Now That's What I Call Brass:
Volume 3
Disc 1 [61:36]
Peter GRAHAM
Celebrate Rotary [3:40] ¤
Harrison's Dream [15:13] ±
John WILLIAMS
arr. SMITH
Hymn to the Fallen [6:05] ¥
Wilfred HEATON
Five Little Pieces [9:46] ¤
John GOLLAND
Peace [4:28] #§
Erik SILVERBERG
Tomado De La Mano [2:29] ª
Ray STEADMAN-ALLEN
In Quiet Pastures [7:07] ±
Stephen SONDHEIM
arr. SMITH
Comedy Tonight [2:47] ¥
Joy WEBB
arr. Richard
PHILLIPS
There Will Be God [4:51] $µ
Philip SPARKE
Song and Dance [5:12] %¿
Disc 2 [60:23]
George ALLAN
The Diplomat [2:50] ¥
Andrew LLOYD-WEBBER
arr. HINES
The Music of the Night [5:08] ^÷
Mikhail GLINKA
arr. HARDGREAVES
Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla [5:03]
¤
Rodney NEWTON
Dimitri [4:58] *±
Jim SWEARINGEN
arr. SMITH
Valero [2:00] ¥
Iver KLEIVE/Knut
REIERSRUD arr. RYDLAND
Nade [5:48] +ˇ
John WILLIAMS arr.
JENKINS
Olympic Spirit [2:58] ˜
Norman BEARCROFT
The Word of Grace [4:14] ¢Π
Johan DE MEIJ
Extreme Make-over [15:55] ¤
Wilfred HEATON
French [5:27] µ
Chuck MANGIONE
arr. GILJE
Children of Sanchez [6:04] £¤
This album's title
and track-list probably betray that
it is a compilation. The team at World
of Brass, purveyors of brass band music
in recorded and written form, have here
collected some of their favourite tracks
from albums released by various bands
on various labels over the last year
or so. The collection is overall of
high quality. Indeed, the roster of
bands on show here includes five of
the top ten bands in the world - on
current rankings.
The program is varied
and, on the whole, well assembled. There
are enough light band pieces to charm
and entertain, including a couple of
pieces by John Williams, whose music
is most sympathetic to brass band arrangements.
Black Dyke chips in with a fleet Ruslan
and Ludmilla overture, and Grimethorpe
contributes a cheeky performance of
Comedy Tonight.
The lyrical numbers
featured include a gorgeous performance
of There Will be God from Derick
Kane – more subtle, though less brilliant
than Aaron Vanderweele's recent recording
with the New York Staff Band.
Those who enjoy the
more serious side of the brass band
repertoire are also catered for. Two
of the best items appear on the first
disc. Wilfred Heaton's Five Little
Pieces belie their modest title.
This is beautifully crafted music, very
much in the neo-classical vein of Hindemith
and Stravinsky. Cross-rhythms abound
and the suite is most infectious. The
YBS Band's performance of Graham's tone
poem, Harrison's Dream is also
well worth hearing. Notwithstanding
a couple of moments of questionable
ensemble, the playing is most impressive
and the piece itself pitches somewhere
between Robert Simpson and the Stravinsky
of Le Sacre.
There are a couple
of miscalculations in the programming
that cause some minor irritation. The
quiet and reflective tone set by John
Golland's Peace and Steadman
Allen's In Quiet Pastures is
rudely interrupted by an upbeat Tomado
De La Mano. There is nothing wrong
with the playing of the Hendon Salvation
Army Band or with the inclusion of this
catchy track on this album, but its
effect between these two pieces is jarring.
David Childs' performance of Peace
also seems to have been recorded
at a lower level and sinks into the
background unless the volume is turned
up, and then back down again for the
following track. A similar problem affects
Olympic Spirit, which is recorded
at a lower level than Nade, which
precedes it.
The other slight irritation
in the programming is the placement
of the second of the two live tracks.
Song and Dance is correctly located
at the end of disc one. Would that Extreme
Makeover had been similarly placed
at the end of disc two! I am one of
those who does not thrill to recorded
applause, especially when it does not
come at the end of the disc. As for
the piece itself, though recorded at
European Brass Band Contest in 2005,
it is not a grave competition piece,
but a confection of Tchaikovsky tunes
– entertaining, but not in the same
league as Harrison's Dream.
The liner notes are
virtually non-existent, which is unsurprising.
There is a greeting from the World of
Brass team and a track-listing that
identifies the album from which each
track is drawn. There is precious little
other information. Pity the poor uncredited
conductors!
The overall recorded
sound varies from decent to excellent,
but there is nothing seriously wrong
with the sonics.
As a round up of recent
releases, this double CD represents
good value - especially if it is acquired
as a free gift on the purchase of £50
of other materials from World of Brass.
It will afford pleasure to any band
enthusiast who encounters it.
Tim Perry
BUY
NOW
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
David Childs (euphonium) #; Derick Kane (euphonium)
$; Hans Gansch (cornet) %; Jason McCann (tenor)
^; Iwan Williams (flügel horn)*; Iver Kleive
(organ) +; Nick Hudson (trombone) ¢; John Doyle
(flügel horn) £; Black Dyke Band ¤; Grimethorpe
Colliery (UK Coal) Band ¥; Scottish Co-op Band
§; Hendon Salvation Army Band ª; YBS Band ±; The
International Staff Band of the Salvation Army
µ; Brass Band Oberösterreich ¿; Sellers International
Band ÷; Eikanger-Bjørsvik Band ˇ;
Buy As You View Band ˜; Enfield Citadel
Band Π.
