Comments ~ 2003: March

Comments from March 2003

Prague - again!

One for

I've listened to one of the championship section bands rehearse this now for the last two weeks, and I have speak up in defence of the piece. I quite like it! Although it does not have the same haunting melodies that, say, an Eric Ball piece would have it does test all of the soloists and I bet those who stay and listen to all the bands on Sunday, as I will, will hear the difference between those who can and those who can't. I have maintained all along that this piece will test bands, and it will also identify the best bands in the area. Watch YBS, Dyke, Brighouse and Grimey take the top four places!

Mick Henton


One against

Got a BIG bee in my bonnet now. 8 areas, 10 bands in top section in each area being FORCED to buy PRAGUE.

If I was the car salesman selling the MD of Maecenas Music his latest company car, I can only presume he would have a HUGE problem

a) Paying up front for it.
b) Finding out there was so much wrong with it.

I personally challenge him to come clean, deal with his staff, sort his company out, and apologise to the brass band movement, by donating a substantial amount of his profits from PRAGUE to any YOUTH band of his choice, and to report all this to 4 bars rest.

Alan Wycherley


Another against

My congratulations to Alan Wycherley for being bold enough to talk sense. Thank God I thought I was all-alone out here. The sooner these' FACTS' are noted by those who administer our band movement, the sooner I, and thousands like me, can get back to enjoying our banding. We are supposed to enjoy it aren't we?

Roger Pearcey


And another!

After reading all the comments and the goings on regarding the choice and quality of Prague, all I can say is thank the Good Lord Almighty I will be playing Passacaglia on a Brahms Theme. With all he furore surrounding Prague, I am amazed whether anyone has been able to find the motivation to devote the time needed to master the piece.

Judging by the performance of Black Dyke, maybe they thought that it wasn't worth it? Having qualified for the Nationals anyway, I suppose that they thought it was not worth wasting their time on. In contrast, Passacaglia is a wonderful piece of music, which at first glance looks easy, but once you get into it proves to be a fantastic piece, an inspired choice and much more difficult than it initially appears. Each note has its own musical precision and interpretation, and I am sure that it will choose the men from the boys when the day comes.

Richard B. Parsons
1st Trombone, KM Medway Band


And another!

Enough! Enough! Enough! When are the composers going to listen? I'm Pragued off!

What a lovely melody to whistle on the way home. "NOT!" Who pays for this composing lark?

It sounded like the composer was someone who knew little if anything about composing had played about for fifteen minutes on a computer program such as Sibeilus and then pressed print. It was just a series of chords and crappy sounds with no finish what so ever. (Can anyone reading this sing any part of it?)

I suggest the money for test piece compositions be drawn from a special brass band players kitty or something like that. (We wouldn't waste money.) Then submitted to a Brass Band players panel. We are the ones who have to listen and play this crap! If that is not possible dig out the old music as Dick Evans puts it, "With tunes in!" from years gone by and contribute the saved composers fee to the bands that qualify for the finals. Lets try and fill these auditoriums with members of the public as well as banders. Once again the bars were full but few people listened Prague or Maunsell Forts.

It is time to take back our movement from what appears to be a chroneistic group of people exploiting us just because they are in control of OUR MOVEMENT. It is not theirs! This is not a training ground for unheard ofs to be treated to a fund from somewhere to write "Something on the cutting edge!" (Which really should have ended up being deleted from the documents file for ever!) But, as 4bars rest puts it I'm an "Old fart" I don't understand today's brilliant music.

In fifty years time bandsmen and women will still be playing Journey into Freedom, Whitsun Wakes, Paganini Variations and even Les Preludes) But most of all, enjoying playing them and the audiences loving them. Prague will be in the library gathering dust or in the rubbish bin long since. Come on! Whoever chooses test pieces. This is not good enough. We the Banders demand better.

I could go through all the sections but I think my point has been made. I agree with Mr. Allan Wycherley in the last bunch of 4barsrest comments. No one wants to listen to this elitist Radio 3 rubbish. Every time I hear this kind of music hailed as marvellous etc... I remember the story of the Emperors new clothes. it took a little boy to see that the Emperor had not a stitch on. All the others where going along with what everyone else said not wanting to appear foolish. Well I believe this Banding movement of ours has put up with being shown the Emperors new clothes long enough. Brass Banders normally are working class lads and lasses who don't take ***** from anyone. Enough! Enough! Enough!

