Tony BANKS (b.1950)
SIX Pieces for Orchestra (orch. Paul Englishby)
Siren [8:51]
Still Waters [6:46]
Blade [10:21]
Wild Pilgrimage [8:19]
The Oracle [5:22]
City of Gold [12:09]
Charlie Siem (violin) (Siren); Martin Robertson (alto saxophone) (Blade)
City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul Englishby
rec. 13-17 March 2011, Smécky Music Studios, Prague. DDD.
NAXOS 8.572986 [51:48]
Tony Banks is known as one of the founder members of the Genesis band.
He plays different instruments, though in Genesis we saw him mostly
as a keyboard player. He is responsible for much of the group’s music,
and in later years started composing for films. Classical music was always
a big influence, and it was noted that his compositions were especially influenced
by the music of Vaughan Williams. Following the success of SEVEN - a Suite for Orchestra, Tony Banks continues with another
set of classical works, SIX. I wonder if this hints at a mathematical
progression, and in the end There can be only ONE.
Unlike SEVEN, where pieces written independently over a long span of years
were put together rather ad hoc, the elements of SIX were conceived
together, with the present program in mind from the very start. The pieces
can be appreciated as standalone works, yet they form a logical suite. This
is a long Odyssey, where the hero travels the seven seas, seeing many wonders
on the way, until he reaches the goal.
The opening track, Siren, starts in lavish and ecstatic manner: Behold
the Sea itself! The alto saxophone sings the song of the Siren. This song
is not alluring or ominous; to me it sounds like the excitement of the voyage,
the longing for far-away lands and the good wind in the sails. These are the
sparkling southern seas where Sindbad’s ship sailed in Rimsky-Korsakov’s
Sheherazade. The music has a constant forward momentum. There are pearls
in the depths of this sea, and bouncing waves on its surface. The voyage is
sunny and happy.
Still Waters are not still at all; they are just calm. There is an
enthusiastic feeling of endless vistas, the open skies, and the fresh breeze.
The music reminds me of Vaughan Williams, in both his solemn and pastoral
moods. The waves rise to a beautiful climax.
Blade is more active and anxious while its structure is rhapsodic.
The solo violin powerfully soars above the orchestral thickets. The mood is
heroic and, although the opening speaks of troubles - the only such place
in the score - soon the music becomes jubilant. It brought to my mind Elgar’s
Sea Pictures. There is something deeply British in these waves of orchestral
string sound.
Wild Pilgrimage has more of pilgrimage than it does of wildness. Its
calm solemnity reminded me of the Church Windows of Respighi. If there
is something wild, it could be the beauty of the wide, wild nature: the open
spaces, the hills and the valleys that one can imagine while listening to
this music, the static beauty of Bruckner. This piece seems to lack a centre
of attention and is not really distinctive. It is the least memorable of the
SIX, but it looks good as part of the suite. It starts quite “British-pastoral”,
but the tension grows until a swinging and gilded, Scriabinesque climax crowns
the ending.
The Oracle is one of those wide-flowing, hymn-like tunes that the children’s
choruses love so much to perform. Its structure is almost strophic; the soloing
woodwinds repeat the melody with slight variations. The mood is serene; this
is probably the sweetest track of the album.
The City of Gold is an appropriately grand finale, with heavy brass
and cymbal clashes. We are carried on great wings, as in the finale of Sibelius’
Second Symphony. The City of Gold opens in front of our eyes through
the morning mists; it grows and shines in the rising sun. This is the longest
of the pieces, but has excellent propulsion and passes in a single breath.
This was a happy journey, and the hero is tired, but not troubled. The music
is attractive and impressive, and provides a good wrap-up for the suite with
an atmosphere of elation.
Overall the music is quite conservative, yet with enough invention and talent
to ensure listening pleasure. There are none of the rock or pop connections
that one could expect or dread. The appeal does not come from conflict and
drama, as the music is positive and sweet; nor does it come from humor or
comedy, as it is not cerebral. It shares these qualities with the music of
John Rutter - sweet music with style and feeling, as serious as light music
goes, and as light as serious does.
The pieces are mostly monothematic and uniform, yet they are far more than
exercises. There is little thematic variation and some repetition, which however
does not turn into monotony, mostly thanks to the good momentum and interesting
orchestral coloring. The orchestration was done by Paul Englishby, and it
is excellent, vibrant and inventive. He creates an iridescent shine of orchestral
colors, and the result belongs to him as much as to the composer.
The orchestral playing is coherent. The orchestra is dexterous, navigating
the dense textures with clarity. The conductor handles well the rhythmic foundation,
maintaining constant drive throughout; the music just flies forward. The soloists
are virtuosic and expressive. The recording is clear and spacious, highlighting
interesting details, yet without being overwhelming in the loud places. All
in all, an enjoyable journey.
Oleg Ledeniov
An enjoyable journey.