And All That Jazz, the opening song from the 1975 musical Chicago, provided a lively start to the Concert, attended mainly by a senior audience. The Lincolnshire Poacher, a traditional folk song (and foot-tapping number) about the joys of poaching hares on the properties of wealthy Englishmen, with lyrics dating back to 1776, followed.
Bohemian Rhapsody, composed by the late Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock band Queen, is regarded as their signature song. This six-minute Suite consists of an introduction, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock part and a reflective coda. Regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time, its performance drew appreciative applause from the audience.
The best-known part of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1985 Requiem is Pie Jesu (Pious Jesus). It has been widely recorded, notably by Sarah Brightman. This arrangement for brass band featured the duet of Murray Hetherington, flugel horn and Julie Loveridge, soprano cornet. Mister Sandman, A very popular song from the fifties, recorded in 1954, followed. The song’s lyrics convey a request to Mister Sandman to “bring me a dream, make her the cutest that I’ve ever seen”. It was obvious that many members of the audience knew the lyrics as they quietly sang along.
The Essential Elton John featured a medley of Elton John’s well-known tunes Don’t Let the Sun Go Down, Candle in the Wind, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Part Time Love. This was a highlight of the first half. Cry Me a River, another fifties song described as a “bluesy jazz ballad” and made popular by Julie London’s recording in 1955, followed.
The next composition, by Alan Fernie the Richard Evans March – Thanks Boss was the first public performance by a Band in Australia. It is a tribute to Richard Evans, one of the most popular conductors of the modern brass movement, who passed away on 22nd April this year.
Shine, a composition by Australian Barrie Gott, introduced the audience to the music of Swing to commence the second half. George Gershwin’s 1927 number Strike Up The Band continued witha lively beat. Then a story unfolded in A Musical Fairytale, a comical number with narration and music, in which a Prince was pleading with a King for the “hand” of one his three daughters in marriage. The three daughters were male members of the band dressed as females and the prince was a female member of the band dressed as a male. Comical scenes ensued, with the Prince finally riding off on a toy horse with his “bride to be”. The audience seemed unsure how to react, but laughter was interspersed with applause, confirming that it was enjoyed.
Swing was introduced again with Irving Berlin’s 1936 Let’s Face the Music and Dance, written for the film Follow the Fleet and danced to by that remarkable pair of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The audience had to be content to listen to the band, as no duet was forthcoming. Andi Cook’s arrangement of the Hymn Tune Manchester followed. This Hymn Tune is a tribute to all those killed and injured in the terrorist suicide bombing of the Manchester Arena (England) on 22nd May 2017,
The performance had the quiet attention of the audience.
A touch of romance was included in the next number Spanish Eyes, a 1966 hit single by Al Martino, but recorded over the years by many artists, including Englebert Humperdinck. The Concert became “upbeat” again with Total Toto, a medley of three hits, Africa, Rosanna and Stop Loving You from the American Rock Band Toto, which was formed in 1977 and is still performing in 2024, having sold over 40 million records in this time.
The 1993 American Civil War film Gettysburg had a Music Score written by Randy Edelman and arranged for brass band by Andrew Duncan. The band concluded the second half by featuring two Movements from the Score – Reunion and Finale.
The audience were generous in their applause at the conclusion of the program and were rewarded with an encore, the Hungarian March.
Cardiff Brass extends its thanks to the City of Lake Macquarie Council for the financial support provided in presenting this Concert. Without such support, the ability of the band to provide entertainment for the community would be difficult. Cardiff Brass is also pleased that the music of this band continues to contribute to the musical culture of the City of Lake Macquarie.
Allan Shaw
Life member
Cardiff Brass
Cardiff Brass 
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