Tom Johnson
Hesketh Bank.

Blimey! - Another in favour!

Dear "Bingo" Allow me to congratulate you on a wonderful piece of music, your work and Heaton's stand head and shoulders above the other set works for the regional this year, the others in my view being a waste of good timber. Which one is it with the "rock beat" in the last movement? Listening to that gives me that same queasy feeling you get watching your parent's disco dancing at weddings! Come on Mr Graham lets face facts shall we? Brass bands are not "the new rock and roll" and never will be.

Don't be put off by criticism from the "flat cap and whippet" brigade, they are a dying breed, albeit not quickly enough for me. Next time you get one of these pea brains writing to you, ask them to send you one of their scores, so you can see where you have been going wrong all these years, I don't expect your postman to be overburdened with replies.

Its this kind of "Mary Whitehouse" tendency that holds the entire movement back, being happy as they are to play "Poet and Peasant" and "Rhapsody in Brass" or other such drivel written by fourth rate "Beethoven's" who were never quite able to notice the arrival of the 20th century. These musical luddites are the same kind of people who have Constables "The Haywain" hanging over the their "flame effect" electric fire and at the age of 55 still go to the cinema to watch Walt Disney cartoons.

Its high time these "Prawn cocktail/ Chicken a la King/Black forest gateaux" dullards cleared off to the local "Line Dancing" club or "Noel Edmonds appreciation society" to forge themselves a glittering career as second assistant to the deputy Treasurer.

Andrew Stanton

This one isn't though!

The people who decide on the piece need to establish "what" are we trying to achieve, "how" will we achieve it and "why" do we want to achieve it.

"What". We are trying to find the best performance of a musical piece played by amateur Brass Players in a particular area. "How". By selecting a piece of music which will test the ability of the performers (including the conductor).

"Why". Now here's a problem!!! If you want to create an insular club of aficionados you can create a series of sounds to depict what you want from a circular saw exploding to a spectacular tidal wave, that should test you. It will also achieve the objective of keeping you insular. "Why" because we need to appeal to a wide audience that a quality pleasing sound can be achieved by amateur Bandsmen/Women/Children.

"How" - well certainly not by producing ear aching bludgeoning of notes and then for some "half wit" to try and kid us it's music. I really don't understand how we have moved 100 years on and arrived at this. If it's progress give me your SRI and I'll adapt it to run on solid tyres and you can gauge the advancement of the product.

The proof is this. You tell me when Prague/Jazz and the like will be put on the next concert programme. I know it's NOT a concert piece but the band sponsors (who are diminishing in their droves) are musical dips and they are looking to show what they have spent their hard earned marketing money on, 40 quids worth paper that will never see the light of day again except for the arty Radio three brigade - HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE THESE PEOPLE GIVEN TO BANDING the square root of NAFF ALL

GET REAL The prospect of increasing your following of up and coming players who poked their head round the corner to see what it would be like in the CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION were disappointed to the point of giving banding up. Well the world will be a quieter place without them - BUT WILL IT BE BETTER

But Judith Binghams success is that she destroyed an otherwise enjoyable day, and struck Prague off my list of holiday destinations if this demonstrated what it's like over there. Clackton-on Sea here I come

Ken Fieldhouse

A voice of reason!

Having watched the current furore develop over Judith Bingham's "Prague", I would be grateful if you would allow me to make one or two points from a slightly different perspective.

People being unsettled by new music is by no means a new phenomenon: Let me offer a few examples -

The opening of Beethoven's First Symphony was hissed because he elected to start the symphony on the Sub Dominant, instead of the Tonic or the Dominant, which was the prevailing expectation in those days.

The Opera "La Muette de Portici" of which "Masaniello" was the overture, caused riots that led directly to a change of Government in Belgium, after the first performance. There were riots at the first performance of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and also at the first performance of Debussy's "Prelude l'apres midi d'un faun" because the music was considered to be too lascivious. OK! They are all orchestral pieces but are they not now accepted as normal repertoire pieces!

