Brighouse & Rastrick Band

Conductor: Alan Morrison
St Andrews Hall
Norwich
Sunday 10th May

On Sunday 10th May the Brighouse & Rastrick Band made a welcome return to Norwich to perform at the East Anglian Brass Band Association’s 71st Annual Gala Concert. 

The march West Riding, the band’s signature tune, welcomed the band’s Musical Director Alan Morrison to the stage.  The concert commenced with a fine performance of Peter Graham’s Summon the Dragon and was followed by Rossini’s Italien Girl in Algiers. 

Soloist

The first soloist of the evening was the band’s Principal Cornet player, Stephen Wilkinson who delighted the audience with Philip Sparke’s Song & Dance. Stephen was then joined by Bryan Tait and Alex Francis in Buglers Holiday.

The style and tempo then changed as the band gave a fine performance of In Memoriam by Leigh Baker. This was followed with The Big Mancini which included five of Mancini’s most famous compositions.

Superb

The second soloist of the evening was Principal Euphonium Mike Howley who gave a superb performance of Verdi’s Jean de Florette.

For the final item of the first half the band took the audience to Spain for a wedding with an excellent performance of La Boda de Luis Alonzo. 

Forward facing

The second half commenced with some of the band playing forward facing instruments in All Night Long by Ritchie. Talented tenor horn player Daniel Powell was the first soloist in this half of the concert. Daniel showed his skill performing The Piper of Dundee by Downie. 

The band then went back in time to the Elizabethen Age with two contrasting movements of Music from Elizabethen Court, Pavane and King’s Hunting Jigg.  After Sweet Georgia Brown flugel player John Lee delighted the audience with his performance of I’ve Got You Under My Skin.

Request

The band had received a request to play West Riding in full, which they duly did.  For their penultimate item the band performed Mr Sandman. 

The four soloists showed the audience that not only are they are very talented brass musicians but they can ring bells, sing, dance (in the choir stalls), and all play one set of tubular bells at the same time. The audience thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining ‘novelty’ item.

King of Kings

The final item King of Kings by Rozsa displayed the band at its most powerful best. At its conclusion the band received rapturous applause from the 600 plus members of the audience.

The audience was more than delighted when the band played as their encore, The Floral Dance.

It is several years since Brighouse & Rastrick performed at the East Anglian Brass Band Association Gala Concert. This visit will be remembered for the high quality performance and the enjoyment given to the audience.

Christine Wade

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