Diamond Heritage, Darrol Barry, Brass Band

DIAMOND HERITAGE, DARROL BARRY

Used as a 3rd and 4th section test piece in both the United Kingdom and Australia.

Testpiece for the 2000 Mineworkers Competition, also for 3rd.Section of the 2004 National Finals in Harrogate, September 2004.

Diamond Heritage was commissioned by the Friends of Pleasley Pit in 1999 with funds made available by the National Lottery A4E Express. The work is dedicated to the on-going restoration of the once great Pleasley Colliery situated several miles to the West of the town of Mansfield in the North Derbyshire coalfield.
Pleasley Pit was active from 1873 to 1983 and employed between 600 and 1400 men during its long life, many of whose families still live nearby. The pit first mined coal in 1875 and in the intervening years produced over 45 million tormes of steam raising coal. The Friends of Pleasley Pit were concerned that the buildings and other aspects of the pit should survive. These enormous efforts are coming to fruition now with the preservationof these fine relics of a time now gone for future generations to enjoy and marvel at. The coal mine also had its own brass band, Pleasley Colliery Band, which is still in existence today.

The work is based upon the hymn tune Gresford (the Miners Hymn) and begins with an introduction followed by several variations culminating in a final statement of the hymn tune leading to a majestic close.