CD: Black Dyke Gold Vol. 8

CD of the Month September 2019

BLACK DYKE GOLD VOLUME VIII
Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Professor Nicholas J. Childs
Doyen: DOY CD395
Buy this CD here!

The Black Dyke Band’s popular Gold CD series continues, setting the tone with a bright and breezy take on Blaze Away. An old favourite is then revisited in The Force of Destiny, in a performance of extreme contrasts, ranging from full-blooded power, to delicately refined lyricism. Even if it does get a bit ‘muscular’ at times, no one could doubt the excitement of the delivery.

As always, the disc showcases a fine selection of soloists from around the band. Principal cornet, Richard Marshall, delivers the filigree technique of Terry Camsey’s jovial Melody of the Heart with characteristic ease, preceding the warm tone of solo horn, Siobhan Bates, in the nostalgic lines of A Celtic Promise by Philip Harper. Later on, solo trombone, Brett Baker, delivers the stylish musical fireworks of the thoroughly charming Thoughts of Love by Arthur Pryor, with some most impressive cadenza work.

There is a further array of impressive items on show, including a particularly fine performance of Howard Snell’s Le Cid, sophisticated in approach, yet full of bubbling energy. The Black Dyke at the Movies trio of Harry Potter, For Your Eyes Only, and Wheel of Fortune provides some easy listening, before an elegant arrangement of Poeme by Fibich, which flows effortlessly.

Without doubt, however, the highlight of the disc is the studio recording of The God Particle by Rolf Rudin, a piece the band knows very well as the set test from its European Championships victory in 2015. Based on ideas surrounding the sub-atomic Higgs-Boson particle, the work is split into eight continuous sections. Here, the band really comes into its own, pulling the mysterious darkness out of the music in a fascinating reading from MD, Nicholas Childs. The balance of the complex scoring is perfectly gauged, the thunderous power thrilling and the enigmatic sustained passages quite hypnotising – an outstanding representation of an epic of the modern repertoire.

The aptly titled Farewell leads the listener in rousing fashion towards the finale of Bacchanale from Saint-Saens’ Samson and Delilah, resplendent in suitably bombastic vigour. In all, Gold Volume VIII strikes an effective balance between a variety of styles of light music and one of the most challenging test-pieces of recent years, all performed at a notably high standard. As such, this makes an ideal purchase for both casual listeners and the more ardent brass band aficionados.

THOMAS DUNNE


This review appeared in the September 2019 edition of BBW. For more reviews, articles and news subscribe to BBW Digital, available to read online (annual subscription: £30), or subscribe to BBW's printed magazine delivered by post: £40 (UK); £68 (Europe); £81 (Rest of the World). Alternatively, receive both the Digital and printed editions combined: £55 (UK); £83 (Europe); £96 (rest of the world) - saving 50% on the Digital edition! Click here to subscribe!