This CD can be purchased at: http://www.worldofbrass.com/acatalog/25394.html
Retrospectives can be cruel as well as sympathetic reminders of the passing of time: Thankfully, this imposing release from Black Dyke is very much the latter.
30 years after ‘Dimensions’ first appeared at the Area Championships, Peter Graham remains one of the movement’s most significant compositional voices; his latest opus, which gives this release its resonant title, enabling the Queensbury band to produce a stunning own choice winning performance at the 2014 European Championships in Perth.
Time line
Black Dyke has enjoyed a close working relationship with the composer for a number of years, so this particular ‘time’ line appropriately takes you back to Scotland and their victory at the 1990 European Championship in Falkirk.
‘The Essence of Time’, inspired by Chapter 3 of the Book Ecclesiastes, has become something of a test piece standard - a cleverly realised series of variations that attempt to capture the individual characteristics of each ‘purpose’ from the biblical quote.
It is given a spacious interpretation by Prof Childs - the final ‘Time for Peace’ played with elegant nobility, the culmination of increasingly purposeful variants.
Different context
‘On Alderley Edge’ is also inspired by the triumph of good over evil, although in a slightly different context. The portrayal of myth and legend draws upon local folklore as well as parallels with the tone poems of romantic German opera - notably Weber’s ‘Der Freischutz' .
Once again, the MD engages a rich seam of darkly tempered musicality; broad, elegant, refined - the final statement an apotheosis of commanding power.
Addendums
Both works come with their own musical addendum: Zoe Hancock providing a luscious account of ‘A Time for Peace’ (although it’s first heard in its test piece form in ‘A Time to Mourn’), whilst Katrina Marzella is equally impressive with ‘The Holy Well’, which is first heard in duet form in the initial work.
Temporal mystery
Graham’s highly descriptive concert works, full of colourfully realised ideas, have also gained him fans around the banding globe. Although ‘Voyage to Unknown Worlds’ is not inspired by his well known love of science fiction writing, it does explore temporal mysteries.
Commissioned for the New York Staff Band’s 125th anniversary, and amended for this release, the tale of Graham’s grandfather setting sail for America is full of vivid imagination; a journey of graphic excitement and evocative promise, played with subtle, malleable ease.
Crowning glory
There is no mystery though about ‘The Triumph of Time’; the crowning glory of Graham’s maturity as a brass band composer.
In many ways it is the culmination of his anthology - a linear connection that stretches back to 1990 like a Stephen Hawking inspired elliptical equation.
It is a composition of musical horology - clocks and timepieces, eras and eons; fearsomely technical, engagingly musical.
It is also a more considered work to enjoy on repeated hearing - the obvious ‘bling’ and clever effects (neatly created by Richard Scott) can at first obscure the inner workings of his compositional mechanism, but not for long. It is a triumph in every sense of the word.
With Black Dyke on confident, classy form throughout, it rounds off a substantial release in imperious fashion.
Steve Jack
Track List:
1. The Essence of Time
2. A Time for Peace (flugel soloist Zoe Hancock)
3. On Alderley Edge
4. The Holy Well (baritone soloist Katrina Marzella)
5. Voyage to Worlds Unknown
6. The Triumph of Time
