Comments ~ 2008: May (Part 2 - 23rd May onwards)

More from the Masters to Opera and lots in between as we head for June...

The last Masters?

Firstly may I say congratulations to Desford who won the Masters last weekend.  They had a raw deal last year and I understand they played well on the weekend.
 
However, no -one I have spoken to can explain the result this year.  The only two bands in the contest placed 6th and 18th?  Can someone please offer an explanation? 

I watched all but 2 bands on the weekend (I missed 1st Old Boys and Aveley) and I'm at pains to see how on earth Carlton got placed where they did and more so, how the wonderful Fodens band didn't take the contest by 2 points.
 
Maybe I'm not educated enough to know how several average performances beat two performances of REAL quality.
 
I’m clearly not educated enough and I don't think any of us who listened to the whole lot yesterday will know what happened.
 
I fear now for the contest as a whole. Fodens have slipped up on 2 very puzzling bannana skins now in the last 2 years (memories of Paganini came to mind at the results) and who could blame them for not entering again?  I applaud them for carrying on this long really.  Cory come 2nd three years ago to Scottish co-op... they, then saw the potential for embarrassment at this contest and we never saw them again.
 
If Fodens decide not to go next year who will the contest have to boast.  With them and Willebrook not in the mix I certainly wont be going. Mr Biggs' all inclusive contest will have the final nail put in its coffin. 

Once a big contest in the calendar attracting the best names in banding, reduced to a 2nd rate contest, overshadowed not only by the Grand Shield, but Butlins contest and even the Pontins Cattle Market!
 
To conclude, Im not trying to fight anyone’s corner here.  I am an avid Dyke fan and my grandad played in Fairey band.  I don't have much interest in the goings on of Carlton or Fodens if truth be known.
 
But I would like someone to offer an explanation for this odd result. No doubt it will be brushed under the carpet by the press and everyone else but before it gets to that stage I'd like to see how many people are in my camp here. Or is my age really getting the better of my hearing and judgement!!!!
 
Well done Desford for winning.  Well done Fodens, for delivering a winning performance.  Well done David, Phillip and Eric for finding something in all the performances which was lost on us all. 

Well done Mr Biggs for hosting what will probably the last Masters contest of any real significance.
 
Martin Smith
Manchester 

Opera versus bands

Your correspondent Tim Foxley writes, "Opera probably takes more than 1000000% more profits, to benefit less people" (than brass band events). As an opera professional and a brass band enthusiast (why else would I be reading 4BR?), I'd like to correct him on two points.
 
1) If Mr. Foxley knows of any full-time professional opera company anywhere in the world that makes a profit, I'd love to know where it is. I don't know of one which wouldn't go bust tomorrow without some form of state subsidy or private or corporate sponsorship. 

When you perform an opera, you’re simultaneously presenting a play and a concert involving a symphony orchestra, soloists and chorus. You have all the expenses of both - but you can only sell the tickets once.
 
2) As to the number of people benefited (I presume Mr. Foxley is talking about audience figures); hardly a month or a major contest goes by without someone on 4BR bemoaning your declining audiences, while audience figures for opera are on the up.

I am among the first to applaud the work which many bands - particularly the lower-section bands - do in the community, from providing the music for a local Remembrance Day wreath-laying to performing at a school fete or in the park on Sunday afternoons in Summer, but shouldn't the local community which enjoys the benefits directly be prepared to put its hands a bit deeper into its pockets to repair the bandroom roof, say, or to refurbish or replace worn-out instruments, rather than expecting the Arts Council to do it?
 
I wish that the Arts Council had more money to give away. The arts on all levels enrich our lives, from local bands and amateur choirs and drama societies to the top professional theatres, symphony orchestras and opera companies. But the sad fact is that if the Arts Council divided all the money at its disposal among everyone who deserved a share, no-one would have enough.
 
Brian Fieldhouse 
Almere, Netherlands 

St Helens March and Hymn tune contest

Just to let you know that I found out just by chance that the above-named contest has been postponed till September 6th. 

I would not have known, as I have nothing to do with the event, but as a potential spectator I asked the organisers the starting time and they told me of the postponement.
 
