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The Coldstream Guards Band
Wellington Barracks
Birdcage Walk
London
SW1E 6HQ
Tel: 020 7414 3264
Gordon Jacob followed
closely in the footsteps of Vaughan
Williams and Holst in the early part
of the twentieth century. Together they
enriched the repertoire and raised the
status of the military band, and of
symphonic wind bands in general, as
perceived by the musical establishment.
These three composers were among the
first to give bands music of quality
to replace the run-of-the-mill selections
of popular tunes that were the staple
fare of many concerts. This enterprising
CD is a fitting tribute to Jacob from
one of the UK’s leading military bands
for his contributions to the medium
over a period of some sixty years.
On this disc are some
of Jacob’s major works for band. First
is the Original Suite
of 1928, which is still one of the most
frequently played of his band pieces.
Apparently it was the publishers who
insisted upon the word "original"
in the title so that audiences would
realise that this was not the usual
popular fare! The three movements give
the band plenty of contrasts of tempo
and mood from the elegant first movement,
to the more pensive second and the perky
and quirky third. The work receives
a splendidly controlled performance
from the Coldstream Guards Band.
The overture "Ally
Pally" written for the
centenary of Alexandra Palace in 1975
is a dignified tribute in sound to that
establishment and it receives its premiere
recording here.
One instrument that
over the years has gradually emerged
from the background to become a respected
solo performer is the euphonium. Several
composers have written pieces for it,
including full concertos. Jacob’s Fantasia
appeared in 1969 and has proved
to be a useful addition to the band
repertoire. It is an expressive piece,
with a persistent but gentle lilt, though
it becomes livelier in the middle section.
The soloist, L.Cpl. John Storey, plays
with flair, producing a beautifully
smooth tone and an eloquent, fluent
and sensitive performance.
The Concerto
for Band has two brisk outer
movements between which is a beautifully
serene slow movement. The rhythmic complexities
of the fast movements give the band
plenty to think about in terms of precision
playing while the central movement requires
it to be restrained and expressive.
The band here delivers first-rate performances
with clear-cut melodic lines, precision
and delicacy in the quieter moments.
It is thrillingly powerful in fortissimo
passages yet shows the greatest self-control
when the music is marked pianissimo.
In the past, I have
often felt that some performers take
Jacob’s slow movements just a fraction
too quickly, with the result that the
often subtle emotional content is lost.
To my ears, Major Graham Jones has judged
his tempi to perfection on this disc.
The slow movement of this Concerto
is a prime example and it allows
the wistful mood to be savoured and
experienced to the full. The same is
true of the slow movements in other
pieces on this CD, and particularly
so in the fourth movement (Air)
of Music for a Festival.
The tempo here is only marginally slower
than on other recordings I have heard
but it makes a significant difference.
This particular work
was commissioned for the Festival of
Britain in 1951 and is the largest and
probably the most widely known of Jacob’s
works for band. It has rightly become
a classic. Its eleven movements are
shared by a fanfare brass group (four
trumpets and three trombones) and the
full band. The brass group play the
odd-numbered movements (Interludes),
except for the Finale when
both forces combine. The Interludes
seem to hark back to Tudor times in
character, in contrast to the movements
for full band which clearly belong to
the present day. The work contains much
memorable music, such as the masterly
Round of Seven Parts for
the brass group and the March
for band which cleverly combines
the March and Trio
themes in the final section.
The work contains plenty of good tunes
and the musicians here give it a sparkling
performance.
Finally in this collection
is the arrangement, for fanfare group
and band, of the National Anthem, originally
conceived as an orchestral version for
the Coronation in 1953. Jacob’s stirring
arrangement has stood the test of time
and far outshines all others. It is
frequently used on state and other important
occasions.
The recording quality
is excellent. Part of the general clarity
must be attributed to Jacob’s skills
in orchestration but the recording conditions
and the musicianship of conductor and
band in achieving a good balance of
sound all play their part. This CD is
highly recommended.
Dr Geoff Ogram
L.Cpl. John Storey (euphonium) 
