bram Tovey
Cor Exchage
Cambridge
Sunday 4th May

The 2009 Masters weekend was rounded off with a splendid concert on the Sunday night.

Exuberant 

Stamina, and perhaps interest, had waned a little from earlier in the long day, but that was soon remedied for a healthy and vociferous audience as they lapped up the newly crowned champions on exuberant form, and the cream of the nations youthful brass and percussion talent, who more than met the challenge to impress. 

Both Garry Cutt and Bram Tovey certainly enjoyed themselves too – allowing their ensembles the time and space (and how appropriate that was on the day) to showcase their talents to the full.

Ripper

Fodens ripped through ‘Carnival Overture’ to start, with Alan Wycherley floating above the rapids below like Blondini on the high wire, and which set the tone (and the standard) for the rest of their first half contribution.

Joanna Pinnock may have made the fateful mistake of introducing ‘Portuguese Party’ as being written by Gilbert Vintner (wine merchant to the brass band fraternity in his spare time then), but there was nothing tipsy about a performance full of brio and wit from the band.

Rolls Royce

Fodens then moved into Rolls Royce mode, and with a sublime lead from Mark Wilkinson on ‘Elegy’ from ‘Entertainments’, and a run through the ‘Green Hornet’ by the front row lads that sounded like a wasp on speed, it was left to Les Neish to stamp his class on proceedings with a electrifying rendition of the second movement of ‘Salt of the Earth’.

Lips may have been tired by now, but it was left to Bram Tovey to add the coup de grace with a beautifully shaped reading of ‘Kingdom Triumphant’ that ebbed and flowed with a sense of intuitive emotion.

Fodens left the stage with deserved applause ringing in their ears after a display that had the mark of champions writ large upon it.

The Queen?

After the break it was the NYBBGB, and ‘The Queen’. As she couldn’t be bothered to make it to the first half, you do wonder why it was necessary to give her a freebie reminder of her sovereign status in the second – but there again, in these days of political malpractice, there must be something about her non elected, Germanic jewel encrusted non democratic position that makes her so revered. Beats me though… 

Vibrancy

Malclom Arnold’s perfectly formed ‘Little Suite No 1’ was delivered with real vibrancy, as well as a lovely touch of lyrical cornet playing in the ‘Siciliano’ by the remarkably talented James Fountain, before the highlight of the night – Simon Dobson’s tragically atmospheric ‘Penlee’.

Mortality

This outstanding work sends send a cold shiver of mortality coursing through your veins, whilst also infusing the brain with the warmth of the human spirit too. The tragic portrait of the fateful disaster that befell the crew of the village lifeboat as they battled impossible elements to save the lives of the people aboard the coaster Union Star is one of most memorable pieces of brass writing this reviewer has heard for many years.

The performance ended with Tovey motionless, the audience transfixed.

Talent showcase

With a great amount of movement of personnel required before the performance of ‘Pictures in the Smoke’ it gave time for reflection of what had just been heard, and with Bram Tovey sat at the piano it allowed Simon Dobson the opportunity to showcase his talents as a very impressive conductor too. 

Delight

What followed was a delight – Tovey enjoying himself to the full as the focal point of Parkeresque wit, Dobson directing with rare facility on the podium, Emma Crossley performing wonderfully as the rhythmic counterpoint on the drum kit, and the band displaying a cultured appreciation of balance and style (some fine euph and sop work was noted).  It was a bit of a tour de force.

Swagger

Morley Calvert’s ‘Canadian Folk Song Suite’ rounded off the night in fine style too, and all that was left were the congratulations and the deserved appreciation from an audience with a pair of encores that included a real old swagger through ‘Punchinello’ (with vocals) and the hymn tune ‘Eventide’.

Many may have been tired after a long day, but everyone left for home injected with brass band inspired enthusiasm.

Iwan Fox

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