Grimethorpe Colliery Band

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Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Brass Band
Grimethorpe Band, Nationals concert 2008.jpg
Grimethorpe Band Nationals Concert 2008
Former nameGrimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal), Grimethorpe Colliery Institute Band, Grimethorpe Colliery RJB, Grimethorpe Colliery Welfare, Grimethorpe Institute
Founded1917(108 years ago) (1917)
Location Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England
Principal conductorMichael Bach
Music directorBen Dixon
Website grimethorpeband.co.uk

The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band. [1] Along with the Black Dyke Mills Band, the band became the first to perform at the Proms. Grimethorpe Band achieved fame after appearing in the film Brassed Off .

Contents

History

The year after the band's formation saw it enter its first competition at Belle Vue in Manchester. [2] Its first radio broadcast was in 1932 and from 1941 to 1951 it was on UK national radio every month.

George Thompson was musical director from the early 1950s until 1972 during which time the band won the British Open Contest for the first time. Thompson was followed by Elgar Howarth as Professional Conductor and Musical Director. 1974 saw the band, along with Black Dyke Mills Band, become the first to perform at the Proms.

The band continued through the industrial troubles of the 1980s and the closure of Grimethorpe Colliery on 13 October 1992.[ citation needed ] The band gained first place with 99 out of 100 on 17 October 1992 in the National Brass Band Championship's , conducted by Frank Renton at the Royal Albert Hall in London playing Philip Wilby's The New Jerusalem.

Following the closure of the Grimethorpe Colliery in 1993, the Band was sponsored by RJB Mining (later UK Coal plc) and then by Powerfuel.

Rock and pop

The band has appeared on rock and pop records, including "When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease", on Roy Harper's 1975 HQ album, and Peter Skellern's 1978 and 1979 albums Skellern (including the hit single "Love Is the Sweetest Thing") and Astaire. In 1976, the band assisted comedian Max Bygraves in recording a song specially commissioned by the National Coal Board called "Do It The Safety Way", in order to promote safety procedures in coalmines.[ citation needed ]

One former member of the band, trombonist Andy Cato, went on to co-found electronic music duo Groove Armada. [3]

In films

International fame came with the film Brassed Off , the plot of which was based on Grimethorpe's struggles against pit closures, and whose soundtrack was recorded by the band. The band also performed Ron Goodwin's film score for the 1976 Disney film Escape from the Dark (also called The Littlest Horse Thieves), with the composer conducting.

Honours

Other events

The band represented England at the European Brass Band Championship in Norway in May 2008 and came second behind the Cory Band, both on 194 points. [9] In June 2008 Grimethorpe gained its second successive victory at the English National Brass Band Championships, thus qualifying to represent England once again at the European Championships in Ostende, Belgium, in 2009. The band gained further worldwide attention with its rendition of the Olympic Hymn during the 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Notable members