Having been saved a wasted journey, I assume nobody had told you about the change of date, as you still have it listed in your events section. It wouldn't have been the first time I'd turned up for an event that had been cancelled without the public who might have wished to attend being informed.

Is it maybe worth you mentioning the change of date-have the organisers not even told 4BR?
 
I. Dunning

4BR Reply:
We do rely on organisers to send us details which we then put on the site. 

Secret caller

Would the gentleman who telephoned my home, with regard to the S.E.W.B.B.A. contest in Tredegar, on Friday May 16th, and again on Monday 19th, please contact me again.

I would very much like to talk to you, however, you did not, on either occassion, leave a name or contact telephone number. I look forward ot your call.

Robert Gowing
Secretary
S.E.W.B.B.A. 

 Ranking ups and down

Just a quick question?
 
How come that some of the bands that won at the Spring Festival have gotten minus points on your league tables and some bands that did not do so well got plus points.
 
Mike Killmartin
Nottinghamshire

4BR Reply:
Please go back and read the rankings carefully - it is over time and not just the result of one contest.

Carmina Burana

This is just to let Wout de Vries know that I have arranged Carmina Burana for brass band, with choir, and that the full version will receive its 1st performance in Kirchstetten Austria, on 12 July. 

There are, however, copyright problems regarding performances.

If Mr de Vries will contact me I can give him details.

Roy Newsome
roy.newsome@talktalk.net

Rankings

I am really baffled by your point system in the brass band rankings. Can you explain how we have dropped 8 places in your rankings? 

We had a 5th at Preston beating Stockport Brass for instance, a 2nd at the North West Area qualifying for the Nationals and 9th at the Senior Trophy beating most of which are above us in your rankings?

How is this possible? What do we need to do? 

Sharon
Blackburn and Darwen Band

4BR Reply:
As always, we refer  you back to the explaination on the 4BR site Sharon - it does make it clear, even though the workings out are complicated!  

Regarding the Austrian situation

I sympathise with Oberoesterreich as I do believe they played fantastically at the said contest.

But I think when we enter a contest we are putting ourselves up for judgement and fully accepting the view of one (or two... or three) individuals, all with different tastes and preferences. 

I can think of many occasions where a band have played blindingly well, gaining maximum plaudits from both press and audiences only to come away with nothing but a pat on the back and a 7th place, totally bewildered at why the judges found such a low placing appropriate.

But you know what? You have to get over it. It hurts I know, but I think Brass Band Oberoesterreich, you are taking things too far.

You say you want to keep your traditional Austrian tone which I cannot see any fault with.  However, from a nation in which the tradition of contesting is deeply routed, please take on this old contesting adage... You win some, you loose some.

In a contest which is virtually 100% subjective in its outcome, unfavourable results will inevitably appear and I'm afraid we all have to take it on the chin.  

If we can't do that then we might as well not bother and take up stamp collecting.

Gareth Westwood

Thanks from the Bobby girls

All the girls of "Boobs & Brass" would like to sincerely thank everyone at the Whits for another wonderful reception and for their very generous donations for Breast Cancer Campaign - researching the cure.

The girls marched the streets to `Lily the Pink` the song about Lydia Pinkham, a lady who lived in the 1800`s who concocted medicinal compounds of ladies complaints!

Next Saturday the girls take the train from Peterborough to Dundee, collecting girls on the way at Doncaster, Darlington and Edinburgh to perform an evening concert in Alyth Parish Church and then the town’s Gala Day on the Sunday.

Six ladies from Perthsire Brass have been invited to don the infamous `pink jacket` and share the concert stage with them, together with a local piper and dancer.

The concert organisers are hoping to send the girls back to England with a minimum of £5000 for the charity.

Many thanks for your continued support and encouragement.

Maggie & Jane

Malcolm Arnold - a remarkable life...

We also lose (Malcolm Arnold), as Tony Palmer's film 'Toward the Unknown Region '(2004) brought home to South Bank Show viewers, a remarkable survivor of mental illness during a period when it was only gradually coming to be acknowledged, treated and discussed. 

A remarkable life and article. Thank you.
 
