Concert: National Youth Brass Band of Wales

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
30 July 2017

Fanfare for the Common Man
National Youth Brass Band of Wales
Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Guest Soloist: Dewi Griffiths
Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
30 July 2017


Thomas Dunne enjoyed a concert of intellectually stimulating and eclectic proportions from the National Youth Brass Band of Wales under the baton of Ian Porthouse

Year-on-year, the National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW) continues to prove that it is a force to be reckoned with, this year delivering an eclectic and ambitious programme under the expert eye of conductor, Ian Porthouse.
To open, Aaron Copland’s famous Fanfare for the Common Man seized the attention of the audience, demonstrating broad symphonic sounds, before the première of Rhian Samuel’s Mabinogion-inspired Taliesin. The music follows the bizarre tale of the birth of the work’s namesake, following various transformations between creatures. Although the music itself was not quite as unusual as its inspiration, the wistful melodies and gleeful dancing passages gained favour with the audience, whilst also showcasing some fine solo playing amongst the band.

It was then the turn of guest soloist, Dewi Griffiths, to perform Edward Gregson’s formidable Cornet Concerto. From the bugle calls and cadenzas of the Sonata to the cascading playfulness of the Rondo, this performance proved to be a master class in stylistic versatility, dexterous technique and musical interpretation. The Intermezzo proved particularly charming, with Dewi Griffiths touchingly capturing the nostalgic lyrical lines. Finishing the first half with Gavin Higgins’s Fanfares and Love Songs, neat fanfare lines and confident technical delivery contrasted satisfyingly with warm, expressive passages, finely-tuned by an expertly judged reading from Ian Porthouse.

The band seemed to grow in confidence during the second half, effortlessly dispatching the varied delights of William Mathias’s Vivat Regina before the real highlight of the concert - a remarkable rendition of Eric Ball’s classic Journey into Freedom. Encapsulating the emotional turmoil of the opening sections with zeal, the band showed considerable maturity in its approach as the music moved through playful motifs, truly expressive melodies and the heart-warming closing moments.

Just when it appeared that the band had given its all, the concert concluded in a colossal rendition of Philip Wilby’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. A major work unto itself, the piece takes inspiration from Bunyan’s classic text of the same name, featuring superbly performed offstage fanfares and narration throughout. Classic Wilby hallmarks could be heard in the music, with the considerable influence of Vaughn Williams throughout, notably in the epic hymnal finale.

Although a young band with many new members, the NYBBW performed a substantial concert of challenging and intellectually stimulating repertoire with real conviction, and the tremendous audience reaction summarised the quality of a concert that was a real pleasure to behold.

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