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ringing. The fanfare serves to lead into the simply beautiful (as well as beautifully simple) A Carol Fantasy by Eric Ball, long considered to be a sophisticate in the romantic One of the mainstays of the post-war tradition of brass band disc is the use of the traditional writing. Three carols are featured: arrangements by the great choral The First Nowell, The Holly and the Ivy leader Sir David Willcocks (arranged and The Coventry Carol, and each is he sight and sound of a brass band wrapped up warm on a street-corner to fit the brass band combination by presented with a hushed reverence, the equally great Ray Steadman-Allen). intertwining into a thoroughly playing carols on a frosty winter’s morning has long been associated with They became popular through the enchanting seasonal fantasy. Christmas in many parts of the world. This CD encapsulates this well- annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols held each year and broadcast Next we further develop one of loved tradition with a series of popular carols interspersed with bright, ringing on Christmas Eve from King’s these three, The First Nowell, in an fanfares.T Hang out your stockings and pull up a comfy chair by the fireside as the College, Cambridge, and appear arrangement of part of Victor Hely- in the celebrated Carols for Choirs Hutchinson’s A Carol Symphony for Quadruple Champion and World Number-one ranked Cory Band from the South books first published in 1961. orchestra from 1927. This part of Wales Valleys is joined by near neighbours, The Treorchy Male Choir, as well as The Our disc opens with Once in Royal the symphony was used for the 1943 David’s City, with a plaintive Flugel Children’s Hour adaptation of John International Songsters of The Salvation Army, for a heart-warming, gift-wrapped, Horn playing the role traditionally Masefield’s The Box of Delights, and yuletide celebration which will bring you good cheer at this special time of the year. handled by a lone boy soprano, again for the 1984 BBC Children’s and the full brass and voices TV series. The music builds to resplendent by the close. a glorious fully-scored climax, before subsiding back to the gentle, James Curnow’s Christmas Carillon magical atmosphere with which it is based primarily on Ding Dong began. Merrily on High and with the brass mimicking the chimes themselves, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing begins in heaven the bells really are with the superb Willcocks fanfare, played with relish by the full Cory in Cheltenham and the music Euphonium player Glyn Williams is Dave Griffiths’ arrangement ofHave Band, before being joined again combines a quasi-minimalist the next soloist in one of two new Yourself a Merry Little Christmas with by the gentlemen of The Treorchy texture, symbolic of gathering arrangements by Dave Griffiths on real elegance. Male Choir, after which follows flakes of snow, with a melody this CD. John Rutter (b. 1945) has a touching arrangement by Alan which doffs its cap towards Gustav established a reputation as one Yule Dance was composed by Philip Fernie of Away in a Manger, set as a Holst, who was born in the town. of the most successful composers Harper in 1999 at the height of the solo for the Flugel Horn. The soloist The International Songsters of The of modern-day carols and the Riverdance craze and uses O Little here is the peerless Helen Williams, Salvation Army sparkle alongside Candlelight Carol is one of the most Town of Bethlehem as a recurring winner of the Best Soloists Award the band in this performance. popular. Written in 1984, this is a theme in a loose fantasy of dance- at both the 2016 National Finals, Nativity carol: ‘Candlelight, angel like carols such as In Dulce Jubilo, and the 2016 British Open, 20 years Stephen Bulla’s Christmas light, firelight and starglow shine on I Saw Three Ships, and the Sussex after she first won the same award Proclamation Fanfare heralds the his cradle till breaking of dawn. Gloria, Carol. The syncopated, folk-style with the Marple Band. arrival of the next soloist, soprano Gloria in excelsis Deo! Angels are beat of the drums reaches a great cornetist Steve Stewart, who singing; the Christ Child is born.’ crescendo as this disc nears its The Ukrainian Bell Carol was performs a new version of the culmination. composed in 1914 by Mykola medieval carol Gaudete by Cory Mary’s Boy Child celebrates the Leontovych and is based on a Band’s Composer in Residence birth of Jesus in a very contrasting The final great carol, in which brass traditional Ukrainian folk melody Christopher Bond. A Gallic theme musical style, composed as it and voices again combine, is O Come called Shchedryk which is sung at is introduced with The Irish