Comments ~ 2006: February

Basking in well desereved glory; Images takes a bashing and even naming the names as we get closer to those all important Regionals.

Deserving to bask in glory

As a member of Newbridge Band I was more than a little dismayed to read the comments of Trevor Collins, aimed primarily at Newbridge but seemingly in relation to all lower section bands. 

Having contested with Newbridge for the last four years and therefore enjoying their rise from the 3rd section to the top of the 1st on a local level, I would say with conviction that we have worked extremely hard to get to the level that we have now achieved.  I thank Richard Parsons for his comments and know first hand that we attract top class players because of the full rehearsals, the dedication and commitment of the players and in particular, the highly experienced and motivational MD. 

Regardless of where a band is in the sections they deserve the opportunity to bask in any glory they may achieve through their hard work.  The feeling that a person gets from a win is the same whether it is in the Big League or otherwise and with so many wins behind us, and still to look forward to, there are people within Newbridge Band that enjoy banding more now than they ever did in Championship contests.  And let's not forget that even Championship section bandsmen did not begin their careers there! 

In order to succeed we must all play our part in the movement, wherever that might be.  It just so happens that in Newbridge we are succeeding and we don't have to move to a different band to climb the sections.  On a related matter, I wonder which band Trevor Collins plays for that makes him consider himself such a worthy critic?

Ellie Holland

Name the names then!
 
It would be nice if Andrew Wainwright from Bromley would name the disappointing band so they could then consider his remarks and possibly take his views on board. 

Without having the bottle to name, makes his lengthy article simply hot air and a waste of space., leading to no improvements in the brass band repertoire.

Kath Stokes

The challenge of Images
 
I have read a lot of correspondence regarding the 2nd section area test piece "Images of the Millenium" being too difficult for 2nd section bands and agree that it is too difficult for this section.

Having said that, it is a great challenge for the bands and am sure will make the adjudicators job easier than on an easier piece as the best band on the day will surely stand out a long way. In my own band since the Butlins contest we have been forced to move around three players onto different instruments, principal cornet, soprano, and flugel, just to add to the challenge, and I don't hear any moaning.

You just have to get on with it, and at the end of the day it's a level playing field for every band and will surely sort the best bands out for the national finals.
                           
John Pacey  (Harborough Band). 

A question of interpretation?
 
I am a little confused by one of Dr. Childs remarks in his expert analysis of "Images of the Millennium" (4BR Articles). When commenting on the 3rd movement, he observes: "At the prestissimo don't go too fast, you need to save something for the strepitoso at T."

Now I have researched the Italian word strepitoso in several dictionaries, musical and non-musical, online and printed, and have found several different possible translations, including clamorous, forceful, resounding, shocking (!), boisterous, and others in similar vein. The "Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music" has it simply as noisy. None of these definitions seem to me to imply any change of tempo, yet that appears to be what Dr. Childs is suggesting.

Clarification, please?
 
Gareth J. Green
MD The Egham Band

4BR Reply:
I hope Bob will let us in on the secret Gareeth, but for us, I think he means to not give your all in terms of sheer speed so that your band has nothing left to try and make the effects required as well.

Fun at the expense of development?

As the  rep player for a second section band tackling Images at the moment, I have sympathy with many of the comments I have read recently. Yes, the piece is tough; the production standard, dreadful (errata etc); the choice of piece, questionable; and regular players are being put off. BUT it is thrilling and exciting. I enter the bandroom twice a week determined to do the best I can and leave tired but exhilarated and another bar toward perfection. Isn't that what any activity deserves. I play for fun, but fun at the expense of personal development isn't worth the cost of the journey.

I suppose bands on the way down from the First Section will do better than those on their way up from the Third, but that is true every year. We are all in the same balloon. Why can't we just enjoy the ride. Mistakes made this year will be rectified next. Whatever the standard of our performances on the day, they will not be improved by being tense, cross and resentful - and I speak as one who can get into a state over a hymn-tune given the right conditions.
 
The contest is a month away. Time to prepare the best performances we are capable of. Few of us will suffer by the experience.
 
Annie Dehaney-Steven
Epping Forest Band

Get real

With regard to Trevor Collins and his request for bands to "get real" with their press releases. I cannot understand how Mr. Collins describes Newbridge Celynen, with 10 wins in the last 13 contests, as having "relative success in the lower sections" and as being an example of "hype over substance".

Mr. Collins seems to imply that their success is "thanks to the arrival of some old heads enjoying some social banding".

Has he stopped to think that such "old heads" from upper-section bands may be joining Newbridge because of the very fact they have won 10 contest out of 13, a success rate of 79% which I am sure the likes of Black Dyke and YBS would love to achieve? Okay, being a "lower-section" band, the contests are not as difficult as the "British Open" or Championship-section "National Finals", but a win is a win, and you still have to beat the bands who turn up on the day.

Whereas most players in Championship section bands are generally professionals and get paid "expenses" or are contracted to the bands they play for, the lower sections comprise predominantly of amateurs, a significant number of which are youngsters, who are the bread and butter of our movement. So please, when a band is having a relative amount of success, whether they be Championship section or not, do not begrudge them their moment of glory in the press, no matter how self-congratulatory it may appear.

And Mr. Collins, before you show such disrespect in future, remember that we are all not fortunate to be good enough to play for top-level bands. I do hope that you enjoy the "laugh" which this letter may bring you.

Richard B. Parsons

Missing the point in the lower sections

Just a word or two on the ongoing lower sections test piece debate.

I think people are missing the obvious point in this debate, i.e. it is a ‘test' piece.  It should push the bandsmen and the conductors of the band.

‘Entertainments' is guaranteed to do just this in the 3rd section, but could do it equally well I imagine in any section.  It has been great for me to sit in rehearsals and listen to the band get to grips with the piece.  From an initial bout of swearing, heavy intakes of breath, the usual 'how fast is this supposed to go' comments and muttered disbelief at the number of wee black dots on some pages, the band has made steady progress as each player has gotten to grips with his or her part (so to speak!)

