Candide was a novella by 18th Gioachino Rossini was one of the century French Enlightenment great Italian opera composers of writer Voltaire. The plot sees the the 19th century, and his opera young man Candide indoctrinated The Thievish Magpie (La Gazza in optimism by his mentor Ladra) premièred in 1817. This tells Professor Pangloss whose motto is a story of false accusation, as one ‘all is for the best’, before becoming of the servants in a rich farming increasingly disillusioned as he household is blamed for the witnesses great hardships in the disappearance of several expensive world. The book caused a great items of silverware. Only when scandal (fully intentionally) she arrives at the gallows to pay due to religious blasphemy and for her ‘crime’ is the real culprit institutional ridicule. Leonard discovered – a mischievous magpie Bernstein set it to music in his which was nesting nearby. The operetta which was first performed opera’s overture begins, famously, in 1956, and this overture (in an with two snare drums, reproduced updated arrangement by Howard faithfully here in the arrangement Snell) is a firm concert favourite. by Denis Wright. The Green Hornet, a green-masked Roald and Pat had five children crime-fighting vigilante, was created together, but life wasn’t all plain- for radio in 1936, appearing since in sailing and in November 1962 the comic books, TV serials and films. A-list pair suffered every parent s For the 1966 TV series, trumpeter ultimate nightmare; the loss of their Al Hirt (whose nickname was seven-year-old daughter, Olivia. He ‘The Round Mound of Sound’) wrote: “Olivia, my eldest daughter, performed Billy May’s theme tune, caught measles when she was seven which was used again in Quentin years old. One morning, when she Tarantino’s 2003 film Kill Bill. Alan was well on the road to recovery, I Morrison provides this arrangement was sitting on her bed showing her which is performed with pizazz by Having received the thorough British and in a way the most exhilarating how to fashion little animals out of Tom Hutchinson on trumpet. schooling his parents had wanted time I have ever had in my life.” coloured pipe-cleaners, and when it for him, was ready for Philip Harper’s The Battle of Athens came to her turn to make one herself, One of the world’s favourite adventure and he set off for Africa aims to recreate this day. I noticed that her fingers and her storytellers was Roald Dahl, born in before training as a fighter pilot in mind were not working together and 1916 in Cardiff – just down the valley the Middle East and taking to the Dahl was invalided back to the UK she couldn’t do anything. from the Cory Band. Cory’s award- skies. In his autobiography whereupon he was posted to the USA winning set The Remarkable Life of he recalls “20 April 1941 was a day I’ll for a diplomatic role in high society, ‘Are you feeling all right?’ I asked her. Roald Dahl recounts the author’s own never forget. It stands out like a sheet mixing in showbiz circles and life story which was as amazing as of flame in my memory.” On this day eventually marrying a Hollywood ‘I feel all sleepy’, she said. some of his own literary creations. he was flying on sortie over Greece. film star. was “willowy, The Nordic Polska is a combination “Suddenly the whole sky around us sardonic and deeply intelligent, with In an hour, she was unconscious. In of traditional Scandinavian folksongs seemed to explode with German an unforgettably husky voice,” and 12 hours she was dead.” arranged, like the whole Dahl set, fighters. We broke formation and they remained married for 30 years. by Philip Harper. It describes the now it was every man for himself. She won an Oscar in 1963, but two Multi award-winning flugel horn spirit of joy and happiness of early Wherever I looked I saw an endless years earlier starred alongside Audrey player Helen Williams performs summer trips the young Roald blur of enemy fighters whizzing Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s from Philip Harper’s composition would take with his family back to towards me from every side and I which Henry Mancini’s Moon River A Little Star Went Out to his parents’ homeland of Norway. threw my Hurricane around as best I Cha Cha comes. portray this tragedy in Dahl’s life. could. It was truly the most breathless Roald Dahl’s greatest legacy is as of Nature itself. This is Freedom. an author, and he has been labelled 2nd movement – And then, the as “one of the greatest storytellers quiet interlude of Romance, the for children of the 20th century” trees, the meadows, the scent of with worldwide sales estimated at the flowers and… Love. This, too, 250 million. The World’s Greatest is Freedom. 3rd movement – That Storyteller, which brings the other insuperable gift of Laughter. Roald Dahl musical biography This is Joy, Love, Vigour and this, to a close, features three musical also, is Freedom.” numbers related to Dahl’s writing: for which The final soloist on this disc Dahl wrote the screenplay in 1968; is baritone player Steve Kane, Pure Imagination from the 1971 who performs Robert Childs’ film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate arrangement of A Little Prayer Factory (which here stars Glyn by Evelyn Glennie. With Williams on euphonium); and autobiographical poignancy, When I Grow Up from the 2010 Glennie composed this piece musical . when, aged 13, she had already lost 90 per cent of her hearing. Steve In 1922, original composition for brings mature expression to this brass band was still in its infancy. little piece of another musician’s Composers at the time often, if life story. not always, used stories on which loosely to base their music, to To close Cory’s Storytelling disc is provide listeners with a ‘way in’. a cherished pairing from the world Hubert Bath’s suite from this year, of classical favourites – Baba Yaga Freedom, was no exception, and and The Great Gate of Kiev from his programme goes as follows: Modest Mussorgsky’s 1874 suite “1st movement – In God’s fresh Pictures at an Exhibition, arranged air, under the open sky, we for band by Elgar Howarth. The contemplate the gentle sweetness suite consists of ten Since 2012, the band has been conducted The band is dedicated to new music, by Philip Harper, winning another raising the profile of the brass band genre two European titles (2013, 2016), three and keeping music alive in Wales. It has Nationals (2013, 2015, 2016) four Brass an active commissioning policy and has in Concert titles (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) performed works by many of Britain’s and the British Open (2016). In 2014, leading composers; John McCabe, it became the inaugural winner of TV Judith Bingham, Elgar Howarth, Edward Channel S4C’s Band Cymru programme. Gregson, Alun Hoddinott, Karl Jenkins, It toured Australia in 2013 and the USA Gareth Wood, David Bedford, to name in February 2016, 40 years after its last but a few. The band’s current Composer visit. in Residence is Christopher Bond.

