Black Dyke Band

Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus
Conductor: Darius Battiwalla
Sheffield City Hall
Saturday 15th December

The city of Sheffield is synonymous for its steel industry and related industries.  During the Victorian era it gained a reputation for cutlery and silverware, in particular knives. (There cannot be a brass band conductor who hasn’t thought he’s been stabbed in the back when sacked by a blade sporting a Sheffield hallmark). 

Sheffield is also the home to two former Premiership football clubs as well as the Crucible Theatre that has for the past thirty years become the spiritual home of the World Snooker Championships.

Musically it has a proud heritage too and the magnificent setting of the City Hall, celebrating 75 years of hosting high quality music for the city, played host to this joint concert by the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Black Dyke and organist, Greg Smith.

It was your typical Christmas Concert that is replicated up and down the land at this time of year, but on this occasion had just that extra bit of significance - the final time that the great Peter Roberts would play with Black Dyke.

With the band only playing six individual items during the concert, it was going to be a low key departure for Peter until he changed his mind and decided he would like to say a proper goodbye with one of his famous solos.

Throughout Dyke’s participation in the carols and their individual items, ‘Piccolo Pete’ displayed his masterful technique and wonderful breath control, but also his exceptionally sensitive response to the interpretation of the music. He knew all eyes and ears were on him, but instead of hogging the limelight, he went about his business with a sense of professional calm and no fuss whatsoever. 

This was Dyke’s sixth concert out of eight for the festive season and they were in decent form on the night. 

Their programme was (as expected) predominantly seasonal music ranging from ‘Midnight Sleighride, ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, and Alan Fernie’s arrangement of ‘The Rocking Carol’  featuring Richard Marshall on principal cornet.  Phillip Harper’s ‘Little Drummer Boy’ showcased Sandy Smith on principal horn, John Doyle (flugel) and Lee Skipsey as the drummer, and it was rounded off with the very familiar ‘Riverdance’. 

This was one of the few occasions that Mr Roberts really did let rip, towards the end of the piece and whether you’ve seen it once or more, Richard Marshall and John Doyle’s choreographed Michael Flatley impression is loved by the audience and certainly brings a smile to the face.

Prior to Peter Roberts’ solo, Dr Childs informed the audience as to the reason for the change to their published programmes (it was going to be ‘Frosty the Snowman’ played by Adrian Hurst on bass trombone) and at this ‘momentous occasion’ he said, they would be privileged to hear the greatest soprano player the world has ever known for one last time.

The choice of solo (requested from a player in the band) was the truly beautiful ‘La Califfa’ arranged by Stuart Pullin.

It was three memorable minutes; the simple melody demonstrated what the maestro has always done – produce the most delightful clear tone complete with dynamic control that takes the breath away.

Not surprisingly, the band rose as one at the conclusion to applaud and even though they’re made of strong stuff in the White Rose county, people around where your reviewer was sat were moved by the what they’d just listened too and the fact that there would be no more golden moments on a stage such as this.

The Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus of around 120, not only led the way in the audience carols, but under the direction of Darius Battiwalla they sung a number of seasonal favourites, including a selection of them off stage starting the whole concert off with ‘Silent Night’. 

There was also some traditional Yorkshire carols that went down well with the locals as did organist, Greg Smith in his solo item and MC Ian McMillan who kept the audience royally entertained with anecdotes and local Yorkshire humour.

With the strains of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ being sung by the choir, the concert came to a close.

Nearly sixteen years to the day, the tenor horn virtuoso, Gordon Higginbottom brought his playing career to an end surrounded by All-Star Band and a cast of soloists including the Childs Brothers. 

The concert was entitled ‘Thanks for the Memory’ and Peter Roberts has given so many people countless memories down the years. The contest and concert stage will seem strange less thrilling place without him.

Malcolm Wood

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