RWCM&D Brass Band
Conductor: Dr Robert Childs
Soloist: Ian Bousfield 
RWCM&D, Cardiff
Friday 13th February

The commitment of Dr Robert Childs in bringing world class musicians to Cardiff to inspire students, has come with the added benefit of also enabling audiences to be thrilled by their talents.

Earlier, the RWCM&D Brass Band players enjoyed a masterclass from trombone virtuoso Ian Bousfield. Later, listeners at the Dora Stoutzker Hall were also treated to a display of consummate musicianship. 

His generosity of spirit had seen him fly in from Asia where he had been performing with the all-star Philharmonic Brass. He later admitted that any jetlag would have to wait as he looked forward to spending a couple of weeks rest with his family.  

No lactic acid

There was no lactic acid displayed though by an imposing performance of Buxton Orr’s seminal ‘Trombone Concerto’,  followed in the second half by an appropriately animated rendition of the computer games inspired ‘KirkField Concerto’.

Orr’s work, written for Denis Wick in 1971, is almost a character exploration of the iconic LSO player – complex bravura exclamations and exuberant affirmations set against introspective contemplations and sombre lyricism with hints of Hindemith and Berg.  

Bousfield encapsulated it all in a gloriously immersive interpretation – each phrase individualised to enhance the whole

Bousfield encapsulated it all in a gloriously immersive interpretation – each phrase individualised to enhance the whole; the momentum of the opening ‘Andante con moto’  leading into a central ‘Lento’  with its curious passacaglia underpinning and the strict joyfulness of the ‘Alla Marcia’  close. 

Earworm catnip

As contemporary as it still sounds, the ‘earworm’ immediacy of Grant Kirkhope’s portmanteau titled ‘KirkField Concerto’  (2017) was very much of the now – and of the computer games of ‘Golden Eye’, ‘Donkey Kong 64’ and ‘Perfect Dark’ for which he writes. 

Its deliberately simple pacing is designed to act like catnip to the synapses of the game players, the music adding pulse, drive, pause and delay like the fingertip controls used to claim rewards

Its deliberately simple pacing is designed to act like catnip to the synapses of the game players, the music adding pulse, drive, pause and delay like the fingertip controls used to claim rewards.  The musical fun has a knowing purpose, but the soloist was still the master musical video-gamer.  

Sophisticated

Earlier the band opened with Edward Gregson’s ‘Patterns in Brass’  (1974) – a sophisticated ‘youth’ composition that displayed the nascent rhythmic threads and lyrical weave that was to be heard in later major works.

On what was a demanding programme, Eric Ball’s ‘Journey into Freedom’  was performed with admirable fortitude from soloists and ensemble, whilst the tender expressions of Jonathan Bates’ ‘By Water and the Word’  offered contrast to the upbeat ‘Strike up the Band’  and Fredrick Schelderup’s ‘New Beginnings’  to close.

The fun engaged by Ian Bousfield in taking to the rostrum to conduct the trombone feature ‘I Will Follow Him’  was a tasty sugar lollipop enjoyed by players and audience alike.

Iwan Fox