Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Recorded in early 2011, this sees the award winning brass band visit Halifax Minster and St Teilo's Church in Cardiff with an uplifting collection of hymns including "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer", "Abide With Me" and "Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven". Alongside these stand the stirring "Benedictictus" from the Armed Man and the beautifully played "Oh For The Wings Of A Dove" played here jaw-dropingly well on the cornet by Richard Marshall, amongst others. The overall sound is a vast array of 'brass bliss' with the outstanding choir on such tracks as "As The Deer Pants For The Water". Organist Mark Lee, present on a number of tracks, brings the musical feel of a cathedral to the recording (without the high ceiling acoustics!). For me the last track "Nimrod And Finale From Enigma Variations" typifies the magnificent wall of sound present in many Cathedral setting. Outstanding!

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Cathedral Brass Volume II is the long-awaited follow-up recording to the original, and hugely popular, Cathedral Brass from the 1990s. Cathedral Brass Volume II was launched on Friday 29th April 2011, the day of the wedding of Catherine Middleton to Prince William, and includes both the music to which the bridal party processed to the altar (Parry’s I Was Glad) and that to which the newly married couple walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey (Walton’s Crown Imperial).

On this recording, Black Dyke Band is joined by Bristol Cathedral Choir (conducted by Mark Lee) and Philip Wilby (organ) who also provided many of the arrangements.