DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS PERFORMANCE PORTFOLIO ...

CD
, I: e e, F. - -f tA
by Martin Ellerby
-ýi iestival oi Music
The Regimental Band of Her
Majesty's Coldstream Guarcis
conducted by 'ýIajor Graharn 0.
Jones XIBE
Having previously made the rounds of
British Knights', SRC now embark on
further recordings, commencing with this
qne disc of music by Gordon Jacob (1895-
1984). Jacob is well known to numerous
music undergraduates for his articulate
and informative introductory treatise on
)rchestration. After being discharged
'rom the army, Jacob studied with
Stanford, Parry Howells and Vaughan
liams at London's Royal College of
sic, where he eventually taught the
iext generation of composers, including
ýIalcolrn Arnold, Elizabeth Maconchy and
Joseph Horovitz - the latter to become
nentor to this reviewer many years later!
Jacob worked across the board, his wide
ind varied output including symphonies,
'oncertos, chamber and choral music, film
; cores and a huge and consistently
mpressive amount of music for military
)and - now wind or concert band in
nodern parlance.
rhe CD opens with Jacob's first
: ontribution to the concert band medium
%ith An Original Suite (1928), three
iistinctive movements comprising a
-larch, Intermezzo and Finale. Next
ollows the overture Alexandra Palace
nade more accessible by being adapted
-%st tastefilBy) at a later date by
, eoffrey Brand. The band's principal
: uphonium player, LCpl John Storey, then
-kes centre stage to perform the Fantasia
: )r Euphonium, doing so with great
: plomb in a work that is both searching
Tid ultimately a very satisfying
xperience. The three movement Concerto
)r Band (1968), with tempo titles only,
ollows, opening with an Allegro, followed
,ya touching Adagio before being
oncluded with a rousing Allegro con brio.
'he next work is the intriguing eleven
: 1ovement Music for a Festival here rarely
ecorded in full. Commissioned to
elebrate the 1951 Festival of Britain, this
;a real 'military-music'fest. The work
hernates between brass choir and full
and making great use of the resources
N-aflable to the composer when writing
)ýrKch an unusual combination of
I- ments. To conclude the disc is The
arional Anthem with fanfare introduction
omposed for the Coronation of Queen
ý_zabeth 11 in 1953.
The liner notes to this CD are extTemely
comprehensive, and as you should all be
acquiring this recording I shall not lose
space repeating them here. What I shall
say, however, is that it is a great project
that SRC has embarked upon. I have to
confess to being unfamiliar with much of
Jacob's music before this CD, but it proves
to be a real discovery: a
composer of
impeccable technique
and invention and a
master of the occasion
who never becomes
predictable or
disengaging. He is also
weD served here by fine
playing from the
Coldstream Guards and
the efficient soloists
that emerge
throughout, all
sensitively recorded
The Coldstream Guards are proud to record with SRC,
'producers of classic n-dhtary band recordings'
SRC's entire catalogue is available from
wNvw. specialistrecording. com
and produced by Mike Purton. Over
twenty years after his demise, Jacob lives
on through his glorious music, which
celebrates the joy of humanity at its best.
He undoubtedly deserves a wider
audience than he possibly gets. Hopefully
this recording will pre-empt a reappraisal
of. Jacob's contribution to British music in
I,...
many fields. Here
stands an artist of
refinement, whose
(93)
music commands a
ueater salute from far
-nore of us - certainly
'iere the Coldstream
Guards, under the
lirection of Major
ýones, deliver the
, ', oods: bravo all! I
iook forward with
interest to further
issues in this series -
kvho will be next?
British Wind
Band Music
13th Sept 05
7: 30pm
Conductor Major
Graham Jones MBE
Prograrnme:
Coi)ý-erto For Band-Jacob
Music For A Festival-Jacob
Interval
Duke of Cambridge
Mardi-Arnold
Paris Sketches-Ellerby
-Cries of London-Ellerby
(World Premiere)
Tickets:
f: 16/: EI2/f8
Plus Concessions
The Box Office,
St. John's, Smith Square,
London SWIP 3HA
Tel: 020 7222 1061
,, A, %. vw. sjss. org. uk
Pre-order your
Coldstream Guards
CD's/ DVID on our hotline
02074143299
Contact us:
Tel: 02074143269
Coldstream Guards Band,
ýVollmFton Barracks,
-,...,. -., .. a
Bird cage Walk,
London,
SVV1E 6HQ