(Image: Gordon Ratcliffe)
Featuring: Marsden Silver; Skelmanthorpe
Conductor: Dr David Thornton
Huddersfield Town Hall
Saturday 24th October
Always quick off the mark to move tradition forward, Brighouse & Rastrick's latest massed bands concert was appropriately entitled ‘Vivace’.
The decision to make it an afternoon rather than evening event at a time of the year when Huddersfield invariably feels the first signs of winter (Storm Boelo was in town), was more than justified, as the hosts were joined by recently crowned First Section National Champion, Marsden Silver, and Yorkshire compatriots Skelmanthorpe.
Upbeat tone
Led by Dr David Thornton, the upbeat tone was set with 'Festmusik der Stadt Wein' before the West Riding hosts delivered a colourfully hued 'Le Carnival Romain' that mixed solo lyricism with ensemble fission.
Malcolm Arnold's 'Four Scottish Dances' was also a polished joy; ebullience and eloquence in equal measure
Malcolm Arnold's 'Four Scottish Dances' was also a polished joy; ebullience and eloquence in equal measure, from the opening snap of the strathspey dance and light-footed ‘tipsy’ bass trombone lead in the second movement, to the Hebridean calm of the third and ‘fling’ of the finale.
Rossini's 'La Danza' came and went in the blink of an eye before the solo cornets of all three bands led the way in the majestic, ‘Grand March’ from 'Aida'.
Soloists
Four soloists were featured by Brighouse, with two in each half. Chris Robertson enjoyed himself in 'Largo Al Factotum' whilst Tom Smith revived memories of Italia 90 with 'Nessun Dorma'. Lucy Cutt was the tender lead in Strauss’ 'Nun's Chorus' with Andy Moore providing a wonderfully languid ‘Over the Rainbow'.
the massed finales from 'West Side Story' and Bach's 'Toccata in D Minor' brought to a close a fine afternoon’s entertainment.
Elsewhere 'Perpetuum Mobile', 'Radetsky March', '633 Squadron', 'The Magnificent Seven' and a nonet of trombones flashing their steel slides in 'Blades of Toledo' provided light, but slickly delivered easy listening favourites.
The horn sections provided the contrast with 'Air from Suite No. 3' before the massed finales from 'West Side Story' and Bach's 'Toccata in D Minor' brought to a close a fine afternoon’s entertainment.
Malcolm Wood