No-one has left the band because of the test piece!

Where individual players have struggled, parts have been moved about, covered or revoiced to improve the general band sound – something that is done regularly in Championship section bands throughout the land and certainly nothing to be ashamed of in the lower sections.  How many times for instance have we seen the use of bucket mutes for those ppp moments, or the famous cushion down the bass bell trick.  Surely any
conductor worth their wages will know the limitations of his/her players and be able to make the necessary adjustments where the score allows. 

I know this is not always possible, so you live with what you have got and give it your best shot.  I have yet to come across anyone who has managed a score of 10/10, 100% or 200/200 in every test/exam they have ever taken.  The adjudicators will know the difficulties bands face in the test piece and will be expecting these problems to come out in the performance.  It will be no big surprise if a 3rd cornet player in a 2nd, 3rd or 4th section band can't hit the top notes and hold 'em.  I know some Championship section back row players that might just struggle a bit as well!

I personally am now playing cornet with Coalburn and it has been a bit of a journey for me as well.  I consider myself a flugel player, not a cornet player, (some would say neither!)  so I have had to get to grips
with making a not-too-dreadful sound as well as the technical aspects of the test piece.  As usual it is not the wee black notes that are causing the biggest problems but the long slow ensemble playing.

It would be interesting to see how many players would be upset if we had test pieces consisting of 15 minutes of constant, long, slow, ppp ensemble playing – a greater test in my opinion than a lot of what we are ‘tested' on.

Oh and one other point - it's amazing how much easier a piece of music becomes if you practice it at home and not just in the rehearsal!

Colin D. Gallagher
Coalburn Band

10 years of Brassed Off entertainment

First - may I thank you for publishing my (often bizarre) press releases. It's nice to know that there is someone out there!

I really can't believe that Brassed Off (BO) is 10 years old - where does the time go (...and that's a cue for a song - a hippy/folky one at that sung by the sublime Sandy Denny...enough rantings!) My daughter used to watch BO over and over - which probably makes me an unsuitable mother given the 'ripe' language at times - so we can quote vast quantities of dialogue as and when required.

For example: On seeing the voluptuous Gloria heading for the coach...
"Aye, I am."
"what's that Ada?"
"Thinking what your thinking!"

OK - they are some technical inaccuracies and timing errors. Such as - one of the BBb bass players walks to practice with a rotary valve tuba but ends up with a standard 4V one by the time he gets to the band room! and preparing for a National Finals in less than one week. At the time, as I recall, the Brass Banding world derided the film because of the language and drinking - but the point was that they were ordinary working class men (mostly) who were on the brink of losing their jobs who just happened to play in a band.

However, the film raised the profile of Brass Bands and has a real 'good feel' about it proving that love conquers all and showing how the loss of a livelihood has a huge irreversable affect on small communities.

The acting and playing was superb and I can STILL (if I'm permitted to use capital letters!) watch it again and again.

Julia Crask.

Disappointed at top band programmes

I recently attended a concert by one of the 'top' bands (who shall remain nameless!) and was left quite disappointed by the choice of programme, and I'm finding this is more and more the case when I go to brass band concerts these days.

Whilst I can understand that a good proportion of people would rather listen to 'lighter' numbers, I do feel that a programme with more substantial, testing repertoire would give more value for money. When I go to hear bands like these I expect to be amazed by the level of musicianship and technique, but much of the repertoire bands programme does not even come close to testing them the majority of the time.

Whilst there is definitely still room in a programme for one or two of the old 'classics', it would be good to hear more recent, ground-breaking repertoire such as St Magnus, Music of the Spheres and Diversions on a Bass Theme, for example. I think a programme needs music like this to put the audience on the edge of their seats, which is more than can be said for music that we've heard time and time again.

If I went to hear an orchestral concert, I would expect to hear something quite substantial, not a string of easy-listening numbers. This would be the case whether they were featuring old classics or ground-breaking, avante-garde music.

I also feel that there is an over-use of big band numbers and transcriptions from classical repertoire and film music, because this is simply not what brass bands do best and therefore we lose the authenticity of the music. If I wanted to hear big band music I'd go and hear a big band, and by the same token if I wanted to hear Mozart I'd go and listen to a symphony orchestra.

I am not saying transcriptions are invalid by any means (in fact there are a good deal of excellent ones in brass band repertoire), but I do think it is a shame that more 'authentic' brass band works by contemporary composers in particular are being neglected as a result.

Perhaps our movement needs to be a bit more open-minded and give new repertoire more of a chance - after all just because it may be a different musical 'language' does not mean that it is invalid. In my opinion this is one of the reasons why were are lagging behind the orchestral movement and why our audience numbers are dwindling.

Andrew Wainwright
Bromley

What about the sale of programmes as well as scores?

Great idea that the study score can now be bought on line through 4 bars rest prior to the regionals. Perhaps you might also consider arranging to sell the score AND official programe for the major contests in the same way.

There's no pleasure in getting in a long queue at RAH searching for change when all one wants to do is get settled in their seat and listen to some decent music.

Michael Britton

A big capital thanks - but the point still stands!

Many thanks for publishing my last letter  (As a computer illiterate, I didn't realise I was doing anything wrong in writing in capitals, I only know how to switch my machine on then visit your website almost daily).

With reference to the content of my last letter, I have always believed that in a democracy, everyone is allowed a point of view, as long as they are willing to put it forward to be discussed, and accept any disagreements if there are any, no problem for me on that score, ridicule, I don't think so, we are not all computer wizards, but I think the point I was trying to make was missed.                    

The content of the letter from Del Thomas, was that he or she felt that John Bennett was harshly treated, but as I attended the a.g.m. of the S.E.W.B.B.A., I think that I can honestly say that he was given a fair hearing, but a vote  taken came out in favour of the executives decision, and by a large margin, at no time was John criticised for his previous work for banding in Wales, and in fact he was praised for it.

