Hepworth Persimmon Homes Band

Hepworth Persimmon Homes Band
In Concert at The Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe
Sunday 16th May 2004
Musical Director: Mark Bentham

A very warm and sunny evening welcomed both audience and the Hepworth Persimmon Homes Band to  this evening concert, and after opening with their signature tune ‘Pratty Flowers’ the Band went straight in to the Rimmer March ‘The Cossack’ taken at a  nice steady tempo  with some excellent playing all round the Band.

The first soloist was the band's Soprano Cornet Mark Smedley, a player who has made such an impression of late with some super performances on the contest stage, and he gave a nice account of La Callifa by Morricone in which he displayed some excellent phrasing and a clear and pure tone. 

Music by Dave Brubeck followed with ‘Take Five’ where there was some terrific work from the percussion section and a real sense of the cool jazz style that Brubeck and his sax player, the late Paul Desmond were so famous for.  The audience seemed to lap this music up (many were of an age when this would have been around first time on Top of the Pops), and it was a popular choice. In sharp contrast the band continued with the very moving ‘A Little Prayer’ by Evelyn Glennie in which the MD allowed the band to produce some lovely controlled playing in this most moving music. A very lively ‘Devils Gallop’ (Dick Barton Special Agent to just about everyone else) by Williams then led to the next soloist with the band's Flugel Horn player Catherine Booth who played a superb piece entitled ‘Beneath the Willows’ arr Harper with some fine backing from the rest of the band. This piece was originally written for the talented Julie Telling of the Flowers Band, but Catherine showed that she was more than up to that particular standard with this performance.

To end the first half of the concert the band chose music by Liszt  in the dramatic and exciting ‘Les Preludes’. This music was the set test piece for The Grand Shield Contest which was held in Blackpool the week before and out of twenty two Bands Hepworth Persimmon gained a very creditable sixth place. There was some fine solo performances heard in this evenings playing of the piece especially from the bass section and the Band are to be congratulated on putting this very difficult music in the programme - it is a bit of a lip burster for sure, but Hepworth showed a great degree of control and precision, hallmarks of their placing at the Grand Shield contest.  

‘Hawaii Five O’ in an arrangement by Mark Bentham got the second half underway with some well choreographed visual effects from the band and a reminder of the glory days of Jack Lord and the boys from Honolulu. A real foot tapper this one well enjoyed by everyone. Music by Rachmaninov in his superb ‘Adagio’ was the choice of Robert Westacott, the bands Principal Cornet player who gave an object lesson in controlled playing none more than in the high register; cornet playing at its best. 

Music from the film Moulin Rouge arr Bentham gave a nice contrast which was followed by the bands Principal Trombone player Yvonne Embury who chose music by Don Lusher in his ‘Concert Variations’. Yvonne has been one of the bands most consistent soloist’s over the years and she didn’t disappoint in her playing of this lovely and nowadays rarley heard solo.

Goff Richards has been one of the best arrangers and composers for bands and in his ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ there was some excellent playing with the euphoniums and baritones in top form. The band then really let its hair down in Tico Tico with every section of the band showing of its talent. As an encore the band finished with Get Happy by Arlen.

This was a most enjoyable concert with Mark Bentham acting as compere as well as conducting and his rapport with the audience was appreciated right from the start. Hepworth continue to impress.  

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