Black Dyke's welcome visit to the heartland of Whit Friday country saw a large audience brave the bitterly cold conditions to sit snugly in anticipation of hearing the final pre-Area concert appearance of the reigning European, English National and Yorkshire champions.

Brasso

They left a couple of hours later with a spring in their step and a buzz about their opinions that Dyke are in formidable form ahead of St George’s Hall:  They were so polished the concert should have been sponsored by ’Brasso’.

The conducting team of Nicholas & Robert Childs split the leadership duties between them, with the Artistic Director of Music, bookending the evening's entertainment. 

Accelerator

Dyke sprung into action with an impressive account of 'Queensbury' that included some dextrous cornet playing from Richard Marshall and a magnificent last stanza rallentando which gave Nicholas Childs the opportunity to whip up the final bars as if putting the foot on a Ferrari accelerator pedal.

With Bradford on the horizon, 'Harmony Music' was given an impressive run out, with the MD drawing out the technical detail of the score without losing the sense of loquacious lyricism. 

All the main soloists enjoyed their moment in the spotlight, whilst there was a sneak preview of what could be an ending to raise the roof of St George’s Hall on Sunday night.

Tender

Richard Marshall lovingly seduced the audience in 'Rusalka's Song to the Moon', played with tenderness and pathos, before Dr Robert Childs took the baton to lead a beautifully descriptive account of Dan Price's 'Sunrise over Blue Ridge'.

Soprano soloist, Paul Duffy was on rollicking form in 'When the Saints' before the first half concluded with three movements of Rodney Newton's colourful meander through bucolic Bulgaria and Romania in 'Echoes of the East'.

Highly descriptive, the opening 'Village Wedding' was full of humour, the central 'Twilight Romance' was played with a delightful innocence and the closing 'Gypsy Festival' was full of rambunctious mayhem.

Pinned back

With the CD stand a hive of activity during the interval, the audience returned to be literally pinned back in their seats courtesy of PLC's high octane cosmic fizzer, 'Enter the Galaxies', whilst the popular 'Soloist Showcase' featured a trio of performers in top-top form. 

Gary Curtin delivered a delightful 'Herdmaiden Dance', the gorgeous baritone sound of Katrina Marzella illuminated 'Donegal Bay', and Joseph Cook popped an enjoyable lollipop in the audiences open mouths with 'Czardas'. 

Pleasant chill

'Spooktacular' sent a pleasant chill of a different kind down the spines with its cleverly realised themes of magic and horror before the audience was giving a rousing account of the 'Battle of Trafalgar' to formally close the evening. 

As an encore, Dr Nicholas Childs took leave of the stage to allow the band to deliver its 'Glenn Miller' set - played with the type of polish the old bandleader, who was born 99 years ago on March 1st, would have thoroughly approved of.

On this form, Dyke will be one heck of a band to beat come Sunday night.

Malcolm Wood