In the matter of whether you or any other members of the press should be privy to the contents of a meeting, without prior arrangements I'm not so sure about, if you were invited and you felt there were issues which by publication would benefit the movement, then fine , as long as everyone is happy with that, no problem, but as you must know, the are many areas where the press or media in whatever guise is excluded.

Finally, if I gave cause for offence in my last letter, I apologise wholeheartedly, that wasn't my intention, but I was angry at the fact that all the issues weren't put forward.

Kerry Bowden

Ciao!

Many thanks to all who offered help regarding the Italian National Anthem.

Within hours of my request appearing on 4BR I received many calls and now have a full band arrangement.
Your help is much appreciated.

Judith Beckett

Getting the Podcast right

Having listened to the latest Podcast from the Norwegian Championships, I must congratulate 4BR on the standard of its production. It seems you have finally cracked the tricky situation regarding the use of music (the excerpts were excellent – especially the Eikanger CD) and the interviews were very professional.

My only gripe was with Steven Mead, who seemed to more than a little biased when it came to his interpretation of the results! Having been involved so closely with Eikanger, you still would have thought he could have been a bit more gracious towards Stavanger and Russell Gray.

A fine effort though 4BR! Keep it up!

Peter Denning
Oxford

4BR Reply:
We'll get trying Peter, and our next one will be after the Regional Championships. We also hope to do some with leading brass band personalities as well.

Getting your millionaires right!

As always, it is great to read your retrospectives from the Norwegian National Championships. However, we have to straighten out some serious misconceptions about our band, the Tomra Brass Band.

In your article, you say that "The multi millionaire Band President of Tomra, who owns the huge shipyard there…"

Well, it is true that 3 former members of the band had ownership in the shipyard "Langsten" in Tomrefjord (Tomra), but they sold all their shares 15 years ago. They have all been associated with the Tomra band in different ways and in different periods since then, giving us support professionally, musically and financial. The shipyard still offers a modest, but for us valuable sponsorship, in exchange of playing at boat delivery ceremonies. Not to be confused with the era from 1980 to 1990, when we got a significantly larger sponsorship.

Tommy Granum, the band manager, is a Bb tuba player in the band, and works as a CNC operator at a local engineering workshop. The Tomra band is, as many other bands in Norway, struggling hard to survive. But thanks to hard work from the band members and everyone supporting us, we also this year managed to hire Frans Violet for the championships.

The band members pay all their expenses themselves, and some enthusiasts drive for hours each rehearsal to be part of this band, which resides in a village with fewer than 1000 inhabitants.

We always give a chance to all the young players in our area, and this year we went on stage with 8 members from the local school bands. The youngest is Runar Fiksdal, our bass trombone player, who is only 14.

So please be a little more careful in the future, when writing tales from the eighties.

Pål Elnan
Board member of the Tomra Brass Band

Laughable press releases

Can 4BR please explain why you allow some bands to send in press releases to the site that read as if they were written by someone who has no idea of reality?

I couldn't stop myself laughing after reading the latest one from the Newbridge Celynen Band this morning (although that was also to do with the neat bit of journalistic licence with the heading). Who on earth do they think they are kidding? Is this a top class championship section band on the verge of winning the British Open or National Finals, or what? Or just a small band enjoying a bit of relative success in the lower sections thanks to a few old heads enjoying a bit of social banding?

Does the person who write this gumph really believe what he is saying about the band? It was fantastic to read and to laugh at!

I must say though, that they are not the only ones who are now doing it, but at present they are the worse (and most laughable example) of hype over substance.

4BR – tell the bands to get real!

Trevor Collins
Poole

4BR Reply:
We do ask for the press releases to be honest and to the point, but it is always nice to allow bands a little bit of rubato in their writing!   

The Italian National Anthem

If Judith Beckett Is still after the Italian Anthem I would be able to supply her with a concert band version (which is better than nothing). She can contact me at:
 
L.Cpl Ellson
HM Scots Guards band
Wellington Bks
Birdcage Walk
London
SW1E 6HQ
0207414 3266
matt@scotsguardsband.co.uk

American Italian National Anthems!

Judith Beckett asked about Italian anthem. Tell her to contact the Salvation Army. They have Music for Special Occasions.

On page 42 number 24  are two Italian Anthems. Depending how soon she needs them, I`ll send them. The book goes back to 1920s.

David Prince
837 Mountain Blvd.
Oakland.
California. U.S.A.

Hope this helps her..

Beau, Beau, Beaumaris B

The Beaumaris B Brass Band has had some excellent results recently, 4th in Pontins and 1st in the North Wales Brass Band Championships. If the band can tackle a tough piece like excelsior there's no reason why the band can't have a good result with entertainments and push for a place in Harrogate.

The band is full of potential, and with no shadow of a doubt the band contains the championship section players of the future.

Rhys Jones

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through glen?

Is there a CD with any of the bands playing the incidental music, written by Michael Kamen, for Robin Hood Prince of Thieves please?  I'm sure I've heard one of the bands playing it, but can't remember which one or where.

Your help would be very much appreciated.

Jill Chapman

Looking for a band - in China.

I've been trying to find out about (current) brass bands, resident in China.  Can anyone put me in touch with a brass band in or near Shanghai?

Thanks for any help.

Gillian Hendrie

4BR Reply:
Can anyone help?

Morrison's road map to good adjudication

Having read Alan Morrison's debate on criteria based performance system in which a model for adjudication attempts to bring a standard for judging at contests, I have only one question – when is it going to be implemented?  I am sick and tired of suggestions for improving the current system of sorting out the winners and losers and his suggested approach is a mile in front of anything I have read before and the only one with evidence to succeed. 

His article in the British Bandsman is not some fancy whim without creditable basis.  This system of listing all aspects of brass band playing – ensemble, tone, expression & interpretation and overall impression and grading against a given prose description has been tried and tested by the associated board and found to work.  This system, on face value, appears to provide clear guidelines to all adjudicators. 