I remember when I first listened to "The Rite of Spring", I thought it was a total bag of nuts - I was wrong and over time learned to understand and appreciate it. Do you remember the articles in the Daily Telegraph about John McCabe's "Images" being unsuitable for Brass Bands, and the puzzlement about aleotoric music? So what is my point - well, like most of you I do like a good tune! However, having listened to every Band in an Area after having studied the score in detail, I am impressed with "Prague" as a piece of masterful composition. On the day, for me only one Band really had a Conductor with insight to get a grip of the form and marry up all the complexities into a well considered "Cathedral of sound and musical understanding" In other words, this Conductor gave the music something extra.

I was surprised that some of the named Bands had Bandmasters conducting, who efficient as their beating of time was, gave the music nothing. I questioned one of these as a long standing friend and asked him why he didn't give his Band anything. His reply was that it wasn't that kind of piece. Nonsense! You must find the music and the artistry!!!

Further problems emanate from this - Do we as Band Movement expect our Conductors to know their trade? Of course we do! But whilst Contest Promoters are not sufficiently selective with their choice of adjudicator, what chance does the Conductor have against the Bandmaster type?

Simply, despite the diminution of the Brass Band movement as a whole, few can doubt that the standard of banding generally has in my opinion has improved. There is no doubt in my mind that if Brass Bands are the indigenous music of our country, then as indigenous music, it is without peer and deserves to be applauded as such!

Undoubtedly, we do have many fine Conductors but because finding the right adjudicators is so difficult, why not put composers, adjudicators and top conductors into the box to adjudicate modern music who understand modern music and can prove it. Then I suspect the differential between the Conductor and the Bandmaster will be heard in the Box. One adjudicator for "Prague" stated "I will be looking for music, good sound and good dynamics" Such a pity he was unable to include untunefulness and intonation which to my ears, he ignored!

I agree with HM's sentiment that "Winners celebrate and everyone else makes their own arrangements". But I suggest that the degree of adjudication which seems to ignore form, musicality and structure in favour of a simple truth that the big bands (ie safe results) blow loudest, or are met by masses of applause however badly they play, is a trend that is not doing the Band Movement any good at all.

Ideally, I seek to have Adjudicators who have a knowledge of the Band Movement, have all the musical appreciation skills to be able to evaluate musicians at work and who treasure good performance, appreciation of form and musical artistry, who are at least equal to the greatest conductors we have.

For the Conductors, I abhor the professed view of some to put a special effect on every page of the score. Why not learn your trade, master the form and give the Band that extra something through their ability to handle music, within the confines but with imagination. Artifice is no substitute for good musicianship and a thorough understanding of the score.

Years ago when I conducted, my dear old friend Walter Ainscough observed " What you are doing is terrific but it is too clever for the adjudicator." The choice of the "Variations on an Original Theme" for London is the ideal opportunity for the Conductors to show their wares, as there are several variations that carry conventions accepted by Elgar that are against the score. It will be fascinating to see who knows them and whether the Adjudicators are equally aware. The biggest pity is that the Contest version will not feature "all the dedicatees", as I assume cuts will have to be made.

I sincerely believe that the responsibility carried by our greatest Bands, their Conductors and our finest Adjudicators affects the future of the Band Movement. If Bands play past their sound, lesser bands will copy. If Conductors operate on a notes only basis, less experienced conductors will follow and if Adjudicators favour noise and the clapometer over artistry what is the point!

We are a grown up movement and surely one of the Administrative Czars in one of bandings various focus groups can get to grips with this and sort it!

Edward Tarling

Prague - not a torture!

May I first of all congratulate you on your outstanding coverage of this years areas. I feel like I have been permanently logged on to your web site!!

I feel I must comment on 'Prague'. I've sat through the whole of the Yorkshire Championship section (15 bands) and all the North of England (10 bands), and listened intently to every performance of which there has yet to be a really bad one. However I do not feel it is anything like as 'torturous' as people have made it out to be.

