Denis Wick: A life celebrated as it was lived 

Featuring: The Royal Academy of Music Trombone Ensemble; Slide Action; Connaught Brass
Soloists: Brett Baker; Matt Gee; Christopher Houlding
Accompanist: Elliot Launn 
Conductors: Dudley Bright; Eric Crees
Regent Hall 
London
Thursday 5th June

There was nothing forlorn in the reflection associated to the memories evoked in appreciation of the talent, vision and humour that made Denis Wick, who died earlier this year aged 93, such a compelling figure.

Instead, this concert was an utterly affirming celebration of the perennial relevance and enduring influence of one of the brass world’s iconic figures who enjoyed a life of immense fulfilment –  husband, father, player, teacher and entrepreneur.

Insight and mischief

His son Stephen, alongside his playing protege Eric Crees drew the musical and business strands together in curating a programme of touchstone associations that continue to fuel his legacy.

Instead, this concert was an utterly affirming celebration of the perennial relevance and enduring influence of one of the brass world’s iconic figures who enjoyed a life of immense fulfilment –  husband, father, player, teacher and entrepreneur.

Isobel Daws, Brett Baker and Eric himself spoke of lessons that mixed telling insight with mischief, the music the eloquent testament to his far reaching talents.

The audience, made up of family, friends and associates was provided with performances the former principal trombone of the London Symphony Orchestra would have relished.

His link to composer Gordon Jacob was marked with the ‘Trombone Octet’  (1981) performed with splendid verve by the Royal Academy of Music Trombone Ensemble directed by Dudley Bright. Denis Wick may have been somewhat frustrated by his teacher Sid Langston in his time there, but his own commitment to student education has been manifest.

 Denis Wick may have been somewhat frustrated by his teacher Sid Langston in his time there, but his own commitment to student education has been manifest.

Majesty and character

Brett Baker evoked the majesty of the first movement of Jacob’s ‘Trombone Concerto’  (which he premiered in 1955), whilst his link to Scottish composer Buxton Orr (who wrote his ‘Trombone Concerto’  for him in 1971) came with wonderfully characterised rendition of ‘5 Sketches for 4 Trombones’  played by the Slide Action ensemble.

Matt Gee and Christopher Houlding provided contrasting displays of musicality (aided by a superb accompanist in Elliot Launn) in the personal favourites of the virtuosic ‘Allegro’  from George Theophilus Walker’s ‘Trombone Concerto’  (1957)  and the touching aria ‘Pierrot’s Tanzlied’  from ‘Die tote Stadt’  by Erich Korngold.  

It was the perfect reminder of the remarkable musical hinterland Denis Wick embraced and a legacy that will continue to be felt, enjoyed and built upon for generations to come. 

Hinterland

His own arrangement of ‘A Moorside Suite’  played by the Connaught Brass quintet was a nod to the brass band movement (one whose sound he helped revolutionise with his mouthpiece ranges in the 1970s), before the massed finale directed by Eric Crees and the joyful, witty vibrancy of Pete Smith’s arrangements of classic pop songs from the 1969 Album ‘Bones Galore’.

It was the perfect reminder of the remarkable musical hinterland Denis Wick embraced (he played alto trombone on the release) and a legacy that will continue to be felt, enjoyed and built upon for generations to come. 

Iwan Fox