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The Lower Section National Finals 2002
Adjudicators Comments
Third Section Prize Winners
First Place: Silk Brass Astra Zeneca (Macclesfield)
1. Excellent grading of all the dramatic colours - big band style
and sound reading of the balance of the priorities of the score
secure. Tutti playing and a well projected tone.
2. Intro - excellent bass sound. Chorale - well done trombones
for the balance at A, horns and flugel for intonation - trombones
for a well balanced section at B and a well balanced full sound
(esp sop cornet) at D - Bravo
3. 6's basses well articulated. A - eloquent cornet style - cymbal
not too much please? Euph and horn balance (intonation) - splendid
climax at B. And Solos - Eb bass especially - perc - more colour
- less projection please at C and D and E - Coda - perfect tuning
in harmon mutes
4. Intro - perfect balance and crescendo. March - splendid style.
C - lovely snare drum - great basses and trom accomp - also solo
cornet duet - excellently charming. 6/8 to end - here is a need
for a dramatic build up - through 1 - accel ending impressively
- all done quite splendidly - Bravo.
P. Wilby.
1. Fine controlled start. Pick up into A not clean though. I like
your style and conviction. Good detail at C. Tasteful solo cornet
here. This is stylish playing. Well balanced and well directed.
Fine letter D, but lower solo cornets could balance better. Great.
2. Just the right atmosphere created - helped by super basses!
Well done euphs! Excellent troms in B. Slightly hesitant euph solo
in B but then tasteful. This is very good!!
3. A little insecurity in opening. Lovely control at sign. Excellent
phrasing by cornets at A. Horn intonation (C#) in cadenza? Triangle
a touch strong in C. Nice dynamic control at D. C#'s in horns are
well in tune on DS. Lively controlled end.
4. Great style - helped enormously by super percussion. Slight
intonation lapses at times…..
Goff started writing on the back on the remarks sheet here, so
it never came out on the carbon sheet, so we can't bring you any
more….
192 points.
Second Place: Wire Brass
1. Fine sense of dramatic contrasts - and big sounding group -
esp cornets and basses - splendid maturity all round - in detail
and structure. Excellent climax.
2. Solid intro - bravo basses! - Chorale - fine tutti and eloquent
solos - C/D finely graded dynamics - good tuning in forte - slipping
in the last few bars - but a fine reading.
3. Intro - first rate. - B6 a little rushed? - Climax - sensational
(if a little overblown?) - with good solos - (Eb bass bravo) - F
- some problems here - (alas?) Coda - Harmon mutes perfect.
4. Intro - Glock? Bass Drum? March - quite splendid. G - good basses/
snare drum. Cornet duet not balanced. 6/8 great style (Glock?) -
big brave brass sounds - I - Clash cymbals? Great reading of the
end -Perc 3 is ad lib we realise, but this is a big performance
- with odd slips. Fine job - Bravo
P. Wilby.
1. Fine start - all the intonation on the pauses. Great style.
Just some balance lapses and rhythmic precision a criticism. Great
feel and sense of purpose. Super playing.
2. Intonation on pause before A. Good cultured sound at A. Lovely
momentum at B. Euph figures slightly obscured in C. Slight trom
glitches in D. but great projection. Slight intonation in final
bars.
3. Slightly untidy ending to pause before piu mosso. Excellent
articulation in basses generally. Super expressive playing. I do
like you attention to detail. S Drum a touch heavy at D, but this
is very stylish. Some insecurity from E to DS. This is super playing
at the conclusion. So expressive - the final bars need care in balance.
4. We seem to miss the percussion in the opening - very important……..Goff
then starts to write on the back again, so that's all Folks!!
Goff Richards
190 points.
Third Place: Middleton
1. Intro - works well - secure tuning. Maestoso - good forte and
crescendo to ff is right. Mature balance - cornets - neat tonguing
- snare drum/back row cornets - good rhythmic impulse - sweet sounding
band with a strong musical sense - bravo.
2. Intro - again strong balanced sound - basses especially - Chorale
- very sensitive. Troms especially - eloquent solos - flugel/cornet/euph
- D - good tuning here. Sop cornet is excellent here. Some poor
tuning at the end - pity
3. Intro - good. G - Basses (Bb esp) good and cornets well balanced
- euph/horn duet is poetic - Climax - well timed and in tune - less
dramatic then some readings (?) Bravo triangle (!) and snare drum
- good melodies also. E - pity about the slips - Coda - harmon mutes
- perfect!
4. Intro - bass drum? March - great style - C - correct duet -
ensemble like glue! 6/8 - good balance of voices - some percussion
voices missing - and a loss of momentum towards the end.
A polished reading - musical and secure with excellent solo playing
and direction - very creditable.
P. Wilby.
A well controlled opening. Exvcellent tempo at A - a good balance.
The trom glisses well executed. C - wobbles a touch - basses a notch
heavy, some insecurity in euphs. DS just lacked some conviction.
Fine percussion here. I like your control and attention to detail.
Just lacking at times in that "big" sound.
2. Excellent basses here. Cornet balance needs care. Lovely expressive
playing at A. So musical. Excellent trombone trio. Some nervousness
appeared 7 before C. Fine troms in D. At times I feel you are a
touch under strength in the cornet section - but you make up for
this in your expressive playing.
3. Intonation in D trill before sign. Excellent articulation in
basses here. - nice overlapping. Bar to coda sign needed better
balance. But you are playing with such control. Tastefully played
triangle. Intonation in E (Cornets) and above with euph/bari cadenza.
Goff Richards then went to write on the back of the sheet again!
©
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