Sunday morning's concert presentation by the RNCM Brass Band was completely different to any other event that took place over the entire weekend.

Although there was a relaxed informality about proceedings as Paul Hindmarsh chatted to Anthony Payne and Elgar Howarth about their compositions, and how in Howarth’s celebrated case, Grimethorpe performed his and other contemporary composer’s works, there was also a deep sense of artistic engagement that permeated the playing from start to finish.

Inspired

That was very much due to an inspired James Gourlay (as he was all weekend in fact) who directed the  RNCM Brass Band with wonderful immediacy (helped by the decision to seat them in a fanned arc formation), and which gained a fruitful response from his young players.

Oliver Waespi's 'Traversada', with its Romansh folk song inspired links and connections was given a delightful performance - full of nuance and atmosphere, contrasting lyricism and pulsating drive (a real feature of the composer’s writing) in equal measure. 

Another miss

It is a great pity the brass band movement has not heard more of the music of Anthony Payne; ‘Fire on Whaleness’ revealing yet another lost opportunity to utilise a forward thinking, progressive musical voice for the medium, who is now nearly 70 years of age.

Only a trio of works have come from his pen - with this tone poem, first performed by Grimethorpe in 1976 under the baton of Elgar Howarth. 

Superbly scored, the threatening evocativeness of the piece coupled with sad fanfares and the concluding funeral scene taken from the Beowulf legend, made for a challenging, but intensely rewarding listening experience.

Same impression

It was the same impression you were left with after hearing a welcome reprise of Harrison Birtwistle’s, 'Salford Toccata’ - a densely written piece of austere contrasts and pacy, beguiling soundscapes which was delivered with a great deal of artistic as well as technical aplomb by performers for whom the musical language is so transparently relevant and accessible.  

It rounded off an all too short, engaging and highly enjoyable presentation concert of great merit.

Malcolm Wood