The National Youth Band of Wales

Conductor: Edward Gregson
Soloist: Gareth Small
Brangwyn Hall
Swansea
Tuesday 27th July

There was a well timed political, as well as musical message of defiance on display at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on Tuesday evening, with this concert by the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

Impressive

Led by its founding conductor, Professor Edward Gregson, it was also an impressive one too, with the performances of six substantial works that were enjoyed by a large and appreciative audience.

However, it was a message that was lost on those who greedily scoff from the trough of largesse at the Senydd in Cardiff Bay, as well as those who enjoy the trickle down patronage as representatives in local authorities.

Goldy looking chain

There was not (as they say in South Wales) a single 'goldy looking chain' of office, or rictus smile of Assembly Member interest on display – all at a time when the very future of the band founded in 1982 is under threat. By all accounts, the great and good were asked, but not one that we could see, was willing to place their banner of political allegiance in the public gaze.

It is a huge worry, as despite the undoubted musical excellence that was on show here, without support and funding the National Youth Band of Wales could be living on borrowed time.

Rousing

What a loss that would be given what was heard on the night – from the rousing opening of Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Fanfare for A Festival’, right through to the lollipop encore of ‘Men of Harlech’.

In between we heard a former principal cornet player of the band, Gareth Small, on sparkling form, with a wonderful display of Armenian musicality in the colourful Arutiunian ‘Trumpet Concerto’.

This was delivered with razor sharp articulation allied to warmth of tonality that captured the sense of folk song inspiration that beats incessantly at the concerto’s bucolic heart.

Style and colour

The first half was rounded off with a fine performance of the updated version of Gregson’s own ‘Variations on Laudate Dominum’, played with style and colour and featuring neat solo contributions from all the main principal players.

After the interval came another example of the invaluable support the band (and the commissioning Ty Cerdd organisation, which is also under threat) has given to Welsh composers over the years with the performance of the idiosyncratic ‘Fanfare Overture’ by Mervyn Burtch.

Witty, dislocated and inventive, the build up of musical momentum was palpable, leading to wonderful free reeling finale that was vibrant and cheeky.   

Home town airing

Meanwhile, Cyril Jenkins’ old pot boiler ‘Life Divine’ enjoyed a rare home town airing (in what could well have been a premiere concert performance given that it is hard to remember if it has ever been played by a brass band in the composer’s own back yard), which featured some facile baritone and repiano cornet work in particular.

The finale was Gregson’s masterful symphonic suite ‘An Age of Kings’, which given its historical inspiration of Shakespearean battles and conflicts against intransigent foes, with a Welsh hero (Owain Glyndwr) at its heart, was very appropriate.

Memorable performance

It was also given a memorable performance on the night too – right from the cracking call to arms trumpet fanfares and opening battle scenes, through a plaintive interlude at the Welsh Court (that featured the delicate timbre of young soprano Naomi Morris) to that rousing climax as Henry defeats the rebellious French with a touch of well placed battlefield savagery.

With Edward Gregson also taking the opportunity to provide a finely judged political call to arms that was as elegant as his musical direction and as red blooded as anything old Henry could have come up with on the eve of battle, a well satisfied audience left the Brangwyn Hall uplifted as well as invigorated to carry on the fight for this unique band’s survival.

It is too important a brass banding cause to fail.

Iwan Fox

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