Comments ~ 2007: April

Bands back at the Proms; the beauty of Ball; Thanks to Mr McCann and looking forward to the Europeans as we are very nearly there...

Bands back at the Proms!

A brass band Prom on 28th July!

Yes its true! Black Dyke and Grimethorpe - in fact a brass day-about time at last!!  Maybe with the departure of the Proms Director Nicholas Kenyon at the end of the Summer 2007, who has said on more than one time or other he doesn't like brass bands, we may see  then see more Brass Proms  in the future.

Let's get Thomas Ades or James Macmillan to start composing for us-that will REALLY  set the  classical world alight!!  Then we can have masterpieces in our library stemming from Holst/Elgar-to Simpson/Arnold and Tippett and on into the 21st Century.

I was at the first performance recently of a new orchestral piece by Thomas Ades -played by the Berlin Phil-conducted by Simon Rattle. Has anyone heard his writing for brass? Amazing sounds by the brass, showing a huge understanding of what brass players can do, and this very modern piece got a standing ovation!!

Lets get cracking. Fly the flag for the movement Black Dyke and Grimethorpe. Who knows what could happen and develop in the future!!

Tom Stone
London NW9

The beauty of Ball - it made you play
 
I read with interest your article about Eric Ball's music.  I agree most of the modern repertoire, whilst much harder technically, is actually easier to play.

Having spent a number of years on the front row cornet bench competing at the Open and Nationals, I spent many a long hour trying to confront such technical differences often wondering why, after the contest, the general standard of my playing had suffered.    I then realised this was because in large chunks of the piece I'd not needed to play for more than a few bars continuously and rarely had I needed to play anything in unison with anyone else.  It also took me a number of years to work out that in actual fact that, save the occasional embarrassment in sectionals, I could bluff my way through large parts of the piece. 

This became apparent when faced with ‘Contest Music', a piece that has a lot more in common with the Eric Ball era than current fare and in terms of technique, if that's defined as playing a lot of notes in a short space of time, not that hard.  All of a sudden I was required to play long sweeping passages and what's more 4 cornet players were required to play perfectly in tune and often very quietly - this was considerably more demanding than any of the technical tour-de-forces that I was used to facing. 

Listening to other bands at Cambridge that year, we were clearly not alone - and again when it was an optional piece at the Open recently!   This also put into perspective how special the Black Dyke band of the 1980s were, having heard them perform this at the Europeans.

Anyway, I've now realised I'm getting old as I'm reminiscing but I think you're right.

Andy Stone
37 not that old yet!
Cheshire

Thanks Philip
 
Can I please say many thanks on behalf of myself and all at Dunfermline Town Band to Mr Philip McCann for his assistance last Saturday at the Carnegie Contest in Fife.
 
Phil came along purely for a blow on the Tuesday before the contest that was in itself a great pleasure for us. When he saw that we only had two players on the front row he offered to help out there and then.
 
Not only did this provide us with a great extra man but he was so generous in his help for players old and young and for myself (the conductor). It mattered not to him that we were in the 3rd section at all, he made himself at home and got on with the job.
 
It was fantastic to have him playing in the band and we certainly had a great day at the contest with many folk saying, " that chap looks just like Philip McCann"
 
Sorry we couldn't get into the prizes Philip but thanks again and hope to see you soon
 
Dave Neil

Looking forward to the Europeans

I have to say I am really looking forward to this years contest. I was lucky enough to be present at what was an excellent event.

At first I thought that without a string representation from the bands in the UK that the contest would suffer but really it hasn't at all. We have what could be the closest Europeans in history with no obvious winner.

I like many do believe that this may be Cory's year but its going to be a fascinating contest cause if some of the bands play to their full potential the men in the box will have a tough job. I hope that the banding community really gets behind this event this year because its a fantastic and rare chance for banders for all corners of Europe to met and enjoy a pint together!

I was in Belfast and this was my first taste of brass banding at the highest level and if Birmingham is anything like what Belfast was all those going will be in for a treat. Its a shame that the B-section has had such a poor showing but hopefully my band The Drogheda Brass Band will be able to go next year having just won our Nationals by a massive four points.

Well hope to meet some fellow banders in a week or so.

Stephen Murray
Principal Cornet Drogheda Brass Band

Thanks - but just out of date!

Many thanks for the rather late news about the absence of the Mellieha Festival in 2007 (http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=5434).
 
It was too late, however, as my wife & I went to Malta this year to observe the festival, with a view to taking our band (The Langley Band) to it next year.
 
