Marsden Silver Prize Band

Brighouse Festival of Brass
Conductor: Paul Andrews
Guest Soloist: Richard Marshall
Brighouse Methodist Church
Friday 3rd July

It seems hard to believe that the Brighouse March & Hymn Contest has reached its tenth anniversary. 

Since its inception, the popularity of the event has grown to an extent that it has comfortably secured its place in the brass band calendar in the first weekend in July.

Whilst there are an army of helpers centred around the organisers, the Brighouse Lions, the heartbeat of the event is David Horsfield, the former Brighouse & Rastrick and Black Dyke player, adjudicator, and the man behind Kirklees Music.

Expansion

In addition to the contest on the Sunday, the opportunity has been taken to expand the event with the inclusion of concerts and further competitions with the added incentive of raising monies for good causes in the local community.

Healthy

The concerts work simply because David has the knack of inviting bands and soloists that people want to listen to in friendly, welcoming surroundings. Twelve months ago, there was a reunion of James Shepherd Versatile Brass.

This year, a healthy audience descended on Brighouse Methodist Church to hear Marsden Silver Prize Band, the 2008 Brighouse March & Hymn Champions and guest soloist, Richard Marshall. 

The quality of musicianship that MD Glyn Williams has coerced out of his players ensures that regardless of who leads the band, those high standards are maintained, and they certainly were on show during this concert under the baton of Paul Andrews.

Williams shines

Having opened up in vibrant style with the band’s signature tune, ‘Riverhead’, Paul Andrews led Marsden in, ‘The Force of Destiny’.  

Here, the ensemble playing was tight and measured and there was some delightful flugel playing by Helen Williams (who was a star all night). Further down the line in the first half was music from the film, ‘E.T.’, a sense of calmness in the traditional, ‘Hine e Hine’ and Gordon Langford’s popular arrangement of ‘Carmen’ – played with a real sense of vigour.

To close the first half, music from within the Salvation Army by Mark Cordnor entitled ‘Fanfare and Flourishes’ of which is encompassed the tune, ‘Lord I Come to You’.

Marshall on top form

Richard Marshall featured in both halves of the concert.  The Black Dyke principal cornet player had the audience in the palm of his hand by his level of musicality that was on display. 

First up was a corker in ‘Charvari’, followed by wooing the audience with one of the most romantic operatic aria’s, ‘Rusalka’s Song to the Moon’.  In the second half, Richard returned on trumpet with ‘People’, whilst he closed with ‘Willow Echoes’ – a jaw-dropping virtuoso display.

Eclectic mix

The reigning Senior Cup winners made sure the level of Richard Marshall’s performance was matched in the second half.  Sandy Smith’s upbeat arrangement of ‘Valero’ was slickly done, whilst Bach’s ‘Arioso’ and an arrangement of the hymn tune ‘Love Unknown’ brought a change of dynamic where some really effective pianissimo playing was to be heard.

The up-tempo mood returned with a fine run through ‘Capriccio Espagnol’ before Brodsky’s ‘I’ll Walk with God’ paved way for various acknowledgements and to close a full-throttled account of ‘Riverdance’.

In keeping with all the finest musical traditions, ‘The Radetzky March’ brought the evening to a fine close and started off the weekend of music in a very commendable way.

Malcolm Wood

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