Comments ~ 2009: September

From Mead to Mortimer and plenty about adjudicators. Something has got you riled...

Judges deserve better
 
I was unable to attend the British Open this weekend but I followed events from Canada, courtesy of 4barsrest. 

Sincere congratulations to the Cory Band and Dr Robert Childs.
 
This morning I read your article “Mead Blazes at Open decision-making,” and went to Stephen Mead’s website to read the full story, intrigued by the line, “…it is time, in my opinion, to air my opinion.”
 
No one can doubt that Mr. Mead is a justly celebrated musician but he has erred in rushing to speak out after a disappointing result for his band.
 
Mr. Mead’s assertion “…many of our aging [sic] adjudicators have no powers of recall after the obvious contenders” is unsubstantiated. Similarly, Mr. Mead’s remark on his website “…you simply cannot go on with allowing the oldest in our movement, some with hearing disabilities to continue to judge” is also offered unsupported by facts.
 
Mr. Mead’s comment “Any ageing relative would also be able to put them [the winning bands] at the top of a long list of contenders in any competition such as the British Open…” is offensive in tone.
 
These are pejorative generalizations of persons on account of their age and alleged disabilities. Mr. Mead should show the maturity of his not inconsiderable personality and withdraw these ageist remarks encouraged by sympathetic understanding at his disappointment with Whitburn’s placing.  His invaluable contribution will carry more weight when these emotions have dissipated.
 
As Mr. Mead writes on his website, “Easy verbiage doesn’t disguise a lack of careful analysis…”
 
Frankly, if you enter a band contest you should abide by the judges’ decision. It’s not just “fashionable”, it’s common sense.  Comment should be saved until no personal interest is involved; otherwise opinions are tainted and diminished by bias.
 
It is disappointing that ABBA’s first thought is to invite Mr. Mead to speak to the association. ABBA’s immediate reaction should have been to offer public support to the adjudicators who were collectively insulted and accused of “travesties of adjudication”.  Messrs Relton, Read and Ball deserved better.
 
There is not much in any of this that would encourage young professional musicians to consider brass band adjudication as a sensible career move. 
 
Bramwell Tovey
Artistic Director National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain

Mead support

May I take this opportunity to add my support to Steven Mead's efforts to fundamentally change brass band adjudication.
 
For years we have witnessed a steady decline in standards, that coupled with other interesting contesting anomalies, particularly in the North West, and it is beyond the time when something needs to be done.

These falling standards, weird new rules, farcical votes etc. are producing a generation of people who are becoming increasing disillusioned with the brass banding scene - with many younger people giving up and doing more up to date and rewarding hobbies - that aren't being run into the ground by 'the old school'.
 
A change needs to be made, to get us back into the 21st century and run ourselves for the benefit of us all, young and old alike. Then EVERYONE can totally enjoy banding - and who know - more people will want to join us.
 
I am grateful that someone with the talent and international reputation of Mr. Mead has taken the challenge and I totally support all his efforts to create a change.
 
Let's hope this is the start of something fantastic.
 
John North 

No brainer
 
I read with interest Mr Mead's comments about the standard of adjudication at the Open and also his opinion of Whitburn's result.
 
It is only a few months since Bugle Contest and as someone has just pointed out on the Mouthpiece, he (known as sam1), (not me I hasten to add!) gave an opinion (one allegedly held by many members of the listening audience) about the result in the fourth section.  Mr Mead was the adjudicator that day. 

Mr Mead responded very quickly and pointed out that he was the adjudicator and he was just a few yards from the stage and that in his opinion it was a "no brainer". 
 
Comically, the person who had voiced his/her opinion on that thread has now made a comment on the Mouthpiece 'British Open' thread and suggested that Mr Mead should accept the decision as the adjudicators probably feel like he did - ie that they are right and that it is a no-brainer!!!
 
This made me laugh out loud - where would we be without the controversy of band contesting?
 
Greg Morgan 

Old man reflections

An old man reflects on yesterday at Symphony Hall, Birmingham
 
Congratulations to all the bands, you gave your best and that is what one can only expect.
 
Between number seven and eight drawn bands, someone either blew or mouth whistled for the platform seated band to commence, and it certainly was not the adjudicators. Is it too complicated or costly to institute an electric system - red (not ready) and green for go.

Whistle blowing must date back to well over a hundred years or more.
 
Who, in their compositional mind, instituted pushing two foot long "mutes" down the bell of basses? What on earth do they want to achieve?

I felt truly sorry after witnessing bass players having to trundle the bass-filled cases quite a distance from the coach to the hall, together with these hideous contraptions, only to be used to blow two notes that could not be heard and lasting less than two seconds. Crazy.
 
Why has the announcer (not compere) to stand at the very edge of the stage to announce bands when he cannot be seen by many of the audience to his left, and cannot hear half of what he is saying.