We hunted high & low for the festival, but couldn't find it! We found the Imperial Band Club and popped in for a few jars, purely in the interest of entente cordiale you understand, and then we found the Vittoria Band Club.  Not wishing to show any favouritism, we popped into their club too, and had a few jars.
 
But we still couldn't find the festival!
 
When we got home, we found the article on 4BR.
 
Oh well, it's tough going on these fact-finding missions, but someone has to. At least we know the hotel we stayed at will be able to accommodate the band.
 
Cliff Parker
MD - The Langley Band

Any advice on the French Open please!
 
Can you advise me how to get details of this event on 8th/9th/10th June, as we plan to attend - as listeners.

Any info or perhaps a website would help us.

Trevor & Joy Picken

The reason for the Scottish absence

I particularly noted your comments that the 2005 Premier Section champions, West Lothian Schools Brass Band, are again not competing. If you examine the list of bands participating in all the sections, you'll struggle to find any Scottish bands. Perhaps the fact that the SQA Examinations (Standard Grade, Higher etc) in Scotland start on Monday 30th April has something to do with this.

Many bands would feel that they could not ask their young players to sacrifice the amount of time required to prepare for this competition at such an important point in their educational lives. I wish all the participating bands the best of luck, in what I'm sure will be an excellent contest, but the timing could have been better if the organisers wish Scottish bands to participate.
 
Alan Liddell
West Lothian 

A slightly different American opinion
 
To begin with, I am a member of the Illinois Brass Band, so I do have a somewhat biased opinion on your article.  But obviously, no more than your biased opinion of how well the Chicago Brass Band did in comparison to IBB.

First, you assume that we struggled to get the notes in the technical section ........WRONG ! We nailed everyone one of them (as replayed over again in the CD). Listen - you may learn something.

The soft (ppp) sections were indeed a bit loader than we wanted them to be played.
However, the fast "bits" were EXACTLY at the tempo markings that Mr. Sparks and Mr. Ball had intended them to be!  And if your ear was as keen as you think it is, you would have noticed how far under tempo Chicago Brass Band was in the slow section of Dances, that along with many technical errors - nailed down the coffin for them. 

Plus, they were well "over" tempo in the faster section - which, again, contributed to many playing mistakes.

Mr Colin Holman, obviously didn't know the score as well as you or he thought!
With the tempo being so slow, how could someone who knows this piece inside and out, interpret it so differently?  My guess is that he thought that he (and you) knew better than the composer. WRONG assumption again.

And finally, IBB played far better than Chicago.  Not just in the adjudicator's minds, but also in popular opinion throughout the attendance at NABBA.  Yes, the adjudicators are definitely qualified.....and you're not....but, that is my opinion, just like yours is.

Oh, curious.....Chicago Brass Band has now finished second to last the last 2 years ....hmmmmmm !
 
Dan Fisher
A Proud Illinois Brass Member

Not just the one performance

Bram Gay may like to know that, contrary to his belief, the Gordon Jacob ‘Concerto for Piano and Band' has been performed at least once, in addition to the Solna Brass recording. 

I have a recording of the work taken from the old Bandstand programme on BBC Radio Three.  The soloists are D. Norris and E. Levi, accompanied by the Yorkshire Imperial Band conducted by John Pryce-Jones.  It was paired with a performance of Robin Holloway's Men Marching and was evidently a recording of a live performance as there is applause following both items.  I would guess I recorded it in the early 1980's.
 
If Mr Gay thinks this fascinating nugget of information is worthy of reward, and has any old back numbers of Sounding Brass magazine still knocking around in his attic from his time as editor, I am still looking for a few to complete my collection!
 
Alec Gallagher
Potton, Bedfordshire

If you are concerned - then get writing!

After the recent area contest I wrote on behalf of my band to the NWABBA expressing our concerns over the current adjudication situation at the North West Areas.  I made a couple of points concerning the number and quality of adjudicator's at this year's area.  Judging by various comments appearing here and on themouthpiece.com we are far from alone in believing that the current situation must change.

I received a reply from Peter Bates today and I was amazed and, quite frankly, disappointed to discover that we are the only band so far to write to the committee about adjudication.  As Peter said in his reply: "A lot has been written on 4barsrest but as this has not been sent to the Regional Committee there is nothing that can be done.  People need to express their opinions direct to the Committee involved in running the event and not via a public media".  
 
We all find the time and trouble to put in the hours of practice required to rehearse the area test piece.  Surely 10 minutes can be spared by one representative of each band to write to the organisers if we feel so strongly about this issue.  

