Brass in Concert Championships - 2016

Brass in Concert Championships - 2016

Various bands, conductors and soloists. 

This DVD has been an absolute pleasure for me to review as I was there in person to witness some of the finest brass playing I have ever experienced.

DVD 1 features the Saturday evening performance of Black Dyke Band with Guest Soloist James Morrison, known rightly so as the ‘Wizard of Oz’.

His versatility and total command of brass instruments is quite unequalled and his stage presence ‘magnetic’. One of the many highlights to me was the remarkable, unerring and sensitive accompaniment by ‘Dyke, so well controlled and directed by Nicholas Childs.,

An addendum to this DVD involves many interesting and informative interviews and ‘bonus performances’ by Dublin Silver and Stavanger Band, concluded with Chris Jean’s excellent Youth Brass 2000.

DVD 2 totally captures the Sunday program of the Championships at the Sage to a packed audience, and this proved to be seven hours of truly wonderful performances opened by our friends from across the Pond Dublin Silver from Ohio, and although their contribution was admirable they couldn’t quite match what was to follow from several of our ‘heavyweights’

There were many mixed themes of programming with Hammonds Saltaire for example opting for a predominantly Spanish flavour which was well played and quite effective in it’s deliverance.

I felt that many listeners, myself included, were a little non-plussed with the chosen theme of several bands in selecting music together with large screen videos, depicting past war commemorations------whilst the playing was of an incredibly high standard { particularly Flowers Band } it seemed quite a sombre mood for such an occasion as this I felt.

Non-the-less there were many entertaining items including an ‘amazing’ euphonium solo from Brass Band Schoonhoven and a fantastic program designed by Leigh Baker for his Brighouse and Rastrick to excel in the art of Storytelling, musically of course.

Both Grimethorpe and Carlton Main delivered outstanding performances to be well in the frame until Cory emerged last on stage to present a truly unforgettable experience – choice of program by Philip Harper choosing to portray the life of Roald Dahl, complete with narration and superb choreography, brilliant individual and ensemble playing coupled with magnificent direction---25 minutes of totally and unequalled playing and musicianship!

A fantastic DVD which I enjoyed with even more appreciation, thankyou Cory!

DVD 1
1 Enter the Galaxies Paul Lovatt-Cooper Black Dyke Band
2 633 Squadron Ron Goodwin arr. Darrol Barry Black Dyke Band
3 The Final Voyage Paul Lovatt-Cooper Black Dyke Band
4 Sweet Georgia Brown Bernie & Pinkard arr. James Morrison

James Morrison (Trumpet) with Black Dyke Band

5 We've Only Just Begun Roger Nichols arr. Bill Geldard

James Morrison (Trumpet) with Black Dyke Band

6 Nobody Does it Better Hamlisch arr. Robin Dewhurst

James Morrison (Trumpet) with Black Dyke Band

7 Interview with James Morrison    
8 Hymn to the Fallen John Williams arr. Klaas van der Woude Black Dyke Band
9 Things Ain't What They Used to Be Ellington arr. James Morrison

James Morrison (Trumpet) with Black Dyke Band

10 What a Wonderful World Thiele & Weiss arr. Robin Dewhurst

James Morrison (Trumpet) with Black Dyke Band

11 To Boldly Go Peter Graham Black Dyke Band
  Bonus Features    
  Dublin Silver Band    
  Workshop Band    
  Elementary Band    
  Stavanger Brass Band    
  Youth Brass 2000    
  Frank Renton in conversation with Duncan Stubbs, Les Neish, Philip Harper and Trevor Caffull  

DVD 2

1  Interview with Tim Jameson    
2  Feather Theme Alan Silvestri arr. Sandy Smith Dublin Silver Band
3  Oymyakon Joshua Tyler Jameson Dublin Silver Band
4  Seville from Four Spanish Impressions Rodney Newton Hammonds Saltaire Band
5  Los Canarios Sanz arr. David Powell Hammonds Saltaire Band
6  2nd Movement from Four Scottish Dances Arnold arr. Ray Farr Reg Vardy Band
7  Tam O'Shanter Arnold arr. Alan Catherall Reg Vardy Band
8  HMS Indefatigable Matt Shaw Virtuosi GUS Band
9  Remembering Jutland Bramwell Tovey Virtuosi GUS Band
10  Interview with Allan Withington    
11  Can I Have Some Troops Please? Allan Withington Stavanger Brass Band
12  Liberating Orleans Allan Withington Stavanger Brass Band
13  July 15th 2016 Allan Withington Arfon Owen (Tenor Horn) with Stavanger Brass Band
14  Feed the Birds Sherman & Sherman arr. Jonathan Bates Paul Richards (Soprano Cornet) with Flowers Band
15  Fantasy on London Nursery  Rhymes Dan Price Flowers Band
16  Pandemic 1349 Paul McGhee Flowers Band
17  Interview with Paul McGhee    
18  Introduction: Remember,  remember... Christian Overhead Brass Band Schoonhoven
19  Allegro from "Music for the Royal  Fireworks" Handel arr. Ivan Meylemans Brass Band Schoonhoven
20  The Red Novae Peter Graham Robbert Vos (Euphonium) with Brass Band Schoonhoven
21  (A Lament for the Victims of  Enschede) Christian Overhead Brass Band Schoonhoven
22  London's Dawning Rebecca Lundberg Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
23  Lament Ben Hollings Kirsty Abbotts (Cornet) & Hannah Platt (Baritone) with Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
     Stuart F. Fawcett

Leave a comment

Heather Horsley Illustrations

Harlequin Recordings

Broadnib Music

Wigan FM

Wythenshawe Radio 97.2

Brass Band Radio (York)

Tempo FM Wetherby

Phoenix Radio 96.7FM

Preston Hospital Radio

Radio Christmas - Charity Festive Radio Station

Sounds of Brass logo

BAM Web Radio

Drystone Radio

World FM

Radio 88FM

Lionheart Radio 107.3FM

Oldham Community Radio