Zwei Konzerten II.

Warning: Yet ANOTHER Long Post Ahead…

Here is the review for AJCSB…and dun take wad I write to heart! I’m no professional reviewer… :D CJCSB’s review can be found below this one. Next up i'll be reviewing AJC's guitar ensemble...teeheehee.

Concert of Variations and Medleys
Anderson Junior College Symphonic Band Presents – Spiritanto XI
1st April 2007, 5.30pm
Victoria Concert Hall
Dirigent: Mr Alvin Seville

Programme:
St. Anthony Variations – William H. Hill
Variations on a School Bell Theme – Wong Kah Chun
Spartacus – Jan van der Roost
The Phantom Of The Opera – Andrew Lloyd Webber
INTERVAL
Marching Season – Yanni (Percussion Ensemble)
Something – George Harrison
Kyu Sakamoto Standard Medley- Nakamura Hachidai & Izumi Taku

Though staged at a strange evening time of 5.30 pm, the hall was rather full of the band’s supporters and music-lovers alike. The band was certainly tired out by a full day of rehearsals, but nevertheless gave their best. A rousing fanfare caught the audience’s attention with the opening of St. Anthony Variations, a piece based on Variations of a Theme by Joseph Haydn originally by Johannes Brahms. At soft points, the flutes seemed terribly out of tune, especially in their lower register. Also, the jarring sound of the second oboe put off many in the audience. This was contrasted by a beautifully flowing 1st oboe part playing above the jarring one. Through the middle of the piece, the band’s tone was beginning to show its full strength, though the brasses were still a little unconfident in their entries. It also seemed to me that the clarinets could never seem to blend with the flutes no matter how they tried. A pity it was that many virtuosic running woodwind passages were shrouded by the powerful brass. However their ‘chorale’ style playing was smoothly executed, and sounded rather harmonious in those sections.

Next up was Variations on a School Bell Theme, composed by local composer Wong Kah Chun. This was intended to be a nostalgic experience for all who have been or are currently students, going through the routine of entering a new term and experiencing hardship, sweetness, and even love. A mysterious atmosphere was slightly spoilt by insensitive hammering chimes carrying the theme, but this soon gave rise to a chorale-like fanfare (Variation I, ‘New Term’), in which such sections are always handled well by the band. I personally loved the oboe solo for its sweet and melodious tones, which lead to the 2nd Variation Of Friendship and Romance.
This took form in a romantic waltz, in which the rhythmic feel was well done and the many tricky modulations were well handled without too many slips in tuning. The triangle player must be applauded, for it added a touch of magic to the romantic atmosphere. However the low trumpets sounded a little too brassy, which somewhat reminded me of a primary school band…
Using Eb as a common note, the band modulated from Ab minor to a sweet Eb major, the band moved into Variation III Muggers United!, which showcased a cute woodwind interlude in the form of a scherzo, and followed by a slower trio with a lustful theme by the trumpet. A slow dramatic rise to the next variation was slightly ruined by a wrong last note by the chimes in the theme…and the last variation Graduation ended off with a blast, with bright shimmering chimes capturing the entire gist of the average teenager’s school life.

Dutch composer Jan van der Roost’s Spartacus proved to be a strong point for the band, especially now that it has warmed up sufficiently. Lower woodwinds opened the piece with a united tone, and deep bass sounds enhanced the mysterious mood; however the draggy xylophone spoilt this mood a little. Sweet flutes were a plus, and this lead to a grand loud movement, where harsh but excellently articulated strokes on the Timpani enhanced the jagged edge of the bass trombone tone. I was rather amazed by the deft layering from the bottom to the top of the sound range, and quick successive triplets were also handled with amazing accuracy. Furthermore, a sinister atmosphere lurked as the muted brasses screamed at the audience. Still, the climax could be better developed, lacking some form of majesty. An extra note at the end by a careless glockenspiel player surprised everyone…

I’m not really gonna say much for Phantom of the Opera, just that the brasses were beginning to tire out steadily. The famous theme of the Phantom was preceded by a ‘lights off’ event in which the entire hall went dark and a piercing scream was heard. This greatly enhanced the terror instilled by the Phantom’s theme…I personally liked the playful piccolo and the beautifully flowing euphonium…

After the interval, the percussion ensemble was ready to show off its variety of kitchen tools. Marching Season was chosen for this performance, and this displayed good cooperation musically between all the players, but sometimes certain players would go slightly off-rhythm at times. I liked the swift light hands of the snare drummer, which did not play like he was in a marching band, and the great ‘roar’ of the timpani that many other bands fail to reproduce.

Next up was Something, featuring euphonium soloist Lim Jie Sheng. The band this time was very supportive in tone, trying their best not to overpower their soloist. That was good, but the soloist failed to project his sound and had many unsure entries for high notes, though I must say his tone was of a sweet quality and not many could rival that kind of tone.

A surprise piece came up next in dedication of a teacher-in-charge who had just left the band. The Moon Represents My Heart, a popular Chinese Song, was played emotionally by the band, and also featured an euphonium solo, in which Jie Sheng could not project his sound again. Still, the oboe solo remain pronounced and sensitive, and the trumpets seem to have recovered from their ‘tiredness’, though a little dragginess was inevitable. I personally liked the tender playing of the glockenspiel…

Last but not least was the Kyu Sakamoto Standard Medley, which was a jazzy piece to end the show. Light hearted and joyful, the piece started off with a clarinet duo, featuring twin brothers Joash and Josiah Tan. The first clarinet solo was a little draggy and abit too straight; I felt that he could have jazzed it up a little more to fit the mood of the band accompaniment. The three trumpet solos that followed were each different, and each was better than the previous. Then the melody is snapped up by the euphonium in a quick swing style, but is again barely heard when the band rises to a mere mf volume; only with the addition of trombones can his sound be heard again. Lastly, a smooth and jazzy percussion enhances the entire upbeat mood, ending the show with a big bang.

I kinda like what I saw for the concert, but felt that much could be improved to equal its rival band, CJCSB.