The Story of Maria von Trapp

Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Conductor: Allan Withington
Featuring: Camilla Belsvik
Students from Hemsworth Arts and Community College
The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Sunday 29th March

The recession is hitting everyone hard – brass bands included. Thankfully, some people are realising that they need to do something different, something eye-catching to persuade new audiences to come and listen to them.

Creative thinking

With that in mind, we should embrace creative thinking – although it may take some time yet for it to prove to be totally financially successful.  

Allan Withington is some creative talent – a man whose musical knowledge and insight goes far beyond the confines of brass bands.  In searching for something different, Allan has brought us the story of Maria von Trapp (her maiden name was Maria Kutschera for quiz nuts out there) – a familiar musical tale of course, but one told in a very different way.

The creative concept provided a brilliant end result – although there was a slightly disappointing audience to witness it on the night. Those present at The Bridgewater Hall on Sunday, the two previous evenings at The Sage and for those associated with Hemsworth College on the Friday night, cannot have failed to have been impressed by the level of professional musicianship that was on show by all concerned.

Something different

Grimethorpe have the knack of doing that something a little different extremely well, and they demonstrated once again.  They were in cracking form all night.

The first half provided six musical aperitifs that more than satisfied the palette in anticipation for the main course later in the evening.

Palm of the hand

Allan Withington had the audience in the palm of his hand from the word go. Having walked on stage, he introduced himself and the band before making the point that in Newcastle the night before, the band had entered from stage left to a rapturous welcome.  Not wanting to let the Manchester crowd feel ‘out-done’ he asked their indulgence to do just that.

It worked a treat and set the tone for what followed. 

Energy

The opening ‘Prelude’ to ‘Act III to Lohengrin’ was full of energy, leading the way for a fine performance of ‘Fingal’s Cave’ where the musical sea storms really did lash the rocks.

Allan Withington acknowledged the various personnel changes within the band since the turn of the year before introducing the band’s new Principal Cornet, Rob Westacott with ‘Slavische Fantasy’. 

This was a performance full of self-assurance and polish. The top chair at Grimethorpe is one only for the chosen few and Rob is now relishing his opportunity to follow in a very illustrious line.

Run through

A quick run through the ‘Thunder and Lightening Polka’ brought Michael Dodd centre stage to perform the beautiful 2nd movement of the Horovitz ‘Euphonium Concerto’ in a performance full of elegance and lyricism.  To close, music so often used as 'the opener' in a concert, and a slick account of ‘Fest Musik Der Stadt Wein’. 

It must be said anybody present who was anticipating the second-half to be a camp brass band and choir version of the ‘Sound of Music’ was mistaken.

It was a family orientated musical performance of course, that included familiar classics from the musical itself, but it also linked together other pieces that helped portray the real von Trapp life.

Setting the scene

To set the scene and get everyone in the mood the ‘Blue Danube’ was played whilst Maria played by Camilla Belsvik and seven children who would play a pivotal role in her later life, took to the stage.

Whilst the moving real story unfolded, Bach's ‘Air from Suite No. 3 in D’ featuring a magnificent horn section was beautifully presented before Kevin Crockford delivered an impeccable performance of the ‘Intermezzo’ from ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’.

Sugar coated

Then the sugar coated bit.  Camilla got Rob Westacott to play a D major scale leading her to persuade the children to sing ‘Do-Re- Mi’ complete with audience participation. There was also 'La Danza' and 'The Lonely Goatherd 'along the way, but having finally married Georg Ludwig von Trapp, the audience also heard Mendelssohn's famous ‘Wedding March’.

The Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938 lead to the family moving first to Italy and then to the USA, where the family became musical sensations as the Von Trapp Family Singers. To ensure we didn’t miss a trick singers from Hemsworth College belted out ‘Climb Every Mountain’ and ‘Edelweiss’ in what was a great old sing-along medley of hits from the film.

Take a bow

It just left everybody to take a bow or two whilst Grimethorpe had a ball in the ‘Radeztsky March’ and with the cheers still ringing in his ears, Maestro Withington let his principal artiste’s send the audience home tapping their feet with the ‘Finale’ from ‘William Tell’.

Whether this fantastic project will get repeated at some point, remains to be seen (particularly with the costs involved) but the concept and it's execution was first class.

Everybody involved in this production loved every minute of it because it was so refreshingly different and entertaining. Hopefully, Allan Withington has some more creative ideas up his sleeve in the near future.

Congratulations to all concerned for a wonderful night of top quality entertainment.

Malcolm Wood

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