Brighouse & Rastrick

Conductor: Nigel Weeks
The Sage Gateshead
Saturday 3rd December

With the sound of Brass In Concert not long gone and left ringing in our ears it wasn't too long to wait before Brighouse and Rastrick returned back to the wonderful Sage Gateshead. Would their programme choice be correct and would the world famous B&R be able to fill the hall? 4BR was there to see it all unfold.

The programme began with a few bars of ‘On Ilkley Moor', the band's signature tune, conducterless from the off – much like they did at Brass in Concert to fine effect a few weeks previously but with Resident Conductor Nigel Weeks, rather than James Gourlay emerging from the wings in the closing bars. He promptly announced that there would be a communal voicing of ‘Hark the Herald' so everyone was on their feet by the time the cornets and trombones had completed the obligatory fanfare.

The concert began in earnest with a ‘Psalm of Praise' (James Curnow) a tone poem based on distinct rhythmic structures around the hymn ‘Praise my Soul'. There was so much intricate detail it was hard to decipher the tune at times but the sectional playing and notable soloist features throughout the piece were immaculately played.

In this opening cavalcade of Xmas music we then heard John Golland's  ‘A Christmas Overture' opening with a single three note bell effect from the trombones and eventually mirrored around the band the first theme being ‘O come Emanuel', and in all a compilation of eight carols featuring some lovely soprano and flugel playing in particular.

If Neil Hewson's flugel playing in the ‘Christmas Overture' whetted your appetite, what to follow was a completely sustained, controlled, very warm performance of ‘Away in a Manger' - a beautiful arrangement by Peter Graham just made very tasteful and a joy to listen to by the soloist. No Xmas programme would be complete without the obligatory ‘Sleigh Ride' this time by Leroy Anderson and whichever version you listen to, whether it is the orchestral one or this one, it is always a favourite.

From the original choral work ‘Gaudette', Kevin Norbury  turned this into a compilation of three carols ‘Coventry Carol', ‘Gaudette' and ‘Unto us a Child is born' and it became a work full of fervent and intricate detail, very well handled by all sections of the band.

‘Caravan' by  Duke Ellington was a reprise of their Brass in Concert performance and once again it was given the full treatment by the band starting with a liquid bit of trobone playing at the very opening which was neatly played. The ensemble work from horns and flugel were excellent but overall this was too harsh and over the top and lacked the subtley of the original both in style and execution – it is not a big band bash, and Big Bands never sound as brash as this – not the ‘Dukes' for certain. 

Next up ‘The Man with the Golden Cornet' and Alan Morrison's own arrangement of ‘Satchmo' from the original by Kenny Baker. A typical blues number and one of many that Alan has showed off his skills with in the past. This was a slightly up tempo number, not requiring brilliant virtuosity but enough in it to keep the soloist on his toes and the audience full of expectation. It was brilliantly performed with all the quirky inferences of a typical blues number and the audience responded with deserved warm applause. You just cannot beat a touch of class.

‘Procession to the Minster' in the Howard Snell version typically had overtones of the Introduction to Act 3 Lohengrin with its descending chromatic passages, and once again we heard some delightful flugel playing and good use of unison passages in horn and trombones. The poor sop player was exposed almost throughout the piece but his performance was one of accomplished ease.

It was not long after the interval that the audience was given the inevitable writing skills of Eric Ball. In his ‘Kingdom Triumphant' it sounded just that - an opening full of Gladiator character about to face the foe. Once again the soloists didn't disappoint with fine playing from solo cornet, flugel and euphonium throughout the Advent Carol and some fine orchestral sounds from the trombones.

Melvyn Bathgate gave us a simple and understated performance of ‘Evergreen' (the theme from A Star is Born) on tenor horn with his sound as warm as the colour of his rose brass bell. This was another of the delightful arrangements from the pen of Reg Vardy cornetist Alan Catherall and it was very well played.

Other Xmas treats on offer were a fine arrangement by Goff Richards of ‘Simple Gifts', a play on ‘Lord of the Dance' and ‘Frosty the Snowman', a tuba solo performed by the excellent David Hebb in which we had a few light hearted moments the form of a cadenza which incorporated the main theme in different keys as well as a hint of ‘Ding Dong Merrily' and multi-phonics on ‘Silent Night'.  The Christmas mood continued with ‘White Xmas' which started with a very well formed trombone trio that just called out for a tad more slide vib and ended with some vocal support from various sections of the band with the definitive consonant ‘t' being stressed on the final word ‘white' – a touch forcefully perhaps?

Next, some more big band interpretations, this time handled superbly with excellent dynamics with all ensembles within the band performing well in all sections of ‘Miller Magic' in the old potboiler Denzil  Stephen's arrangement. Not quite as magic as the originals but the swing feel was accurate and this time it wasn't overblown.

To close the programme the superb arrangement of ‘Symphonic Dances from West Side Story' arranged by Eric Crees.

There seems to be quite a bit of dispute over this piece with many believing that you have to get permission to allow it to be publically performed. Whatever – we hope Brighouse were not breaking any copyright laws as it is a cracking showstopper to end.

The opening contained super work from the cornet section and the whole band spurred on by the intricate nature of the work. After the ferocity of the opening a calmer approach evolved to the lovely ‘Maria' with detailed staccato playing followed by a scintillating and rhythmic approach to ‘America'  and a serene interpretation of ‘Somewhere'…superb!!

A closing fanfare and the communal singing of ‘O come all ye Faithful' had the audience in full voice led by Nigel Weeks and the audience stood to sing and remained standing for some rapturous applause as the band took its bows. The encore was inevitably ‘The Floral Dance' and the audience virtually rocked in the aisles. At the close a standing ovation followed and the entire band were on their feet at the final chord and the sop player just managed to hang on!  

The Hall may have been only two thirds full but Brighouse and Rastrick didn't disappoint here. Whilst this was not a traditional Xmas Concert it had something to offer to everyone's musical taste buds, but I would question the use of more than one Xmas medley selection as they are bound to overlap so what we end up with are offerings of the same tune in different keys.

The encore was somewhat of an anti climax following ‘West Side Story', but there again ‘The Floral Dance' is kind of synonymous with B&R and they are stuck with it. The programme was expertly compered and directed by Nigel Weeks and coupled with his directorship and the abundance of talent that this band has it will not be long before their trophy cabinet will be opened again.

Erik Strodl

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