Customer Reviews
"It's music that mattters..." - By: Simon Brown, 02 Jun 2006 
This is a great CD if you want a good dose of high-end Brass Band music & playing.
"Contest Music" by Heaton is a work originally rejected for use at the National Brass Band Championshipsin 1973 as it was too far ahead of its time. It was used some years later & has become an iconic piece of brass band writing. This is music written for a top level contest which is highly musical rather than a technical excercise (although it is a technically difficult piece!). Incredible playing of this piece by a band on top form.
"Royal Parks" - George Lloyd. Very tuneful & some great sounds. The trade mark "Black Dyke Sound" really showsin the second movement - listen for the pedal notes of BBb Bass legend Derek Jackson.
"Salute to Youth" like "Contest Music" is another Brass Band classic, but morein the traditional style of writing for Brass Band. Stunning melodic & technical playing from the band - the second movement is the place to go if you want an example of a massive Brass Band sound which is completely under control, melodic & tuneful all at once.
"Cloudcatcher Fells" - The test piece for the 1985 finals of the National Brass Band Championships & what a gift John McCabe gave the Brass Band movement with this piece. It is a great exploration of the tones & colours that can be achieved with a Brass Band & those more familiar with the Lake District will have to decide how descriptive the piece is.
A great disc if you want to hear some fine music played by a great band. Quality stuff.
Probably one of the very best brass band albums. - By: pieter vandenberghe, 15 Mar 2004 1985 was a glorious year for Black Dyke; they won every major contest they entered & made this amazing CD, which contains four test pieces played during that year. This was probably the best line-up possible under the baton of Major Peter Parks, the greatest brass band conductor still alive (with the man who has now followedin his footsteps, dr. David King, on assistant principal cornet). And then there's the music! Heaton's chef d'oeuvre; "Royal Parks", with probably one of the most beautiful slow movementsin the brass band repertoire; an early work of the genius Vinter; and, my personal favourite, John McCabe's "Cloudcatcher Fells". There's nothing more to want from a brass band CD, or àny music recording!
