Conductor: Bengt Eklund
Polyphonic Recordings: PRL032D
With the European Championships due to take place in Stavanger, it is worth remembering that it wasn’t the Norwegians that made the first significant Nordic mark at the event.
That came from the Swedes of Solna Brass who claimed third place at the inaugural contest - in the process giving the first competition performance of Wilfred Heaton’s ‘Contest Music’.
However, unlike their neighbours who failed to trouble the judges in 1978 but by 1980 had started to become regular prize winners (culminating in Eikanger’s victory in 1989), it remains the high water mark of Swedish banding (Solna came 10th on each of its five subsequent appearances).
Different
It could have been so different if Gothenburg Brass Band had really found contesting to their liking. Just four years after they were formed, they came 4th at the 1986 European Championships in Cardiff.
By then though their musical horizons inspired by their white suited MD, Bengt Eklund were focussed much further from home shores (the LP cover perhaps telling the listener something).
It gave them something of an enigmatic quality; a band with an outlook that placed contesting firmly as a secondary mission statement
It gave them something of an enigmatic quality; a band with an outlook that placed contesting firmly as a secondary mission statement (they recorded a CD aptly called ‘Ambassadors of Brass’ in 2000 in the UK just days before they appeared at the European Championships in Birmingham).
They did go on to win the Swedish title 14 times but only appeared at the Europeans on six more occasions – one 6th place finish in 2000 their best return. Instead they won the Bicentennial World Brass Band Championships in Brisbane in 1988 and the New Zealand National title in 2004, before the band came to an end with the death of their founding MD in March 2007.
Expertly engineered
This release, expertly engineered by the late Michael Moor was made at Gothenburg Konserthuset in February 1987, just a couple of months before they set sail for a tour of Japan that came at the invitation of Yamaha who supported the band throughout the majority of its existence.
It's a showcase of their considerable talents; varied and full of vitality (the MD was always an animated presence on the podium),
It's a showcase of their considerable talents; varied and full of vitality (the MD was always an animated presence on the podium), from the crisp brilliance of Edward Gregson’s ‘Prelude for an Occasion’ and light touch ‘Liten Marsch’ to the ever so slightly quirky sounds of Sture Olsson’s ‘Swedish Folk-Songs’ and the seriousness of Oskar Lindberg’s ‘Old Fabodpsalm’.
The film hit sounds of ‘Born Free’ provide a bullseye top C challenge for a rampant horn section, whilst ‘Gonna Fly Now’ has a punch-bag pulse to keep Swedish Rocky fans happy. They are balanced by the sylvan sounds of ‘Shepherd’s Song’.
Highest quality
It is the top-class rendition of ‘The Year of the Dragon’ though that reminds you of a band of true elite level quality; the opening machine gun semi quavers providing the introduction to a ‘Toccata’ of purposeful drive and precision.
It is the top-class rendition of ‘The Year of the Dragon’ though that reminds you of a band of highest quality; the opening machine gun semi quavers proving the introduction to a ‘Toccata’ of purposeful drive and precision.
The ‘Interlude’ of languid bluesy flow and tender chorale balance leads into a cracking ‘Finale’ played with technical virtuosity and stylish elan.
It is a wonderful reminder of a band of the boldest musical presence, and what could have been if that first European success had the same catalyst effect that ignited the contesting ambitions of their Norwegian counterparts.
Iwan Fox
Track listing:
Side 1:
1. Prelude for an Occasion (Gregson)
2. Liten Marsch (Gregson)
3. Born Free (Barry)
4. The Year of the Dragon (Sparke)
Side 2:
1. Swedish Folk-Songs (Olsson)
2. Shepherd’s Song (Arr. Richards)
3. Gonna Fly Now (Conti)
4. Old Fabodpsalm (Landberg/Stern)
