New London Pictures - Nigel Hess

13 May 2013, 11:43 | Updated: 23 July 2013, 14:34

Exciting wind band music with a delicate edge is Album of the Weekend, 1-2 June 2013.

Best known for his television, theatre and film soundtracks, Nigel Hess is the man behind the theme tunes to Wycliffe, Dangerfield, Hetty Wainthrop Investigates, and the ever-popular Ladies in Lavender. While his trademark lyricism and great tunes are still present on his latest album, New London Pictures, it's a change of direction from his earlier soundtracks.

The album takes its inspiration from the hustle and bustle of modern London, in three contrasting movements. Congestion Charge, with its 'oom-pa-pa's, whistles, and jeering from the clarinets, captures the stressful commute faced by drivers in the centre of the city. In contrast, Hess paints an impressive picture of the towering London Eye as the sun rises, with a peaceful French horn melody representing the 135m structure.

But it's not all London-centric. Aside from the three Scottish pieces in the powerful Lochnagnar Suite, Hess' beautiful Ladies in Lavender theme is transformed into a wind band piece, with the shimmering violin melody being adopted by the flute to create an altogether more delicate rendition of the music. And the three Shakespeare Pictures, based on Much Ado about Nothing, The Winter's Tale, and Julius Caesar, show off the multi-faceted capabilities of a wind band - from dazzling trumpet solos to tender flute duets.

A range of exciting music, packed full of great tunes from the explosive to the serene, capturing the spirit of the capital and beyond.