Is the centre of the stage a restricted area?
 
Why do conductor expect their bands to perform in their band uniforms and they enter wearing their every day suits, or, as was the case this last Saturday, wearing their favourite sleeve rolled up shirt! 

Why can't they show respect for the ticket paying audience by wearing the outfit they wear for a concert performance?
 
Why can't contest promoters insist on a maximum time for a contest piece, no more than ten minutes?
 
Why can't contest promoters realise that to get to Birmingham from the London area and the South to hear the invited Birmingham Citadel Band perform an excellent programme, one must get up no later than 5.30am to be on time?
 
Why can't contest promoters seriously plan the day so that attendees can be hitting the road South no later than 6.00pm.
 
Why can't contest promoters do some serious research work into why it is that many brass instrument players find it extremely hard to formulate a good embouchure early in the morning - for many, 10.00am can be a nightmare. So easy to clip and miss notes.
 
Why can't contest promoters be sensitive and save any personal embarrassment by not expecting band representatives to be on stage for the results.

They have a good idea and so have the much diminished audience who will be filling the prize framework?

Now, I feel better.
 
G. Whittingham 

Poor deal for Whitburn

I was present on Saturday and listened  to every band perform and for me Cory are in a  class  of  their  own,  they set a standard  the  rest must aim for.

What  I  fail  to  understand is how  they  placed the Whitburn Band,  did  they  listen  to  the  same band  as  I  did  or did  I miss  some  drastic mistake  in their  performance?

I was not  on  my  own  as  there  were a  few  raised  comments  around  when  the  results  were  announced.

I feel for the  band  as the  last  time  I  saw  them  in  Brass in Concert  I  thought  they  got  a  poor  deal.
 
Jack Hawkins 

Not a real leftie

Richard Stiles refers to Fred Mortimer being left handed. 

He was no such thing, although he did hold his baton in his left hand. 

When he started to conduct, well over a hundred years ago now, the rules allowed that he play principal corner at the same time.  So the only hand spare that Fred had to hold the baton was his left. 

His style was minimal to say the least, because extreme movement would hamper his playing.  Later, when he gave up playing, he retained this minimalist style.
 
Old hands like Hubert Shergold and Teddy Gray told me that it wasn’t his baton which made you jump, it was his eyebrows!
 
Allan Littlemore 
Sandbach 

Conducting lessons

When I first started conducting I was very fortunate to have lessons with Sir Charles Groves conductor of the Royal Liverpool Phil.  

He demonstrated in many ways the art of conducting, the understated gesture, a difficult entry and many more.  Of the many things I learned from this wonderful gentleman the following five rules will always stick in my mind:
 
The audience doesn’t come to watch the conductor; they come to listen to the music.
If the conductor over dramatises his job one of two things is wrong, the orchestra or him!

Very often the conductor gets in the way of a good performance.

If the conductor has confidence in his musicians it shows when he lets them perform.

And the most important last - A conductor is essential for starting and stopping a performance; very often he is a nuisance in between.
 
I don’t think this great musician ever conducted a brass band but many conductors today should make a note of his five rules, I will forever remember his generosity and the knowledge he passed on to me and I hope this will help other conductors.
 
Mike Hughes 

A pedant point

I would like to be the first pedant to point out that the advert on your front page for Besson which reads "less words, more music" is ungrammatical and should read "fewer words, more music".

I really ought to get out more but I'm too busy listening to Radio 4.

Alec Gallagher

Reflections of nothing
 
It was with dismay that I read your (Iwan Fox's) comments on Foden's playing of Robert Redhead's "Reflections in Nature" (Great Northern Brass Arts Festrival)

It was played with that band's usual excellence. However, if he had read the score notes, or better still, read song number 103 in the Salvation Army Song Book, he would have found where the music was coming from and just exactly what was being described.

The author of the poem on which the music is based is Catherine Baird . Catherine was a wonderful poetess and Robert Redhead 's translation of her words into descriptive music does say something ......never nothing!!
 
Ernest A. Young 
Bandmaster
Sale Salvation Army Band  

Soprano limits

Have to agree entirely with Alan Wycherley's comments regarding composers trying to stretch the upper limits of the Soprano to extremes. 

Euphonium players have had to deal with this trend for quite some time now (in the upper and lower registers). Although impressive to listen to, the ability to play these notes hardly makes anyone a great player. 

When they eventually break some poor soul's lip/will to live, who will be next - tenor horn players be afraid, be very afraid!

I once played with a supremely talented trombone player who's son played percussion. His  son was able to pick up Dad's trombone and play an octave above top C!! 

Did this feat make him a better trombone player than Dad who's top range (although superb) was not that high? - Most definitely not!

Let players concentrate on tonal quality and lyricism and not have to worry whether or not they need a different mouthpiece to be able to reach 'top z'. 

Well spoken Alan but I fear your voice will fall on deaf ears. 

