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One of the specially designed UFO’s

IMG_0095IMG_0095Nigel has attended two extraordinary performances of his brass band space symphony `When Worlds Collide’. Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien (ECJ), conducted by Blaise Heritier performed Nigel’s work with much theatrical invention and took on a the challenges suggested by Nigel in his Sci-Fi score. This included the use of Bubble Guns, Confetti Cannons, DIY Power Tools as well as hovering three Flying Saucers!!! The first concert that ECJ performed When Worlds Collide was in a try out concert in  Glovelier, Switzerland and the second performance was part of the 2013 Swiss National Championship from the Stravinski Hall, Montreux.

Nigel wrote When Worlds Collide with the aim of recreating the atmosphere and sentiment of the American cult “Sci-Fi” movies of the 1950’s, such as Robert Wise’s 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still and Invasion of the Body Snatchers directed by Don Siegel in 1956, as well as Rudolph Maté’s 1951 film When Worlds Collide. Though all in one movement, I wrote an imaginary script that underlines all of When Worlds Collide’s varying moods and atmospheres.

Test Flight of one of the Flying Saucers the day before the concert!!

[quicktime]http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/UFO-Test-Flight.mov[/quicktime]

4barsrest.com wrote of ECJ’s of performance at the 2013 Swiss National Brass Band Championship:

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Nigel and conductor Blaise Heritier with the Flying Saucer team in Glovelier!!!

An eye popping opening as the smokes rises from the bass end and we take off – literally into the unknown.

The exotic effects add such a level exciting texture and a sense of expectation which is certainly enhanced by the bravura playing of the ensemble and soloists. We have the flying saucers!!! Three spacecraft take off into the hall – and the auditorium comes alive with a real buzz. It is pure musical theatre this but the band is not being overshadowed by it all and the euph and flugel all add touches of high class playing to the proceedings. You can almost be transported back to the sci-fi heyday of American B movies here – with a great sense of musical time and place being created. Not everything comes off in the band, but they are giving it one heck of a go to repel the ‘Beast with a 1000 Eyes’ from the back of the car in the midnight drive in picture show in 1950s Clarkesville Ohio. The final section almost blows the roof off – but it is played with such verve and excitement as earth (and Switzerland) remains safe from the threat of alien invasion once more.

Overall:
Great stuff – and such a bold, inventive and brave choice. It gets a standing ovation and the band and composer deserve it too. Very different, very exciting, very theatrical and down right enjoyable. It most probably won’t win, but it’s been a musical highlight of the entire weekend. Bravo one and all.

When Worlds Collide try-out performance in Glovelier, Switzerland performed by Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien conducted by Blaise Heritier

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxzcrCgo_is[/youtube]

When Worlds Collide performance in Stravinski Hall, Montreux, performed by Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien conducted by Blaise Heritier

(Sometimes poor sound quality!)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNdxpDXD7A8[/youtube]

See: Canal Alpha News Channel Report on `When Worlds Collide’ (Objets volants non identifiés à Glovelier)

L’Ensemble de cuivres jurassien répétait dimanche, en public à Glovelier, les morceaux qu’il interprétera le week-end prochain à Montreux lors du Concours suisse des Brass Bands. Et il y en avait autant pour les oreilles que pour les yeux, notamment lors de la pièce de Nigel Clarke. Divers objets volants ont alors voyagé au-dessus des spectateurs.

See Link: Canal Alpha News Channel