fri 06/12/2024

CD: Tubular Brass - Tubular Bells | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Tubular Brass - Tubular Bells

CD: Tubular Brass - Tubular Bells

Superb brass recreation of a 1970s classic, with added baluphonium

A witty reimagining: Tubular Brass

The best music is always ripe for reinvention, though for every disc of Kraftwerk songs performed in mambo style there's a collection of Beatles hits massacred on pan pipes. Happily, Sandy Smith’s superb brass band version of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells is a triumph. Mostly it's based on composer David Bedford’s 1974 orchestral arrangement, Smith adding details taken from Oldfield's various recordings. Oldfield's original is the product of one musician and lots of tape, but this one uses 28 brass players plus Hannah Peel on synthesizers. It lives, moves and breathes in a very different way, and there’s something very comforting, very analogue about the sound of a crack brass band at full tilt.

The fun comes in hearing Smith’s disparate brass voices tightly meshed together or arguing the toss. Oldfield’s opening keyboard solo loses nothing when played by a gaggle of cornets, the 7/8 time signature handled with ease. The bass line sounds magnificent on sonorous low brass. The “Blues” section in Part 1 resembles a mariachi number, and the dense chords in “Ghost Bells” will make your windows rattle. Viv Stanshall’s narration in the final section is handled by TV chef and professional Yorkshireman Brian Turner, suitably incisive when intoning words like "glockenspiel" and "baluphonium". Listening through headphones allows us to hear the tuba ostinato flitting from left to right.

“Caveman” becomes an invigorating stomp, and Peel’s proggy synth improvisation in “Ambient Guitars” feels utterly right. As does the “Sailor’s Hornpipe”, providing a defiantly unpompous finale. Britain’s brass band tradition rarely receives the credit or attention it deserves – most of Tubular Brass's members are amateurs, doing it for love. Buy this disc and be amazed. Then go and hear the music live – further performances are scheduled throughout the coming summer.

Overleaf - watch the video promo for Tubular Brass

The best music is always ripe for reinvention, though for every disc of Kraftwerk songs performed in mambo style there's a collection of Beatles hits massacred on pan pipes. Happily, Sandy Smith’s superb brass band version of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells is a triumph. Mostly it's based on composer David Bedford’s 1974 orchestral arrangement, Smith adding details taken from Oldfield's various recordings. Oldfield's original is the product of one musician and lots of tape, but this one uses 28 brass players plus Hannah Peel on synthesizers. It lives, moves and breathes in a very different way, and there’s something very comforting, very analogue about the sound of a crack brass band at full tilt.

The fun comes in hearing Smith’s disparate brass voices tightly meshed together or arguing the toss. Oldfield’s opening keyboard solo loses nothing when played by a gaggle of cornets, the 7/8 time signature handled with ease. The bass line sounds magnificent on sonorous low brass. The “Blues” section in Part 1 resembles a mariachi number, and the dense chords in “Ghost Bells” will make your windows rattle. Viv Stanshall’s narration in the final section is handled by TV chef and professional Yorkshireman Brian Turner, suitably incisive when intoning words like "glockenspiel" and "baluphonium". Listening through headphones allows us to hear the tuba ostinato flitting from left to right.

“Caveman” becomes an invigorating stomp, and Peel’s proggy synth improvisation in “Ambient Guitars” feels utterly right. As does the “Sailor’s Hornpipe”, providing a defiantly unpompous finale. Britain’s brass band tradition rarely receives the credit or attention it deserves – most of Tubular Brass's members are amateurs, doing it for love. Buy this disc and be amazed. Then go and hear the music live – further performances are scheduled throughout the coming summer.

Overleaf - watch the video promo for Tubular Brass

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters