DVD - Sounds of Praise - The Salvation Army Gospel Arts Concert 2005
October 10 2005
Live from the Royal Albert Hall
CD 24643
In 1963, The Salvation Army, in conjunction with EMI records, unveiled to the record-buying public the first live LP, capturing the highlights of that year's Music Leaders Festival from the Royal Albert Hall. This innovation must have been a commercial success because the exercise was repeated year after year.
In 1963, The Salvation Army, in conjunction with EMI records, unveiled to the record-buying public the first live LP, capturing the highlights of that year's Music Leaders Festival from the Royal Albert Hall. This innovation must have been a commercial success because the exercise was repeated year after year. Many of the LPs became, and remain, firm favourites amongst the SA record buying public. The timescale limitations of the recording medium meant that maybe only 8 or 9 items were able to be included and therefore the two-and-a-half-hour live festivals were often captured and reduced to maybe just 50 highlighted minutes of music.
The album cover would often portray the Albert Hall platform, scene of lion-tamer tunic-wearing bandsman, surrounded by the ranks of bonneted songsters in their thousands stretching up to the roof of the cavernous old building. This picture was the only reminder of the colourful scene as the listeners replayed time and time again the souvenir audio representation of the evening?s festival.
Forty years later, those enterprising chaps at SP&S have now catapulted the whole process forward and, for the irst time, release a complete visual record of the annual mid-summer festival.
Released as a double DVD, every moment of the musical pageant is there for you to enjoy in glorious Technicolor. Priced at £19.95, in line with all other SP&S/World of Brass DVD releases, the added bonus is that by using the latest dual disc technology, you can, at no xtra cost, flip the disc to its reverse and use it in the car, or the audio layer, as a conventional audio CD.
Using the sound feed provided by the ever-professional Brian Hillson and his B&H team, this is a quality technological fusion of sound and vision. David Nicholson and his video production crew have been wielding their cameras at these events for some years in order to provide live feeds projected onto the large screens to enhance the visual aspect of the concert. This experience has established a truly professional approach and familiarity of both venue and occasion, which has held them in good standing for this permanent production.
The mouth-watering cast list enables you to watch some of the Salvationist crown jewel performers, notably The International Staff Band, who amongst its other contributions, premiËred Ken Downie?s creative new work, King Of Heaven, demonstrating the strength in depth of each section of this fine band. The Amsterdam Staff Band give thoroughly committed renditions throughout, with conductor Howard Evans, giving a particularly swashbuckling performance, obviously greatly enjoying directing his own Chassidic Dance. The peerless David Daws can be viewed at close quarters strolling his way through his signature tune, Golden Slippers. Marvel at David?s trademark lip trill gymnastics whilst also enjoying the beauty of his playing in the delightfully simple Mid All The Traffic.
Contrasting the brass focus is a wide range of complimentary styles including Michael Clack, at the grand organ, the vibrant, pulsating and pleasing to the eye, Vasa Gospel Choir from Sweden and an augmented International Staff Songsters. Many former members joined the ISS on this night, reuniting to celebrate its 25th anniversary, under the contrasting, but inspirational leadership of two former leaders, Norman Bearcroft and Len Ballantine, hotfoot from New York and Toronto respectively.
Also share in the ovation granted to Lieut. Colonel Ray Steadman-Allen, receiving the SA?s highest recognition, the Order of the Founder, in recognition of his immense contribution to Salvation Army music-making. Clear, simple titles introduce each item and lead the viewer informatively through the proceedings, even providing full lyrics for the congregational songs in customary Songs of Praise style, so join in and add your voices to the mighty Albert Hall throng from the comfort and privacy of your living room. The no frills menu makes track selection straightforward, so play the full concert in its entirety or enjoy your favourite tracks at your leisure. The length of the programme fills both discs so, on this occasion, don?t expect any of the additional features sometimes associated with commercial DVD?s, such as behind the scenes views, the dreaded out-takes, or even executive producer, Trevor Caffull, roaming amongst the performers with his microphone for the traditional post-match interview.
For me, I found the DVD more enjoyable than attending the event itself. As much as I love the atmosphere of the dear old Albert Hall, the Victorian design of the auditorium means that the visual and acoustic enjoyment can depend very much on where you are seated in relation to the action. None of that with the DVD, of course, as both audio and video producers have done the hard work by selecting for you the best angle and balancing the vagaries of the acoustic, in order for you to enjoy the delights of Sounds of Praise, live from The Royal Albert Hall, brought to you, up close and personal.
Julian Bright
British Bandsman - Saturday 10th September 2005
