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The 4BR Spotify Playlist No. 1
Classic Black Dyke Mills

4BR launches a new feature to enjoy — starting with classic tracks from the era of Black Dyke Mills Band.

Spotify

4BR is launching an exciting new addition to our regular features with our very own ‘Spotify Playlist’ of bands and artists in performance for you to enjoy.

We will be featuring selections of our own, as well as from guests, and explaining why the tracks have been chosen.

To kick things off, classic tracks from those on Spotify from the most famous brass band in the world – and from a time when they were still called Black Dyke Mills. 

Note: You will need a Spotify account to listen to the full tracks. Not a Spotify user? Sign up for a FREE account.

Playlist link: Classic Black Dyke Mills

Our choices

Some will be familiar - some not – depending on your age and your LP or CD collection. ‘Queensbury’ might well be the most famous signature march in the banding world, but it is still surprising to hear the way in which it has been interpreted by the band’s MDs and players over the eras. 

Then there is a chance to hear how test-pieces and ‘selections’ used to be played; with Frank Wright’s famous arrangement of ‘Benvenuto Cellini’, on which the band won the World Championship title with in 1970, and ‘Nabucodonosor’ - a standard of many a bandstand concert programme of the 1960s and 70s. 

With the debate about the quality of test-piece selections currently raging, we also get a timely reminder of the beauty (and inherent difficulties) of ‘Variations for Brass Band’ by Vaughan Williams, the much under-rated ‘Sinfonietta for Brass Band’ by Gordon Langford, and the almost criminally ignored ‘Symphonic Music’ by Paul Huber.

Black Dyke Mills has had its fair share of iconic soloists over the years - none more so than James Shepherd and Philip McCann. Both can be enjoyed in their pomp with ‘Napoli’ and ‘The Maids of Cadiz’ respectively, whilst the stylistic mark Don Lusher made on the modern generation of trombonists can be heard with a sublime performance of Langford’s ‘Rhapsody for Trombone’.

And to add just a tasty bit of ubiquitous contrast - ‘Cornet Carillon’ and Faure’s ‘Pavane’: Reminders of an age when not everything had to be crash, bang, wallop to make a musical impression on the mind...



Regent Hall Concerts - London Central Fellowship Band

Saturday 21 June • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Petworth Town Band - Fete in the Park with Petworth Town Band

Saturday 28 June • Grounds of Petworth Park GU28 9LR


Petworth Town Band - Farnham Brass Band and Petworth Town Band

Saturday 28 June • Farnham Carnival


The Portsmouth Grammar School - Concert by The Black Dyke Band

Saturday 28 June • St Marys Church, Fratton, Portsmouth PO15PA PO15PA


Simon Langton Brass - Deal Memorial Bandstand

Sunday 29 June • The Strand, Walmer, Deal CT14 7DY CT14 7DY


Mereside Brass

June 16 • MERESIDE BRASS have vacancies for PERCUSSION players. We are a friendly 4th Section band with a sensible calendar of jobs and socials. It would be great to hear from you if you would like to join the band or if you could help out when needed for concerts.


Mereside Brass

June 16 • MERESIDE BRASS have a vacancy for a SOLO CORNET player maybe PRINCIPAL for the right player. We are a friendly 4th Section band with a sensible calendar of jobs, occasional contests & socials. Players of all ages & sections are welcome to visit or join us


Epping Forest Band

June 16 • Epping Forest band have a vacancy for solo horn. We are a friendly 3rd section band with a variety of gigs through out the year. We have our own band hut with close to links with London Underground central line and the M11 motorway.


Rob Nesbitt

BSc, PG Cert. Ed.
Cartoonist , illustrator, writer


               

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