Unless you want to be in the same post area situation next year (i.e. writing to 4barsrest and bemoaning the state of the contest), I suggest all bands who are unhappy with the current system put pen to paper and please write to their regional committee.  The next meeting of the NWABBA Championships Committee is on the 11th May, so you have nearly three weeks to write those letters.  
 
Andrea Egginton

4BR Reply:
We must agree with Peter Bates on this one. If you are concerned to get something changed then write to the appropritae Regional Committee. They cannot do anything if they are not requested to do so. It won't take long to send a letter.

Promotion and relegation
 
The current system for promotion and relegation was adopted to alleviate the very problems we are currently experiencing.

It was introduced to eliminate the constant yo-yoing of bands between the sections and to give the bands time to consolidate and prepare themselves for the very difficult transition to the next section whether it be up or down. Every band was supposed to spend three years in their respective sections before promotion or relegation was considered. However it appears this is not practical, as three bands in the Welsh Region alone have been promoted after only one year in their respective sections.

The third section in Wales is the smallest of all the sections with only Seven bands competing at Swansea so why couldn't common sense prevail and the form band of the Fourth Section be promoted.

It is obvious the current system does not work so it is about time the powers that be recognise it is the bands who are the most important factor here so lets have a system that is fair to all bands.

Steve Edwards
Newtown 

Grading is not rocket science
 
I refer to the comments of Terence Barnes regarding the gradings procedure, and the grading of the Crosskeys band. The promotion and relegation system is not a 'State Secret' nor is it 'rocket science'.
 
The secretary of his own band, and any band secretary worth their salt, should have in their possession a copy of 'The National Rules'.
 
On page 8 of the rules he will find all he needs to know about the grading procedure, and thus, he should be able to work out why Crosskeys Band have not been promoted. He will also be able to work out the average positions for any band following promotion or relegation, page 9 of the National Rules.
 
If the Crosskeys Band are not satisfied with their grading, when it is given by their Regional Committee, following their own area contest, they have a period of 4 weeks in which to appeal against this decision, to the Area Committee, as per rule 'p' on page 8 of the National Rules.
 
If he is unable to get hold of a copy of the rules, a copy can be downloaded from Kapitol Promotions website.
 
Finally if he is still struggling speak with his Regional Secretary, they will be more than happy to explain any queries that he has.
 
Paul Fielden
Secretary
Friendly Band
Sowerby Bridge

What about the B boys?

I have just read your latest report over the concerns of the start time for the European Championships at Birmingham.  I am quite put out at the comment, that a "Band Manager" said that they should put the championship section on later, or even the Saturday, so as they get a full audience, and yet the suggestion was made by the same person that "Wouldn't it have been a better idea to make it a later start, or even put the B Section on the Friday night and revert to a full day on Saturday with all the championship bands playing as they used to?"

What about the feelings of the "B" section.  Is it O.K for them, after long rehearsals and much hard work, to be afforded a low turnout of audience?  I look forward to any comments on this subject.

Andrew Hicks

Piano and brass band - The music is out there
 
Your correspondents seeking music for piano and band may find it useful to know of two important arrangements by Denis Wright.

The pieces are the first movement of the Schumann piano concerto and the ever-popular ‘Scherzo from the Concerto Symphonique' by Litolff. These were given only once, at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool by Fodens with Louis Kentner as the pianist and the arranger conducting. I cannot provide the exact date but since HM led the band it was almost certainly in 1944 or 1945. The band being in high pitch at that time the piano was tuned up. Both scores, it is hardly necessary to say, are completely successful and ought not to be lost to us as they seem to be.

As I remember the concert also included the first movement of ‘Schubert's 8th', also arranged by DW. The work for three hands by Gordon Jacob mentioned in your letter, has been beautifully recorded by Solna Brass. This happened much later when the pitch problem had ceased to exist.

The piece was written for Phyllis Sellick and Cyril Smith, the famous pianist who had lost the use of one hand through a stroke. It has had no other performances, I believe. I think the concerto is available from Novello hire. There is also a concerto by Roy Newsome.

I hope this information helps to bring back to life some splendid scores.

Bram Gay

Thanks lads
 
A big thanks to John Clay and "Supersop" Peter Roberts who both replied to our plea for a piano accompaniment for Old Kentucky Home - a piece performed today successfully by one of our pupils in her A Level music solo exam.
 
John offered the Hartmann arrangement, but it was the Rimmer version that was needed. Step into the picture Peter, not only did he send his own version of the Rimmer over e mail, but offered to send a printed copy of his work if it was more convenient. Thank you very much!
 