Carol, a was by Jester Hairston, a leading all ye Faithful, which completes the New Year’s time, in anticipation Christmas folk song from Wexford, expert on Negro Spirituals. Philip Sir David Willcocks collection of of changing good fortune in the from the 16th or 17th century. The Sparke captures a perfect Calypso carols on this CD. His own heraldic spring. Peter J. Wilhousky, an lyrics declare: ‘Christmas day is come; style in his arrangement, before fanfare and splendid descant have American with Ukrainian roots, set let’s all prepare for mirth, which fills David Stowell’s setting of the third both become an established part of the simple melody into the English the earth and heaven at this amazing movement from Bryan Kelly’s this carol’s performance history. language in 1936 since when it birth.’ Unto us is Born a Son is Improvisations on Christmas Carols, Cory Band’s version also includes has become associated more with another medieval carol with some with its lilting repetitions of Past the last verse, usually reserved for Christmas. striking features, in Willcocks’s Three O’Clock, leads to the final Christmas morning – the perfect arrangement, in the central verses. soloist on the disc. Chris Thomas’ time to listen to this Celebration of Philip Harper composed The Snow silken-smooth and cultured Fanfares and Carols, played by the Carol in 2006 for a performance trombone sound sings through best brass band in the world! Since 2012, the band has been The band is dedicated to new music, conducted by Philip Harper, winning raising the profile of the brass band another two European titles (2013, genre and keeping music alive in 2016), three Nationals (2013 and 2015, Wales. It has an active commissioning 2016) three Brass in Concert titles policy and has performed works by (2012, 2013, 2015) and the British Open many of Britain’s leading composers; (2016). In 2014, it became the inaugural John McCabe, Judith Bingham, Elgar winner of TV Channel S4C’s Band Howarth, Edward Gregson, Alun Cymru programme. It toured Australia Hoddinott, Karl Jenkins, Gareth in 2013 and the USA in February 2016, Wood, David Bedford, to name but a 40 years after its last visit. few. The band’s current Composer in Residence is Christopher Bond. Cory Band has also developed musically outside of the contest Cory is also passionate about field. In 2001, together with the education and the Cory Academy was BBC National Orchestra of Wales established in 2013. It is, in effect, it was appointed as resident Cory Band’s outreach programme, ensemble to the Royal Welsh and there are now 15 local member College of Music and Drama, and bands for which Cory Band provides Cory Band made history in 2016 by In 1980 the band became European in the same year appointed Dr tuition and advice to young players on winning a Grand Slam, as well as Champion and in 1984, its centenary John Pickard as its Composer in a weekly basis, as well as recruiting becoming the first band in history year, it won the third in a hat-trick of Residence. John Pickard’s tenure in local schools. to be Quadruple Champions – National titles at the Royal Albert Hall, with the band ended in July 2005 simultaneously holding the National, London, conducted by the charismatic when the band made history giving Cory Band is recognised as one British Open, European and Brass in Major Arthur Kenney. In 2000 the the première performance of his the Principality’s finest and most Concert titles. However, it has a long band achieved an historic double Gaia Symphony at the prestigious innovative music ensembles. Its and illustrious history. Formed in by winning both the Nationals and, Cheltenham International Festival. numerous CD recordings and live 1884, it originally bore the name ‘Ton for the first time in its history, the The Symphony was broadcast live concert performances have received Temperance’. In 1895 Sir Clifford Cory, British Open, conducted by Dr Robert on Radio 3 and lasting over an hour worldwide acclaim. the local colliery owner, heard the Childs. In 2008-10 the band achieved in duration, it is currently the largest band and offered to provide financial a hat-trick of European Brass Band scale original work in the repertory. www.coryband.com assistance, resulting in the band’s Champion titles. change of name to Cory. The internationally celebrated USA. They became the first Welsh The International Staff Songsters is As a choir they are regarded as Treorchy Male Choir has enchanted choir to appear at the Sydney Opera The Salvation Army’s premier choir. representatives of The Salvation audiences around the world for more House and in recent years have Its mission is to give a clear expression Army in the international arena.

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