Commencing with the scintillating arrangement of Freddie Mercury’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” leading to a more subdued ”Penny Lane “ it was obvious that the audience were in for a great evening.
Compere for the evening was our own Melvyn Owen who interacted well, giving insight and the odd joke throughout the first half.
The trombone section presented the swing item “It’s Not Unusual” in their normal exuberant style and the full Band rendered Goff Richards arrangement of “James Bond Collection”.
Our vocal Soloist for the evening was also from our church, Stephanie Lamplough who has always thrilled us with her singing. For me, the highlight of her solos was her unaccompanied rendition of “Danny Boy” which left us all what the “wow” feeling.
Bill Whelan’s “Riverdance” has proved to be a great item and again was well received.
We are so very priviledged at our church to have a fantastic amount of young people and again they were the show stoppers in Gavin Lamplough’s “The Best of British” where they portrayed events/people from the Countries represented. The old TV programme “Grandstand” represented British sporting heroes and was a highlight.
Dressed in “Proms attire”, the second half commenced with the “Knightsbridge March” by Eric Coates followed by Roy Newsome’s arrangement of “Annie Laurie” which included the words that we associate with this melody being portrayed –“The Christ of Calvary” – a time for reflection.
Frank Wright’s arrangement of “English Folk Song Suite” has been a popular Test Piece for Bands over many years and it’s melodies “Seventeen Come Sunday”, “My Bonny Boy” and “Folk Songs from Somerset” are a delight both to play and listen to.
As you would expect in a Proms evening, audience participation is prominent in “Fantasia on British Sea Songs” , “Jerusalem” and Land of Hope and Glory in “Pomp and Circumstance March No.1”.
Stephanie Lamplough led the favourite “Rule Britannia” with its rousing chorus, which brought rapturous applause.
The evening concluded with the ever popular march “Under Two Flags” and the entry of the Union Flag and the SA Flag under which many SA Bands people have and still serve.
The Band will be performing the evening again at Gainsborough Salvation Army on Sat 4th March and anyone in the area would be most welcome – watch for further details
And so for us in Birmingham, what will next year’s Proms night bring? More surprises, I expect!
Words: David H J Mynott
Photos: Graham Daff
“The Best of British!”
ENGLAND: Don’t Stop Me Now (Freddie Mercury; arr. Philip Harper)
ENGLAND: Penny Lane (Lennon & McCartney; arr. G.R. Lamplough)
INTRODUCTIONS
ENGLAND: James Bond Collection (Monty Norman & John Barry; arr. Goff Richards)
Vocal Solo: ENGLAND: Let the Bright Seraphim (G.F. Handel)
Soloists: Stephanie Lamplough (Voice) & Gavin Lamplough (Trumpet)
WALES: Trombone Feature: It’s Not Unusual (Mills & Reed; arr. P. Lawrence)
SCOTLAND: Annie Laurie (Traditional; Arr. R. Newsome)
Vocal Solo: IRELAND: O Danny Boy (Traditional)
Soloist: Stephanie Lamplough
IRELAND: Riverdance (Bill Whelan; arr. Ray Farr)
FINALE: Best of British (G.R. Lamplough)
INTERVAL
Knightsbridge March from “London Suite” (E. Coates)
English Folk Song Suite (Vaughan-Williams; arr. F. Wright)
Vocal Solo: Time to Say Goodbye (Peterson, Quarantotto & Sartori)
Soloist: Stephanie Lamplough
Fantasia on British Sea Songs (Henry Wood)
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (Edward Elgar)
Rule Britannia (Thomas Arne) with Stephanie Lamplough
Jerusalem (C. Hubert Parry)
National Anthem (Gordon Jacob; trans. G.R. Lamplough)
Under Two Flags (Bramwell Coles)