Alan's philosophy is that standardisation of adjudicators, through the use of criteria based assessment, is essential and will go a long way in solving the dilemma of bands and conductors in preparing for contests, blind as what the adjudicator is looking for and sometimes even who the adjudicator is!  Criteria published for everyone will remove some personal bias and subjectivity, particularly outside the elite Championship section.  I especially liked his remark that ‘it requires adjudicators to use the criteria as a bench mark and not the standard of band number one!' – Historically what percentage of bands have won from the number one slot?

Criteria based assessment is used extensively throughout the education system and appears to work successfully allowing those who partake to see clearly where and what they have to aim for.  This could be utilised in the brass band movement to move results away from the grey area that presently exists making results more meaningful and adjudicators more accountable for their opinions.  The sooner the better I think!

Rob Nesbitt

Commendable Morrison

Having read with great interest the recent articles by Alan Morrison on adjudication and adjudicators, I must commend his assertions to each and every member of our brass band community. In the text of his comprehensive submission was the "subjective" taken by adjudicators on their own particular "soap box" and indeed Alan' own experience as a conductor in the "if only I had known that before" context, then perhaps we would have achieved a better position.

Very interesting reading from one our most experienced and well respected players, coaches, conductors, MD's, and adjudicators.

It is in this context that I begin to ponder the lack of forethought in the adjudication for the imminent Area (Regional) contests.

Is it really necessary for the adjudicator's identity to be held a secret until a few weeks from the event, as we, the interpreters of the set pieces, have to endure the very subjectivity to which Alan M so eloquently refers?

I have enjoyed the Brass Band scene since 1960 and believe that I am relatively well placed to have experienced the occasional "odd" result in my time, both for and against.

Bravo to Alan Morrison and to all that he offers as a way forward to achieve a result against a standard. A simple and obviously intelligent way to avoid the foibles and idiosyncrasies of the man (woman) in the box syndrome.

My point is:  In the absence of any such system, please can contest organisers announce the adjudicator(s) at the time of entry.

Alan Needham
MD
Market Rasen PLC Band

A real heavyweight trophy?

The meltdown value of the Nationals Cup is £60,000! Yesterday's market average for silver of £5.48 per troy ounce (a troy ounce is heavier than an avoirdupois ounce but there are only 12 in a pound). This would, therefore have the Nationals Cup weighing in at approximately 750 lb and possibly un-nickable.

So, no need to insure it then! There must be some strong bandsmen about.

Billy Brook

4BR Reply:
Now that's what we call a heavyweight knowledge of the brass band movement. 

Disappointing attitude

I must say how disappointed I am with the attitude of a lot of 2nd section bands. First they say that Prometheus Unbound was far too easy. Yes: it was that easy: it caught lot of bands out at Butlins.

I saw Stan Lippeatt at Butlins and he asked my opinion of the test piece. I told him it was a good choice in my opinion as it tested bands not only on intonation but yet another style of playing that some of our Musical Directors have forgotten about.

Now the same bands are expressing disbelief at the Area choice of Images of the Millennium. Again I agree that it is a difficult piece but surely not too difficult for a 2nd section band.

If a band aspires to have success and gain that promotion to the 1st section then surely they must be playing compositions of this calibre.

Come on people lets take it in good heart and get on with it.It certainly won't upset me that we are getting a diversity of pieces.

Nev Buxton.

Thank you Mr Bennett

Having just read the article by Del Thomas in relation to the way that Mr Bennett the Euro rep for Wales has been treated by his so called friends and banding colleagues I feel it's disgusting. 

The Euro problem was caused by Kapitol who wanted to run a Euro championship but thankfully the proper Euro run by EBBA was too powerful for Kapitol. Maybe there is a conflict of interests and Kapitol should think about representing the bands of Wales.

Come on Wales grown up and respect the few but especially Mr Bennett that have worked so hard for us all. Maybe one day you will put aside your narrow minded North, Mid, South Wales divide and agree with each other.

To be honest its now getting boring hearing about Wales arguing amongst themselves it doesn't happen in Scotland, Ireland or England. Maybe Wales should just have one Band Association instead of three small narrow minded associations.   Thanks for all you have done in Europe Mr Bennett the real bandsmen of Wales appreciate your hard work over many years. 

Aled Thomas
North Wales

4BR - NATIONAL GUTTER PRESS (IN CAPITALS TOO!)

HELLO TO YOU AND ALL YOUR SUBSCRIBERS, MY NAME IS KERRY BOWDEN AND I AM A LIFE MEMBER OF THE SOUTH EAST WALES BRASS BAND ASSOCIATION, I AM ALSO AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER, SO MY VIEWS ARE MY OWN AND NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY BAND OR ORGANISATION CONNECTED TO THE AFORE MENTIONED BODY.

WITH REGARD TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY DEL THOMAS IN YOUR OPINIONS PAGE, I FEEL THIS PERSON IS TOTALLY OUT OF ORDER IN REVEALING WHAT WAS SAID AT THAT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE S.E.W B.B.A. AND OF THE DECISIONS TAKEN THAT DAY, THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE PRIVY ONLY TO THE DELEGATES PRESENT THAT DAY, AND AT NO TIME WAS A VOTE TAKEN TO REVEAL THOSE DISCUSSIONS OR DECISIONS TO THE PRESS (BRASS BAND OR OTHER),

THEREFORE DEL THOMAS, WHOEVER HE OR SHE MAYBE IS TOTALLY OUT OF ORDER, AND I'M SURPRISED AND SADDENED THAT IWAN FOX AND EVERYONE ELSE AT 4BARSREST HAVE LOWERED THEMSELVES TO THE LEVEL OF THE NATIONAL GUTTER PRESS, BY PUBLISHING DEL THOMAS' OPINION'S WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING WITH THE S.E.W.B.B.A. FIRST.

KERRY BOWDEN.
 P.S. AS WITH THE PRESS AT LARGE, YOU PROBABLY WON'T PUBLISH THIS COMMENT.

