As bold as brass

THINK of a brass band concert, and chances are the picture will be of musicians on a village green, or maybe in a draughty church hall, playing a selection of popular tunes. A bit of oompah-pa, perhaps. Maybe the theme from Star Wars. And of course The Floral Dance.

It is an image deeply embedded in British life, particularly rural life. The light and fruity tones of the cornet and trombone belting out a succession of toe-tapping tunes. But it is an image Ray Farr is determined to change.

"In England, the brass band movement has not really moved forward. It calls itself a movement, but it has not moved for 50 years," he says. "One or two people have tried to move it forward, and I suppose you could count me in that number."

He admits his views make him controversial, "a little bit of a rebel", and this ruffled a few feathers at last year's Durham Brass Festival, of which more later, but it's also a role he relishes. The problem, as he sees it, is that the perception of brass band music is stuck in a rut of the old favourites, strangling attempts to branch into other directions.

"The majority of bands still enjoy playing light music, and the majority of people like light music. There is a place for it and bands can do it very well," says Ray, conductor in residence at Durham University. "But there is another style of brass band music which is not seen very often.

"There are people who take it very seriously, and they want to play seriously." He rethinks: "That is not a good word. But it is music of quality and sincerity. If you like, cultural, if you like, artistic, but it doesn't have to be seen in such highbrow terms. Something which is fulfilling for themselves."

While it may represent progress, he believes his approach also signals something of a return to the roots of brass band music. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this included arrangements of the latest operas, as well as the popular music of the day.

But changing this ingrained image will be a hard task, and perhaps nowhere more so than in the North-East, home to around 150 brass bands and one of the traditional strongholds of brass band music. As a former conductor of the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, which featured in the Ewan McGregor film Brassed Off, Ray is all too familiar with audience expectations.

"The perception of what a brass band is and what kind of music it plays is very, very strong, especially in this part of the world, and people get upset. They say, 'How dare you change it? This is not what brass bands should be. This is not the sort of music they should be playing'.

"I get that even from people in quite responsible positions in band associations. I don't think that is healthy, but I have no wish to be rude to anybody who doesn't like the kind of music that I like.

"It is very difficult to break that mould, to persuade people that a brass band can play a whole range of music and should not just be pigeonholed. Music should reflect all of life, its moods, its successes, its triumphs, its tragedies. It is an art form and a brass band is a vehicle for presenting musical ideas as much as any orchestra."

The showdown with the traditionalists came during last year's Durham Brass Festival. Ray was conducting the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, in a programme of contemporary pieces by composers including Norwegian Turstein Asgaard Nilsen, at Durham's Gala Theatre.

Ray says he knew something was amiss beforehand, when he heard the concert was a sell-out. The Brighouse and Rastrick may be one of the country's foremost brass bands, but is also probably best known for the Floral Dance, which spent nine weeks at number two in the charts in 1977.

When the concert got under way, signs of restlessness were apparent early on. Before the interval, around 50 people walked out. Just after the re-start, another 50 noisily got up to leave, some of them tut-tutting and shouting "Rubbish" as they headed for the exit. Band secretary Ian Dust said it was the first time he had known such a reaction in 24 years.

Ray puts some of the blame on advertising, which failed to make the nature of the programme clear. The result, he believes, was that many people came for the band and not the music.

"It was very upsetting for me and the musicians at the time. It was demoralising, so much that I actually cut the programme. I just wanted to get off the stage and finish it quickly," he recalls.

"But since then we've had hundreds of letters of support saying this is what we need. I'm convinced this is a good thing, but I don't want that kind of experience again, and neither does my audience."

Those who complained were given refunds, although Ray is less charitable towards the displays of displeasure.

"They were rather bad mannered because they caused a storm and they were shouting when they walked out. That was very distressing for me as a performer, and for the band and for the rest of the audience who paid to listen to that programme," he says.

"But you don't go to the cinema without knowing what the film is. You don't go to an Indian restaurant if you want fish and chips."

He has little time for the lighter, foot-tapping music those disgruntled punters had paid to hear, particularly the dreaded Floral Dance.

"That is shallow. It is not quality music, in my opinion," he says firmly. "It is not serious music. Nothing is wrong with it, but it doesn't make an artistic statement. It is background music. It is not intended to be listened to and it doesn't have a particular meaning. Much of it sounds the same to me."

It may be popular, but this does not itself give it any special status, he believes. And while he wants to bring his style of music to more people, he recognises it has a narrower appeal.

"When I have given serious concerts there has often been a small audience. That is what culture is. It is for a minority of people. That is the essence of civilisation," he says.

"I didn't mean it was for a minority of people," he corrects himself. "I think a minority of people will be concerned with culture. By its very essence, by its very quintessence, culture will not have mass appeal.

"As far as being generally available for the masses, then it is. But the masses have to open their eyes, or their ears in this case. But that is an effort."

But he was encouraged by the opening concert in this year's festival, when the Grimethorpe Colliery Band played music including work by contemporary British composer Philip Wilby. It was a challenging programme, but the audience reaction was positive. This time, only one person rang the next day to complain.

But the real test is still to come. Tomorrow Ray conducts the North-East's premier band, the Reg Vardy Brass Band, in a programme of music by Wilby, Shostakovich and Mussorgsky. Then next Saturday, he brings the Brighouse and Rastrick back to Durham, again with a challenging programme.

This time, he says, the advertising has made the nature of the concerts clear. He is confident there will be no repeat of last year. "People won't walk out this time. I'm confident we will charm them and take them on a journey," he says. "I have made every effort I can to publicise the fact that we're playing this kind of music and we hope we get the kind of people who are music lovers and want to experience something that is not just a shallow sensation."

He says he remains anxious not to offend anybody, even those "very rude" people who stormed out last year, but he is uncompromising in his determination to champion "serious" music.

"There might be some people who don't like the sort of music I like and I really don't want to upset anybody. If they like a lighter style of programme there are lots of things for them to go to."

But even if these concerts go well, he knows it will be an uphill struggle to achieve his long-term aim, of transforming the image of what a brass band is. "I want to change the perception, I don't want to educate people. I want to take them on a journey and lead them into the kinds of musical experiences which reflect all kind of moods," he says.

"We're stretching the boundaries and people around the world are watching us. I think there will be anger on the way, but if people won't come then I won't change my viewpoint on what is good music. I just won't be asked to promote these concerts again."

* Durham Brass Festival runs until July 14. Box Office: 0191-332 4041. www.brassfestival.co.uk