Of course there is no doubt that this is contemporary and 'different' but musically I have found it just as interesting and enjoyable to listen to as any other years test piece. It certainly has its loud parts but it also has its fair share of challenging quieter sections, a lot of which look easier than they are (as could be heard in some performances) A good choice of test piece? Perhaps not, as it perhaps isn't as challenging as many other pieces that could have been chosen, however there are certainly no 'easy' bits in it. I have still found it a highly enjoyable piece, especially when played well. Is it that people are scared of what is different and are unwilling to give it a real go?

Whatever it may be I have found the piece a real change from the 'norm' and congratulate the panel on their choice, (even with all the mistakes and the last minute errata sheets!)

I'm sure nothing as controversial will be chosen for many years to come, but I believe it was a good move to add one of the more contemporary pieces into the listener and players repertoire, even if some did totally despise it!!

Call me insane if you may and keep up the good work with the web site.

Chris Hoyle.

And one we don't quite understand

The subject of whether a piece of music is a good choice as a test or not is irrelevant, it must be down to, that on the day could a band make an effective musical performance of the piece.

On listening to the piece I felt that if a musician (bandsman sic) could play three against seven then they had a chance of competing against other bands. Quality of tone and expression then being irrelevant should favour the usual suspects in the brass band regions and lead to no surprises at the Champion Section Finals.
Anyone who can't beat three against seven, please contact me and I'll send you a chart you can't possibly fail to understand.

Chris Hoepleman

The Areas - in general

I take the point of your article on the forthcoming Yorkshire areas that laments the decline in audiences attending Brass Band competitions.

Well, in order to increase popularity, why not throw the following ways of choosing test pieces into the mix:

A. New arrangements of Classical Big-Hitters

Tap into the growing popularity of classical music and use arrangements of classical bit-hitters. Whatever 4BR said about "Les Preludes" in the Open in 2001, the buzz in the hall was palpable rather than absent as in 2002. People left Symphony Hall whistling tunes from "Les Preludes". The same can't be said for "The Maunsell Forts". This needn't mean a return to selections from Meyerbeer - what about band transcriptions of big name classical composers like Bartok, Stravinsky, Rachmaninov, R Strauss, Ravel, Debussy, Elgar; even Beethoven and Mozart. Names known by the classical music community, and more likely to draw a crowd [and less likely to push people away].

B. Have test-piece shortlists.

Ask bands to choose from the compositions of one composer. This year's national finals would be a perfect opportunity to ask bands to choose any Eric Ball test piece. Gregson, Sparke, Wilby, Vinter, Bourgeois could also provide good lists. Or, in order to accommodate newer commissions, select a list of five pieces which are of a similar level. Then an audience will have the best of both worlds - variety of performance without totally losing the unique
chance that Brass Band competitions give to compare performances of the same piece.

Daffyd Jones

Comeback to no change

I have been away from it long enough but it's still the same old ….

I recently had the pleasure to be asked to help a band at the Yorkshire area. As this area is the only area I have ever taken part in then this experience was not foreign to me. I have been away from banding for approx. 7 years and recently I have been asked to take part in several contests with this particular band so I am able to see how much the brass band movement has moved along in this short time. I am sad to say that over these years' bandsmen and women are still treated like cattle when preparing for a performance.

I'm sure I am correct on this subject but most bands have spent the last three weeks preparing for what is the first contest of the year and sets out the bands timetable of events for that year and the year after, because if they qualify they may just go on to win London and then they are automatically entered into the European. At Bradford you register and then move up to the waiting area behind the stage. Whilst waiting behind stage you have the pleasure of reading the signs that read ‘NO WARMING UP IN THIS ROOM' and when the band before you have finished their performance and the audience are applauding you are told by the ‘very experienced stewards' not to warm up.

So in a nutshell after three weeks of rehearsal where most players arrive 15 minutes early to warm up they then go to the contest and are expected to play to their best level from cold in front of an adjudicator. This does not make sense, can you imagine Maurice Murphy and Rod Franks reaction if they were told before a performance with the LSO that they can not blow a note before they go on stage I'm sure a steward would be met with some very choice language. Surely the adjudicator would be made aware of the situation and the next band due on stage could have a warm up when the audiences are applauding the band before them. Most adjudicators I'm sure would welcome this fact. Is it not about time that our brass band movement start and respect the bandsmen and women and appreciate the hard work they put into the weeks up to the contest.