4BR Reply:
As with the rest of your letter Kerry, you even got the last bit wrong.  Mr Thomas wrote a personal piece of correspondance to us - he was neither out of order or had broken any rules of any meeting in doing so. Why you think he had to consult with the SEWBBA before he did so is laughable.

PS. Writing in captials doesn't make any letter sound any better either. TRUST US.  

No encouragement with Images of the Millennium

I would like to be associated with the comments made by David Matthewman from Grange Moor Band regarding this test piece. (Images of the Millennium)

Ourselves like Grange Moor are finding that this piece seems to only encourage good players, from the back row and basses to leave / retire. One of the players who has decided to retire has been a player for many years and I consider his retirement a great loss to banding in East Yorkshire.

In the East Riding of Yorkshire it is hard enough to attract players. We do not need to frighten players away with a test piece like this.

Contesting is an important aspect of banding, but we also play for pleasure so when you start shedding players because of one piece the damage done is very difficult to rectify.

There needs to be serious thought given to whether test pieces are constructive to Brass Banding or in this case destructive.

Ian Backhouse
Publicity Officer
East Riding of Yorkshire Band

The widest range ever on a Bb tuba?

Just a quick question to check if the B flat bass part for the Championship Area test piece, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, contains the widest range actually written for a competition piece.

The range demanded is pedal G (6 lines below the stave!!) to top B flat. In all, more than 3 octaves.
I do not mean for optional 8va or 8ve sections, which normally occur. Your thought would be welcome.

Mike Norton

4BR Reply:
We think you may well be right Mike - even Tubby and his magic tuba would have a bit of trouble reaching all the parts that Mr Graham has written for you on this one!

Not toeing the party line

I feel I must write to express my disappointment at the way that the South East Wales Brass Band Association have treated one of its' longest serving members. Mr John Bennett has served on that committee for 24 years fulfilling various roles and has been unceremoniously ousted on various technicalities.

My own personal view is that he was removed on such a technicality because he did not 'toe the party line' and expressed views that didn't go along with the powers that be which is ridiculous when the whole purpose of a committee is to express the views of the members that it represents and not conform to a totalitarian view.

He was not re-elected on the Executive and only received support for his stance on Europe (that wales should be represented at the European Championships) from two officials of Championship section bands thus implying that all the other South Wales bands who were represented at the AGM and who voted against him do not support Wales taking part in the European Championships. Surely this cannot be true?

The North Wales Assoc and West Wales Assoc have already given support to Wales taking part in EBBA so why is it that the SEWBBA Executive and their member bands are themselves so out of step with this issue of banding in Wales especially in view of the fact that this year the BAYV Band from SEWBBA is the champion band of Wales designated to take part? The issue appears to have arisen within the last 10 months following Besson's decision to withdraw support from the EBBA Championships and to promote an alternative competition on exactly the same day as the EBBA event. I, as a proud Welshman feel that BAYV should be there to show Europe the strength and quality of banding in Wales and represent all of us in banding in the principality.

In an environment of Amateur status such as banding, we all involve ourselves in  band committees for the furthering of our organisation and definitely not through any personal gain that can be achieved – let's face it, what personal gain is there to be had financially from our involvement in banding, it is a rewarding hobby and nothing more. When you cloud those waters with commercial interest, it becomes far more difficult to define true motives and whether everything is done in the absolute best interests of the organisation. People like Mr Bennett are merely expressing an opinion which is what they are supposed to be there to do and not be influenced by ‘other' more lucrative factors.

Del Thomas

Replica Nationals?

With reference to your comments on the National Trophy, a simple method is to make a replica, which could do ‘the tour' through out the year with the winning band.

When it got beyond salvation, just invest in making a new one. The promoters are making enough money out of the event. It makes sense that the winners should be able to make best financial mileage from their efforts.
Believe me, I would like to have the original, but if that is not possible, why not take an objective approach.

To the public at large, they do not get close enough to the real thing to be able to tell the difference.

If you don't believe me, go to the Showcase Cinema at the Junction 27 retail park on the M62. They have the Brassed Off replica on permanent display. Its looking a bit the worse for wear, but would pass to stand at the front of a concert stage for a couple of hours.

Mike Norton

Who owns the trophy anyway?

Your article says that the trophy has been returned to Kapitol.  When did Kapitol acquire the trophy from Besson?  Besson is in administration and has sold the Besson brand name to Buffet so if Besson didn't previously sell the trophy to Kapitol the Administrator or Buffet must surely be the ones to take control of the trophy. 

If Kapitol do own the trophy perhaps they could tell us (the brass band movement) how and when they acquired this vital piece of our banding history.

Nigel H Morgan

An news on the errata?

Any news on when errata will be published for Voyage of Discovery? I know of at least two mistakes so far - one in the 1st & 2nd Trombone parts (when do you remove the cup mute? We think it is after the Horn cadenza, on the C# pause for the 1st Trom, but it is not marked), and another in the Bass trombone part (don't quote me on this, but it involves an Eb somewhere).

Any clues?

Richard B. Parsons
KM Medway

4BR Reply:
Not as yet Richard, but we understand that details will be sent out again in the near future.

Fat Ladies at Tredegar 

Looking at your coverage of Yeovil contest.

Let's face it gents, you seem to be as impartial as a pig in a farmers market. You're forgetting where you, or want to forget where you came from!!!

Tredegar did not fall from the face of the world, they are still here!! As an ex-member of the band I feel you want to distance yourself from what you feel is a low point of the band's history. Having gone to listen to rehearsals over the last weeks Tredegar are far from dead and it still has the will to upset the very best in Britain.  As they say - it's not over till the fat lady sings

David Meredith

A happy pair at Yeovil

We attended the Yeovil Entertainment Contest last Saturday and had a wonderful day out.

All the bands played well, in fact the standard was tremendously high, the prize winners fully deserving their positions.

We would however like to make comment on one outstanding performance (In our opinion), which was Cwmaman Institute band under the inspired direction of young Simon Dobson, the band responded well to his obvious natural musicianship and talent, and he seemed to draw a very spirited yet stylish performance out of the talented players.

