Camborne Band & Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Brass Section
Conductor: David Hamilton
Tolmen Centre, Constantine, Cornwall
Thursday 25th April
There was a fantastic feast of brass music to enjoy in this concert, as the brass section of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra joined the Camborne Band for an evening of musical excellence at the Tolmen Centre.
The concert opened with the first movement of Janacek’s ‘Sinfonietta’ by the combined Bournemouth and Camborne forces, which presented a unique fanfare of ever increasing sound that gave the audience a rousing welcome.
Symphony Brass then went on to play some brilliant works such as ‘Tiera’ by Sibelius and a traditional setting of ‘Greensleeves’ (all without conductor), that demonstrated their individual reliance on listening and breathing skills . It left the audience spellbound.
In splendid support Camborne played a number of excellent brass band numbers, including the eastern European inspired ‘Wedding Dance’ arranged by Reid Gilje and the classic ‘Journey into Freedom’ by Eric Ball, which was played with all round aplomb by individual band members. Joanna Rowe stepped up for a beautiful rendition of ‘Doyle’s Lament’ from the suite ‘Cry of the Celts’ by Peter Graham, embracing the audience’s attention by her lovely flugel sound and musicality.
Karl Jenkins’ ‘Abide with Me’, arranged by Peter Graham, was a beautiful version of the classic hymn and sent a palpable shiver down the spine with its twilight sense of atmosphere. Matthew Hall’s award winning ‘Nightingale Dances’ rounded of Camborne’s set – and a real crowd pleaser it was too, showing off the power and precision in the lower sections of the band.
The concert came to a rousing climax with the combined forces of Bournemouth Symphony Brass and Camborne ending with Richard Strauss’s entire ‘Festmusik der stadt Wien’, with its rich melodic harmonies that came from the exclusive mix of instruments. It was a terrific close to a fantastic evening that was enjoyed by all.
