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Post Match Analysis:
Midlands Regional Championships 2002
Second Section:
Saturday 2nd March, Belvedere Club
Adjudicator: Steve Sykes
Commences: 11.00am approx
Results:
1. Langley Band, M. Vause, 187, 13
2. Shirley Band, D. Lea, 186, 11
3. Brackley & District, J. Glynn, 184, 19
4. Bilton Silver (Rugby), B.E. Clarke, 183, 3
5. The Wigston Band, G. Sleath, 182, 7
6. Harworth Brass, J. Davis, 181, 1
7. Snibston-Desford, K.J. Steward, 180, 14
8. Harborough, C. Groom, 179, 5
9. Porthywaen, D. Thomas, 178, 20
10. Hopkins Solicitors Blidworth, M. Wardle, 176, 18
11. Fairfield (Buxton), C. Kitchen, 175, 8
12. Moulton '77 Brass, J. Rainer, 174, 15
13. Stourport-on-Severn, D. Maplestone, 173, 16
14. Stamford Brass, R. Prew, 172, 9
15. University of Warwick, S. Hogg, 171, 2
16. Shirebrook Miners Welfare Unison, M. Battersby, 170, 10
17. Croft Silver, S. Burton, 169, 12
18. Whaley Bridge, R. Wyatt, 168, 17
19. City of Stoke-on-Trent, M. Caveney 167, 4
20. Shipston Town, G. Coleman, 166, 6
Top 3 bands qualify for the National Finals.
Top prize in the second section was deservedly won by the Langley
Band who off a number 13 draw headed the 20 band field with a performance
that was a little belter.
Lots of detail in the Ewald music was missed by many of the bands
on the day, but not Langley who benefited from some super individual
playing from all their soloists (especially the solo cornet player)
and some very fine direction from the MD, M. Vause (sorry don’t
know the Christian name). It was a reading that made the most musical
sense of the day and gave the band time and space in which to perform.
They in fact sounded a band of a slightly different class –
which up until this year they in fact were. No doubt about their
win.
Also going to the Finals in Torquay will be the Shirley Band conducted
by Dave Lea who gave a very mature (appropriate really as they appeared
to be the oldest band in the section on the day) performance that
had some lovely individual moments of playing from all around the
stand. It didn’t quite have the polish of Langely, but was
nevertheless still a very compact and solid performance of a difficult
piece.
The final qualifying spot went to Brackley and District under J.
Glynn who gave a good account of themselves as last but one band
on, that made the piece sound fresh and interesting after a whole
series of pretty bland performances that had gone on before. Some
neat and tidy ensemble passages were the highlight for us and a
fine bit of trombone playing throughout really made the mark and
it was of little surprise that they came up with a qualification
spot to Torquay.
These three bands were slightly head and shoulders above the rest
for us and even though there was other good quality shows, no one
else really got to grips with the piece as the three prizewinners
did. It made for interesting listening for both audience and Steve
Sykes, but it also conformed that the top three were deserved qualifiers.
Bilton Silver took 4th spot, and although they were
only a point behind Brackley they just didn’t do enough for
us to really justify a place in the top three. Plenty of good solid
stuff though, but it didn’t quite have those earcatching moments
the others above them had. Good result though.
Wigstone were 6th and put up a decent enough showing,
as did Harworth off the dreaded number 1 spot, that set the early
marker for the rest to follow and 6th in the circumstances
was a fine result.
Below this it was a bit more difficult for us to place the bands
in the same order as Steve Sykes as for most of the time each performance
had it’s good moments and it’s bad, but the bands that
came in the top half of the final table had more good than bad –
if that’s a fair way of outing it, and showed that there is
plenty of good young talented players in the lower sections.
Intonation spoiled much of the work of many performances and so
many flugel players were flat it was nearly unbelievable. Those
who came in the bottom half of the table can’t have much to
complain about as many of their performances didn’t quite catch
the spirit of the music and many just tried to blow their way out
of trouble – only to find themselves in more of the same as
a result.
The bands at the very bottom, found life very tough indeed and
perhaps the piece was too difficult for them as a whole. Every one
of them had little moments to merit, but so much of the basics of
good balance and intonation were of a poor standard and it at times
was hard on the old ears. Some MD’s may have to rethink their
strategies in future as just trying to play loud and hope to sound
like a good band won’t work.
© 4BarsRest
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