*
banner

Mnozil Brass

Gold
Symphony Hall
Birmingham
Friday 16th June.



Despite the hiccup of their airline losing some of their instruments in transit to the UK, the ever-inventive Mnozil septet simply shrugged off the inconvenience to thrill the audience at Symphony Hall with a concert worth its weight (and wait) in its ‘Gold’ inspiration.

Originally scheduled to appear here two years ago (cancelled due to Covid-19), they were not going to let lackadaisical baggage handling postpone them further.  They simply borrowed the instruments (tuba, trombone and as a one-off, a baritone played with a comic insouciance by Leonard Paul) with the help of the nearby Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and set to work.

Audacity

‘Gold’  is their ‘hits’ package; old and new vaudeville antics meets brass playing brilliance from a back catalogue that must be packed like Fort Knox with 24 carat bars of the stuff (they are currently touring with their new show ‘Phoenix’) – all wrapped up into close on two hours of frenetic (with occasional moments of respite) musical audacity. 

From ‘The Bat’  and Borodin to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’,  Kurt Weill and Fucik with stop offs for the classic favourites of ‘Blue’,  ‘Lonely Boy’  and the excruciatingly accurate (and very funny) avant-garde ‘World Premiere’ (complete Robert Rother’s manic carrot eating) it had it all.  They sing rather well too.

The Ringmaster though is Thomas Gansch – an impish genius cajoling the audience whilst also almost invisibly keeping everything ticking along with the precision of a Swiss railway clock.

As always, Wilfried Branstoetter (tuba) and Robert Rother (trumpet) provided the essential oil to power the artistic engine, Roman Rindberger (trumpet) and Gerhard Fuessl (trombone) the seamless support, whilst Leonhard Paul (trombone) remains the Buster Keaton to Zoltan Kiss and his Charlie Chaplin acrobatics. 

Impish genius

The Ringmaster though is Thomas Gansch – an impish genius cajoling the audience whilst also almost invisibly keeping everything ticking along with the precision of a Swiss railway clock.

It didn’t matter if you had seen it all before – the zesty little twists dropped into the theatrical mix adding something fresh to the familiarity.  The technical wizardry was something else, but it was when they took time to play the more relaxed items that they revealed their true musical identities.

As always, the playing was exceptional – and it is sometimes easy to forget amid the slapstick, what you are hearing is world class brass performers with incredible scope and command of style, marathon-running stamina and sheer unadulterated star quality. 

That was worth its weight alone in anyone’s ‘Gold’. 

Iwan Fox 

Support us for less than a cup of coffee...

4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant. We also want to be able to question, challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it, producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers.

So if like us you value a strong, independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure.

So one less cappuccino then?

Support us    



Luton Brass Band - Masterclass with David Daws

Wednesday 27 September • St Augustine's Church, Luton LU3 2JR


South Yorkshire Police -

Saturday 30 September • Sheffield Catherdral. Church Street. Sheffield. S1 1HA


Epping Forest Band - Thundersley Brass Band

Saturday 30 September • Salvation Army Hall, Hadleigh, Essex SS7 20F


Friary Brass Band - guest soloist Tom Smith

Saturday 30 September • Trinity Methodist Church. Brewery Road. Woking GU21 4LH


Contest: Bolsover Festival of Brass

Saturday 30 September • Shirebrook Academy, Common Lane, Shirebrook. Derbyshire NG20 8QF


Harlow Brass Band

September 29 • Seeking a MUSICAL DIRECTOR - We are a friendly, non-contesting band who play to a good standard. We hold our own Spring and Christmas concerts and provide entertainment at various local events throughout the year.


East of England Co-op Band

September 27 • We are looking for an Eb or Bb bass player to fill a vacancy due to a player's relocation. We are a friendly and ambitious Championship section band who rehearse in Ipswich, Suffolk on a Monday evening. We have a healthy concert and contest diary.


Uppermill Band

September 27 • EXCITING TIMES AHEAD AS WE START A NEW CHAPTER. Following a period of rebuilding and the appointment of our new MD JAMES GARLICK, we require a PERCUSSIONIST to complete our team. We are a hardworking and committed team.


Sam Fisher

BA (Hons), PGCE, Dip.ABRSM
Conductor, Adjudicator (AoBBA), Composer/Arranger, Cornet & Flugelhorn Soloist


               

 © 2023 4barsrest.com Ltd