Hartpury Community Hall Christmas Concert

Hartpury Community Hall was the venue for a Christmas concert presented by the Gloucester Band of the Salvation Army (Bandmaster Clifford Matthews) on 8 December 2006.

The band began the concert with the old classic Christmas march Christmas Joy (Erik Leidzén), followed by an arrangement of Deck the Halls. The band showed its vocal talents by singing Of the Father's Heart Begotten as a lead-in to the invocation, and the audience participated by singing Silent Night.

Bandmaster Matthews served as the compère for the festival, bringing the true meaning of Christmas to the fore as he introduced the items. The next items from the band were Fanfare Jubiloso and the cornet feature Angels on High. Throughout the concert the audience was invited to participate in the singing of various carols, including Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.

A devotional mood was set with the band playing Candlelight Carol, followed by O Holy Night sung by Yvonne West. Bandmaster Matthews gave a brief devotional message, and then the concert began again in a jazz style with Comfort and Joy, followed by The Carollers and The Proclamation of Christmas.

The audience was given a chance to request some favorite carols, which included “Once in Royal David's City”, “Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells” and “O Come All Ye Faithful”. The concert concluded with a lively Yule Dance and Feliz Navidad.