Review: A rousing evening of brass band music and community spirit

Wellington (Telford) Brass Band brought an entertaining and wide-ranging programme to The Edge Arts Centre in Much Wenlock for Music is the Breath of Life on Friday evening, directed by David Nicholson. The concert was also an important fundraiser for the Jon Hayward Memorial Trust, which provides bursaries to help Shropshire children access music lessons.

Opening with A Film Fantasia, the band quickly demonstrated its versatility, with music ranging from the vivid Zambezi and playful Bass in the Ballroom to You’ll Never Walk Alone, beautifully sung by soloist Laura Noble. The first half continued at pace with The Final Countdown, MacArthur Park and the exhilarating William Tell Finale, giving the audience plenty of variety and showcasing the considerable range of the band.

There is something wonderfully physical about hearing a top-class brass band in concert. The sound seems to reach beyond your ears and into your chest, combining power, precision and sheer musical exuberance.

After the interval came Death or Glory, familiar from the film Brassed Off, followed by the light-hearted Teddy Bear’s Picnic. The concert then moved firmly into traditional territory with a confident performance of Jerusalem, followed by the Radetzky March and Fantasy on British Sea Songs, before reaching its celebratory climax with Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance.

Laura led the audience in Land of Hope and Glory as Union Flags waved throughout the auditorium, creating a spirited and suitably patriotic finale to the main programme.