My second point is an overall criticism of the banding movement. Where are you getting all these adjudicators from? The same old names keep on cropping up, do you not have any young blood that could also do the same job as the present judges. There are so many young conductors coming through then is it not time to look at the judging panels. Brass Bands have moved on musically and the sounds they are creating are very different to the sounds produced 25 years ago.

The scores are becoming more challenging and it seems that if a new piece of music arrives for a contest and it has not been recorded by any band then the judges do not have a clue! They rely on the first few performances to get to know the piece and then start their adjudication from there! Maybe its me but my understanding is that these judges should be studying the piece way before the contest date and should know it inside out, then every band from number 1 onwards are given the same chance. It's been a long time since a band has been given first prize from the number 1 draw!

As money for bands is becoming less and some bands are fighting to exist is it not about time organisers think of the bands first. The way the band plays at a contest and the result of a contest pay a large part of a bands future, it is not just a day out for the listening public and a way for a committee to earn revenue.
So come on you organisers get into the 20th Century, the old days were fantastic I'm sure we have all had experience of that but don't you think its time to think of the people it effects?

Regards with quite a bit more moaning to do in the future, I'm sure.

Ian Broadbent

Lets encourage the 4th Section!

I would just like to say that with 18 + bands in a section no single person can correctly interpret all bands performance, who knows when toilet breaks were made and whether full concentration was given by the adjudicator. Open adjudication would prevent this scepticism and give the audience chance to assess the concentration of the adjudicator, and prevent post analysis.

National contests are a measure of a bands ability and in fourth section ALL bands should be encouraged. This years comments and adjudicators speech did nothing to encourage lower placed 4th section bands. Lets not forget everyone tried their best, and have probably spent many weeks rehearsing this test piece to be criticised on stage was definitely not helpful.
Let's not forget 4th section hold's up all other sections and should not be expected to attain championship standard.

Also can someone tell me why last weekend 2 from 8 bands qualified for Dundee when this weekend only 3 from 18 qualified. Does the BBF seriously expect to encourage brass bands to compete under these conditions? Musicians are a dying breed as it is can't someone address this?

Caroline Whittle

Trumpet Concerto

Keith Barnett asks about a trumpet concerto (one movement) played on a Sounds of Brass LP of the 1970s by the Band of Yorkshire Imperial Metals. In 1973 on Decca's Sounds of Brass (SB 306) Yorkshire Imps included many of their star soloists. Graham Walker plays the 1st movement of the Trumpet Concerto in F Minor by Oscar Boeme arranged by the soloist. This may be the recording Mr Barnett is talking about?

Tim Mutum
Ipswich

For the guy trying to nail down the trumpet concerto on an old Imps "Sounds of Brass" record, it was the 1st Movement of the Boeme Trumpet Concerto played and arranged by Graham Walker (Champion Soloist of GB !971/72.) It's on Decca ZAL 11929P SB306 - I have a copy but it is one of my treasured souvenirs of my past!
I suggest you contact Keith Quinn at Keith@quinnk37.freeserve.co.uk who is a collector and supplier of old band records.

Ian C. Wilkinson


I have a copy of the LP, Decca SB306 that Keith Barnett is looking for on my web site as follows: - www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/quinn.htm . The Yorkshire Imperial Band cornet soloist is Graham Walker in the 1st. Movement Trumpet Concerto in F Minor (Boeme, arr. Walker). Graham was champion soloist of Great Britain 1971/2.

Keith Quinn
Sunderland

Tasteless in Yeovil

I enjoy your site. However - Your Yeovil retrospective was simply tasteless. I agree with Richard Knight's thoughts entirely. If the criticisms were coming from someone with experience, or who's veiwpoint was held in some sort of esteem, then fair enough. But, could you please provide us with a summary of your backgrounds and achievements (apart for the comedy sketches on your 'credits' page?)

Let me give you a hand:
Q - Have you ever prepared a band for a contest, or done any conducting of note?
A - No.
Q - Have you ever picked a programme yourselves that went on to enjoy any sort of success?
A - No
Q - Have you ever picked up a UK title (Come off it, Pontins never counts in the real world!)
A - No
Q - Have you ever composed or arranged a piece of music?
A - No

So then boys, the floor is yours; tell us all about your achievements.

