Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

The Black Dyke Band, formed in 1855, is one of the best known brass bands in the country (not least for providing opening and closing themes and incidental music for the BBC's gardening programme Ground Force). I would hazard, however, that the name of Michael Ball (not to be confused with the popular singer of the same name) is virtually unknown outside brass band enthusiasts' circles. Which is a shame, given the evidence of this CD, which, at over 64 minutes' playing time, is excellent value. Manchester-born Michael studied at the Royal College Of Music and then travelled extensively in Europe during the '70s, teaching and conducting, before taking up composing again. His first works were mainly acappella choral pieces on sacred themes, but later he diversified into English style symphonic suites, with stylistic echoes of Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Holst. The items on this CD have all been used as test pieces at brass band competitions and festivals over the last few years, and the Black Dyke Band shows its virtuosity by being complete masters of the material. "Whitsun Wakes" is an evocation of the times in days of yore when whole towns would shut down for a week or a fortnight round about the time of the Whitsun holidays and go off to Blackpool or some other seaside resort. The original meaning of Whitsun would be observed in church parades, and here and there are snippets of hymn tunes such as Gerontius ("Hail To The Holiest In The Height") and Ombersley ("Lord Of All Being, Throned Afar"). Of the other pieces, "An English Suite", commissioned and premièred by the Foden's Band, is very much in the style of Holst, with many echoes of English folk melodies; "Midsummer Music" was written for the Besses O'Th' Barn Band in 1991, inspired by passages from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream; "Chaucer's Tunes", originally composed for woodwind orchestra, later converted by Michael into a brass band piece, is based on The Prioress's Tale from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and "A Cambrian Suite" is a three-part work, each part featuring theme and variations on a traditional Welsh melody, Men Of Harlech being the most familiar. This album should appeal to all serious music lovers - I enjoyed it immensely.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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