May 4, 2015

  • Orchestral Lollipops from Frankfurt

     

    Orchestral Lollipops
    Fine Arts Brass, Brandenburg State Orchestra, Frankfurt/Howard Griffiths
    klanglogo 1506
    Total Time:  61:48
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    A true “pops concert” release, Orchestral Lollipops does come from a rather unusual place for such an interesting program featuring so much American music.  Some of this is due to the “guests”, the Fine Arts Brass Quintet from England.  The program here consists of a pops concert a bit in reverse with all the classical pieces reserved for the second half of the program and the pops pieces kicking it off.

    Perhaps no better composer than Leroy Anderson could help initiate us with two great little pieces he wrote for the Boston Pops.  First up is the delightful orchestral scherzo of the “Chicken Reel”—perhaps more familiar from Warner Brothers cartoons; followed by the popular “The Typewriter.”  The former feels like it needs just a lighter touch at first, but the latter selection is perfect; both well-performed.  Then we are off to the Big Band era as the brass group join in to cover standards from Tin Pan Alley and Broadway.  First up though is “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, this is a rather straight-forward performance that needed to swing just a bit more.  Things pick up though as the Fine Arts Brass appear for “Sweet Georgia Brown” and the subsequent numbers and the orchestra seems to gain from this energy.  Broadway tunes are represented by Gershwin’s “Strike Up the Band” and Porter’s “Love for Sale”.  Hoagy Carmichael’s classic “Stardust” provides a reflective moment in the program before we head to early 20th Century American pop music featuring Fats Waller’s “Smashin’ 3rds/Valentine Stomp” and Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ On the Ritz.”  These latter performances are really great and bring the guest artist section to a close.

    Then the music takes a left turn and heads to Britain for pieces that for the most part come from the same period though with quite different musical language.  Elgar’s first Pomp and Circumstance march adds a little dignity to the proceedings in this fine run through featuring crisp introduction and excellent balance for the famous lyrical section.  There is also a touching performance of the “Nimrod” variation from his Enigma Variations.  “The Wild Bears” from The Wand of Youth suite closes off this section with this great little scherzo.  The more substantial piece on the whole album is Henry Wood’s delightful Fantasia on British Seas Songs—a popular Night at the Proms selection.  The ensemble captures the spirit of the piece quite well with some touching solo work highlighting the ensemble.  The “Festival March” from Carl Nielsen’s Aladdin Suite seems an odd companion but picks things up again and it is good to have this rarer piece among the selections here.  Finally, we are treated to two brief Johann Strauss, Jr. polkas (Tik-Tak, Op. 365 and Auf der Jagd, Op. 373) and the Banditen-Galop, Op. 378each with delightful “effects” that have always been audience pleasers, especially at the Vienna New Year’s Eve concerts.

    This is overall a fun little disc with good performances.  The sequencing seems a bit odd but that at least puts each half of the program so that those who prefer the jazzier pops components can hear this while those who prefer the classical selections can go right to that part of the disc as well.  The Fine Arts Brass bring a good deal of energy to their selections and highlights here include the Elgar and Strauss selections especially.