Jezz Williams

Yorkley Onward - where they are now

The Yorkley Onward Band ceased existence in approximately 1993-1994 when the few remaining players merged with a struggling local third section band, Coleford Town. Following their amalgamation the two bands, now called Forest of Dean Brass, enjoyed a rapid rise from their Third section status to the Championship section. They still rehearse at the Yorkley Onward Bandhall twice a week, and will be competing in this year's West Of England Area Contest in the first section. If any of this information is incorrect then I apologise (I left the Yorkley Onward Band in 1992 to take my place at the Birmingham Conservatoire) and would invite more accurate details from either existing or previous band members.

Kristyann

Come backs from the dead?

I played Festival Music with Thoresby at the 1971 Open - and conducted them on it at the 1998 Grand Shield, so with those two added to yours, it's not that overlooked. Variations for Brass Band I played at the Area - I think in 1979 - it went down like a lead zeppelin applause wise largely due to a queer cadence at the end. I think it rumbles about and doesn't get where it needs to go - which is probably why the composer cleared out his "Ideas file" and used the material "just" for a brass band piece - as you point out, not his favourite medium. Was it just another "Commission"? I'd certainly argue the side that it's not good just because the composer was orchestral.

I played Fireworks at the Open in 1975 and Elgar Howarth tried to move us forward but the organisers wouldn't allow the narration - a bit like a foreign film without the subtitles! If the powers that be allow it to be performed as intended - uncensored! - I think it's a belter.

I agree with your others - and some in the lower sections that have been musically satisfying seem to have vanished - there's many a composer had to make do wrestling with making the music a little easier A Spa Suite - Philip Lane (Area 1983 or 4?) 3rd Section
Californian Legend - Bruce Broughton (Area about 1986 or 7) 2nd Section Caliban - Butterworth (Wow!) Finals 1975 2nd Section and at an early European I think
The Forest of Dean - having wrestled with that in about 1995 - I reckon it should be promoted from a first to a top section piece - and great fun to listen to. Wheatlands - Bram Wiggins - about 1983 Section 3

And - some that are musically complete to let the lower sections try?

Vizcaya (Vinter), Peddars Way (Kenneth Wright - Grand Shield 1969), Concert Overture for Brass Band - Wilhelm Tausky about 1972 - I thought that was extra special. Wayfarer (Ball) - now for section one or two? Scena Sinfonica (Gheel), Shining River (Rubbra)
And for me at least - ones I was pleased were torched, Make A Joyful Noise (Jacob), Metamorphosis (Hall), Overture for Band (Hughes). And about twenty others if I'm asked.

As usual - ta for a good article, hope you don't mind the feedback.

Keith Wardle

Why not a proper Ball choice?

I was delighted to see that the National test pieces for 2003 will all be Eric Ball compositions, and this is very fitting for his centenary. However as a Salvationist musician I was disappointed to see that no SA publication featured on the list. I've never played in a contest, but I would imagine that the bands at the Nationals would have all played or at least heard the selected pieces many times before. Surely one of his SA works which would therefore not be widely known within the contesting world would have been more interesting for the competing bands?

As the selection of Heaton's Celestial Prospect for the 2nd selection bands at the regionals has shown the SA has some stunning music which deserves playing by any band. Many of the audience at the Nationals are Salvationists who come along to hear how a proper band sounds and they would love to hear a true classic like Eric Balls Song of Courage being played in a contest, though I'm sure the solo trombone player wouldn't get much sleep the night before!

I just like to have SA music played and for the players to understand some of the thought that has gone into it. The SA has dozens of high quality demanding pieces that would serve well as contest pieces for years to come, thereby reducing the cost of running the events.
Plus, SA music never has the level of errors found in music produced by some other publishers!

Richard Smith, Reading Central SA Band.



Disappointed by the Enigma

Am I the only person to be disappointed with the choice of test piece for this year's Championship finals?

