Fund raising concert at Riverside Whitworth

Chris Musgrave, Soprano cornet

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A fund raising Concert at Riverside Whitworth featured Whitworth Vale and Healey Band, Whitworth (Junior) Academy Band, and Champion Section Milnrow Band.

With an almost capacity audience settled into their seats, musical director Chris Binns brought down his baton for Whitworth Vale and Healey Band to commence its first offering of the evening with its own march appropriately entitled ‘Whitworth Vale’, JH White.

In true brass band tradition, this was followed by music from one of Rossini`s perhaps lesser known operas, with the overture from ‘Semiramide’.

The opera is based on a Voltaire tragedy and was first performed in Vienna in 1823.

First soloist of the evening was Ian Peters from the tuba/bass section who ‘wowed’ the audience with an excellent performance of ‘Monte`s Czardas’.

Not many of the audience immediately recognised ‘Wheel of Fortune’ from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ (never the less well received), which preceded a fanfare by Richard Strauss simply titled ‘Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare’.

Ian Dyson, tenor horn, was next to take the limelight with a lovely lyrical eye moistening version of ‘Oh Dry Those Eyes’.

Contrary to some beliefs that brass bands cannot swing, Whitworth Band proved otherwise with ‘Mr Bizet Swings’ an arrangement by Sandy Smith.

An arrangement by MD Chris Binns of ‘Moon River’ followed before the band completed its programme with an extract from Karl Jennings` ‘Stabat Mater’.

Chris Binns must be complemented on a varied, though in some respects unusual, choice of programme which suited, and was well played, by a nicely controlled Whitworth Vale and Healey Band.

After a short interlude, compere Richard Milton introduced the Whitworth Academy Band, consisting of young learners of various instruments from primary schools around the district.

Encouraged and taught by Whitworth band members, on gaining proficiency it is envisaged that these youngsters will graduate to the learner band, the senior band and beyond.

These learners, under conductor George Salt, gave a well received programme
with the players obviously enjoying this their first public performance, which culminated in the popular ‘Any dream will do from Lloyd Webber's ‘Joseph's Technicolour Dream Coat’

Another short interval was taken and the raffle was drawn before the arrival of Milnrow Band to continue this well supported concert.

After a very warm welcome by those present, and with Mark Bentham wielding the
baton, Milnrow launched, unannounced, into its first item, a swinging and upbeat ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ from the1930s big band swing era.

Originally written by Louis Prima and recorded by the Benny Goodman band in 1937, ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ featured in the bands famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert in which well known soloists Harry James, Ziggy Ellman, trumpets, and Gene Krupa, drums, were well featured along with Goodman himself on clarinet.

The second item brought solo euphonium player Mick Morris to front of stage to perform a piece called ‘Pantomime’

Originally written by Phillip Sparke for former Euphonium star Nicholas Childs.

Mick showed his great expertise and master of the instrument with a great performance of this difficult piece with massive appreciation showed by the audience.

As appropriate for a Sunday concert, MD, Mark Bentham, had thoughtfully included the popular hymn tune ‘Abide With Me’. A beautiful arrangement once again featured the euphonium of Mick Morris, supported by newly appointed and very welcome David Gillson. on principal cornet.

Kenneth Alford's march ‘On the Quarter Deck’ preceded a very fine display of versatility by percussionist James Kershaw on the xylophone with his playing of Mozart's ‘Rondo Alla Turka’ arranged by Paul Lovatt-Cooper.

The members of Milnrow Band then treated the audience to a surprise choral prelude to Radiohead's ‘Creep’, arranged by Mark Bentham.

‘Creep’ was the group's debut single in1992 and featured on its' first album, ‘Pablo Honey’, in 1993. This part vocal arrangement for the band, highlighted the vocal talents as well as the playing attributes of the band.

Borodin's Danses Polovtsiennes’, arranged by Eddie Huckridge (ref: also to the opera Prince Igor), brought the first half to a close. The composer died in 1887 after over ten years working on the project and his work was edited and completed by Rimsky Korsakov and Alexander Glazunof and first performed in 1890.

The ‘polovtsiennes tunes’ are familiar as they were used extensively as musical items for ‘Kismet’ the musical, such as ‘A Stranger in Paradise’

After a tumultuous ovation, Milnrow Band acceded to the requests from the audience for more, and completed this excellent event with a selection of George Formby classics, with audience vocal participation, and including ‘Little Stick of Blackpool Rock’ and ‘Leaning on a Lamp Post’.

Ken Watts, Milnrow Band President, said: “Profits from this event need to be verified but it is anticipated that both Milnrow Band and the Whitworth Band organisations will benefit considerably.

“Both organisations wish to thank staff at the Riverside, and all those involved, especially the audience and patrons of this event.”