Below is a review of last nights concert by Chris. As always he is informative, knowledgeable and honest as we always are at band. Feel free to blog in reply Mary x
Not necessarily in the correct order, without prejudice and my opinion only Chris ;-)
Castell Coch
Top man missing at the start, Steve played with his usual vibby pit sound that gets the thumbs up from me and the tempo was spot on (steady). A few flip flops along the way, but it was after Toby arrived that I felt the band fully settled. Couldn’t make out the ensemble parts on the last repeated section, but for a first performance, it was a good offering.
Super Trouper
I always feel (even when I was blowing) that “A” never steadies and there is a rushed feel to this until “B” when it settles and the overall balance is sound and pleasing. Semi quavers at “G” rock to the Sop & Horn lead and this is all held together nicely by Willy on kit. The pedals at the end for me are the icing on the cake
I Don’t Know How To Love Him
For “Johnny Rambo” Glen to sight read this as a solo was fab & the audience reaction was one of delight. A confident offering (a tad more sound facing more towards the audience for me personally) and well supported, but sometimes overblown by the band
Sing Sing Sing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Lr5czRDFI I know this is a totally different arrangement, but from 1st Bari down to tuba’s (from beginning to bar before A), I feel the need to lean heavy (accent) on the first crochet in each bar to make it swing and swing is the key to make this piece work. I liked the jungle feel to the percussion, although the simple beat with high hat on every second beat in the clip I feel is simpler to control and works better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwDN9UMMi3c this is intended to illustrate the razzier feel that could stand out bars 3 & 4 (all cornets & flugel) enabling you to “sock it” to the audience. Lower brass 5th bar of D had my attention throughout and had a beautiful rasp to it from Bass Trom. A little tighter throughout and its “bob on”. For a 1st offering, it was sound. It felt like the band enjoyed it, the audience certainly did
Sinatra
Andy captures lots of good stuff in this arrangement and the band are confident with it. This shows well and it rocked. I prefer how Vectis play from “I” faster than we do at Cowes Concert Band
One Day
I’ve always liked this, Dan Seal played this well with a nice sound and it’s another one the band are comfortable with. It was well received by the audience and again, I love the pedals.
Lord of The Dance
Another polished offering, well received and very tight at the end, enough said.
Joshua
A confident lead from Michael and this rocks along nicely as a concert filler
Witchita Lineman
I’m told this was sight read too by Glynis, but it would never have shown. A nice balance throughout and well received by the audience
Eventide
This was the best piece of the night by far. Forget the glitz of the showy stuff, I sat there thinking are the band settled for a hymn tune? Are we going to have intonation problems and will the basses give me pedals?
Bravo band. I’m not kidding when I say that this was in tune throughout, was balanced in sound and started all together without any blips. Flugel in 2nd verse was sound and I got my pedals at the end
Hava Nagila
The bass sound at the start was spot on, warm and rich and once this kicks off it rocks. Cut off just before the end was tight and it went down well.
Hallelujah Chorus
Another one the band clearly enjoy playing and it started well, although some unfortunate flip flops in the lower cornets that for a second or two nearly unseated it. It recovered as quick as it happened and went on to finish off well and dispatched the audience into the night with (what compared to other offerings from those bands that think they are so much better) can only be described as a musical feast
Not as tight or as powerful as when I dep’d a few weeks ago, but for a concert with many new pieces being offered for the 1st time, it was a cracking night out for me and in my opinion is still the best on the IOW by far. Just the right amount of chat, humour and embarrassing of officials from the MD.
Soloists, be more confident, milk the audience appreciation for all its worth (trust me they love you), grin at the audience when bowing (take several bows all round), turn around, raise your arm to thank the band afterwards, shake the MD’s hand, job done.
Thanks for a great night
Not necessarily in the correct order, without prejudice and my opinion only Chris ;-)
Castell Coch
Top man missing at the start, Steve played with his usual vibby pit sound that gets the thumbs up from me and the tempo was spot on (steady). A few flip flops along the way, but it was after Toby arrived that I felt the band fully settled. Couldn’t make out the ensemble parts on the last repeated section, but for a first performance, it was a good offering.
Super Trouper
I always feel (even when I was blowing) that “A” never steadies and there is a rushed feel to this until “B” when it settles and the overall balance is sound and pleasing. Semi quavers at “G” rock to the Sop & Horn lead and this is all held together nicely by Willy on kit. The pedals at the end for me are the icing on the cake
I Don’t Know How To Love Him
For “Johnny Rambo” Glen to sight read this as a solo was fab & the audience reaction was one of delight. A confident offering (a tad more sound facing more towards the audience for me personally) and well supported, but sometimes overblown by the band
Sing Sing Sing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Lr5czRDFI I know this is a totally different arrangement, but from 1st Bari down to tuba’s (from beginning to bar before A), I feel the need to lean heavy (accent) on the first crochet in each bar to make it swing and swing is the key to make this piece work. I liked the jungle feel to the percussion, although the simple beat with high hat on every second beat in the clip I feel is simpler to control and works better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwDN9UMMi3c this is intended to illustrate the razzier feel that could stand out bars 3 & 4 (all cornets & flugel) enabling you to “sock it” to the audience. Lower brass 5th bar of D had my attention throughout and had a beautiful rasp to it from Bass Trom. A little tighter throughout and its “bob on”. For a 1st offering, it was sound. It felt like the band enjoyed it, the audience certainly did
Sinatra
Andy captures lots of good stuff in this arrangement and the band are confident with it. This shows well and it rocked. I prefer how Vectis play from “I” faster than we do at Cowes Concert Band
One Day
I’ve always liked this, Dan Seal played this well with a nice sound and it’s another one the band are comfortable with. It was well received by the audience and again, I love the pedals.
Lord of The Dance
Another polished offering, well received and very tight at the end, enough said.
Joshua
A confident lead from Michael and this rocks along nicely as a concert filler
Witchita Lineman
I’m told this was sight read too by Glynis, but it would never have shown. A nice balance throughout and well received by the audience
Eventide
This was the best piece of the night by far. Forget the glitz of the showy stuff, I sat there thinking are the band settled for a hymn tune? Are we going to have intonation problems and will the basses give me pedals?
Bravo band. I’m not kidding when I say that this was in tune throughout, was balanced in sound and started all together without any blips. Flugel in 2nd verse was sound and I got my pedals at the end
Hava Nagila
The bass sound at the start was spot on, warm and rich and once this kicks off it rocks. Cut off just before the end was tight and it went down well.
Hallelujah Chorus
Another one the band clearly enjoy playing and it started well, although some unfortunate flip flops in the lower cornets that for a second or two nearly unseated it. It recovered as quick as it happened and went on to finish off well and dispatched the audience into the night with (what compared to other offerings from those bands that think they are so much better) can only be described as a musical feast
Not as tight or as powerful as when I dep’d a few weeks ago, but for a concert with many new pieces being offered for the 1st time, it was a cracking night out for me and in my opinion is still the best on the IOW by far. Just the right amount of chat, humour and embarrassing of officials from the MD.
Soloists, be more confident, milk the audience appreciation for all its worth (trust me they love you), grin at the audience when bowing (take several bows all round), turn around, raise your arm to thank the band afterwards, shake the MD’s hand, job done.
Thanks for a great night
1 comment:
Thank you Christopher for your comments, it's good to hear an objective opinion from some one who knows what they're talking about.
You'd make a good contest adjudicator :0) x
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