I would stress that I make no judgement on the Enigma variations per se, but am surprised that the way the brass band movement chooses to honour Eric Ball is by scheduling one of his transcriptions. Given Eric Balls position as 'doyen' of brass band composers, surely it would have been more appropriate to use one of his original compositions?

Paul Graham

Yorkshire will be in Europe!

Like many people I am disappointed that Fairey's cannot afford to travel to Norway to play in the Europeans. Travelling to Norway is expensive when you have a sponsor and trying to find the necessary funds when you have just lost your long standing sponsor is a very large task indeed and I fully understand and sympathise with their reasons for withdrawing from the contest. However, there is one quote from your article which I find a little unusual.

Quote from article 845
"YBS are of course there as Reigning Champions, but Fairey's failure to find the finances to fund the trip to Norway means that there is no English band to fly the flag."

While I understand that Fairey are the official representative from England due to their win in London YBS are still an English band. We are based in England and every year we have been at the European the programme says that we are an English band. So, it would seem that there is still an English band there to fly the flag, or is Yorkshire now a separate country as some of the locals would have you believe? Last time I looked it was still an
English county and not yet a separate state.

Darran West

So will the Irish - from the South

Your headline "Irish Champions Pull Out of Bergen" is a little misleading as there are 2 current Irish Champions i.e. 1st Old Boys in Northern Ireland and ourselves Arklow Shipping Silver Band in the South and despite the cost involved we are still travelling and taking part in the Section 1 of the Europeans.

Regards,
Kevin Fitzgerald
Secretary & PRO
Arklow Shipping Silver Band

Why do the results leave the stage?

I was wondering if you could help me. I play principal cornet in a fourth section band, and have only contested a few times...but i am still confused about one thing.

The adjudicator sits in a tent-on his own so no-one can see what he is writing about the bands, and so he doesn't know which bands are playing, but at the end when he goes up onto the stage, the results disappear off stage, and then come back on so the bands can be announced.

Question - why do the results leave the stage? - Surely he can just say the band that played....No.X ...? I don't see why someone else is allowed to see what he has chosen-after all the trouble with a tent. Surely the results leaving the stage would leave it open to someone to change things? [not suggesting anyone would!] but the opportunity is there and it does look suspicious.

I would be grateful for some sort of explanation.

Mike Lane

A Great Sop player remembered

I have just looked at your list of top soprano players of all time. There is one very notable absentee. David Jones held down the sop seat at GUS for nearly 25 years and did so with great distinction. Whilst not known as a soloist, David never saw this instrument as a solo one, he was an exceptional band player and very popular with every conductor that stood in front of the band. You could count on the fingers of one hand all the split notes he played both in the bandroom and on the stage during his long tenure.

David's sound was beautiful and his volume added colour to the music without the usual overblowing associated with many sop players, including some on your top ten list. It has been said many times that an adjudicator could pick out some bands by the distinctive sound of their principal cornet, but GUS was easy from the sound of David Jones and Trevor Groom on euphonium. I am very sorry you missed this quality performer from your list. It is an error in deed.

John Bayley

A comment on Cheating

This year, for the first time in the bands 80 year plus history, I am taking them to the National Qualifiers. We are a small village band, with the majority of the lower parts played by youngsters and late learners. I have taken the decision not to write parts across, but to work on those players and get them to play the parts - which has been hard in some cases. To this end the standard of the band has noticeably improved in the time we have been looking at the music. Surely, particularly at the lowest levels, that should be the main aim of contesting. We are under no illusions, and know that we wont be in the top half of the results. However, I would rather improve the standard of every player in the band by working them all, than win, and the week after the contest go back to the pervious standard because by top players are no longer covering parts.

I also think - I could be wrong - that with the amount of other draws on peoples time these days, if I was to say we are going to spend the next 10 or 12 weeks looking at this piece of music, but I don't want player x,y, and z to play the difficult parts, people would be very soon out the door.

The experience has been that a number of player in the band were quite daunted when the music was first put in front of them, but with a lot of blood, sweat and (nearly) tears, I think that they have all grown in their abilities.

I am sure a lot of people will think I am off my rocker, and yes, I probably am. But I am not wet behind the ars. I do have some experience at this level of contest, having played Sop in the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd sections over the last 20 years for bands Kent, Sussex and Oxfordshire.