Gordon Eddison
Burley in Wharfedale

Players or musicians?

Players or musicians Sandy? And are they "assessors" in legal rights, as a D32/33 would constitute (6 weeks at a push to become legal under these terms! still not perhaps 'that' qualified then eh!!!) Who knows, the adjudicator could be arranged between mates after 10 pints on a Friday night... bet that's never been done before!
 
All our comments on here are a subjective opinion of what we, as individuals think is right or wrong. As a very good arranger, as that's all I know about you, and indeed wish too, I will accept your thoughts. Regarding rattling cages, please don't elevate yourself. If your first letter had have been as clear as your cover up (oops)... sorry, second letter, then I don't think "Mr" Keith Wardle would have even been found in a "cage"!!
 
Love the arrangements, and even though the name's the same, I am not in a cage either....
 
Mark Wardle.

Beware Beecham

My thanks to Jane Clay and Sandy Smith for their erudite responses to my letter. However, Sandy, beware quoting Sir Thomas Beecham who also famously said "Brass bands are all very well in their place – outdoors and several miles away"!

The 'little bit of paper' comment is somewhat dismissive. The lost and much lamented excellent Brass Band Studies Course was only evidenced by a 'bit of paper' but those of us who completed the course know that the knowledge we gained went much deeper than that and the 'bit of paper' at the end was just something to frame and hang in the loo to say we did it.

I do accept what both Jane and Sandy say but I am suggesting that whatever a persons' musical background, completing an examination, viva voce, or some practical demonstration that you can actually adjudicate, (and as a result become a member of the ABBA) would add credibility to the adjudication system and might go some way to stopping the ever increasing criticisms that appear after every contest.

Don't the 1000's of bandspersons who practice and rehearse long and hard for these contests deserve some credible consistency amongst adjudicators, and isn't that what the ABBA and Regional Committees should be striving for? From some of the awful (and sadly very personal) comments this year, that's certainly not the case at the moment.

Roger Lincoln

Petty over Royal mole hill

I feel I must add a comment to the letter from Jonathan Camps, with reference to the comments made by Stephen Armstrong – Watkins, following the regional qualifiers in Torquay.

Having served with Stephen in the Royal Artillery Band, I can assure you that he would not have deliberately omitted Royal from Royal Marines. Stephen, I know has a great deal of respect for all quality service musicians, of which there are many. A feeling I share.

So instead of trying to make a mountain out of a mole-hill Mr. Camps, I suggest you continue your enjoyment of Brass Banding and appreciate how lucky you have been to have belonged to an arm of the services which has allowed you the time and support to enjoy your hobby. I can speak from experience by saying that I would have loved to have received the same time and support that your musicians seem to receive, but from the Army it was never forthcoming.
 
George Arnold

Please get in touch

I am trying to get in contact with a  former player of Webb Ivory Newhall Band and Stalybridge Band, Aldridge & Brownhills Band/Walsall Metropolitan Band(Now Staffordshire Band)

The persons name is David Jellings and he used to play trombone  for those bands. He is a family friend for over 30 years and we have lost contact with him and have some very important urgent news to tell him, and need to get in contact with him.

Does anyone out there have a contact number for him?

Ian Perks/Rhona Perks
01543 373170 (Home )
077654 98587(Mobile)
email: ianbaritone2@aol.com

The Crosskeys problem

I am writing in response to the comments Keri Bowden said about his bands problems with promotion after good results in the national contests.

I couldn't agree more. I don't know what sort of system they work to but all I can say is, it is not working, Crosskeys band deserve to be promoted going on the results of the last few years, if anybody knows how the system for promotion works perhaps they could let us know.

I belong to the band that came second to them in Swansea and we haven't played nationally for at least four years and we have been promoted. Don't get me wrong - its nice to be promoted but lets have Crosskeys up there with us.

Terence Barnes
Blaenavon Concert Band

A final regional flourish
 
Yet another years efforts have come to an end, elation or disappointment, our regional contests never fail to bring out the best and worst in people with the inevitable rush to the keyboard to make (in their own mind) reasoned and valid comments.

What are our regional contests all about? Why do they exist? And why do we, the ever-optimistic bandsfolk put ourselves through the anguish and turmoil year after year after year?
I feel that they are about many different things to many different people, holding many different skills and knowledge sets, and certainly very different agendas.

Surely they exist to formulate an order of merit within the regional structures, with the champion band going on to represent the region at "the nationals".

