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2003 Pontins Brass Band Championships
Pontins Holiday Camp, Prestatyn, North Wales
Sat/Sun 25/26th October
Second Section:
Retrospective
Llanrug lead right from the front to claim first place and first
prize on the Ocean.
If you are going to win, then you may as well win from the front-
and in the case of Llanrug conducted by Gavin Saynor, that’s
exactly what they went out and did in the Second Section, which
took place on the Sunday at the spectacularly inappropriately named
Lunars Bar.
‘Oceans’ proved a good choice of test piece. If the
soloists were ‘those at peril’ then it has to be written
that as far as the overall section was concerned that there weren’t
really any shipwrecks. However, as Brain Buckley put it, perhaps
one or two of the percussion sections indulged in a few too many
sangrias in the Caribbean. Llanrug though set the standard for the
rest to follow, and try as they might, just about everyone else
couldn’t quite match that initial performance either in terms
of technical cleanliness or musicality. The band has certainly benefited
from the influx of some very good players from the now defunct band
of Point of Ayr and of Northop, but that shouldn’t in any
way detract from their victory. Even with the cameras on them (as
they were in Dundee) they played to form and it was a well-merited
win.
The bands performance was notable for the control of dynamics and
lovely rounded balanced sound which owed much to the secure foundation
the bass section provided. There was some lovely individual playing
as well and the MD, Gavin Saynor’s approach was direct and
workmanlike. When you added all those component parts up you get
a very good overall performance indeed, and one that couldn’t
on the day be beaten.
Just behind them (a couple of points in our estimation) came Wire
Brass who benefited greatly from the direction of the experienced
John Hinckley. Paul Andrews, their regular MD was on solo euph,
and showed himself to be a dab hand at that too. This was a performance
of contrasts in both dynamics and style, confidently played with
all the detail laid out for the judges and audience to appreciate.
It didn’t quite have that sheen of Llanrug, but it was still
a fine effort and deserved the runners up spot.
Third place went to Silk Brass Astra Zeneca, and for us this was
perhaps a tad too aggressive in style to challenge the top two bands
on the day. Perhaps they were trying too hard to sound like a bigger
band, but when they did blow it was a hard sound and not the lovely
rounded tone they produced when they kept the dynamic level down.
They had a fine flugel player, but they will be a better band of
they didn’t try to blow their way to victory.
The final three places in the top six went to Chalford, Meltham
and Meltham Mills and Broseley. Chalford put in a very controlled
performance that benefited from some fine percussion work and had
a gentler approach to the articulation and dynamics, which we really
liked. The band sound was lighter than others, but for us this was
a plus point and fourth place was well merited. Meltham meanwhile
also had a fine percussion team – especially the kit player
who was neat and tidy and didn’t overpower and although there
were some poor intonation problems at times this was a fine effort.
Finally, Broseley, who we have heard and enjoyed of late gave another
performance of merit under Paul Fensom to gain sixth place. This
was a very classy interpretation with the slower movements played
with a sense of musicality that many in the top section would have
done well to copy.
After that it was a bit of pick and mix in terms of the performances
from the bands that came 7th – 12th. Skelmersdale didn’t
start too well but got better as it went along, whilst Langbaurgh
seemed curiously unbalanced from start to finish. The bass trom
seemed to dominate things for us and whilst the percussion was excellent
and the approach very musical from the MD, it was a performance
that was lop sided. Langley sounded very confident to start and
the MD was enjoying himself, but just when you thought it was going
to be a corker, the excitement got the better of them and it became
messy and harsh sounding. A bit more control of the emotions would
have had them much higher up the prize list.
Old Silkstone have had better days, and this was a good band not
performing to form. The Calypso was perhaps the most enjoyable of
the day in terms of style, but everything else was below their usual
par and 10th spot was a fair return. Meanwhile Haslingden and Haelmshore
did much the same, with some great played interspersed with some
lack lustre ensemble and poor tuning. 11th place was the reward.
Finally, Snibston and Desford Colliery could count themselves a
touch unlucky to have come 12th as we liked the approach and execution
of their performance under K. Steward. It was precise and neat,
and perhaps just needed a bit more oomph in places, but we felt
it was a top sixer.
The next group of bands were a level below these and filled the
placings 13th to 17th. No complaints from us (perhaps by them though!)
as most of these shows were bedevilled by lack of dynamic contrast
and ill defined detail. RAF St. Athan were the best of this bunch,
but some individual errors were costly and although the musical
thread was well portrayed the execution lacked clarity. The same
could also be said of Yorkshire Building Society Concert, who started
well, but then upped the tempo somewhat and it all got messy. A
bit more restraint could have been beneficial, but it was certainly
exciting. Strata Brass meanwhile suffered with poor intonation at
the opening, but the trombones especially made their mark in fine
style. It became harsh though towards the end and that may have
cost them a lot of points.
Deiniolen meanwhile started in fine style, but just when you sensed
it was going to be a good performance it all became a little bland
dynamically and the music lacked flow and it ended rather tamely
for us. Delph though started well and seemed to be going along nicely
enough, but as the band tired it became increasingly scrappy and
at the end it sounded hard and out of tune. It was a pity though
as it had the shape and style required.
The bottom group of bands had days to forget though – although
for differing reasons. Both Stourport on Severn and Briton Ferry
had the type of days on stage that even the best bands in the world
sometimes get. Slips,slips and slips – not bad ones, but far
too many and in the most unexpected of places. The overall picture
was there with both shows, but if they had another go straight after
they would have played ten times better. Every band has a day like
this – and this time it was Stourport and Briton Ferry.
Finally Elland Silver under Philip Wilby who we liked – they
went for the music from the start and we were a bit puzzled why
they came 20th and last, as we had them around 11th! Perhaps it
was the dropped mute that caused some unsteady moments for a short
while, but this wasn’t too serious. Perhaps the judges didn’t
like the approach and that was why it was penalised. Very unlucky
for us.
Test Piece:
Oceans, Goff Richards
1. Llanrug, G. Saynor, 1
2. Wire Brass, J. Hinckley, 19
3. Silk Brass AstraZeneca, K. Mackintosh, 17
4. Chalford, S. Tubb, 11
5. Meltham & Meltham Mills, S. Fawcett, 8
6. Broseley, P. Fensom, 14
7. Skelmersdale Prize, C. Dickinson, 12
8. Langbaurgh, T. Oldroyd, 13
9. Langley, C. Parker, 21
10. Old Sikstone, N. Law, 3
11. Halsingden & Helmshore, D. Holland, 9
12. Snibston & Desford Colliery, K. J. Steward, 4
13. RAF St. Athan Voluntary, A. Bourne, 2
14. Yorkshire Building Society Concert Brass, M. Hannan, 23
15. Strata Brass, D. Horn, 6
16. Deiniolen, R. Thorn, 18
17. Delph, R. Goodwin, 22
18. Stourport on Severn, D. Maplestone, 20
19. Briton Ferry Silver, M. Faro, 16
20. Elland Silver, P. Wilby, 5
W. Gillingham Imperial Silver, G. Lewis, 10
W. Lancashire Life Morcambe, 15
W. Newtown Silver, H. Gibb, 11
© 4BarsRest
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