The excellent Symphonic Brass from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force broke new ground in making their debut in the Regent Hall lunchtime concert series, presenting a programme incorporating works for quintet as well as large ensemble.
The conducting was shared between Principal Director of Music Duncan Stubbs and Matt Little, who first came to prominence as a vocalist but who has now taken on the role of Director of Music.
Challenging opening
The quintet opened with James MacMillan's 'Exsultet', a challenging work that made good use of the acoustic possibilities of the hall. The music developed from a long, quiet note from indefatigable tuba player Jonathan Gawn, with others joining from the bottom up. Later, soft chords from the lower brass alternated with piercing contributions from the trumpets.
Fanfare, Toccata and Dance
'Fanfare for Youth' introduced the larger group, including percussion, as energetic figures were followed by a striking trumpet solo with trombone and glockenspiel accompaniment.
Denis Wick's arrangement of Heaton's 'Toccata' was well played, but it seemed a bit of a hybrid; falling between the full band version and the original written for brass sextet.
Lighter music followed with 'Dancing Dolly', a movement from a suite in progress from the pen of Duncan Stubbs. Inspired by one of his daughter's toys it included a lilting waltz and a bright tango, with changing metres, before ending quietly with the tuba and trombones.
From Russia and the USA
Russian music came next, with a fine rendition of 'Procession of the Nobles' - notable for the crisp articulation and a sparkling piccolo trumpet topping things off. In contrast, Michael Kamen's 'Quintet', written for Canadian Brass, offered a moment of quiet reflection, led by a fine French horn, but with each member taking the lead in due course.
From the repertoire developed for Superbrass came 'Los Canarios'. The lively Spanish number is based on a guitar piece, but here it saw the tuba setting up a rhythmic pattern for the others to build on with the tambourine adding extra Iberian flavour.
Romanticism
Richard Strauss was noted for his use of brass, and 'Fanfare' was put together from the opening of 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' and 'Alpine Symphony'.
After the familiar opening, the excellent horns shone ahead of some prominent solo work for the trumpets. The ensemble produced gorgeous sounds, set off by some wonderfully flamboyant timpani playing - although the piece as a whole did not seem particularly coherent.
As an encore, well-cropped hair was let down with 'All Night Long', with Duncan Stubbs joining the percussion section and encouraging the audience, larger than usual to clap along. It rounded off a concert of first class entertainment.
Peter Bale