Partial discography

YearAlbumConductor
1967Black Diamonds
1968Hymns You LoveGeorge Thompson
1968Belle Vue BrassGeorge Thompson
1969Christmas PraiseGeorge Thompson
1970Highlights in BrassGeorge Thompson
1974Festival Band Series Vol. 3George Thompson
1971Salute to GershwinGeorge Thompson
1971Hymns You Love – Volume 2George Thompson
1972Brass versus the Classics
1972Grimethorpe Colliery Band Play the Music from….
1973Morning Has BrokenDennis Wilby
1973Hymns of PraiseDennis Wilby
1973Pop Goes the Posthorn Elgar Howarth
1976Grimethorpe Special Elgar Howarth
1976Do It the Safety Way (single with Max Bygraves)
1976 Escape from the Dark – Disney (Original Soundtrack)
1977Classics for Brass Band Elgar Howarth
1977Band of the Year 1972, 1973, 1976 Elgar Howarth
1977Band of the YearBryden Thompson
1979Were You There? (single with the Kemsing Singers)
1979 Skellern – Astaire
1980King Size BrassRay Farr
1980Arrivederci GrimethorpeRay Farr
1980The Centenary / The Boy I Love is On the Engine (single with Lorraine Hart)
1985The Age of Self / Raise Your Banners High (single with [Robert Wyatt] & GCHQ Trade Unions)
1986FirebirdRay Farr
1986Grimethorpe EntertainsDavid James
1989Classic Brass Frank Renton
1990The Day the North Left Town (with the Wood Thieves)
1991A Night at the Opera Elgar Howarth
1991Cornet Roundabout (Alan Morrison, cornet soloist)
1991The Miner's Prayer Frank Renton
1992Paganini Variations Frank Renton
1993 Wilby Frank Renton & Garry Cutt
1993Arnold on Brass Elgar Howarth & Sir Malcolm Arnold
1993The Old Rugged Cross
1993Grimethorpe Colliery Band plays Brass Favourites Elgar Howarth
1993Euphonium (Robin Taylor, euphonium soloist)Garry Cutt
1993Grimethorpe Plays World HitsGarry Cutt & Manfred Obrecht
1994Let's Face the Music and DanceGarry Cutt
1995Wagner Elgar Howarth
1995Stars in Brass Frank Renton
1996French Bonbons Major Peter Parkes
1996 Brassed Off (Original Soundtrack)John Anderson
1996The Old Rugged Cross – 34 Brass Favourites
1997A White Christmas with Grimethorpe Major Peter Parkes
1997From Sonnets to Jazz Major Peter Parkes
1998The Melody Shop Major Peter Parkes
1998The Very Best of the Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band
1998The Grimethorpe Colliery Band – 34 Brass Band Favourites
1998Bold As Brass
1999Grimethorpe Colliery Band – Australian Tour Edition Elgar Howarth
1999Brass from the Masters – Volume 2 Major Peter Parkes
2000Brass Favourites from Grimethorpe
2001 Eric Ball – The Undaunted Elgar Howarth
2001Movie Brass
2001Quincentenary Concert (with YBS Band)
2001Classic Brass
2001Brass Band Classics
2002Grimethorpe in ConcertGarry Cutt
2003British Brass
2003Promenade Elgar Howarth
2004Grimethorpe in Concert Volume IIRichard Evans
2004The History of Brass Band Music – The Golden Era Elgar Howarth
2004The History of Brass Band Music – The Salvation Army Connection Elgar Howarth
2005The History of Brass Band Music – The Early Years Elgar Howarth
2005Legends
2005Blaze (Richard Marshall, cornet soloist)
2006The History of Brass Band Music – The Modern Era Elgar Howarth
2007Grimethorpe in Concert Volume IIIRichard Evans & Philip Harper
2007The History of Brass Band Music – Classical Arrangements Elgar Howarth
2008The History of Brass Band Music – New Adventures Elgar Howarth
2008HymnsPhillip McCann
2009Classic Brass
2010Grimethorpe in Concert Volume IV James Gourlay
2010Hymns Volume II James Gourlay
2010Terra Australis – The Music of Martin Ellerby James Gourley
2011By RequestBrian Grant
2012Your 20 Favourite Hymns
2012Grimethorpe Colliery Reunion Band: The Nationals 2012
2015Grimethorpe EntertainDr Robert Childs
2015By Request IIRay Farr & Robert Childs
2017Grimethorpe 100Misc
2020Mysteries of the Horizon – The Music of Nigel Clarke David Thornton & Sandy Smith

References

  1. "Brass band keep their shine", Western Daily Press , 1 September 2006
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Concert programme, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Simpson, Dave (20 November 2018). "Groove Armada: how we made At the River". theguardian.com . Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. "The National Brass Band Championships" Archived 29 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine , The Harrogate Band, accessed 17 December 2007
  5. "Colliery band hits top prize note", BBC News , 1 July 2007
  6. "English National Brass Band Championships" Archived 2 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine , British Federation of Brass Bands, accessed 17 December 2007
  7. Results: 2008 English Nationals, 4barsrest.com, accessed 28 June 2008
  8. Results for 2014 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine and The Sage Years at brassinconcert.com
  9. Buffet Crampon, woodwind instruments : clarinets, professional clarinet, oboe, bassoon Archived 14 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine