Brass Arts Festival 09
ISB in concert @ Regent Hall - Friday 16 October 2009
It was one day before the National Brass Band Championship and brass lovers of every variety filled The Salvation Army’s Regent Hall corps in the hope of catching a glimpse into the mind of this year’s composer of the test piece “The Torchbearer”, Professor Peter Graham.
Anticipation filled the air as the International Staff Band under the direction of Bandmaster Stephen Cobb opened the mini concert with a sizzling rendition of Graham’s “The Ambassadors”. Peter wrote this during his tenure with The Salvation Army in New York for the New York Staff Band’s world tour in 1982.
The concert proved to be an interactive event with Peter chairing the program, sharing tidbits of insight regarding himself, his compositional process and greatest influences. Peter shared openly that the two greatest influences on his life and work are Erik Leidzen and Eric Ball. The program for the mini concert reflected this with musical choices such as “The Triumph of Peace”, “The song of the Brother”, “Torchbearers” and “Star Lake”. The remainder of the concert was made up of Peter’s Music, “Ad Optimum” written for Bandmaster James Williams, “St. Theresa”, “Blazon” and the world premier of “Seize the Day” written most recently for the International Staff Band. This was a very exciting piece of music brimming full of the quintessential effervescence we know as Graham.
The International Staff Band were exquisite. Under Bandmaster Cobb’s expert direction they were tight and exciting. For me though, “St. Theresa” captured my attention with the band’s tender and delicate performance. However, while the concert itself, the International Staff Band, and Bandmaster Stephen Cobb were all very exciting, they could not outshine the main event, the workshop session on the test piece “The Torchbearer”.
This was the reason people made their way to Oxford Street on a busy Friday afternoon for a concert at 3:00 p.m. The opportunity to sit at the feet of any composer and catch a glimpse of the mind behind the music is such a rare thing. No wonder Regent Hall was practically full.
Peter described “The Torchbearer” as a pastiche, a study of Eric Ball. The Staff Band played the march “Torchbearers” in order to set the stage for Peter. He explained the melody of the trio section was the basis for the creation of his test piece. This melody was displayed on screens for everyone to see. Peter went on to further dissect the melody into interesting fragments revealing his compositional process. He used these fragments to create new melodies and indeed entire sections.
The Staff Band played snippets of the piece, highlighting Peter’s process. He went on to talk about the importance of the double appoggiatura in Ball’s music and so naturally this device was evident in the test piece. Also evident are references to other pieces by Ball. Although some of these may be quite deliberate on Peter’s behalf, I think others that are inferred are a direct result of Peter’s own ability to develop material much in the same fashion as Eric Ball would have developed his own material, making this test piece a true study of Eric Ball – a true pastiche - not merely a patchwork quilt of “Ball” ideas.
If it can be said that anyone has been able to get into the mind of Eric Ball, I think it can be said that Peter Graham has in his piece “The Torchbearer”. However, while this piece is rich in Ball sonorities it is not devoid of Graham. Peter’s own personality, sonorities and ideas blend with Ball’s to create a beautiful, rich, memorable score.
Graham graciously made it clear he did not want the Staff Band to play his test piece in its entirety. He wanted to save that particular joy of playing the world premier performance to band number one the following day. He thanked Bandmaster Stephen Cobb and the International Staff Band for their excellent playing and for their support.
Special mention should be made of Bandsman Dudley Bright (Principal Trombone with the LSO) and Bandsman Philip Cobb (Co-Principal Trumpet with the LSO) both of whom assisted the International Staff Band on the day.
If you missed this concert, you missed the essence of Graham, and indeed the National Brass Band contest.
Report by Dorothy Gates (principal trombone: New York Staff Band)
2009/10/31