Rob Burnett 

Equal rights for lefties

As a fully paid-up member of the "Equal rights for left-handed people Club" may I ask why Edward Stiles felt the need to highlight the fact that Fred Mortimer was indeed a left-handed conductor.

I readily accept that the vast majority of conductors are right-handed, however does he view this as a handicap which impairs their ability to beat time accurately and clearly?
 
During the 20 years that I have been conducting, when taking a band for the very first time, I have made a point of asking at the END of the rehearsal whether my left-handed beating caused them a problem, the response being, either "we didn't even notice" or more worryingly, "we weren't watching anyway".

Perhaps that says a lot about my conducting!
 
I will continue to use the "wrong" hand, until someone tells me they can't understand what I'm doing.
 
Andrew Jones
The "Sinister" Society
 
PS. If memory serves me correctly, James Watson (ex Black Dyke and Desford) conducted left-handed and seemed to manage quite nicely! 

Long servers
 
Whilst reading the article about the long serving players at Abergevenny, it dawned on me that my band, Hatherleigh Silver Band has three players with a huge amount of playing years behind them.  

Tony Burton completed 70 years of playing, last year and in addition to playing for Hatherleigh, he conducts St Gennys.  He drives with his partner and grand-duaghter an hour each way to get to our band!  

Admittedly not all these years were with Hatherleigh but wait for this!
 
Then there is our conductor who has put in 44 years with the band and our solo baritone player has given 55 years of unbroken service to the band! 
 
Strangely, despite the fact that between the three of them they have put in an incredible 169 years (average 56 years each), they all attend the training band sessions and are the best attendees of that band - so who says that you are too old to learn?
 
So, what other records are there out there?  I bet there would be some awsome tales of long service!  I look forward to finding out!
 
Great website and it is good that you keep it so professional and factual!
 
Greg Morgan

Australian trip?

My family and I are planning a trip to Brisbane/Sydney/Perth next Easter, 2 – 18 April 2010.  

I’m trying to find out if there are any contests/concerts planned during our visit.  Fingers crossed!
 
Shirley Clucas 

4BR Reply:
Check the 4BR downunder site - its a big old country but there is banding going on somewhere there we are sure. 

Ballad assistance
 
I'm performing John Golland's 'Ballade' for my LTCL Recital in November and have been researching to find information about the piece.

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me abou the dedication which is written on the top of the original solo part, it says "for Anne and Alan".
 
I'd appreciate any help with this and any other information that anyone can provide me with.
 
Callum Hewson
Christchurch
New Zealand

4BR Reply:
Any help anyone?

Contradicting baton work
 
I think you are contradicting yourselves a bit here gents.  You ask "Where have all the good conductors gone?  Not ones who just win contests...."
 
While contesting is far from being the be all and end all of what we do, I would argue that the performance that wins has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the stick waving that happens for those 12-20 minutes. 

More importantly, its to do with the conductors ability as a leader of (wo)men prior to going on stage and their composure / communication abilities during a performance.
 
Some of the finest MDs I have played under (at all levels) have had a terrible 'technique' in terms of arm waving but have brought incredible life from a score, both in concert and contest settings purely through being charismatic, intelligent and supremely musically gifted.  Occasionally, they have even had the ability to communicate that with those in the ensemble.......!
 
Personally, the perfect stick technique (if such a thing exists) will always fall well below the ability to make the most of a score and the talents available to them when deciding if a conductor is 'good' or not.  

I am sure we have all met a few MDs with incredible stick techniques that couldn't get music out of iTunes.
 
Steve March 

A question of theatrics

If good baton work were a prerequisite for winning contests then Fred Mortimer wouldn’t have won a thing. 

‘Old Mort’ was left handed and looked terrible in front of Fodens, but the music that flowed from his band was never short of brilliant.

You are right to point out to the ‘theatrics’ of many of today’s conductors – all show and no substance, but even some of the past ‘greats’ were not adverse to the odd moment of showmanship too.

Edward Stiles 

Bums on seats

In your September editorial about the declining audience for contests, you say "in this day and age it is bums on seats if you are to survive. Without them nothing else matters".
 
This might be true as far as the survival of contests is concerned, but happily there is something, which matters more than contests. 

I refer, of course, to music.  And some of us think that without contests the music might just be better served.
 
Jim Yelland

Stereotypical...

What a great article from Nezzy, almost every character from the banding world was covered, and I recognised them all!!
 
Please Nezzy, give us more, and thanks for a wonderful read!
 
Richard Evans 

4BR and Colonel Gaddafi

No comment then about Burry Port Town going to Libya to play in Colonel Gaddafi’s 40th anniversary celebrations? 

Could it be that 4BR supports this Dictator and his terrorist causes? 

It seems Burry Port Town Band have done so by taking the ill thought out decision to go there at this particularly sensitive time.

Shame on you both. 

Terry Hastings

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