(Image: Courtesy of Gordon Ratcliffe)

Brighouse & Rastrick and KNDS Fairey Band
Conductor: Dr David Thornton
Huddersfield Town Hall
Saturday 26h October

Brighouse & Rastrick welcomed the KNDS Fairey Band for the 150th concert of a massed band series that was first hosted at Huddersfield Town Hall in 1945.

The Stockport band has been their most regular visitor for an event that remains an essential fundraiser for the West Riding band, as well as a showcase for high class music making.

It also continues to attract a large and knowledgeable audience, drawn by carefully considered selections of repertoire. 

Resonated

This year guest conductor Dr David Thornton bookended the first half with works that resonated with the event’s history in Meyerbeer's majestic 'Coronation March'  and a swashbuckling 'Slavonic Rhapsody No.2'  by Carl Friedman.

Elsewhere there was a light touch snip to ‘The Barber of Seville',  whilst Fairey's principal cornet Iain Culross delivered a classy account of Jules Levy's 'Grand Russian Fantasia'.

Dean Goffin’s 'Rhapsody in Brass'  was also a reminder of  test-piece quality rarely hear amid the blockbuster effects of today’s populist works.

Dean Goffin’s 'Rhapsody in Brass'  was also a reminder of test-piece quality rarely hear amid the blockbuster effects of today’s populist works. It was first used at the British Open in 1949, and like this concert series, has not lost an ounce of its meaningful popularity. 

Respect 

David Thonton brought huge respect to his interpretation; the three movements balanced in outlook and style to endorse rather than emphasise a timeless beacon of compositional craftsmanship. 

'Serenata'  by Liz Lane also brought melodic reflection to contrast the festive thread of Joel Collier’s 'Personent Hodie', and Andy Moore’s splendidly cantering 'Finale’  from the Strauss 'Horn Concerto No. 1’.  The capital inspirations behind 'London Eye'  and 'London's Dawning' by Nigel Hess and Rebecca Lundberg were also neatly portrayed. 

Admirable scope

The scope of David Thornton’s selection was admirable, and echoed by the level of focussed playing on show. 

Music from Delibes's ballet, 'Sylvia'  with 'Entry of the Huntresses'  and 'Procession of Bacchus'  led into the 'The Lost Chord'  – the bands’ appropriately sat in front of the magnificent Father Willis organ (above).  

Dorothy Gates' 'Breathe' from Brighouse's latest release, 'Another World', paved the way for the quartet of Alicia Davis, Mike Eccles, Andy Moore and Chris Robertson on Leigh Baker's respectful arrangement of 'Deep Harmony', before the night concluded with a trio of works that have provided a staple diet of enjoyment here over decades.

Music from Delibes's ballet, 'Sylvia'  with 'Entry of the Huntresses'  and 'Procession of Bacchus'  led into the 'The Lost Chord'  – the bands’ appropriately sat in front of the magnificent Father Willis organ (above).  

It further endorsed just why these concerts have maintained their longevity with the public, and why they will hopefully continue to do so for many more years to come.

Malcolm Wood