The Breaking of the Drought
The Breaking of the Drought
The Triumph of Time by English lyric poet Swinburne speaks of ‘dreams reared high and hopes brought low’, when ‘whole life’s love goes down in a day.’ Such are the woes and wonders of brass band contesting! – ‘c’est la vie’.
Prior to their imminent 2022 British Open Championship victory, the legendary
Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band has waited patiently for 44 years since last winning this historic event. What is perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that 2022 is only the second occasion that B&R has won the “Open” title in the past 86 years!
This ‘Breaking of the Drought’ is reflected in the words of the iconic Australian poet ‘Banjo’ Paterson who wrote –
“The days are done of heat and drought Upon the stricken plain; The wind has shifted right about, And brought the welcome rain.”
This was not in fact the first period of drought for Brighouse and Rastrick as history records that since its inception in 1881, it took a period of 49 years until the band claimed its first British Open title in 1929.
However, what is certainly much more compelling is the fact that once this ‘drought’ was finally broken, Brighouse & Rastrick went on to successfully claim no less than four British Open title wins out of six appearances – a good omen for the future of the purple team!
The challenge that stands today for our current “British Open Champions” is the fact that it is now exactly 90 years since conductor William Halliwell and the Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band commenced what was to become known as the historic ‘Halliwell Hat trick’ of 1932/33/34.
To say that today’s Brighouse and Rastrick team is standing ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’ is immensely humbling and yet at the same time a motivating force that fuels our fire in continuing the quest for musical excellence.
As the newly crowned British Open Brass Band Champions, the words of the distinguished English poet, Frederick J. Atwood, best express our ‘purple pride’ and our gratitude to be representing England in the 2024 European Brass Band Championships.
“Listen! __ it rains; it rains! The prayer of the grass is heard; The thirsty ground drinks eagerly As a famished man eats bread. The moan of the trees is hushed, And the violets under the banks Lift up their heads so gratefully, And smilingly give thanks.”
__ Frederick J. Atwood (May, 1902)
Professor David King Professional Conductor Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band (September, 2022).