There is something about brass bands at Christmas which just seems right. Whether it is because it is the time when the Salvation Army regale shoppers with their renditions of carols, I don’t know, but it certainly adds a festive cherry to the fruit cake. Now where’s the Wensleydale?
Naturally, the programme comprised a selection of Yule related music, whether explicit or by association. The usual suspects were augmented by a couple of carols featuring the audience and some extracts from film soundtracks synonymous with Christmas.
In 2019 the Department of Music & Drama at the University of Huddersfield was ranked 25th in the world to study Performing Arts. The Brass Band, established in the early 1970s, is twice winner of UniBrass, the inter-university brass band competition, coming 2nd overall in 2024 when it garnered the Best Soloist and Best Student Composition prizes.
I used to know a chap who insisted that brass bands and silver bands were totally different and would throw a hissy fit if he spotted a silver coloured instrument in a brass band and vice versa, so, when I noticed the mixture in this ensemble I did some research and found that, not for the first time, he was talking absolute rubbish! Both names are used to describe the same thing no matter the colour of the apparatus.
The concert was opened with a chat from conductor, Jonathan Beatty, who outlined the format of the event and then gave us an amusing walk-through of each piece as it occurred.
They began with the traditional Gaudete, known to people of my age from the 1972 hit record by Steeleye Span. This version, arranged by R Newton, moved away from the slow folksy style and rocked the piece. The players were very enthusiastic in their rendition and went through a seated dance routine whilst belting it out. I am sure that they would have loved to have morphed into a marching band if the stage had been big enough.
Next item on the agenda was Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson, a selection of Yuletide classics, beginning as a medley and then intermingling with one another.
Time for the first solo, Away in a Manger, which was played on cornet by Matthew Bennett. The musicianship was superb and it also had a comedy element, thanks to a wardrobe malfunction when the hapless chap’s bow tie became unclipped at one side and was left dangling from the other wing of his shirt collar. I don’t think he noticed but Mr Beatty took great delight in pointing it out to him, and the audience, at the end. He took it in good spirit, and tried, unsuccessfully, to rearrange it. He later managed to fix it so dignity was restored.
The first Audience Carol was Hark The Herald Angels Sing which was heartily sung by a large proportion of the auditorium, each in their own key.
Now, on to the first film number, Let It Go, from Frozen, by Anderson Lopez, arranged Harper. I am sure that if you have children of a certain age, you will be sick to death of this tune, but as I don’t, I enjoyed it.
Something completely different came next in the form of Caribbean Christmas, a medley of tunes from, well, take a guess.
Solo number two was performed by Richard Andrewes on tuba, Song For The Skies, by PL Cooper, an evocative piece, very fitting for the time of year. Again the instrument was brilliantly played and gave the warm tones of the tuba a well deserved moment in the limelight.
Another medley, this time from The World’s Greatest Storyteller, a compilation of tunes from the films of Roald Dahl, including Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Matilda. It featured the euphonium, played by the aforementioned winner of the Best Soloist prize at this year’s UniBrass competition. Unfortunately the programme doesn’t carry his name, but, thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can reveal it was Jacob Hickson and it was obvious why he had been victorious.
Time for the second carol, Once In Royal David’s City, arranged Wilcox and delivered with the same gusto as the first.
To avoid any chance of being sued for negligence, there followed Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, arranged by Sparke. This was played more or less straight, unlike the final piece in the show, Little Donkey which was arranged by Barber, I assume it was Chris Barber, as the soft, intimate versions usually heard, had been given the jazz treatment, and it worked amazingly well.
There followed the obligatory encore, Jingle Bells, once again rocked up and a great way to send us out into the cold mean streets of Dewsbury with a light heart and a desire to get the festivities proper underway.
To see what else is coming up in the Kirklees Concert Season, including the Christmas Gala at Dewsbury Town Hall on Thursday, 19th December, please go to https://www.operanorth.co.uk/kirklees-concert-season/
For all other things Opera North it is https://www.operanorth.co.uk/
Feature image from Opera North. Photographs by Stan Graham
Tyke It To The Limit 