Previous Talk

Reflections on brass

The entry below is a synopsis of our speakers talk on 11th October 2023.

Christopher’s latest presentation for us was “Reflections on Brass which started with two pictures by T.S.Lowry showing a weaving mill and a Wallsend shipyard and stating “The works of the artist LS Lowry seemed the obvious complement to the sound of brass. His scenes of working class life in the industrial North resonate perfectly with this kind of music“. He went on to say he was born near Manchester, brought up in West Yorkshire and, when he was a child growing up in the 1940s, had a grandfather who was President of Brighouse and Rastrick Band.

The first cited definition of a brass band comes from 1827. It is described as an ensemble consisting chiefly or solely of brass and percussion instruments and This versatility is well demonstrated in this brass version of part of the music for “West Side Story”. Crucial to the development of the brass band as we know it was the invention of the valve, which allowed a much wider range of notes to be played without having to change the length of the tube [as in a trombone]. The strongest amongst several claimants to be its inventor is Heinrich Stolzer, the history of brass bands parallels the industrialisation of Northern England, South Wales and Lowland Scotland through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

By the 1920s the working class entertainment of choice would be a concert featuring pieces like [Deep Harmony], specially written for a band. In this world, of course, men did the playing and women made the tea. In the film “Brassed Off” [1996], Sponsorship has not been the only route to financial salvation. Grimethorpe Colliery band provided the soundtrack to “Brassed Off”, and a few years ago Brighouse and Rastrick’s performance of the traditional “Floral Dance” caught the public imagination to such an extent that it was number one in the pop charts for several weeks [the only time this has ever happened to a piece played by a brass band]. All the above and more were accompanied by pieces of music that highlighted the narrative he was giving.

This was a fascinating presentation and the men were asking questions on several of his slides.

For further information Click on the link Brass Bands

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