Review: Cory Band at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival

A Cinetmatic Adventure from the Cory Band at the RNCM Brass Band Festival

The Cory Band and Musical Director, Philip Harper, offered an adventurous programme that took the audience on a journey of epic proportions.

Anno 1920 by Philip Harper

From the first note, we were off to a rip-roaring start with a cinematic curtain-raiser from the pen of the band's MD, Philip Harper. The sparkling work was originally commissioned for Brass Band Feldmusik Knutwil in Switzerland for its centenary in 2020. It was the perfect opener to what was a blockbuster concert.

Orbital by Richard Blackford (World Premiere)

The next piece was a world premiere that has been over a year in the making. Orbital was part of a collaborative initiative between Cory Band, Tredegar Band, The Cooperation and Flowers, as part of an initative to work with composers who haven't previously written for brass band.

The work is inspire d by the novel of the same name by Samantha Harvey, which depicts the journey of a group of astronauts as they orbit the earth.

The opening was a swirling, dark affair, before our rocket burst into life and we were off at an incredible pace. Impressively virtuosic solo moments from Principal Cornet and Euphoniums followed before the pace slowed and a lyrical trombone solo emerges reflecting a similar cold, dark nature to the opening. A sonorous baritone solo followed, before gorgeous little solo interludes offered by Principal Cornet, Flugel and Horn.

Trombones present and adventurous motif that is passed around the band, section by section.

Before we know it, it is time to return to earth in a dramatic and energetic race, punctuated with metallic clashes in percussion and layers of technical passages weaved together before we build into a huge chord and end on a final, emphatic flourish.

An outstanding ensemble performance by the band with some incredible solo offerings, set within a really testing, but incredibly engaging new work for brass band.

Light Fantastic - Concerto for Trombone and Brass Band by Philip Wilby

The featured soloist for the Cory Band's concert was their solo trombone, Brett Baker.

The work was commissioned in memory of Canon Dr Colin Harrison, at the request of his widow. The brief was seemingly simple, a trombone concerto about dancing. The movements take us through a variety of musical styles inspired by dances, such as ballet and jive.

The title comes from a quote by Shakespeare, and the first movement takes inspiration from one of his comedic actors, Will Kemp, who apparently morris-danced from London all the way to Norwich - as you do. A bold opening statement starts this piece, with warm supporting accompaniment from the band and a steady pulse set by the timpani beneath the ensemble. A huge chord then breaks away revealing a trombone cadenza that emerges from within the band's diminuendo with impressive control.

It's a very colourful work that shows off the technical prowess of the soloist and explores the full register and timbre of the trombone. A highlight was the really impressive use of harmon mute to create playful, rhythmic effects.

We moved away from the cheekiness of the previous movement into a softer, slower adagio, where the soloist presented a romantic slow melody that sings passionately above the thinly-scored accompaniment from horns and lower brass.

Another inventive use of the harmon mute with use of the 'wah-wah' effect, takes us into a bounding, funky jazzy section, complete with drum kit, which I absolutely LOVED! An impressive display of musical effects pained the picture of a conversation followed by laughter and the dismay of a person who loves dancing, but isn't particularly adept at it - a clear musical personification of the Harrison.

As if the soloist hasn't already proven his technical abilities, he throws another fiendish cadenza in for good measure before we head into a showstopper finale.

This was the most unique trombone concerto, I have ever heard. It was immensely inventive and you can clearly hear the inspiration that was outlined in the composer's introduction. However, the only way the audience could see the work's subject come to life was through the skilled delivery from the concert's soloist.

Descent by Mark Boden (World Premiere of the Brass Band Version)

Originally written for orchestra with the intention of showing off the unique abilities of each section, Boden then rewrote the original material for a brass band settling with the same intention.

Declarative opening solos from euphonium, horn and flugel, started the work before the band worked up to a driven, energeting section created with a motif of ascending quavers.

Another round of solo offerings from euphonium followed by Principal Cornet and Solo Baritone showed off their stability and sound in the upper register.

As we approached the end of the piece we moved back into that driven energy from earlier in the piece before a stomp of an ending.

Raveling, Unraveling by Philip Sparke

Ten years after the band played the world premiere of this work at the Europeans, the Cory Band returned to perform it for the audience at the RNCM International Brass Band Festival.

Compared to other works in Sparke's catalogue, Raveling, Unraveling, feels more explorative in nature, utilising elements from Ravel's writings and playing about with them - a quotation here, an element embedded within a wider section there, whilst tinkering with the unique sounds a brass band can produce to create a colourful soundscape. The waltz sections with lush features from Principal Cornet, two flugels and horn is just delightful.

We know Sparke can write incredibly enjoyable and engaging works for band, but I feel this piece just highlights his musical genius and the fast range of his compositional ability.

A blockbuster of a programme from Cory!

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