Push the boat out

Music for trumpets and
music for baroque lute,
reviewed by
ALICE McVEIGH

The London Trumpet Sound Vol 2. © 2003 Cala Records

The London Trumpet Sound (Cala Records, CACD0114) is extremely impressive, though we (sadly or is it luckily??!!!) never actually get more than nineteen of the thirty-one London trumpeters on this recording playing at any one time. Solo trumpeters include Mike Lovett, Maurice Murphy, Tim Hawes and William Houghton, while Patrick White (along with Henry Lowther) languidly scintillates as jazz trumpeter in Mambo Caliente, and I heard it on the grapevine. Nor is it all normal trumpets: this CD boasts piccolo trumpets, bass trumpets, cornets and flugelhorns, as well as a smattering of percussion.

It is all extremely smooth and enjoyable: much more so than one would expect, and unexpectedly varied in style. The music from Handel's Royal Fireworks will never catch on without woodwind and strings, and is also faintly sloppy in texture and intonation, but at the heart of the collection is a fab Fanfare from Janácek's Sinfonietta [listen -- CACD0114 track 6, 0:56-2:12] which is subtle and daring by turns, a delightful Carnival of Venice (Arban) with contributions from almost everyone [listen -- CACD0114 track 7, 2:22-3:49], while Copland's Hoedown from Rodeo is sparklingly performed, though the percussion is perhaps a touch over-enthusiastic here. A collection for brass players to cherish.

Also impressive is the other CD to come my way: The Baroque Lute with Andrew Maginley essaying Bach first cello suite (works terrific with lute) along with two pieces rather less familiar to me personally (Sylvius Leopold Weiss' Sonata No 36 and Adam Falckenhagen's Sonata No 5 [listen -- INK001 track 16, 2:30-3:43].)

Maginley has a strong sense of harmonic structure, and the sound of his lute is exquisite, though I think he anticipates the final push towards the tonic in the Prelude. It's too easy to make this soar without preparing the groundwork. Could have taken more time (the sound is so beguiling) with the dance movements too (Maginley is also the producer: which may be why there was no one to tell him to space the phrases more). To my ear, the Gigue especially lacked panache, but perhaps I am over-fussy, having often performed this suite myself on the cello. Yet surely the phrases need to breathe more [listen -- INK001 track 6, 0:00-1:12]?

The Baroque Lute - Andrew Maginley. © 2005 Inkling Records

Maginley, whose technique seems effortless, seems constantly worried about keeping the interest of his audience, and yet, given the tiny dynamic range available to the lute, surely timing is of the essence here? I simply felt he could have taken more risks. But then, shouldn't we all? I wish I had a pound for every time I've turned to a pupil and said, 'Very nice, very well-prepared, now FOR GOD'S SAKE, PUSH THE BOAT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! AMAZE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(What teacher can't relate to that???)
Alice

The London Trumpet Sound Vol 2 - 31 London trumpet players

CACD0114 DDD Stereo FIRST RELEASE 44'38" 2003 Cala Records Ltd

Patrick White, trumpet; Henry Lowther, flugelhorn, trumpet; Paul Newton, trumpet; Maurice Murphy, trumpet, flugelhorn; Rod Franks, trumpet, E flat trumpet, D trumpet; James Watson, trumpet, cornet; Mike Lovatt, trumpet; William Houghton, trumpet; Paul Archibald, trumpet, piccolo trumpet; Murray Greig, trumpet, cornet; Anne McAneny, flugelhorn, cornet, trumpet; Bryan Allen, flugelhorn, trumpet; Simon Gunton, bass trumpet; Brian Raby, bass trumpet; John Horler, piano; Jim Richardson, electric bass; Mike Smith, drums; Colin Currie, percussion, timpani; Sam Walton, percussion; Guy Barker, trumpet; John Wallace, trumpet, flugelhorn; Mitch Dalton, guitar; Roy Babbington, bass; Harold Fisher, percussion; Anthony Kerr, percussion; Tim Hawes, trumpet, piccolo trumpet; Martin Bunce, trumpet; Robert Nicholas, trumpet; Niall Keatley, trumpet; Carl Nielsen, cornet; Roger Webster, cornet; Tony Rickard, trumpet; Adam Wright, trumpet; Robert Farley, trumpet; Roy Bilham, trumpet, flugelhorn; Russell Jordan, timpani; Neil Percy, percussion; Paul Benniston, trumpet; Simon Wills, bass trumpet; David Childs, tenor tuba; Robert Childs, tenor tuba; Malcolm Creese, double bass; Neil Percy, percussion; Tony Fisher, trumpet, flugelhorn; Tony Adie, trumpet, flugelhorn; Tim Smart, bass trumpet;

Sandoval arr Tony Rickard: Mambo Caliente (Patrick White, solo trumpet, Henry Lowther, solo flugelhorn); Carillo arr Richard Payne: Dos Gardenias (Mike Lovatt, solo trumpet, Henry Lowther, solo flugelhorn); Whitfield/Strong arr Roger Harvey: I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Patrick White, solo trumpet); Williams arr Paul Sarcich: Superman; Carrell/Clayton arr Daryl Runswick: Amazing Grace (Carl Nielsen, solo cornet); Janácek: Fanfare from Sinfonietta; Arban arr Paul Sarcich: The Carnival of Venice (John Wallace, solo trumpet, Roger Webster, solo cornet); Handel arr Simon Wright: Music for the Royal Fireworks (Overture; La Réjouissance; Menuet); Copland arr Tony Rickard: Hoedown (Rodeo)

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THE LONDON TRUMPET SOUND VOLUME 1

The Baroque Lute - Andrew Maginley

INK001 DDD Stereo NEW RELEASE 55'09" 2005 Inkling Records Ltd

Andrew Maginley, lute

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Cello Suite No 1 BWV1007 (transcr Andrew Maginley, from Anna Magdalena Bach, Staatsbibliotek Berlin) (Prélude; Allemande; Courante; Sarabande; Minuet I, II; Gigue); Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1687-1750): Sonata No 36 in D minor (Sächsisches Landesbibliotek, Dresden) (Fantasia; Allemande; Courante; Gavotte; Sarabande; Menuet; Giga); Adam Falckenhagen (1697-1754): Sonata No 5 in F (Sei Sonate di Liuto solo Op 1, Nürnberg c1740) (Largo; Allegro; Vivace)

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Push the boat out

Music for trumpets andmusic for baroque lute,reviewed byALICE McVEIGH

Music for trumpets and
music for baroque lute,
reviewed by
ALICE McVEIGH