Friday 27th January
18:30 Prelude
19:30 Fodens
Wilfred Heaton Glory! Glory!
Bramwell Tovey Pictures in the Smoke for piano and brass band
Howard Blake Sinfonietta (version première)
Gilbert Vinter James Cook, Circumnavigator
Claude Debussy arr Snell La Catédrale Engloutie
Charles Villiers Stanford arr Snell The Blue Bird
Bramwell Tovey Coventry Variations
Michael Fowles conductor
Roksana Dabkowska piano
Saturday 28th
11:00 Grimethorpe
John Ireland Comedy Overture
Harrison Birtwistle Grimethorpe Aria
Liz Lane Beyond the Light (world première)
Theo Rossier Stendhal’s Syndrome (UK première)
Jack Stamp Vociferation (world première)
Herbert Howells Three Figures (Triptych for Brass Band)
i. Cope’s Challenge ii. Iles’ Interlude iii. Rimmer’s Race
Ben Palmer conductor
13:45 Wardle Academy
Frederick Schjelderup Light
William Rimmer March – Cross of Honour
Benny Anderson arr Duncan Anthem from Chess
Christopher Bond Corineus
John Lennon and Paul McCartney Hey Jude
Lee Rigg conductor
15:00 Tredegar
Benjamin Britten arr Hindmarsh An American Overture
Johann Nepomuk Hummel arr Golland Trumpet Concerto in E flat major
Havergal Brian ed John Pickard Tone Poem – The Battle Song
Simon Dobson New Work dedicated to the memory of Bramwell Tovey (world première)
Gavin Higgins So Spoke Albion
James Fountain trumpet/flugel horn
Ian Porthouse conductor
16:45 Junior RNCM
Jonathan Bates Chichester Prelude
Jonathan Bates Casper’s Lament
Henry Mancini arr Hall Moon River
Edward Gregson Prelude for an Occasion
The Go Team arr Dobson Bustout Bridge
Les Neish, Jon Malaxetxebarria conductors
18:15 BBE
Join Brass Bands England’s CEO Kenny Crookston and Education and Development Manager Sarah Baumann to find out more about BBE’s plans to support the sector from 2023-2026. Following the organisation’s successful application to remain a part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio, Kenny and Sarah will set out BBE’s strategic aims and activity and how you and your band can engage and benefit.
19:30 Black Dyke
William Byrd and John Bull arr Howarth Music from the Elizabethan Court
i. The Earle of Oxford’s Marche (William Byrd)
ii. Pavane (John Bull)
iii. The King’s Hunting Jigg (Bull)
Judith Bingham Venice (Euphonium Concerto, world première)
Edward Gregson The World Rejoicing, Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale
Fredrick Schjelderup Out of Reach (world première)
Peter Graham Turbulence, Torque and Tide (Baritone Concerto)
Peter Graham Hymn for Bram (world première)
Philip Wilby Beethoven, Prologue, Variations, Fugue and Finale
Daniel Thomas euphonium
Michael Cavanagh baritone
Nicholas Childs conductor
Judith Bingham’s Venice (Euphonium Concerto) is commissioned by Daniel Thomas, with the support of Geneva Musical Instruments
Black Dyke - Daniel Thomas Solo, outstanding. Mike Cavanagh Solo, outstanding. Bram - very moving and a delight to hear. Great concert, great day, great weekend and still another day to go.
Sunday 29th
11:00 RNCM Brass Band
Adam Webster A Flying Fanfare
Lucy Pankhurst Prelude: His Depth
Chris Cook Excursion (world première)
Martin Ellerby Euphonium Concerto
i. Fantasy ii. Capriccio iii. Rhapsody (for Luis) iv. Diversions
Jonathan Bates Prelude on St. Clements (world première)
Joel Kirk Fantasia (Cantata giocoso for brass band)
Emmanuel Chabrier arr Snell Bourée Fantasque
James Blackford euphonium
Florent Didier, Maria Barbosa Aristizabal, Andreas Asiikkis conductors
Joel Kirk’s Fantasia (Cantata giocoso) is the 2023 John Golland Award commission.
