Classy

They are one of my faves to record each year.  This was the RMC (Royal Military College = Duntroon) Band Woodwind Ensemble.  The whole band is wonderful, being a mix of classy, well trained musos with experience in concert bands and more.  They admitted they also like to play the Wesley gigs for the music they get to play, not concert band or pop or marches, as welcome as they are, but some classy new music and interesting classical, from Mozart to Emescu.  I knew Emescu's name but not his music and it was fascinating and complex and a busy interweaving of lines and instruments.  Mozart was just his typical inviting inevitable melodics.  Never fault Mozart!  Then Gershwin Three preludes for sax quartet, with sop, alto, tenor, bari playing very lively jazz styles.  I chatted with the baritone sax player later about the solid lung work required for the low notes and the 1-5-6-5 groove (did I hear it right?) and the swing groove at the heart of it.  She said not many talk thus, but I am a bass player and she was that role for that tune.  Then two modern Australian composers, both very interesting: Harry Sdraulig writing for two flutes, busy, obviously challenging and quick and interleaved, and a cute one about her cat, Francesca Brzoskowski Figaro's bakery.  Amusingly, for the Sdraulig, the music was spread over four stands and the two flautists moved stage right to left to read through the chart.  Then a final movement from Richard Strauss for 13 wind instruments.  Just orchestral in its busy enmeshed lines.  All done with quiet confidence.  Virtually all winds, although with one tuba taking another bass role and those horns which seem to be brass but are classified winds.  Whatever, a wonderful and welcomed gig.

The RMC Band Woodwinds performed at Wesley.