So what drives us, the performers, to alter our sleeping patterns and eating habits for 8-12 weeks at the start of each New Year? To endure the wrath and tantrums of the passionate MD who really believes that this time we can make a difference? Simply, pride and passion for what we do, and what we enjoy doing most.

In the lower reaches of our movement we survive on pride and passion, those who have played a bit, those who are trying to recapture lost skills, those who are wanting to learn, those who think they have done it all before, are all joined together by the two elements of pride and passion.

Pride and passion are very powerful influences in our lives, and often they can both distort a true reflection of our efforts in the mind of the passionate. Therefore it is a bi product of this pride and passion that brings about the annual ritual of adjudicator bashing, and bemoaning results.

Ask the winning bands, they are all happy and contented, still proud and more passionate than ever, and certainly comfortable with the selection of the adjudicator(s)

It is a healthy sign when our annual regionals can stir up such debate, and i certainly welcome the opportunity to read and share others opinions, however fierce and often radical they may be. I also welcome the views and informed opinions of the Brass band journalists who provide an excellent service through this Website.

Sadly, and most regrettably, I don't welcome the often offensive and dismissive personal attacks on our adjudicators, however chosen, however qualified, whoever they belong to (or not) and more importantly, the often vitriolic attacks on their personal integrity.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if we are not prepared to come last in a competition, then let us consider not entering. Without losers there can be no winners, and if we are all loathed to accept a honest and genuine adjudication then serious consideration should be given to stay at home and save the expense.

I read of malcontents who consider a strict reading of the score to be paramount in adjudication, tempi, dynamics, etc. I travelled extensively listening to lower section bands over the period, and those that were victorious had all of the prerequisites of winners, tone, tuning, intonation, note lengths, phrasing, and importantly being able to produce it within the limits of their players competence. The written music is purely the vehicle to demonstrate the art of musicianship within our movement, and the ability (or not) to produce the sound, tone, dynamic contrasts, phrases, tuning, and good all round balance will always produce winners over the strict observance to the written score.

I applaud the likes of Dodworth who can do both, produce the sound and the observance of the score, but here is an exceptional band. I applaud the qualities and efforts of the Newstead and Thoresby Youth Bands, who again produced all the right sound qualities. These are young bands who are reaping what they sow, and deservedly so. I applaud each and every adjudicator who puts themselves in a position to help our bands, through honesty and diligence, and by giving a true and insightful critique to each and every band.

To our journalists, keep up the good work, you know you are doing a good job by the level of personal criticism that you too personally receive.

And finally, just a single thought for all of us. Those who never get anything wrong, seldom do anything!!
 
Keep up the good work.
 
Alan Needham 

Not all is great Ball

I agree with the editorial pointing out the musical (as opposed to technical) problems The Wayfarer gave first section bands, but I would urge caution when sanctifying Eric Ball - not all his music was of 'Journey into Freedom' or 'Festival Music' quality.

To suggest that a Ball piece be set for one given section in forthcoming area contests sounds reasonable doesn't it? - the trouble is which section?

Eric Ball wrote scores of test pieces that were aimed specifically at the old 3rd and 4th sections - 'Petit Suite de Ballet', 'Indian Summer' and 'Divertimento' are probably the best known, though I can, through garishly tinted specs, remember plenty more (anybody remember 'Fowey River Suite' or 'Homeward'?) - the problem is I'm afraid, rather like 'Carnival', this stuff won't stand up anymore.

How does one motivate young people to stay banding in the 21st century? - well, for a start, you don't force them to study this stuff for weeks. And then there's the percussion (or lack of it) to consider.

This one has legs I fear...
 
John Roberts

Young blood needed
 
I have been fascinated by the large "postbag", you have received in the last couple of months, and in particular to the passion evoked by the area contests. I am in a privileged position, being able to attend most of our major contests, including three areas this year, and therefore feel well qualified to pass comment on the state of banding today.
 
I left banding in the late 1980's as I felt it had become insular, and had far too much concentration on contesting, which I felt was damaging rival bands who once they went through a poor spell, could not survive against their more successful neighbours. On my return four years ago I found little has changed, except, certainly in my area there are now fewer players, and, far fewer bands, but the old attitudes are still present.
 
The arguments over contests have persisted, numbers of adjudicators, whether they are fit for purpose, test pieces, the moans go on, usually by people who are not prepared to do anything about it. The adjudicator debate, is one that always amuses me, though I do feel all areas should be on an equal footing, whether that's one or one hundred and one adjudicators, (ie, audience participation, and yes I am joking).

