Kyushu Wind Orchestra

John Philip Sousa personified turn-of-the-century America—the comparative innocence and brash energy of an advancing nation. His ever-touring band represented America across the globe and brought lively and entertaining music to hundreds of American towns. Sousa’s name is eternally connected with famous marches such as The Stars and Stripes Forever, but his exceptional inventiveness also saw the creation of popular operettas such as El Capitan. This program also includes Sousa’s adaptations of humorous songs and popular ballads as well as his Good-Bye, based on the idea of Haydn’s ‘Farewell’ Symphony but with a modern twist.

The eccentric Percy Grainger was well-known for his musical arrangements which ranged from works by other composers as well as arrangements of his own original and folk music settings. These arrangements form a body of work which is perhaps unique in musical history.

The irresistible title of Prelude, Fnugg & Riffs refers to the opening work on this delightful disc of wind music, Leonard Bernstein's Prelude, Fugue and Riffs for clarinet and jazz ensemble of 1949. The Bernstein touches off a high-spirited and pleasingly international collection of wind pieces that keep the listener engaged and entertained even as they push into contemporary instrumental techniques.

Works for Wind Orchestra I and II are performed by the RNCM wind ensemble conducted by long-time wind orchestra champions: Tim Reynish and Clark Rundell. Hill Song No. 2 is notable for its skirl and sway – echoing Nielsen’s Fifth Symphony more than once. Faeroe Island Dance is mistily haunting yet with a dancing pattern which is brother to Shepherd’s Hey and Molly on the Shore. The Lads of Whamphray March is irrepressibly cheery and seethes with fascinating invention. The tart windband flavour adds nicely to Shepherd’s Hey! All the favourites are here in new garb. It’s done with a snap and a clicking of the fingers. The slalom-ski runs, percussion ‘graffiti’ and anarchic instrumental slashes in Gum-Suckers’ March are well worth confronting. The punched out Lost Lady Found is the finale of the gamely youthful Lincolnshire Posy. It’s given a weighty punch here and the cross-cutting effects place it clearly in Holst windband territory.