We felt that it was refreshing to hear music not normally heard at this sort of contest (Holst's ‘Mars'), and not forgetting soprano solo playing of a very high level too. Well done Cwmaman and well done Simon! We look forward to their future performances.

Mr and Mrs Adam

Italian National Anthem anyone?

Our band have been asked to play the Italian National Anthem at an International Conference. Does anybody know where we can get the music?

Judith Beckett
01246 857569

4BR Reply:
Can anyone help?

More brass coverage

Here are two more internet radio stations to add to the 4BR list of brass band radio stations/podcasts.  Both of these are available at no charge 24/7:
 
1.  Brass Band Radio:  http://www.brassbandradio.co.uk/
 
2.  All Brass Radio:  http://www.live365.com/stations/docfox  or http://www.ibowtie.com and click on "All Brass Radio."
 
Both stations broadcast in stereo.  However, the fidelity of the All Brass Radio seems closer to CD quality,
 
Steve Marcus
Co-Founder and BBb Bass
Chicago Brass Band

League Tables

In response to Gary Jones, I would like to say that my comments re. League tables still stand.

If, as he says, Langley, my old band, had been promoted, and in his opinion were not good enough at the time, then they would have been demoted the next year.  What is the problem with that? Even with a so called safety net bands," like Jackfield", his example, have been immediately demoted after one year.

I am not exactly sure of Gary's argument. My point is very simple; the best band in each section gets promoted and the last band gets demoted each year.

At least in this way the current standard of the bands decides who are the best for promotion: a band will never be promoted unless it has won its own section, which is not what is happening at the moment. Bands who have never been closer than third place in their own section are now being promoted, and I am sure that Gary would agree that these bands should never be promoted because they have never proved themselves to be of the required standard.

With regard to my comments about the Belvedere club as a venue for the third section, I will just emphasize that my comments were based on other bandsmens' experience of the venue.

Since I wrote my comments, requiring the WMBBA to do something about the choice of venue, I have spoken to Brian Eggleshaw, who has assured me that the hall is acoustically fine, there is a warm-up room for bands, and as the Club has been secured completely for bands only, then there will be ample parking. If that is the case, and I totally trust Brian, then I will have no objection about the venue. Also there will be ample refreshments, which will be superior to the Burton Town Hall.

In conclusion, I just think that the league tables should be a subject for a great deal of discussion in the future, because in my view, too many inferior bands are being promoted, when promotion is the last thing that that band wants!

David Janes

Hoodwinked by rubbish

It is not often I agree with your reviews and retrospectives, but I didn't think anyone would have been brave enough to tell it as it was with the music played by Hakan Hardenberger at the RNCM.

What a fantastic player, but what a load of rubbish the Gruber ‘Open Throat' music was. There are too many times when we are told this type of music is ‘ironic' ‘dark' ‘subversive', whatever. This is all true when the music itself has value. This didn't, and thank goodness I wasn't the only person on the night to feel that we were being hoodwinked into believing this was something it wasn't.

James King

Sympathy for Millennium Images

I note with some sympathy the comments of Dave Bishop-Rowe re the Images of the Millennium. I confess that I hadn't given the piece too much attention as I was rather more focused on (frustrated by) the challenges of the fiendish opening to Voyage of Discovery.

However, having heard the piece on the Regional 2006 CD, it sounds a real cracker that has been set at least one section too low. It appears very technical and exposed.

In a similar vein I believe that Vinter's Entertainment's is a really tough challenge for the 3rd section bands. It would really be interesting to have an insight into the process and thinking that led to these two choices.

That said - I think all the pieces this year have real merit and should keep the audiences in the hall. The best of luck to all.

Graham Rix

Why pick a piece for 1, when it was meant for 2?

Why would you pick a test piece that's written for 2 bands, that's been condensed for 1 band to play, that's got a massive vibraphone part that has been omitted (one would assume because someone has realised that not many 2nd section bands own a vibraphone) to be replaced with a glock part, and that has had to have half the second movement cut because the piece is too long?

It seems to me that taking the above into account we aren't actually playing Images of the Millennium so why even consider it for a test piece in the first place. In addition to this the amount of errors in the score and on the individual parts seems to be excessive taking into account the prohibitive cost of £65.00 for this piece.

On top of this it seems to me that it is only a test piece for certain members of the band. The 2nd & 3rd cornets, E flat Basses and percussion seem to have been particularly targeted by the composer whilst solo trombone solo horn and solo euphonium who are probably the better players, particularly in 2nd section bands have got very little to play, and in our band are finding the piece very boring to rehearse.

Surely runs up to top A's &B's for 2nd & 3rd cornets in the 2nd section are a little over the top? We have lost 2 players from our band because of this piece, players which have been very difficult to replace, when surely we should be trying to encourage people by picking test pieces that are musically stimulating whilst stretching all the players in the band.

I have noted that other people have commented that this piece is far too hard for section 2, and I would agree that when the 2nd & 3rd cornet parts are more difficult than solo horn, trombone,  and euphonium you are bound to have a problem at this level . 
 
David Matthewman
Grange Moor

Double time up the Royal Mile

In reply to Mr Dunnings question re ‘A Royal Mile Suite'. Yes it is twice as fast. We have just played it at Butlins, with the piece can an errata sheet that actually said it should be marked twice as fast. Good luck.

Carole Pegram

Thanks lads

I have just received my copy of Alan Morrison's newest release,  "The Man with the Golden Cornet".  Of course, as I knew it would be, the recording and performance are terrific. 

I am, however, writing to let you know how pleasantly surprised I was at your prompt delivery of the CD.  It's a long ways from Wales to Illinois and you "took care of business" in an exemplary fashion.  I can't get most letters delivered down the block that quickly.  Plenty early for Valentines Day - yes, my wife is a big Alan Morrison fan.  She has good taste!

Thanks again for the good work.

Dallas Niermeyer

Getting the facts wrong

Your (4barsrest.com's) review http://4barsrest.com/reviews/concerts/con271.asp
states that: "Two years ago at this Festival, Fairey (FP) Music Band gave the world premiere of Heaton's 'Variations' realised by Howard Snell."