I have never seen proof either system works, I was at a contest last year, when the whole audience agreed on the clear winner, except the three men in the box, who placed the band seventh! While conspiracy theories abound on that result, it does not detract from the fact that when a contest ends whether we like it or not it down to someone else's opinion, and more importantly, that is the result!
 
The sometimes derided Peter Bates controller of the North West area, made a point at the fourth section results in Blackpool. He stated the team he assembles every year, is now mostly well into "Saga" territory, and most of them had been doing this unrewarding job for years, he pleaded for new blood to come forward.

Peters observations were correct, and the North west is not alone, young blood is short in all aspects of banding, if we are to get through the next 10 years, let alone the next 100, we need to change the way we are run, and the way we are stuck in our 19th centaury ways now! Most of the adjudicators conductors and officials are the same as they were when I was in bands in the 1980's!
 
Much as I love banding, and especially my work within it I am saddened by the old attitudes, that still persist. In the past year I have heard bandsmen relish the demise of rivals, and this from the bottom of the movement to the very top. I am sure Manchester United of Chelsea would dream of the other going bankrupt, but, if there is no other competition, what is the point!

I witnessed a band wrongly complain that a band had one extra brass player at a contest, luckily for the contest, press photographs quickly solved that dispute, but had it been a few short years ago that complaint would have gone to a lengthy appeal, where the same pictures would have had to be processed, and put before the appeals committee, delaying the result needlessly.
 
All this unsavoury behaviour brings me to my point. There is a lot of passion, as exemplified by your letters, so use it! If you feel so strongly, go into administration, help those who run banding, get things better. Instead of complaining about bad decisions, results and adjudicators, accept that a result is just that, and never likely to change, if you want things to change don't write to 4BR, get out there and do something. But more importantly than all of this, remember we are still insular, and the world of banding is in near crisis, no new blood, and no plan to solve this situation, if we are to carry on like we are doing we are heading for extinction!

Banding should be about our wonderful heritage, great concerts, and fantastic wealth of music, contests are important, but sadly, because we have failed to attract the outside world, only to us! If we don't change, soon, I could, and probably will be recording the slow death of brass bands in this country!
 
John Stirzaker

Imagine the situation!

Your band wins the Fourth Section of the Welsh Regional Contest (Crosskeys), this after qualifying in 2nd place last year (2006). You are joint Welsh Third Section champions, and have been in the top three of all contests entered during the past fifteen months in the Fourth Section nationally (National finals excepted).

You then find that you have missed out on promotion to the Third Section, by the band who came runners-up to you at the Welsh Regionals, and who haven't competed at this contest for possibly the last five years at least. To rub salt into the wound, the band that won the Third Section at the Welsh Regionals, in their first year in that section have already been promoted to the Second Section. Where is the incentive?

Surely the system has got to take into account of a bands consistency. Please be assured, this is not an attack on other bands, only on a system that doesn't seem to reward a lot of hard work.

Kerry Bowden

Someones not  a happy Easter bunny...

Thank you Nathan for someone finally agreeing with me.

I feel that this issue is one that needs to be resolved. If this means that poor adjudicators are chucked off the adjudicating panel at the BBA then so be it.

Also the thing that happened to a band mate of mine at the area was unacceptable. Besses Boys are excellent and James Holt works wonders with the band. Why is the North West area so disorganised and why do we have certain poor adjudicators?

I know that the area is long gone and the result cant change but I feel something needs to be done with the organisation of the are contest at Blackpool.

Once again I ask for people who agree with any comments I have made to please say so. I know that one person alone can't do anything but if a majority say then something may be put right.

Matt Whitfield
Besses O' Th' Barn

Pick up the gauntlet

ref: Answer from the top.

Dear Jim: As unofficial spokesman for the masses that can't be bothered or are too busy to write to their Regional Secretary, why don't you write to him/her and then publish your findings on 4BR but spare us all the stuff in between?

You obviously have enough time on your hands. Pick up your gauntlet.

John Gilbert.

An empty threat
 
As someone who considers brass band contests of supreme unimportance, I've followed the brief exchange of correspondence between Jim Owen of Rossendale and Peggy Tomlinson, Yorkshire Regional Secretary with interest.

The advent of the Internet in general, and brass band related websites in particular, has mostly been a good thing for all sorts of reasons.  The downside is that its ready availability and ease of use, and the fact that it is largely free of charge, encourages people to bypass official channels of communication.   The correspondence mentioned above is a case in point. 