Just heard the RNCM Brass Band and what a performance that was, some real challenges that were well met, an outstanding solo from James Blackford and a great listen across the whole programme. For me the piece I will remember for a long time was ‘Prelude on St. Clements’ a mesmerising piece that was so beautifully played, such care taken with every note, every phrase ending and every breath. It is a special piece that was in tribute to Bramwell Tovey and what a perfect tribute it is.
13:45 A4 Brass Quartet
Callum Au Crown and Spectre (world première)
Bramwell Tovey Street Songs
Kentaro Sato arr Bates Tsuna’ngari
Tom Harrold Craze
Béla Bartók arr Robertson Six Romanian Folk Dances
Jonathan Bates Mists of the Mountains
Jamie Smith cornet, flugelhorn
Jonathan Bates tenor horn
Michael Cavanagh baritone horn
Chris Robertson euphonium
15:00 Cory Band
Dean Goffin Rhapsodic Variations – My Strength, My Tower
J Wilfred Heaton Air Varié – I Will Follow Thee My Saviour (world première)
Kelly-Marie Murphy Into the Darkness They Go, The Wise and the Lovely (world première)
John Pickard Rain, Steam and Speed (Symphonic Study for brass band)
Philip Harper Rings of Saturn
Philip Wilby Saints Triumphant (Diversions on Vaughan Williams’ Hymn Tune ‘Sine Nomine’)
Tom Hutchinson cornet
Philip Wilby organ
Philip Harper conductor
Dear Cory Band, may I please request a thesaurus that I can use when I am trying to find the words to describe what I have just heard.
Outstanding is widely used (by me) and this was an outstanding performance, but it was more than that, it was a very emotional performance with Rings of Saturn requiring a word that I just don’t have to describe it, after the concert at Oxford Town Hall I wrote about the performance which I will copy and paste here. ‘This is without doubt the piece of the concert for me, having heard this at Brass in Concert I was looking forward to hearing it again and for me the control and balance of the band is just a delight, with key players in different parts of the hall the effect works well, I adore this piece, so well written and so well executed, an absolute delight and worth the entry fee alone. A piece that was popular with the audience, especially those that had the pleasure of Helen or Hannah playing near them.’
Saints Triumphant was just that, a triumph. Rain, Steam and Speed was captivating and full of excitement… every piece deserves a sentence, I will expand in the final review of the weekend. Bravo
17:00 Presentation by Paul Hindmarsh
Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh presents a selection of highlights from 30 years of Manchester’s brass band festivals in the
company of festival regulars Kenneth Crookston (Brass Bands England) and Christopher Thomas (Brass Band World/4Barsrest)
18:30 Brighouse and Rastrick
Brighouse close the festival, an outstanding weekend of banding excellence and with British Open and Brass in Concert champions completing the programme we are in for a treat. Looking forward to hearing the wonderful Isobel Daws as part of the performance.
Eric Ball Tone Poem – The Triumph of Peace
Bramwell Tovey Lincoln Tunnel Cabaret for trombone and brass band
Arthur Butterworth Celebrations – Diptych for brass band (world première)
Granville Bantock Overture to King Lear
Ray Steadman-Allen Walk with me
Edward Gregson A Song for Bram (world première)
Eric Ball Tone Poem – Resurgam Variations
Isobel Daws trombone
Russell Gray conductor
Isobel Daws’ appearance is supported by Getzen (Ireland) Ltd.
Lincoln Tunnel Cabaret - Isobel Dawes. Played with such ease and presented perfectly to an audience who really appreciate musicianship of the highest quality. A wonderful piece within a great first half from Brighouse.
And that is it, the end of the 2023 Brass Festival and what a fantastic weekend it has been, we have been treated to the very best compositions played by the very best bands and what a treat it has been.
The final word must go to the festivals artistic director Paul Hindmarsh, Paul has been overseeing the festival for 30 years and what a great job he has done, bringing the very best the world of brass bands has to offer to those that want to hear the very best.
Thank you Paul for all your work, it is very much appreciated.