Cory Band has also developed musically Cory is also passionate about education outside of the contest field. In 2001, and the Cory Academy was established together with the BBC National in 2013. It is, in effect, Cory Band’s Orchestra of Wales it was appointed as outreach programme, and there are resident ensemble to the Royal Welsh now 15 local member bands for which Cory Band made history in 2016 by In 1980 the band became European College of Music and Drama, and in the Cory Band provides tuition and advice winning a Grand Slam, as well as Champion and in 1984, its centenary same year appointed Dr John Pickard to young players on a weekly basis, as becoming the first band in history to be year, it won the third in a hat-trick of as its Composer in Residence. John well as recruiting in local schools. Quadruple Champions – simultaneously National titles at the Royal Albert Hall, Pickard’s tenure with the band ended in holding the National, British Open, London, conducted by the charismatic July 2005 when the band made history Cory Band is recognised as one the European and Brass in Concert titles. Major Arthur Kenney. In 2000 the band giving the première performance of Principality’s finest and most innovative However, it has a long and illustrious achieved an historic double by winning his Gaia Symphony at the prestigious music ensembles. Its numerous history. Formed in 1884, it originally bore both the Nationals and, for the first Cheltenham International Festival. The CD recordings and live concert the name ‘Ton Temperance’. In 1895 Sir time in its history, the British Open, Symphony was broadcast live on Radio performances have received worldwide Clifford Cory, the local colliery owner, conducted by Dr Robert Childs. In 3 and lasting over an hour in duration, acclaim. heard the band and offered to provide 2008-10 the band achieved a hat-trick of it is currently the largest scale original financial assistance, resulting in the European Brass Band Champion titles. work in the repertory. www.coryband.com band’s change of name to Cory. Philip Harper became Philip is a prolific composer and his Soprano Cornet Solo Baritone Executive Producer Musical Director of original works and arrangements are Steve Stewart Steve Kane Trevor Caffull Cory Band in 2012. played all over the world. In 2016 he Principal Cornet 2nd Baritone Since then he has composed A Shakespearean Triptych for Tom Hutchinson Sue Thomas Producer won all the major a 650-strong joint ensemble and choir Adam Goldsmith trophies, including an conducting the first performance in a Solo Cornet Solo Trombone unprecedented Grand packed Royal Albert Hall at the Last Night Dai Hale Gareth Robinson Gareth Johnson Engineer Slam of major titles in of the Schools Prom. You can find out 2nd Trombone Darren Thomas Daniel Lock 2016; the Europeans, more detail and listen to audio excerpts of Dafydd Thomas the British Open, Philip’s music at www.philipharper.co.uk. Chris Howley the Nationals and Brass in Concert, all Harvey Rees Bass Trombone Post-Production Andrew Williams won in a single calendar year. As well as En route to this point in his life, Philip Repiano Adam Goldsmith Barrie John becoming the only living conductor to graduated from the University of Bristol Stephanie Wilkins Melissa Dee have achieved a conventional Grand in 1994 before going on to take a Masters Euphonium 2nd Cornet Slam, he became the only ever conductor Degree in Composition and a Post- Glyn Williams Production Manager Hannah Plumridge Siôn Jones Nicki Tonge to achieve what has since become known Graduate Certificate in Education. He had Taddy Evans as the ‘Harper Slam’. Philip won the a successful performing career and was Eb Bass 3rd Cornet coveted 4barsrest.com Conductor of the Principal Tenor Horn of the National Simon Howell Project Coordinator Phill Harris the Year Award in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and Kate James Mari Malm Mørkved In recent years he was a guest conductor the Sun Life Band in Bristol, as well as Daniel Sharpe Bb Bass of Manger Musikklag in Norway, the winning through to the Brass Final of the Flugel Horn Rob Nicholson Programme Notes National Youth Brass Band of Wales BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1991. Helen Williams Philip Harper and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Between 1996 and 1998 he lived in Japan Tim Evans Solo Horn Symphonic Brass, amongst many others. and was a guest soloist with most of the Percussion Ailsa Russell Artwork and Design ‘British-style’ brass bands with whom James Andrews Mango Graphic Design A resident of Gloucester, Philip was the he still keeps a close connection, visiting 1st Horn Dave Griffiths Editor of Brass Band World magazine annually. Ross Dunne Alun Horgan Steve Jones Recorded by World of Sound between 2009 and 2015 and, since 2005 2nd Horn Megan Jackson at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, has been the Music Editor of the historic Lee Drew Wright and Round publishing company. Megan Landeg Aberdare on 7-9 January 2017