London and Provincial Music

There is no place which feels as much like home as London. Even though we have to wait until the last week in June before the band season starts in St. James’s Park, it never feels as though we have been away. Of course, so much has happened in the ten months since the short season ended last year, much of it only a short distance away. There is always Remembrance Sunday, but this year we had VE65 as well, complete with live music on Horse Guards Parade, literally two minutes walk away.

The London season may be very short, but it invariably has some sweet moments as well. Bands play on both Saturday and Sunday, and this weekend I will be here for both. I won’t reveal the identity of the place I am staying at, as I am keeping it a secret for my newsletter subscribers. If you want to find out, the form is at the top of the page!

Coaches to London rarely seem to run into too may problems on Saturday morning, and this one is no different. The dawn has broken long before the 6am set off, and by the time we reach London the sun is firmly established in the sky. We have been so lucky this year, and the signs are that this is going to continue. This morning, I have to pick up a ticket from the Royal Albert Hall for October 3rd, and another one for tonight at St. Martin-In-The-Fields. More on that later.

London is so vast that there is never anywhere near enough time to get around everything you want to see, but at least I have two days to look forward to here. Most of it will be spent listening to music, however, as there are four events on my schedule. The performance of Staines Brass in St. James’s Park at 3pm this afternoon is the start, followed by the Baroque evening in St. Martin-In-The-Fields, this time featuring the Brandenburg Concertos. Tomorrow, I shall be back at my favourite music venue, Wigmore Hall, as the regular Sunday morning features one of Beethoven’s string quartets and one of Schumann’s as well. To round everything off, the Tilbury Brass Band will be playing in St. James’s Park tomorrow.

Staines Brass is very highly rated, and it doesn’t take long for us to hear why. The quality of the playing is obvious from the outset, as the band moves quickly into some familiar favourites. “Country Scene” is interesting here, because looking around us that is exactly what we have. Even though we are right in the middle of one of the world’s great capital cities, what we see are trees and green grass all around. The solos are some of the most famous of the twentieth century, with Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” on the trombone, and Harold Arlen’s “Over The Rainbow” on Eb tenor horn.

The “Ashokan Farewell”, so much associated with J.R. Perkins of the Royal Marines, and a medley from “My Fair Lady” also fit in perfectly. This is the city of contrasts, where the cockney and the royal live virtually side by side, and of course we are literally a stone’s throw from the scene of many a military parade.

The second half is every bit as satisfying as the first, with a challenging euphonium solo, “Pantomime”, and a melodious “Beyond The Sea” on flugel horn. Staines Brass also do something unusual which I think works very well. They devote a whole section to swing music, featuring pieces by Neil Hefti and Dave Brubeck before returning to the traditional British pieces which fit so well. Holst’s “Jupiter” and that fine march “Standard Of St. George” round off a very satisfying performance from a quality band, on a perfect mild summer day.

The main event of the day delivered exactly what we wanted, and the second was not to disappoint either. Even on days where the rain completely ruins the band event, there is still the baroque music across Trafalgar Square. No such worries today, but the Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 3, 5 ad 6 were expertly played. Even though I am staying right in the heart of London, only three minutes walk from Victoria Station, there is still not quite enough time to get eight hours sleep before it will be time to rise for part two. The first day of the London weekend could scarcely have gone better, so a huge thank you is due to Staines Brass.