At present there is a great deal of debate about the urgent need to maintain investment in youth music provision on both sides of the Atlantic divide - with Bramwell Tovey championing the cause with eloquent defiance against the bureaucrats and bean counters.

However, as much as we can rejoice in the excellence of the end product, the argument will surely be undermined by a fatal lack of support from the listening public.

Disappointing

It was therefore disappointing to see the cream of the UKs youthful brass banding talent perform such a challenging and enjoyable programme in front of a pitifully small audience in Weston super Mare. 

Those who did attend certainly gave supportive enthusiasm, pride and passion even - but there is surely something going wrong somewhere if the National Youth Band, conducted by Bramwell Tovey and featuring Dudley Bright as guest soloist can only attract around 200 people to one of its showcase concerts. 

Tremendous form

The point was accentuated as the band was on tremendous form: from the first fanfare flourishes of Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Fantasy for Brass Band’ right through to the climactic chords of Peter Graham’s major new work, ‘Metropolis 1927’.

The MD’s desire to expand the musical horizons of his talented players to all points of the compositional compass also saw a welcome detour to the rather forgotten world of Imogen Holst: Her paternally inspired suite, ‘The Unfortunate Traveller’ and the sprightly ‘The Glory of the West’  both infused with an elegant, well crafted sense of bucolic whimsy.

Refined balance

Arnold’s underrated National’s test piece was delivered with a refined balance of brio and melancholy, although Peter Graham’s ‘Harrison’s Dream’ sometimes rocked upon its longitudinal waves, despite the excellent contributions from all the leading solo lines.

Hugh Robertson’s ‘All in the April Evening’ was delightfully phrased with warmth and subtle tenderness, whilst the substantial ‘Pursuing Horizons’ was neatly contrasted; the purposeful energy and mercurial flow balanced by contemplation and exultant final attainment.

Dudley Bright’s focussed orchestral tonality was splendidly showcased in ‘Life’s Command’ and a tasteful bit of acrobatic work on ‘Thoughts of Love’, before the evening was rounded off with Peter Graham’s musical picture portrait, inspired by the iconic images of Fritz Lang’s iconic 1927 sci-fi film ‘Metropolis’   

Decadent consumption

The music does not attempt to imitate the highly symbolic sense of morality Lang created on screen; instead, splendidly recreating the sense of mechanical wonderment, decadent consumption, gothic beauty and louche Weimar Republic sleaziness that the Marxist director both loathed and feared. 

It was given a fabulous premiere - with excellent solo contributions throughout the band (especially sop and tuned percussion) as well as sharply focused ensemble work, which included a ‘Cabaret’ detour that could have come out of the pages of the Christopher Isherwood novel.

Best example

It provided a tremendous finale to a concert  that was the best example possible to any bean counting bureaucrat, that funding excellence isn’t all about numbers - although it was also a timely reminder to listeners that these talented youngsters deserve the greatest possible support possible.

Iwan Fox