(Copyright image courtesy of Gordon Ratcliffe)

The British Open Champion welcomed the National Champion to Huddersfield for an evening of Hollywood inspired music making.

The historic uniqueness of recent successes was not lost on the informed audience; the West Riding favourite displaying the famous Gold Shield won at Symphony Hall for the first since 1978, their Sandbach visitors showing off the equally iconic silver pot they retained for the first time since 1937 at the Royal Albert Hall.

Photo opportunities were therefore not to be missed, whilst the music was sprinkled with star quality value from start to finish as Phillip McCann’s precise director’s cut leadership of familiar themes from widescreen movies and musicals combined thrills, drama and emotion. 

Slick panache

The sci-fi sounds of 'Also Sprach Zarathustra'  neatly segued into the patriotic British flight path of the 'Dambusters March’,  whilst the Broadway detour (via memories of British Olympic ice-skaters Torvill & Dean) offered by Keith Wilkinson's clever arrangement of Jerry Herman’s 'Mack & Mabel'  score was delivered with slick panache.   

Photo opportunities were therefore not to be missed, whilst the music was sprinkled with star quality value from start to finish as Phillip McCann’s precise director’s cut leadership of familiar themes from widescreen movies and musicals combined thrills, drama and emotion. 

Richard Poole and Jonathan Bates were the lyrical leads in 'Gabriel's Oboe',  as was Mark Wilkinson on ‘La Califfa'  and Gary Curtin on ‘Bring Him Home’.  A ‘pick & mix’ of James Bond themes both suave and energised, and the anthemic 'You'll Never Walk Alone' took everyone to the break.

Saturday morning picture thrills with 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'  ensured everyone was perched on the edge of their seats to open the second half, with highlights from ‘The Lion King’  bookending Mike Eccles’ subtle delivery of 'Over the Rainbow'.

The Champions

More solo excellence came with Tom Smith and Chris Robertson on 'All I Ask of You',  whilst the passing of musical friends, Bramwell Tovey and Richard Evans was marked with 'I'll Walk with God'. 

The rousing sounds of 'The Gael'  from 'The Last of the Mohicans'  and 'Reunion & Finale'  from 'Gettysburg'  rounded things off with blockbuster swagger, before the most appropriate of encores with ‘The Champions’  march added the extra celebratory polish every bit as bright as the sheen on the iconic trophies that proudly adorned the stage.

Malcolm Wood