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CD of period brass band music

To: "Brass Band Mailing List" <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: CD of period brass band music
From: "Alec Gallagher" <alec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 1998 11:01:27 -0800
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My apologies if this subject has appeared on the mailing list before (the
recording in question seems to have been released in 1996), but I have just
come across a CD by The Wallace Collection called 'The Origin of the
Species - Virtuoso Victorian Brass Music from Cyfartha Castle, Wales'
(phew!)

The CD comprises performances of unpublished pieces, recently rediscovered,
which were written for the Cyfartha Band, founded in 1838.  This band was
sponsored by a man called Crawshay, who made his fortune in iron, and was
made up of top quality musicians from the orchestra pits, travelling
circuses etc.  As the music was bespoke, it gives a good idea of just how
good these musicians were - and they do seem to have been pretty good, even
by today's standards.

The music is played on period instruments - keyed and rotary instruments as
well as valved ones, ophicleides, trombones etc.  There are some obvious
tuning problems which even players of this calibre can't entirely solve, but
the overall sound is surprisingly impressive - particularly in the low
brass, I thought - but quite different to the modern brass band.  The
repertoire is a mixture of the familiar - The Lost Chord, The Carnival of
Venice, Whirlwind Polka, Zampa etc. - and other works, some specifically
written for the Cyfartha Band.

I've been out of banding for a few years, so I don't know if this recording
featured in the band press at the time of release, but it doesn't appear in
R Smith's catalogue, which is usually a good guide to known band
recordings - so I suspect it has avoided attention.  It's available on the
Nimbus label, catalogue number NI 5470.  Recommended if you want something a
bit different to listen to.

Cheers

Alec

________________________
Alec Gallagher
alec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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