This is inconsistent with your concert review of the actual world premiere, which took place 4 years ago (assuming 'world' is interpreted in the usual sense - not just Britain):
http://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2002/art109.asp

Jan Martin Nordbotten

4BR Reply:
Thanks for pointing that out Jan - and for taking the time read our old articles!

Gala DVD?

I was wondering if you could help me. I attended the Gala Concert in October after the Nationals at the Albert Hall and was wondering if a DVD is going to be produced of that particular concert?

Rebecca Desmond

4BR Reply:
Afraid not.

The ISB question

Coming from a Salvation Army background and still having many Salvationist friends it was gratifying to hear the enthusiastic comments from Joel Einarsson concering the ISB's recent concert performance of St. Magnus.

However, one must remember that it was a concert performance and not a contest performance played in the incredibly challenging cauldron of a national competition. The two different playing situations are poles apart in the way that they test the players and the relative performances would need to be judged on the same playing field.

Having said that, in my opinion there is no way the ISB would ever compete and that is the way it should be (although it would be very interesting).

However, with the relaxing of attitudes, more and more Salvationists seem to be finding their way into competing bands and that can only benefit everybody.

Rob Burnett

Collectors Corner

I'm collecting the Regionals CD's at the moment and have got all of them apart from 2000 and 2001. I was just wondering if there is anywhere you can buy the 2000 edition as it went out of print? Also is there a 2001 edition because it isn't on the website?

Daniel Fretwell.

4BR Reply:
We haven't got them at present and both are out of print. We will hunt around though and see what we can do.  

Storm in a tea cup

I think that the mistake in the RNCM festival programme, wrongly ascribing the 2005 National Championship to Black Dyke, was all a bit of a storm in a teacup.  I can't believe anyone could really be upset about it.

But to judge from the correspondence so far, I seem to be in a minority, so in the same spirit, I hope 4BR will now apologise to the RNCM, Paul Hindmarsh and Philip Biggs, for reducing the country's leading brass band music festival to the status of a mere contest, as it did in the article "Nilsen happy at Mozart reception".  Really, sackcloth and ashes will not be enough.

Come on, fess up!

Jim Yelland
Hinckley

4BR Reply:
We apologise for plenty of our genuine mistakes Jim, but on this occassion we don't think we have to don the sackcloth and ashes just yet!

A big thank you from Mr Dobson

Firstly may I say a massive thank you to everyone who made Sunday an incredible day.  As I have said in previous writings to 4bars this concert was very important to me and to have the involvement of a band such as B&R was brilliant.

They excelled themselves at every turn, not only playing my work with real colour and excitement but also finding their way through Wilby's phenomenal work, the unholy Sonnets and Michael Ball's All the flowers, if this wasn't enough they finished with one of the finest performances of the great Herbert Howells' Pageantry, I'd ever heard.

I would also like to extend my genuine thanks to Paul Hindmarsh and James Gourlay without whose help the work would not have come to air.

There, a message from a happy (but eternally broke) composer.

Simon Dobson Bmus (hons) RCM

Pathetic coverage

I thought your coverage of the recent RNCM Festival of Brass truly pathetic.

Your only comment on the whole weekend of superb brass playing was to pick up on a factual error in the programme. You seem only interested in Brass bands as a sporting entity, not as music making ensembles, and yet you comment time and time again about the lack of audiences at contests. The general public are not interested in set piece contests, bandsmen aren't interested in listening to other bands either and yet given the opportunity to comment on a great musical event with near full houses, you have nothing to offer but a cheap point score!

Ian Smith

4BR Reply:
Can't agree with you on that Ian, especially as we have now given full concert reviews on each of the bands programmes as well as the peripheral events.

What a fantastic weekend

I have just returned from an exhilarating weekend at the RNCM Festival of Brass.

How can you sum up such a large event in one word?........WOW! The bands, soloists and masterclasses were truly uplifting!  However let us not forget, for all this to happen, (to put together such a magnificent event as this) you need extremely good organisation.

I was especially pleased to hear Paul Hindmarsh congratulate the Festival Administrator, Philip Biggs, for ensuring a thoroughly enjoyable weekend of music making. (Well Done!!) I for one will be tuning in to Radio 3 in March to hear the selected highlights.

Anne Wroe

A Camborne mystery

I Read With Interest Every Year About This Time In Your Editorials That The Camborne Band Are A Mystery ????????

This Is A Great Mystery To Me And All The Players Involved, Would You Care To Enlighten.
Thank you In Advance,

Steve Thomas
Musical Director Of The Camborne Band

4BR Reply:
No mystery really, Steve, just a bit spooky with every word starting with a capital letter! Good luck for the weekend.

Plea for extra recognition

Just a brief plea from the heart. When you profile bands before contests, you name every possible soloist in the band, except the solo Baritone and Bb Tuba players. Why is this? With the detail that is being written in test pieces, any instrument could have a solo, so how about including these missing chairs going forward?

Sam Kind
Bb Tuba
EYMS

4BR Reply:
Sorry Sam, but we already try to give details of as many as we can. We have to call a stop somewhere, and if we include you what about percussion, bass trom or bottom 3rd cornet! It would never end.

Thanks for the score

Many thanks for extremely prompt delivery of a product (score for Journey to the Centre of the Earth), which is well put together and eminently readable. 

Congratulations to all concerned.  It would be nice to have these scores available for all the test pieces.

Peter Hargreaves

Faulty Goods?

Firstly let me say I don't usually enjoy the music of Howard Snell but ‘Images of the Millennium' is an excellent listen and as a conductor when I received the score I was both excited and apprehensive about the difficulty of the music. Even the 'cut' we could cope with.

But leaving the concerns to one side I began to do my homework. The band had the parts and mid January we began to work on the basics. I cannot tell you how frustrating it has been to see much of the preliminary work totally destroyed by the inconsistencies between the score and parts. Who had the definitive version? etc. etc.

