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Yorkshire Regional Championships
Second Section - Post match analysis
1. Hade Edge (J&E Dickinson) (S. Wood): 185pts (9)
2. Horbury Victoria (I. Shires): 184pts (4)
3. Wifreda Beehive Hatfield (G. O'Connor): 180pts (5)
4. South Yorkshire Police (D. Lever): 179pts (10)
5. West Yorkshire Police (B. Thompson): 178pts (11)
6. Meltham and Meltham Mills (S. Fawcett): 177pts (1)
7. Old Silkstone (N. Law): 176pts (6)
8. Weaver Building Group (D. Horn): 174pts (12)
9. Yorkshire Building Society Concert (A. Mc Lauchlan): 172pts (2)
10. Elland Silver (T. Whitaker): 171pts (3)
11. Huddersfield Brass Ensemble (S. Derrick): 170pts (7)
12. Stanley Newmarket Colliery (G. Walker): 169pts (8)
We know
a good band when we hear one don't we? 4BR predicted Hade Edge and Simon Wood
would do well, and they certainly didn't disappoint as they took the Second Section
with plenty of style and more than a little comfort. The quality of the
performances throughout the Second Section veered from the very fine to the very
disappointing and slightly mindless (why do so many MD's think that blowing as
loud as possible is a recipe for success?), but both Hade Edge and second placed
Horbury Victoria were a class above the rest and gave John Roberts in the box
a fairly easy task of sending them to Torquay for a contest by the sea. Simon
Wood conducted without music (admirable) and with band jacket (not so admirable)
but he has a very musically intelligent brain and conducting style that brings
the best from his ensemble. Lots of good rounded quality sounds from the bass
end, suited the set test and his cornet section was easily the best of the day,
and after they performed there was little debate about their presence at the top
of the tree. This band will do well come Torquay. Second spot went to the
newly promoted Horbury Victoria and Ian Shires, who once again gave the music
a sense of breadth and time that brought out the detail and showed off his bands
undoubted qualities of rounded ensemble playing. Neat and tidy and with a very
good middle of the band sound, they pushed Hade Edge close to the edge, but they
should be delighted with coming second - it was well deserved. Third place
went to Wilfreda Beehive Hatfield and Graham O'Connor who again showed why he
is such an asset at this level. All the basics were there and it was a very competent
performance that had his musical fingerprints all over it. They should keep with
him if they can. Fourth and fifth spots went to the rival constabulary bands
of South and West Yorkshire respectively and both played the music well, with
good direction from the experienced David Lever and Barry Thompson. Just the odd
clips and a propensity to give it a whack cost both, but again there was much
to commend in to very decent and solid performances. Meltham and Meltham
Mills took 6th place with a fair run through, especially off the number 1 spot
in the draw, but they too tended to try and blow through the music rather than
let the music just speak for itself, whilst Old Silkstone for us must be very
disappointed with coming 7th. Silkstone played very well and for us made the most
sense of the music, which was well directed by Norman Law, even though at times
they sounded a bit strained, especially in the top cornets - but they certainly
deserved better than 7th place. Still, that's contesting. Below this we
felt the bands that came 8th to 12th all had moments of note, but again relied
on volume rather than shape and style to make an impression, and for that they
paid the price. Weaver were the best of the bunch and possibly could have come
a little higher, whilst Yorkshire Building Society Concert and Elland Silver tried
manfully to come to terms with the music but fell foul of some very poor intonation
and overblowing. Huddersfield and Stanley had the type of days at the office that
they could well do without and even though they tried in vain to make an impression,
all we were left with were performances that lacked the basics.
© 4BarsRest
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