Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Conductor: Colonel David Barringer MVO MBE
Soloist: Isobel Daws
Compere: Bandmaster Greg Waters 
Tidworth Garrison Theatre 
Saturday 19th April 

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain continues to nurture the holistic development of its young musicians with an ethos enhanced by its current partnership with The Royal Corps of Army Music.

It was displayed here in the emerging maturity of youthful musical talent (a third of the 90 players making their debuts), but so too with the clear expressions of leadership and resilience, communal endeavour and appreciation of the relevance of history that underpinned the concert theme.

Safe hands

The cyclical nature of age and experience meant the current band is somewhat in transition, but with the welcome sight of 13 basses, an exceptional percussion team and principal leads of confidence (led by Stephanie Jonas on cornet) the future, from players evidently proud of their involvement, firmly endorsed Colonel Barringer’s assertion that its future “was in safe hands”.        

With the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War soon to be celebrated, the sacrifices made by generations past was marked with telling homage, 

With the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War soon to be celebrated, the sacrifices made by generations past was marked with telling homage, whilst there were also definitive nods of respect given to ‘giants’ of music, politics and art. 

A ‘full fat’ version of an arrangement of ‘Festmusik der Stadt Wien’  was a welcome surprise to open, followed by the classiest of contributions from guest soloist Isobel Daws; her ‘Bluebells of Scotland’  played with a refined, elegant exhibitionism, ‘Love Eternal’  shaped with a subtle, tender beauty. 

Bustle and pulse

The world premiere of Lance Corporal Ashley Marston’s Alfordesque ‘Echoes of Youth’  march was delivered with quirky elan, before the first half closed with Philip Wilby’s ‘Lowry Sketchbook’.

The incessant human bustle and industrial pulse of Salford’s streets was neatly evoked in the opening movement, followed by the Edwardian melancholy of family portraiture and the Bach ‘Partita’  virtuosity of the Peel Park bandstand.

The incessant human bustle and industrial pulse of Salford’s streets was neatly evoked in the opening movement, followed by the Edwardian melancholy of family portraiture and the Bach ‘Partita’  virtuosity of the Peel Park bandstand.

Pathos and fun

In the second half, and with the forthcoming VE Day anniversary in mind, the music recalled the bravery, tragedy and triumph that ended in May 1945 and of those who returned (including the father of NYBBGB, CEO Mark Bromley) and those who didn’t.

Dan Price’s ‘Peacemakers’,  ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘Big Band Tribute’  were permeated with both a mature sense of pathos as well as fun – the ‘Big Band’ set in particular led with a ‘night to remember’ joy.

Dan Price’s ‘Peacemakers’,  ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘Big Band Tribute’  were permeated with both a mature sense of pathos as well as fun – the ‘Big Band’ set in particular led with a ‘night to remember’ joy.

Huge substance

In between came solo playing of huge substance with ‘Servant of Peace’,  as Isobel Daws drew a richly characterised portrait of the former UN General Secretary Dag Hammarskjold, a diplomatic with an artistic ethos of his own.

Bramwell Tovey’s uplifting ‘Coventry Variations’,  dramatic and ultimately triumphant brought a fine, sold out concert at a super venue to a close.  The standing ovation was thoroughly deserved. 

Iwan Fox 
(Image used with permission of Marc Gascoigne Photopgraphy)