2007-10-07_ConcertReview

The finale to the Stratford Music Festival was a charity
concert to support Brain Tumour UK presented by Jaguar
Coventry Band, conducted by its director of music, Dave
Lea.

A near capacity audience was treated to wide-ranging
styles of music performed by this very talented group of
brass musicians, well controlled by its conductor and
director of music David Lea.

The finale to the Stratford Music Festival was a charity
concert to support Brain Tumour UK presented by Jaguar
Coventry Band, conducted by its director of music, Dave
Lea.

A near capacity audience was treated to wide-ranging
styles of music performed by this very talented group of
brass musicians, well controlled by its conductor and
director of music David Lea.

Overall the band showed what is best in the
unique,wonderful sounds of a truly top class British brass
band.

The Programme started in fine style with the Intrada Ein
Fest Berg. Then followed Vaughan Williams's theme music
to the film The 49th Parallel. This featured principal cornet
player Bob Baggott who displayed his beautiful style and
lyrical sound. The first half concluded with eric Balls's
brilliant arrangement of the Enigma Variations, composed
by Edward Elgar - a very rare item in a brass band
programme, due to its length and can only be
accomplished by a top ensemble like this.

The second half took its cue from Sunday being the start of
Brain Tumour Awareness Week. We started in Britian with
a selection of famous British marches, arranged by Gordon
Landford. Then we travelled to France where the audience
was treated to a beautiful rendition of April in Paris,
performed by Andy Bates on flugel horn. From there the
music travelled to Sweden for a moving performance of
Peter Graham's Swedish Folk Song; to Italy with
Symphony No. 4 Ilalian by Mendelssohn; Russia and Hora
Staccata; New Zealand abd the traditional Maori tune Hine
e Hine arranged by Peter Graham; South America and
Valero; and then to the USA to play two items, the first
being a real treat. Kevin Lea, the band's principal trombone,
gave a very exacting interpretation, showing off his lovely
musical style, of a selection of American tunes put
together originally for the famous Sousa band, called The
volunteer, arranged by Keith Wilkinson. Finally, there was
a rousing finale of Gordon Langford's Sullivan Fantasy,
featuring many memorable melodies.

The organisers must be congratulated in having vision in
featuring a very British event for a very British music
festival.

John Smith
Stratford Herald
25 October 2007