We then discover that a new score and 1st trom will be issued in the next week. It is now February 1st where is the score and new part? Now we come to the end of January and an enterprising member of the band finds a set of errata on the internet. So we set to work on corrections, two pages full. We then discover several other discrepancies outside of the errata.

This cannot be right can it? I have completely lost faith in the score, I am still waiting for a new one and how many weeks to the area.

I would suggest that any other product would have been returned and a full refund given. However most of us want to give our band the best chance and as it stands we are 1 month away from the contest and not yet rehearsing with the 'true' piece.

You may say 'it's the same for all bands' and I wouldn't disagree but shortening the time for preparation will produce for many bands less than their best final product and for some it will be one challenge to far.
What is sad about the experience is that a top class piece of music will be tainted for many of us with a bad experience.

What have the publishers to say? What have the music choice panel to say? Who will accept responsibility for wasted time, poor organisation and the inevitable 'fall out'/ disillusionment from players and conductors.

Dave Bishop-Rowe

Doyle's Dutch Lament?
 
Mr. Doyle, flugel player of the Black Dike, was in Groningen  (Holland) as soloist during a concert of the Provinciale Brassband Groningen (PBG). "The event was not in a basketball-hall," Mr Doyle said  with a twinkling in his eyes. (So it was during the EBBC Groningen 2006 ).

4barsrest spoke about this concert of the PBG and mentioned Mr Doyle's talents. Indeed. Mr Doyle played very well  during the concert , till the  moment he played cornet. I think : he had lost after this performance  all his twinkling.

In Dutch we say in such cases: "schoenmaker houd je bij je leest" (shoemaker stay on your last)

Alko Driest
Groningen

How quick is the Royal Mile?

I don't want to go into which band I play for as it's a technical question about a test piece were playing at Preston. 

The piece is "A Royal Mile Suite" by Allan Fernie (think that's how ya spell it) question is about movement 3. It starts of in 4/4 with crotchet = 108 it accelerates up to 12 (last bit of the movement) it then reads as 2/2 at minim = 108. is the ending twice as fast as the start of the movement? There seems to be some confusion about this matter!!!!!!

Look forward to your reply!!

Robert Dunning

4BR Reply:
Conductors please help. 

The price is right?

I missed a very important point I suppose (yet again, removing foot from mouth and replacing it further south aiming north). Younger composers should be of course encouraged and that age group needs defining, and Tim hit the button! 35 is no age limit, you should be cutting the adult progressive composer mustard by then. I think it would be great to encourage those composing at school age 12 to 18, those at A level to graduate 16/18 to 21, and those who are leaving the educational nest from 21 to 29. One has clear defined expectancies here via the curriculum here.
 
Awards, in terms of money, again it is not hard to work this out. I would have thought, £300, £550, £900, respectively for the above age group!
 
From 30 years up no further age limits, bottom line, 5 min compo £1,375, 10 min £2,875, 15 min £3,275, and 15/18 mins+ £3,850. This by no means is a commission rate, but a composer competition prize!
 
I'm not saying for one minute that young composers should not get a chance and they should hang about for their elders first, I am saying there should be equal order, and to explore all of the age possibilities and to think about how to exploit some age sectors into the compositional forum fro brass band.
 
To constantly put in silly age limits, like for E.G. 35 years, just pisses off a load of potential entrants who cant understand why such a bloody silly figure is sited in the first place? Cummon, some one out there explain to me the objectivity of choosing an age limit of 35 for a composing competition that makes 100% sense and scientifically!
 
Phil Lawrence

A competitive Staff Band?

I recently was lucky enough to hear the International Staff Band give their own debut performance of the cracking St Magnus test piece and what a debut performance it was!

The whole concert from the ISB up in Shildon was tremendous and the playing was of the highest order. Having recently read reviews of certain "contesting bands" and their interpretation of the same piece, I drew my own conclusion that had the ISB been included at the butlins competition this year they would have blown the other competition away!

Is there any reason why they don't take part in competitions? Clearly they are a band more than capable of rising to the challenge!

Joel Einarsson

4BR Reply:
Their purpose is to make an impression on the most important judge of all Joel. Contesting doesn't fit in with that mission statement.

Haverhill damned with faint praise

You dam with faint praise indeed the 1 and 2 placings in the first section at Butlins. 

Haverhill Silver were second last year and first this year. This shows consistency and ability. Therefore your predictions are wrong and need rethinking. They may not be a 'fashionable' band or be familiar to you but you should study the form and not make judgments on prejuduce and ignorance.

You should also have talked to others in the hall after the performance of the winning band or perhaps try and listen with a more open mind. When a new team challenges for the honours and wins it should be welcomed for it raises the stakes and improves the competition.

Haverhill Silver won on the day, judged by 2 experienced and respected musicians/adjudicators. I would have thought that was worth celebrating.

Phil Jordan
The Sail Loft
Limehouse Court

Trouble with my Podcast

Thanks for the podcast from Butlins, was great to listen to what I missed, but made me feel all the more disappointed that I wasn't there.

However, every way I have tried to listen to it (different formats, machines, times), it always cuts out just as it gets into the Fourth Section. Having friends in a number of the bands who played in this section I was quite looking forward to listening to your comments on them. Not sure whether you felt it wasn't worth commenting, or are just trying to tease me?
 
Tim Benson

4BR Reply:
We did cover all the sections at Butlins and interviewed Christine Gent from the winners Thoresby. Keep trying, there shouldn't be a problem as it has worked for everyone else.

Action Research Youth Championships

Just seen that you have posted my email regarding the Youth Entertainment Contest on the 'Your Comments' section.

As it was an email to yourselves I started the letter 'with regards to the above' (as in the subject box), so on the your comments it does not stipulate that it is the Youth Entertainment Contest in Blackpool that has changed!! I presume the country will now be trying to guess what I was going on about!!

Julie Mills

4BR Reply:
Sorry Julie. For the record the contest does take place in Blackpool on the 12th February.

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