DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS PERFORMANCE PORTFOLIO ...

Coldstream Guards Band
ý)erform
concert of British Music
St. John's, Smith Square, London
Tuesday 13th September
Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards
under the baton of Director of Music, Major
Graham Jones M. B. E. performed a wonderful and
far reaching concert of music by British composers at
St. John's Smith Square on Tuesday 13th September.
The first half of the evening was dedicated to the music of the I
Dr Gordon Jacob, fittingly with some of his family amongst the
audience. The second half featured two works from one of the
band world's leading composers (I use this term to encompass
bands of all types), Martin Ellerby, plus Malcolm Arnold's H. R. H.
Duke of Cambridge March. So the concert's title 'British Wind Band
Music' was fully justified.
The concert opened with Gordon Jacob's Concerto for Band, a
three movement work - Allegro, Adagio and Allegro, written for
3the US Navy Band and premi&red in 1968 conducted by Sir VKian
Dunn. The sound and quality of the band was evident right from
the beginning of this fine work, with both brass and woodwind
showing what high quality players there are around the stand.
Special mention must be made of the band's Solo Euphonium
player John Storey and the gentlemen of the horn section.
0
The second Jacob work was a true tour de force - Musicfor a
Festival, commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain for the
Festival of Britain in 1951 and first performed at the Royal Festival
Hall by the Massed Bands of the Brigade of Guards and the
Fanfare Trumpets of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller
Hall. This seven movement, 35 minute work features a trumpet
and trombone group, allegedly of more than 50 for the premi&re
but for indoor purposes needing to be reduced. On this occasion
the Coldstream Guards mustered six trombones and nine
trumpets. The brass, as one may imagine, had a great time,
showing excellent control and musicality, particularly when
negotiating the complexities of the 2rd and 3rd movements, the
Overture and Round Table respectively
Following the interval and the opening march by Arnold, the
IDevening belonged to Martin Ellerby This reAewer feels proud to
have commissioned Mr Ellerby on two occasions in the last five
years to compose major brass band works, both of which have
received great acclaim and many subsequent perfornances, surely
a hallmark of quality compositions. The two major works
performed to conclude the concert were both tributes in their own
way to major European cities: Paris - Paris Sketches and London -
The Cries of London, the world premi6re performance.
Paris Sketches was composed for the 1994 BASBWE Conference
and performed by an Honours Band conducted by Clark Rundell
at University of Huddersfield. The work is in three movements,
depicting three areas of Paris: Pigafle, Pýre Lachaise (incidentally
the cemetery where Hector Berlioz and Adolphe Sax are buried)
and Les Halles.
The final work, the musical pinnacle of the evening, is the latest
from the pen of Martin Ellerby. Cries of London is a six movement
work and depicts various London scenes, with the final movement
entitled Hymn being an arrangement of the British National
Anthem. Two of the six movements are preludes and personalise
the band's work as they are bugle calls of the Coldstearn Guards -
Dawn Watch (movement 1) and Evening Watch (movement 5).
The second movement - Westminister Chimes paints a musical
picture of the famous chimes just around the comer from the
concert venue. The third and fourth, A Dream or Two (A Song for
The Regimental Band of The Coldstream Guards.
London), based on London Bridge is Falling Down, was well
delivered by the band's male vocalist. Catch that Catch Can, is a
Scherzo based on a series of 'rounds' written in the 17th and 18th
century by London composers. The final movement Hymn is a
creative arrangement of the British National Anthem. The work,
the composer, the band and conductor received a prolonged
ovation following the performance. Another fine original work by
Mr Ellerby!
The Coldstream Guards Band and their Director of Music, Major
Graham Jones deserve great praise for presenting such an
evening of original music and for encouraging Martin Ellerby to
write for Military Band. Bravo to all those involved with such a
creative venture.
, ý*9rl W E- LL
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74
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a. lhudral-,, r. ý, uL4 om
(161)
Philip Biggs
The Brass Herald October 2005 71