Brighouse & Rastrick has been hosting their twice-yearly massed band concerts in Huddersfield since 1946.
Over the years the event’s custodians have maintained the tradition through some tough economic times, but have reaped the rewards of their commitment thanks to the warm welcome and the high class entertainment afforded to their loyal and knowledgeable audience of supporters.
Finest halls
On this autumnal night their West Riding favourites played host to the recently crowned British Open champion, Tredegar, with well over 700 people sat amid the ornate splendour of one of the finest Town Hall’s in the land.
Led by Ian Porthouse, the Welsh band’s concert appearances in the North of England are rare (although like the local Huddersfield buses, when one comes, another follows quickly - as they will perform in Morley at the end of November), so there was a sense of anticipation in the air amongst the locals (as well as quite a few travellers) to find out more about a band that under his command has risen to number 2 in the world rankings.
At the end of a highly enjoyable evening, they certainly knew why.
Expensive bling
With the British Open Shield gleaming above them like an overtly expensive bit of bling from the local jewellers, the more obvious traditional hallmarks of hard work and collective confidence were certainly on display throughout their first half contributions.
The MD also showed why he has become one of the most sought after conducting talents around; directing both bands (playing together throughout) with a commanding precision that allowed the players the freedom to express themselves to the full in what was an intelligently balanced programme.
Kaiser bombast
The march 'Old Comrades' bristled with old Kaiser bombast, whilst the overture 'Capriccio Italien' captured a free flowing sense of rococo splendour.
Dewi Griffiths, Daniel Thomas and Gavin Pritchard were on sparkling form with their solo contributions of ‘People’, ‘Grandfather’s Clock’ and ‘Helter Skelter’, whilst old favourites such as ‘Cornet Carillon’ (which echoed gloriously around the hall) and ‘Czardas’, balanced the sentimental memories of Matt Hall’s ‘The Smile’ and the fizz bomb finisher, ‘Nightingale Dances’.
Swashbuckling
It inspired Brighouse to respond in kind in the second half, with a swashbuckling ‘Le Corsair’, followed by the bucolic ‘Erin Shore’, featuring a fine solo lead by stand in principal cornet Michael Goulding.
Sheona White and Lucy Cutt were the highest of high class soloists in ‘Dimitri’ and ‘Capriccio Brillante’ respectively, whilst there was a lovely touch of fraternal banding friendship with a beautiful rendition of ‘Elegy’ from ‘A Downland Suite’ in memory of Black Dyke’s legendary Bb tuba player Derek Jackson.
Balance
With some exotic latin inspired fun in ‘Samba del Gringo’ balanced by ‘Sunset over the River Exe’ and ‘Little Hymn’, the audience was able to enjoy quality brass band playing at both ends of the dynamic spectrum, before Peter Graham's popular, 'Shine as the Light' paved the way for a blistering quick-fire 'Folk Festival' encore.
Two bands with long and proud histories of non-sponsored public subscription support had given the audience full value for the price of their tickets.
Malcolm Wood
