Gloucester
Seven o’clock on a warm Saturday evening and the band have just entered onto the platform. A certain air of excitement and expectancy abounded; the opportunity to play to a capacity audience in an Army hall is one that the band seems to relish. Paul Sharman’s Psalm of Thanks was used as the opener for the very first time. Written for Birmingham Citadel Band, the full-bodied sound of the cornets in the opening bars brought an exhilarating start to Saturday night’s festival.
The first soloist up was Principal Cornet Kevin Ashman. He chose to play Gullidge’s Jubilate, taken from the upcoming 1940’s CD from the Heritage Series that the band is undertaking. Kevin showed versatility and utmost technical ability from the very involved opening, and his performance was followed by three ovations – a first in my time! Next up was Derick Kane, longstanding principal euphonium for over 33 years, who played Canaan’s Land – an intended pun! Derick proved his outstanding reputation for musicality and sheer technical brilliance in this three-movement work written for him by Peter Graham. His top F resounded around the building easily over the final note of the band!
The first half was brought to a close with a brand new piece from the pen of Kenneth Downie; Variations on a Celestial Theme. Written in Ken’s inimitable style, the diverse variations explore all aspects of the brass band, musically challenging every player.
The audience returned to a congregational song Sound the Battle Cry, arranged by Dorothy Gates and first used by the Territorial Youth Band only a couple of weeks prior. The second half was somewhat lighter in style, starting with a contemporary march from Martin Cordner – South Shields Celebration. Other items included In Christ Alone (Martin Cordner) and Ein Feste Burg (Andrew Mackereth). Flugel horn soloist Richard Woodrow astounded the audience with his range in So Glad!, which was originally made ‘his own’ by the previous occupant of that seat, Robert Foster.
The trombone ensemble There is a Redeemer was written by Ralph Pearce in response to the atrocities of 9/11, and the sensitive playing of the section, combined with appropriate PowerPoint images, led to an appropriate silent appreciation. The last programmed piece was Seize the Day, written for the ISB very recently and recorded on The Peter Graham Collection. Following the benediction, the band proceeded to finish with Wilfred Heaton’s Praise, a classic march with many intricacies, which brought the house down.
Having returned from billets, rested and well fed, Sunday began in a suitably reflective manner by means of a Prayer Meeting. This was led by Lieut-Colonel David Hinton, Executive Officer, and led into morning worship. It was with sadness we learned of the Promotion to Glory of a faithful servant of the Corps, Eric Matthews, father of Bandmaster Cliff Matthews. It was our privilege, however, to witness the public enrolment as a soldier of Eric’s youngest granddaughter, who did so with the congregation and band as her witnesses. The words associated with the band’s epilogue The Lord is Gracious (trs. Olaf Ritman) seemed to be appropriately fitting –
The Lord is gracious, abounding in perfect love.
He offers his compassion still to those who trust his name.
(Darren Bartlett)
Unfortunately the planned Open Air meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions, which meant that bandsmen and lady could go back to billets for lunch and refreshment prior to the afternoon festival.
It was a delight to be playing to a nearly full hall again on Sunday afternoon and the band opened with Let Everything Praise, an exhilarating and exciting piece from Martin Cordner, which was premièred at the Gospel Arts Festival 2009. Carl Neilson featured the cornet solo Crossroad (Stephen Bulla) and the euphonium solo Home on the Range (Erik Ledizén) was played expertly by Jonathan Evans.
It is always encouraging to have the support of a local section, and Gloucester Songster Brigade provided a sensitive reading of Norman Bearcroft’s The well is deep. Although missing one of their basses, the unaccompanied singing was superb.
The ISB presented two more items from the upcoming 1940’s CD, Minneapolis IV (Emil Söderström) and Portraits from St Paul’s Epistles (Bramwell Coles). Both very much pieces of their day, with a fresh, but authentic, reading, the latter formed a fitting crux to the afternoon’s programme. Kenneth Downie’s arrangement of In the Love of Jesus achieved a sensitive atmospheric conclusion, prior to the message by the Colonel. The band finished with Blazon, written by Peter Graham for the ISB’s centenary in 1991, and also featured on his Collection.
We were at the completion of what, for some, was a local weekend. On reflection it was an inspiration to have visited a Corps with such a wealth of Salvation Army heritage, and which upholds standards of music ministry in these days to the glory of God – the sole aim of the International Staff Band.
Report by Staff Bandsman Anthony Smith
2010/03/03