Band Plays Carmina Burana

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is a piece I’ve long had a love-hate relationship with. As a boy I rehearsed parts of it for a performance in London. Great music, but my voice broke before the big day, and since my school was only providing a boys’ choir, that was me out. Later I got a CD recording, but found it usually gave me a headache.

So the band arrangement by John Krance has been something of a revelation. Carmina sounds so good, so natural, just as if Orff had originally written it for wind band. And it doesn’t give me headaches, for all its verve, intensity, power, and drama!

Carmina really ‘rocks’, as they say, and anyone coming along to Beenham Band's Anniversary Concert on 20th June is in for a real treat. (Tickets from Newbury Corn Exchange).

I did a little hunting around and found that Naxos has a recording of the Krance version of Carmina Burana, available from their website for £5.99, including postage. You can listen to samples of each track on their web site.

Carmina is part of Naxos' Wind Band Classics range, several of which are currently half-price: any votes for new repertoire?

Lloyd Coleman rehearses Jublilation

The band had great fun on Friday when Lloyd Coleman came down from Chetham’s for his first rehearsal of Jubilation, which he wrote especially for us.

Jubiliation is a dynamic work, with plenty of ebb and flow in its development, and drama in its conclusion: something for the band to get its teeth into, and much for the audience to enjoy.

Lloyd knew how he wanted us to perform, and through his good humour, and meticulous and energetic conducting, communicated that to the band.

Anyone who wants to hear Jubiliation’s premier performance - with Lloyd conducting - should book tickets for Beenham Band’s anniversary concert at the Newbury Corn Exchange on 20th June, when it will feature in our spectacular and wide-ranging programme.

Robert rehearses Gallimaufry

One of the pieces we played last week was Guy Woolfenden's Gallimaufry.

Here is Robert Roscoe wielding the baton in one of those quiet trombone sections (click on pic for larger version).

It strikes me some of the movements have slightly odd names: Inn and Out, Starts and Fits, Father and Son (and there are more).

I expect we'll perform it publicly in a few months, so those of you who aren't playing can come and hear us then.

Meanwhile, you can listen to this 1988 performance by a Gwynedd youth band.

Finding music on the internet

Sometimes I've tried using Google to look for online music recordings, but it's hard work.

Now I've found Songza.com, which is amazing! It's really good at finding and playing all sorts of recordings.

I think their site gets quite busy sometimes, so if you can't get through straight away you may need to try again at a quieter time.

Playing in the open

I really enjoyed playing at the fête on Saturday, but I'd forgotten the 'pleasures' of playing outside - including clothes-pegs.

Is there a more "professional" solution to keeping the music from flying everywhere while we're playing, and still be able to play? I've seen wind-irons which the R.A.F.A. band use, but these seem to make life just as difficult for fast turns as clothes-pegs. Anyone got any bright ideas?

Cheers,
Ian