A staple of the Brass Arts Festival from its inception, the Royal Greenwich Brass Band brought an attractive and varied selection of music, opening with the march ‘Red Shield’.  

It was a robust start, revealing a full, round sound, although the cornets were a little overshadowed at times.

Little known Gregson

Edward Gregson’s ‘Music for Greenwich’ originated as incidental music for the play ‘Altogether Now’, featuring conflict in a band following the appointment of a new conductor (never, you my say!).  

The rather astringent chords at the opening called for spot-on intonation and the band did not disappoint.  The ensemble and ensuing solo work was first class, and it was good to hear this little known work.

Lyrical soloist

In Jon Frank the band has an excellent solo horn player, and he delighted the audience with Leidzen’s ‘The Old Rustic Bridge’, marrying an exemplary technique with a luscious, warm sound.  The band also coped well with the subtleties of the accompaniment.

Irish interlude

Band members suggested ‘Gaelforce’, and it received an enthusiastic and committed reading, the percussion section reveling in the driving rhythms of the outer movements, whilst a member of the audience cited the central rendition of ‘The Minstrel Boy’ as being their personal highlight of the afternoon.

This was followed by ‘Jeg elsker Dig’ (I Love You), one of Grieg’s many song settings.  Len Ballantine initially produced a choral version and later transcribed the music for band, giving the opportunity for a performance demonstrating delicacy and finesse.

Impressive finale

Stephen Maw explained that, despite a long and distinguished performing career as a bassoonist, he is not a good audience member, and would be appalled at the prospect of sitting through a five-hour Wagner opera.  

He could, however, cope with brief extracts such as ‘Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral’.  The band’s rendition was nicely controlled, with the presence of a couple of French horns bringing added bloom to the sound.  The soloists all impressed and the music rose to a magnificent final climax.

The audience was then treated to an entertaining encore, as two complementary soloists were featured in ‘Post Horn Galop’, making good use of the layout of the hall.

Peter Bale