Mrs Tomlinson is quite right to direct Mr Owen to his Regional Secretary if he has a grievance on some arcane point of contesting, for two reasons - firstly, it is the correct, formal and polite way of doing things, and secondly, it is more likely to produce a result satisfactory to Mr Owen and the "masses" he offers to represent on an unofficial basis.

Mr Owen would not be the first to think that bandsmen are capable of independent action, but unfortunately the long history of brass bands in this country is that they are not.  That is why, for example, they have no truly effective national body to represent them to the outside world; that is why, for example, they have never had control over their own National Championships.  Most bandsmen just live for the next contest.  They cannot be bothered with authority, with officialdom, with red tape - especially if it costs money!

For Mr Owen to hint that he and others "will be taking our ball home and not bothering" if the "authorities" do not engage in megaphone dialogue over the web is, as we all know, an empty threat.  Come the next area qualifier, the bands will all be back for another crack at what for most of them is the whole raison d'etre of their banding existence. And in any case, if, as he implies, there are "masses" of other bandsmen to whom this issue is of great interest, yet who do have "the time or trouble" to write to their regional secretary, then the matter is probably not very important after all.

Jim Yelland
Hinckley
Leicestershire

Breathing and eyesight

I would agree with 4BRr advice regarding breathing technique and headaches. Could I also suggest an eye test might be a good idea. Reading music (especially things like marches etc) can be a highly concentrated visual task. Just a thought.......
 
Gordon Kyle

Well done the lads - and ladies!

Congratulations to the Strabane Concert Brass in the N. Ireland Brass Band League competition!
 
Glad to see you back to your old winning ways lads and ladies, it's not before time though. And well done to Jonathan Corry as well - good to see the young blood rising through what is a well matured fraternity in N. Ireland shall we say.
 
And to the lads in the band - please make sure you hold onto the likes of Laurence Quig (best soloist) and the other lads of his calibre! With players like that (and there's a good few in the SCB) you have every chance of hitting the top spots in October, and even another win!
 
Keep up the good work lads, from one of the 'Mexicans!' 

Brendan Breslin

How many top bands?

How many bands are actually Championship Class? All 82 of them.

This is not to say some are better than others. We know that there are 15 to 20 bands in the UK that are in a different league at the moment. There are several factors.

The ability to attract the best players will always make at least 10 of these bands stand out from the rest. When 4BR published their first rankings 6 (?) years ago, I would think that probably 15 of the top 20 are still in there now. Bands with a history of success or the ability to remunerate players will always be the strongest.

An analogy would be the Football Premiership (or any other football league for that matter). Year in, year out, it is the same 5 or 6 teams that feature. Would it be a good idea for UEFA to say that there will be a Premier Division in each country of the top few teams? No.
 
Are 4BR suggesting an Elite division? If so what would the criteria be? This would have to be a national division of say 20 bands. How would any of the other aspiring bands then be able to get to play with the elite? Difficult one. By invitation? Invitation smacks of elitism already, we do not need it.  Every so often a band excels beyond all reckoning and becomes  'top class' .

I'll use Hepworth (Lanson Homes) as a current example. Five years ago they were a decent band. Now they are very, very good and over the last 2 or 3 years have become one of the best bands in the country. Would they have attracted the calibre of players and musical director they have, if they could not attain a place in the Elite? I think not. Their best players would be poached to play in the Elite division.

The Elite division will get stronger and all the other bands would attain a level of mediocrity by purely acting  as feeder bands (this already happens to a large extent, if you hadn't noticed). An Elite division will further erode what we have left in the brass band movement.

Bands strive to be as good as they can get. For some, just attaining Championship status is the pinnacle. Take this away and you will see a massive decline in the number of bands that compete. The present decline is nothing compared to what would happen if bands aspirations are taken away.

In 1991 after the last change there were probably 80 bands playing in the new Championship Section. Were all of these bands '4BR Championship' quality then? I think not.

Another change will do nothing except that in 15 years time 4BR will be carping on about the gulf between the top division and the rest even more than they do now. The only thing that will change is there will not be 500 bands in the Regionals there will be half that number.

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' It is broke (sic) but I doubt it can be fixed this way.

Billy Brook

We need an answer from the top

May I through your column thank Peggy Tomlinson for her advice as to how to write to my regional secretary.  Unfortunately, this would not satisfy the masses who all have the same question on their lips but perhaps not the time or trouble to write to a regional secretary. 

The answer I (and many others) am looking for is of great interest to the bands of the North West and thus I am happy to set myself up as unofficial spokesman.  Please consider the gauntlet well and truly down. 

