Patrick Vergères, Raf Van Looveren, Harmen Vanhoorne
Philharmonic Wind Orchestra & Marc Reift Orchestra
Conductors: Allardyce Mallone, Marc Reift
SUISA Recordings: CD7170
Total Playing Time: 47.21
As Monty Python used to say: ‘Now for something completely different.”
And this is certainly different.
Marmite
With that in mind, you have to applaud Patrick Vergères, Raf van Looveron and Harmen Vanhoorne for having the courage to produce a CD that is in many ways, musical Marmite.
The brainchild of Patrick, the inspiration originates from the World Cup singing trio of Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti - three of the best tenors around at the time.
They pumped out the old classics in a way that appealed to millions: Gold topped cream cake singing that fattened up the bank accounts time and time again.
It much the same here – except some of the arrangements are a bit of an acquired taste - and the bank accounts may take a bit more filling.
Highly talented
The three highly talented individuals have all graced the British banding scene in the past few years.
Patrick has played with Cory, Raf won the Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy as 'Best Instrumentalist' at the British Open in 2004, and Harmen has played with Leyland amongst others, and is the reigning British Open Solo and Ern Keller Champion.
They are class acts, and they amply demonstrate wonderful tonality, phrasing, secure technique and lyrical sonority on a recording that brings a smile, as well as the odd grimace, to the face.
Enjoy themselves
The trio certainly enjoy themselves with some fine arrangements from amongst others, Bertrand Moren, and the quality of the individual performance is very good from start to finish.
The accompaniment at times does grate the teeth though - some of the ideas may have looked good on paper....
That said, the familiar potboilers are kept simmering along, whilst the more contemporary offerings do capture the listener's imagination.
Happy
There is music from Mozart, Paganini, Rimsky-Korsakov and Schubert as well as Bizet, Handel and Suba.
It’s happy, perky and a bit different, even if the production edges are as rough as a misplace piece of sandpaper in places.
It still doesn't quite put you off though.
So give a go though and see what you think – you may be a musical Marmite lover all along.
Malcolm Wood
Contents
1. Entrance of the Queen of Sheba, Handel arr. B. Moren, 3.21
2. Ave Maria, Schubert arr. B. Moren, 4.16
3. Queen of the Night’s Aria, Mozart arr. B. Moren, 2.58
4. Bayside, Jerome Naulais, 3.39
5. Fantasy on Themes From Carmen, B. Moren, 6.41
6. Moto Perpetuo, Paganini arr. D. Andrews/B. Moren, 5.04
7. Rondo Alla Turca, Mozart arr. B. Moren, 3.27
8. Flamme and Co, Jerome Naulais, 4.33
9. Klezmer Fantasy, Marcel Saurer, 4.04
10. Flight of the Bumble Bee, Rimsky-Korsakov, arr. B. Moren, 1.37
11. Intermedio, Gimenez arr. Eduardo Suba/B. Moren, 3.38
12. Finale from William Tell, Rossini arr. B. Moren, 3.31
Playing Time: 47.21 mins
