This week, I listened to a few random ditties from Sir Granville Bantock.
Old English Suite
Russian Scenes
If you have heard Ottorino Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, you will know what you are getting into with Bantock's Suite.
The composer essentially orchestrates Renaissance Era pieces from Farnaby, Gibbons, Dowland, Blow, and Byrd, Renaissance Era pieces.
More interesting to me is Bantock's Russian Scenes. Each movement has a programmatic title, while the music leans on exotic Orientalism. Maybe not Sir Granville's finest music, but colorful in its harmonies and orchestrations.
I should mention Adrian Leaper's traversal of Bantock's Hebridean Symphony as well, for I just covered the work from Vernon Handley with the RPO. Some enjoy Leaper's stronger way with the music, while others prefer the finer sonics on Hyperion. It is not my favorite work from the composer, so I have stuck with Handley's, which I might add, is not perfect either.
At nearly 10 minutes, Bantock's Symphonic Prelude is a meaty work for Brass Band.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have never warmed to the British Brass Band sound, with its quavery vibrato and cornet top end. That said, I have great respect and appreciation for the abilities of the Black Dyke Mills Band.
Still, if you like the darker tone poems of Bantock, Prometheus Unbound will be required listening. Bantock certainly approaches the subject of Percy Shelley's writings quite differently than does Hubert Parry!
The Frogs is another brass band work based on Classic writings, in this case from the Greek playwright Aristophanes.
Much like in Vaughan Williams' bawdy incidental music The Wasps (BLOG), I am unfamiliar with the source material of The Frogs.
Bantock's traversal for brass band is a standard in their repertoire. Less serious than Prometheus, but still full of import musically, The Frogs is an impressive listen. Especially with the virtuosic playing from the Grimethorpe Colliery Band on this recording.
Overall, this was a successful listening session of Bantock's periphery oeuvre. I should probably single out the leadership of Major Peter Parkes and Roy Newsome, for I have come to recognize their contributions to British brass music on record.
Recording Round-up
Old English Suite
Russian Scenes
Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra
Adrian Leaper, conductor
Marco Polo 1990; Naxos, 2001
Prometheus Unbound
John Foster Black Dyke Mills Band
Geoffrey Brand, conductor
Chandos, 1992 / 2009
The Frogs of Aristophanes
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Major Peter Parkes, conductor
Chandos, 1999
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