As the old adage goes " It's not the wining that counts, but how you play the game" or should that be "play the piece"?

Sheldon Barwick
MD Bletchington Silver Band

Can we have more rankings please

I nice idea would be if the points available for places at the major contests listed in the breakdown of the rankings description was published on the website. Its always nice to see how far you could have gone or have gone, without having to wait for them to be updated!

Stephen Lomas

What about turn overs then?

While we're putting the boot into the brass band music publishing industry in the wake of the Prague debacle, I'd like to make a point about the total lack of thought visited upon us by the same people with regard to impossible turn-overs.

As an Eb Tuba player two of the most famous examples are the parts for Le Roi d'Ys and for La Forza del Destino - both of which have incredibly silly turn-overs mid-florid passage. We generally have less notes to play than other parts but still encounter this problem. I'm sure Euph and Cornet players have far worse problems to solve. Why can't publishers distribute the music in a sensible way so as to eradicate stupid turn-overs? It's possible - it just takes forethought. In fairness this is a malady that affects music of all genres.

Andy Wyatt

Carrickfergus - very nice indeed!

When I started playing solos with my band last year, my MD recommended 'Carrickfergus' - lovely slow melody, which is suitable for basically any Bb instrument. Over Xmas, I attempted the euph solo 'O Holy Night' - hmm, less said bout that the better!

My solo of choice at the moment is another euph solo - 'Peace' by John Golland. It's a lovely melody, very sensitively scored and (I think anyway!) very suitable for baritone. It doesn't contain any expression markings through the piece (it's marked 'slowly, with expression at the top' and mp for dynamics, but nothing else at all) so is very much open to your interpretation.

As a 'by the way', I discovered from our second trombone player after performing 'Peace', that John Golland was a good friend of Pemberton Band and used to visit from Dukinfield to conduct them from time to time. He brought 'Peace' down to the band and they had a play through it before it was published. The euphonium player of the time was very fond of
it and used to play it regularly. And then I go and dig it out of the cupboard and have the poor man turning in his grave!! I hope not. As for technical solos, try Weber's Last Waltz.

Marrianne Cliff

Death of a fine player

On Thursday last I was told of the death of an old friend of mine Mr Gareth Morgan. I had the pleasure of sitting down to him on second euphonium back in the early seventies in the Morris Motors band under Harry Mortimer. The reason I am telling you this is I wondered why there has been no mention on his passing on your site. It is possible that you are putting together a little something or you may not even know of his death whatever I feel a mention of this great exponent of our beloved instrument deserves a mention.

Graham Palmer
ex Aldbourne and Morris Motors bands.

Anyone seen the "Sunset"

Since qualifying for the finals last weekend (midlands region), I am desperately trying to find a recording of 'Sunset Rhapsody' to get us in the mood for the finals. I have searched the internet, asked trevada, but with no luck. Do you know if one exists?

Ruth (Darley Dale Band)

An Australian forever a Yorkshireman

I live in Australia, but Yorkshire through and through. My father recently passed away and the music he chose was "The Floral Dance" played by the Black Dyke Mills Band. Oh, how those brass memories came back. Thank you for making the world a smaller place. I was raised on "brass" and it was a blast from the past. So, thanks.

Damyn Lodge (Gordon)
Originally Doncaster - Yorkshire with a father from Barnsley

1929 - the year of Palmer Shipbuilders

MY GRANDFATHER AND HIS BROTHER BOTH PLAYED IN THE PALNERS PRIZE BAND, WHICH WAS SPONSERED BY PALMERS SHIPBUIDING &IRON COMPANY. I HAVE IN MY POSSESON A LETTER WRITTEN BY MY GRANDFATHERS BROTHER, ON A PALMERS PRIZE BAND. ON THE LETTERHEAD, IT SAYS THEY WERE WINNERS OF THE 1929, DAILY SKETCH CHALLENGE CUP CRYSTAL PALACE. WOULD THERE BE ANYWHERE THAT MIGHT HAVE RECORDS LIKE THIS. IF YOUR INTERESTED, I HAVE A PHOTO OF THE BAND PRE 1925.

BOB.

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