Concert: Dalmellington Band and The Wallace Collection

Sir James MacMillan, world-renowned composer with great energy and vision, initiated and inspired the Cumnock Tryst, which is a cultural and musical event over four days in various locations, in and around his home town of Cumnock in Ayrshire.

Dalmellington Band presented a programme in the Cumnock Old Church, on this occasion conducted by no less than the director of the English National Opera, Martyn Brabbins. Steering the concert with a most relaxed and informative style, Martyn Brabbins supplied useful insight into the music presented, which included two of his own charming compositions, written as a young man. The two pieces, along with a major work by local lad Jay Capperauld, received their world premières at this event.

In fine form, Dalmellington Band coped admirably with the various styles contained in the programme, whilst Cumnock Old Church provided a perfect setting and acoustic for the Eric Ball classic Resurgam - a beautifully crafted piece with a strong spiritual message, conveyed most effectively by the band and conductor. Another test-piece from another era, Herbert Howells magnificent Suite From Pageantry, from my point of view worked successfully at the conductor’s more sedate tempi, which revealed the essence and nobility of the piece.

At the centre of this feast was the Jay Capperauld composition, As above, so below, commissioned by The Wallace Collection for brass band and brass quintet, which portrays the world of the supernatural entwined with the physical surroundings of Earth to imply an ‘essential oneness'. On this night featuring The Wallace Collection, positioned around the galleries of the church, the music abounds with rhythmic and harmonic complexity along with antiphonal effects from the ensemble, which also doubled on handbells. In addition to coping with the technical challenge of simply playing the notes, the band was also required to produce vocal chanting. There was something ‘Stravinskian’ in the structure and harmonic palate of this fine work, which produced an extraordinary listening experience, for which the large audience showed its appreciation for the young composer present with prolonged applause and much foot stamping. Jay’s musical language has much to say and many will watch his compositional development with great interest.

Mendelssohn’s Overture from Fingal’s Cave and Gustav Holst’s march from his popular A Moorside Suite provided the perfect end to a concert for which thanks go to the organisers and performers. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. More next year please, Sir James.

ROBERT DIBDEN

 
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