National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain

Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Guest Soloist: David Childs
Cheltenham Town Hall
Saturday 10th April

Cheltenham Town Hall provided the Edwardian splendour as a backdrop to the second of  two concerts performed by the National Youth Band of Great Britain at the end of it’s 2010 Easter Course.

As an architectural pile of fluted pillars, Corinthian column tops and vaulted ceilings its an impressive place, although incongruously amid its ornate filigree work hung a disco glitter ball, rather suggesting that the good burghers of the spa town use it to let their hair down now and again too.

Bit of a barn

It’s also a bit of an acoustic barn, so despite the 79 players making fine use of the huge stage, and with a decent sized crowd in attendance, a great deal of ensemble detail was lost as the sound bounced around like a drunk Irishman being thrown out of a local watering hole after a win at the Gold Cup.   

That was a pity as the band performed with increasing authority and purpose as the concert progressed with a rousing rendition of Gregson’s ‘An Age of Kings’ providing a wonderful climax to the evening.

Earlier, the band responded to the prolonged welcome as it took to the stage (79 players take some time to get seated) with a robust National Anthem (which received barely a murmured vocal response from the audience) before Nicholas Childs led them into Dean Goffin’s ‘Rhapsody in Brass’.

Much to enjoy

There was a great deal to enjoy here, despite the acoustic blurring much of the essential ensemble clarity. However, neat solo contributions and a warm ensemble tonality ensured that its own Edwardian restraint was brought to the fore, especially in a lovely middle movement.

Despite its age (and rather dubious provenance in the programme notes – Goffin certainly wasn’t 15 when he wrote it in the Syrian and Egyptian deserts in 1942) it was a welcome resurrection.  

David Childs is also a bit older than that now (although not much) and the euphonium virtuoso was both a thrilling and engaging guest soloist on the night.

Startling delight

His performance of the Karl Jenkins ‘Euphonium Concerto’ was a startling delight, with the band providing excellent accompaniment throughout; from the ball juggling antics of the opening movement right through to the very ‘tidy’ work in the Welsh 'Troika' to close.

If there was a disappointment, it came with the realisation that despite Jenkins’ finest efforts, the brass band accompaniment is monochrome and leaden in comparison to the orchestral original. The acoustic didn’t help, but the obvious lack of a palette of lighter textures and timbres meant the solo voice has to battle too hard if it is not to be sucked into the general tonality of the band.

Taxing

To close the first half the band provided an enthusiastic account of ‘Vienna Nights’.

Philip Wilby’s perceptive introduction ensured the audience had a greater understanding of the composition, and the applause at its conclusion was an indication both of their enjoyment, as well as an appreciation of the efforts of the performers on a very taxing work.

Family Guy

After the interval, Nicholas Childs really cranked up his young charges to produce some wonderful playing – starting with an ‘Ein Fest Berg’ thumper to open and a super rendition of James Macmillan’s ‘Stomp’ – played with just the right sense of the comic surreal as if ‘Death’ from ‘Family Guy’ meets Riverdance’s Michael Flatley and female Blondin floozy in an Irish theme pub somewhere near Hampden Park. It was great stuff.

David Childs then upped the ante with his lollipop showstoppers of ‘Brillante’ and ‘Hot Canary’, before the band responded with that highly effective Gregson finale, which was enhanced funnily enough by the booming acoustic, especially in the colourful battle scenes, which rumbled with dark menace.

Deft touch

All that was left was a whip through the encore ‘Goldcrest’ (with the best vocal accompaniment of the night) and the chance to reflect on an evening that showcased some wonderful musical talent certainly stretched, but never beaten, by demanding repertoire (three of the  works were 20 minutes plus).

The standard of individual and ensemble playing was of a notable quality throughout, with fine contributions from the principal players and their associates, all of whom were given at least a couple of moments under the spotlight by the MD, who himself led the large band with a deft touch.

On this evidence of this highly enjoyable evening, as the National Youth Band of Great Britain fast approaches its 60th birthday in 2012, it does so is very good health.  

Iwan Fox

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