Jim Owen

Help with headaches

The mother of one of our young players has asked me if there is a solution to a problem of headaches her son of 15 has when he plays/practices his b-flat cornet, and whether there is anything to be concerned about?  He is a very talented little player!
 
I promised her I would do my best to find out.
 
Please, do you have any helpful suggestions I can refer back?
 
Trevor John

4BR Reply:
What we would first suggest is to get his teacher to look at the way he plays - is his breathing technique correct etc.

A note or two from a pedantic source

I hate to be pedantic, but, I am frequently annoyed to read so many News reports, comments etc. which constantly get the words they use mixed up.

It is constantly reported that So & So has been appointed  "Principle" Cornet, or, "Principle" Horn, or, "Principle" whatever, when the proper word to use in this context is "Principal"
A quick glance at any English dictionary will readily explain the completely different meanings of each of these words.

Another common error in your reports is when, as in the recent report of a new Horn soloist being appointed by YBS Band, we are told that Kate Eggleshaw "Formally" held the same position with another band. This may very well be true, but surely in this instance you meant to say "formerly" meaning something similar to "previously".

 I know that I may be accused of "nit-picking", but, surely we should expect a slightly higher standard of accuracy in spelling and grammar from people whose trade is the use of words.
Apart from that, I think you produce an excellent site and wish you every success in your endeavours.

Christy Smith
Drogheda

4BR Reply:
We will try our best to eradicate our mistakes Christy.

Learning from the dressage world

Yes indeed, a very interesting article on the merits of allocating points to a performance.

As you say, points in relation to a contest performance are just a method of ordering bands. They bear no relation to the performance itself, although it is very gratifying to achieve 190+ points at any level, in truth it means very little.

A 3rd section band gaining 190 points plus suggests that the performance is pretty near as good as it can get, but we all know that this is far from the truth and a top quality Championship Band would be in a different league altogether. I do quite like the idea of a points mechanism as to indicate a significant gap between the standards of bands. The 2 or 3 point gap has some kudos about. Can points ever be anything other than an arbitrary number? Well, maybe.

Dressage competitions are a case in point in that they are similar to the contest scenario, whereby points are allocated to each performance. The difference is that in the equestrian world the allocation of points has been made to work very effectively indeed.

The difference is that the allocation of points is not subjective: Each dressage test has been previously broken down into much smaller and discreet movements particular to each test and a scoring sheet produced to reflect the test, sometimes as many as 20 or 30 movements.

As the rider progresses, a score from 1-10 is apportioned. No writing is done by the judges during the test so nothing is missed. On completion, the judge (or judges, if it is a big event), sum up of their overall impression of the test by appointing additional marks and comments.
 
The judges 'summing up remarks' always count for more marks than the individual sections. Again this would transcribe to the brass band contest, when a band might have some issues during the piece, but the overall performance was musical and lyrical and have more merit than one which merely 'played the notes'

When the scoresheet is complete, an 'administrator' works out the percentage of the total marks thus giving the final score. If the total marks for the test was 300 and the sum of the marks were 200, then the final score would be 66.66%. If there is a tie then the 'summing up' marks are compared and these used to decide the winner. Easy.

Consistency for all sections: The further difference is that to score a '10' at any level, the movement has to be 'perfect'. Each dressage test is judged against exactly the same criteria of performance. Lower levels undertake much easier tests and the higher levels much more difficult tests, but each element is judged on its merits. It is not uncommon for lower division riders to achieve only 40% of the achievable marks!!

The table below is the official 'British Dressage Society' scoring table, you don't want to be getting too many 1's & 2's...... Would this level of objectivity be accepted in the world of Brass Bands?

Score:
10: Excellent; 9: Very good; 8: Good; 7: Fairly good; 6: Satisfactory; 5: Sufficient; 4: Insufficient; 3: Fairly bad; 2: Bad; 1: Very bad; 0: Not performed

What do we do next?
1.    Pick a contest
2.    Produce a score sheet for the chosen test piece
3.    Provide 2 adjudicators boxes in the Royal Albert Hall
4.    Use the 'new scoring system' in box 1
5.    Use the 'old system' in box 2
6.    Compare the outcome of the two adjudications

Is there any mileage in a system such as this?

Graham Johnson
Chairman
Derwent Brass

April Fool...

Can we have chocolate mouthpieces next???

Paul Pilkington

Nice try...

Nice try, but a little obvious. – Even I figured it out!
 
April Fool to you too……
 
Roger Pearcey

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