Harold A. Maio
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Boston University   

Austrian respect

Re the statement from Austria…some comments…..:
 
I never believe anything that starts “with the greatest of respect to”. In my experience it is never sincere!
 
The comments of the composer are irrelevant unless they are in the box adjudicating. I believe (but may be wrong) that one of the reasons Eric Ball gave for giving up competitive conducting was a crit in which one of the adjudicators stated that Mr Ball had not managed to get the musical ideas being expressed by the composer…problem was it was one of his own pieces he was conducting! Also, never believe the press!
 
If you get musicians who judge purely on enjoyment that have no idea of what a brass band is then results would become truly arbitrary…and this would be a brass festival rather than a brass band competition.
 
If you don’t want to sound like a British brass band then that is your prerogative…in my opinion some of the bands from continental Europe who have won the competition do not sound like British Bands.
 
I am told that Brass Band Oberoesterrich have some fabulous players but have also heard different views on them as a band -not all as gushing as 4barsrest.

If they don’t like what they find in competition they are quite entitled to withdraw their support…but perhaps they should be seeing this as an education process for the bands people all over world and continue playing.

I would prefer it however if they spared us the nonsense published through this site, as to me it is an example of a band displaying its ego, reeks of sour grapes and is akin to a band throwing the teddy out of the pram!
 
Jim Corrigan 

Brass band sound

Regarding your editorial on the brass band sound.

When I first joined Black Dyke in 1958 I was unable to play some of the music. When I told Owen Bottomley, my tutor his reply was, ‘…we can teach you to play difficult music but first and foremost you must have a good sound’.

Black Dyke always prided itself on making a good sound that at that time was unique.

During the last 40 years bands have improved out of all recognition at playing technically difficult music. To do this I believe they have sacrificed their knowledge on how to make the music lift off the page and inspire the listener.

I can remember Major George Wilcocks being pleased when the adjudicators and the audience thought Dykes performance was more orchestral in sound.

The championship test piece at the last area contest proved that many bands have technical skills to play the notes but cannot make the music lift off the page.

John Clay 

Short and to the point...

As directed, I’ll keep in short and to the point.
 
If you don’t want to play the music asked of you (Len Atter correspondance), by an MD (see the programmes for the gala concert at the Masters) or by a contest council, don’t.

But don’t make it sound like you’re sticking up for everyone else when it appears to be that you’re in the minority.
 
I notice you fail to answer the question of works by Handel and Wilby.
 
N. Garman

4BR Reply:
That's it folks on this topic. 

Lost accent...

It comes as a great surprise to myself as Paula's 'other arf', and to many others in Australia, to hear of Paula's Australian accent.

I can only assume that she must have picked it up whilst passing through the duty-free shopping section of Brisbane airport.
 
Adrian Head 

Carmina Burana

Do you know if there are arrangements for brassband and choir from the Carmina Burana from Carl Orff.
 
Hope to hear from you soon.
 
Wout de Vries
Steenwijk
Netherlands 

Music Jim - but not as you know it...

No Jim, you’re not alone in contemplating and questioning contest music and its compositional nuts and bolts. 

I can’t comment on the pieces you have made your observations on, but I too have experienced in the past some works in area contest that frankly beggar belief.
 
We all know from even some of the great works past that it was standard practise that certain instruments were doubled to achieve an accepted colour (Solo cornet + Euph), and also doubling to help weaker players/sections (3rd cornet + 2nd baritone).

’Bandestration’, is not a new concept, but it is a changing one, and those with compositional flare should experiment to try to evolve new ideas in colours and in sound. The composer should try to achieve new concepts in tonal colour!

If you have suddenly taken up composition for brass band through the advent of a music-scoring programme on computer, your statement about this is probably right Jim!

Repeats in music are indeed common: 1st movement of Beethoven 3 or the 1st movement of Mahler 1 - and these work and are big repeats. However, I guess where you are coming from is your point of view on a 12/14-minute piece which has a 3/5-minute chunk repeated?

Repeats do work if they are integral to the plot or form. Take for example the amount of repeats and DS’s/codas in Strauss waltzes.

The art of composition for a contest borders on an alien concept; the freedom in being creative within what could be described as a strangulated format. It’s composition Jim, but not as you know it.

Phil Lawrence

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