Hepworth (Cookson Homes) Band

Champion Brass
Conductor: Mark Bentham
Uppermill Civic Hall
Saturday 12th April

Hepworth is a band who has continued to make great strides over the past couple of years on the contesting and concert platform.  Last year alone, they took the scalps of Black Dyke and Grimethorpe to qualify for the Nationals in London prior to finishing runners-up in the English Nationals at Preston in the June. 

On top form they are a fine band indeed, but when they are not, they can be a somewhat bewildering listening experience – and that was perhaps a reflection of the two halves of this concert: The first had the stamp of quality, the second the stamp of a dynamic approach to the hall’s acoustic that never felt settled or at times, comfortable.

Under the direction of newly married Mark Bentham (his wife Kathryn was sat in the cornet section), Hepworth launched straight into their signature tune ‘Pratty Flowers’, and then, without a significant break between the two pieces, a fine performance of Philip Sparke’s ‘Concert Prelude’.

In banding circles, the Landon family are well known: Mark is now principal percussionist at Fodens, parents Eric and Susan live in the local Saddleworth area with Eric at the helm of Rochdale Borough Youth Band, and daughter, Rebecca, is the principal horn of Hepworth.

No surprise then that most of the Landon family was in attendance as Rebecca produced a delightful interpretation of ‘Capriccio Brilliante’ with a display of poise and clarity throughout.

Unusual

Mark Bentham has the knack of unearthing some unusual marches and he has recently arranged an American Screamer March entitled ‘Circus Bee’. It’s a real cracker and if all goes to plan, anyone listening to the band’s recent recording for Listen to the Band to be broadcast on Friday 2nd May will get their chance to judge it for themselves.

Unusual marches, aside, the band also likes to vary their concert programmes with something a little different, and in another arrangement a septet led by the band’s principal cornet, Rob Westacott, produced some of the nicest playing of the whole evening in ‘Moon River’.

Bach’s ‘Toccata in D Minor’, is one of the most popular pieces ever written but it was a ‘Fugue in D Minor’ from the same composer that the Yorkshire outfit selected as its next item, before seeming more at easy with the upbeat ‘Gat Happy’.

The cornet section continued its hard work in the first half being featured in ‘Bandsman’s Holiday ‘prior to music from the Salvation Army bringing the first half to a close.

Dean Jones’ final movement of ‘Glorifico Aeternum’ has found favour with a number of bands as a selection on the concert and contesting platform over the past couple of years. Here, Hepworth performed the piece in its entirety, of which the hymn tunes ‘Now We Thank We all our God’, ‘The King of Love My Shepherd Is’ are featured. It was a robust performance that was in need of dynamic variance though – at times the band’s usual clarity and quality was lost through overblowing.

Second half

The second half featured further established concert repertoire from the band before they finished it off with favourites from the ‘Last Night of the Proms’.

Goff Richards’ ‘Hymns of Praise’ was a BBC commission to celebrate the most popular works heard on ‘Songs of Praise’ and it led the way before James Fieldhouse, the band’s Principal Euphonium, took centre stage to perform Leigh Baker’s ‘On the Seashore’.

The soloist is a talented individual and his technique and delivery of this composition from the Brighouse baritone player, was exemplary. Unfortunately his was the only really dynamically coherent contribution to the second half, which was some reason the band took the opportunity to use to overblow on far too many occasions.

Whit Friday is only a calendar month away and so the band gave a run out to the march they’ll be hoping that will bring them success, Allen’s ‘The Wizard', before changing the mood with Philip Wilby’s ‘The Day Thou Gavest’ – both of which needed dynamic restraint.

Eric Coates’ ‘Dambuster’s March’ got the audience in the mood for the final segment where they participated in some traditional patriotic numbers.

Firstly, the ‘Fantasia on British Sea Song’s' where the audience’s attempt at clapping in time with the music merited another attempt, before all in attendance stretched their vocal chords with ‘Jerusalem’ and the obligatory ‘Pomp and Circumstance March No.1’ which received the briefest of reprises to send the assembled home humming ‘Rule Britannia’.

Even though the second half was more than made up of lollipops, it was a disappointment that they were not played with the same attention to the bands obvious qualities, that were displayed in the first half.

Malcolm Wood 

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