An Advent Concert with the Göteborg Brass Band	Dec 20 2000

Repiano cornetist Pernilla Hellman The hall of "Artisten," the Music School of Göteborg, Sweden, was filled to its last place Saturday, Dec 9th. Bengt Eklund, the founder of Göteborg Brass Band in 1982, and also its conductor, is a musical magnet to audiences as well as performers in Scandinavia. The band presented a traditional Swedish Advent program, a "Santa Lucia" concert, involving the beautiful and illuminating procession of Santa Lucia and her maids carrying burning candles into the dark concert hall. The holy Lucia of Syracuse, Sicily, suffered the death of a martyr in her late teens under the Roman emperor Diocletian in 304 AD. Her name brings about the conception of light, lat.: lux, therefore she is the saint for all who live in darkness. (December in Scandinavia is quite dark!) The concert involved the Göteborg Brass Band with soloists, "Domkykokören" (the large, mixed Cathedral choir) and "Gustavikören." The latter is also referred to as "Coro Angelico," or "the angel choir," consisting of the finest soprano and alto voices. The sweetness of brass suited the innocent voices sublimely. Bengt Eklund's insistence on tonal perfection through ideal intonation enabled the 30 brass musicians to match the tender and crystal clear sopranos perfectly. Santa Lucia processes into the concert hall The highlights of the concert were many. Patrik Randefalk's euphonium solo in Sergej Rachmaninov's Vocalise op 34, nr 14 was absolutely charming. Hector Berlioz' Overture Le Corsaire(1851) featured the whole musical spectrum from gentle, lyrical lines to fierce and dramatic statements. Ulrika Holm's musical and sensitive flügelhorn solos could be fully enjoyed as ever before. In John Rutter's Shepherd's Pipe Carol we were spoiled with playful changing of rhythms and keys, exciting harmonies, wonderful piano parts, and the choir's crystal clear diction. Humor was not forgotten as Anders Hellman on bass trombone rendered a thrilling version of Steve Nelson/Jack Rolling's Frosty the Snowman! When choirs and band in wholehearted union lifted the ceiling with the Hallelujah Chorus from Händel's Messiah, one felt completely satisfied. This concert is a beloved tradition, and the encore is as certain as Christmas Eve itself: all electric spotlights were turned off; singers and players lit their slender, white Christmas candles; the reflection of warm flames from polished brass created an atmosphere charged with expectation; then Franz Gruber's Silent Night, Holy Night performed by the brass band and choir conjured the Christmas magic everyone longed for. The audience left the hall in thankful silence, once again convinced of the power of their musical and spiritual heritage. The Göteborg Brass Band works on an idealistic basis, where the conductor is a regular member of his own band. Earlier this year, GBB once again claimed their position as Sweden's most prominent Brass Band though the national championship. Among the performed pieces was a commissioned work: Brassonance by the Swedish composer Czaba Deak. The Göteborg Brass Band with Choruses, under the baton of Bengt Eklund GBB's plans for 2001 involve a concert tour to Holland and Belgium. They will present masterclasses in the Conservatory of Antwerp with a focus on how to develop the balance of sound. The band always warms up by playing chorales, thus they tune their minds as well as their instruments to the pleasure of tonal beauty. In the World Championship for Brass Bands in Holland they will aim at defending their position as World Champions from 1988. Bengt Eklund's philosophy is comfortably clear though, "the most important thing isn't to win, but to participate." His goal in life is to share his love for music with his students through maintaining the band and all its activities. In October/November 2001 the GBB will fly over the Atlantic for a two week long concert tour in the USA. Read more about GBB's achievements and aspirations: www.goteborgbrassband.org.se Source: Vera Hørven, European Correspondent

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