Brass Christmas

Albums by this brass band are quite rare and there won't be any more- they disbanded in 1995.This album contains a few seasonal tracks but it is well salted with some brass classics, including the lovely theme tune of the band, The March of the Bunnykins (Bunnykins were a product of the pottery).Just a small handful of carols- Hark the Herald Angels, Coventry Carol, and a nice arrangement of Silent Night.Seasonal music is Prelude to Christmas, White Christmas, Sleigh Ride, Marys Boy Child, When a child is born, Three carols for brass, We wish you a merry Christmas, Lullaby for Christmas (a good general brass piece to my mind despite the title), and Yuletide March (another piece to play all year really).Not very seasonal at all is the March of the Bunnykins, Music Box Dancer, Clog Dance, Cornet Carillon, A Joyful Occaision, and Frolic for Trombones.In todays brass band world there is a temptation to drown out the music with very loud percussion (a regular comment by contest adjudicators). Here the light percussion is given its proper place in a brass band- in the background. A pleasant recording.Sometimes a Christmas CD is brought out for bandsmen to give their friends, or to generate sales at a time of giving, but out of season sales can be quite muted. This album has enough generic material to make it worth buying out of season - you can always just play the less Christmassy tracks. It is a good record of a now lost brass band and it may be your only chance to hear the lovely March of the Bunnykins.

Delivered on time, value for money

This is a replacement for a well played vinyl .......it's wonderful .....even my 20 year olds like it.......proof enoughIt's all you need for that traditional christm

Very good.

I had this on tape nearly 20 years ago when I first took up playing in brass bands and am delighted to have it on cd. Much of the music on it I remember playing and conducting over the years and some of it with the City of Stoke Brass Band which Doulton's became in 1994. In fact they haven't disbanded but still exist as Trentham Brass but at a much lower level!The pieces may seem dated but are still great fun and seasonal. A brass band sounds good playing this kind of repertoire and the arrangers knew how to craft solid and playable pieces. There are a couple of patchy moments in the playing as the band was never in the very top tier of bands but they were a very good outfit in those days and it is well worth the money.It's hard to get hold of most of the recordings the band made as they were never transferred to CD so get this one to hear a brass band doing what a brass band should do well, play what people want and well.