Editorial ~ 2007: November

This month we give our opinion on a Sellers Market; Taking a Lower Section chill pill, and being in praise of Philip Sparke.

A Sellers market?

The news of the imminent demise of the Sellers International Band has once more highlighted the concern that it takes more than just sponsors money to guarantee long term survival, let alone any form of contesting success.

As sad as the news may be that the movement is losing a top class band, the real concern must surely lie in the need to try and protect the futures of those bands (especially in the lower sections) that have survived for many decades longer than Sellers with little or no sponsored support.

There is a proud tradition of public subscription banding in this country (perhaps 98% of all bands survive this way) that year after year, decade after decade, raise funds and engage support from their local community in an effort to survive the slings and arrows of financial misfortune that come their way at some time or another. 

Player shortages, lack of money to replace instruments or improve fixed assets, pay conductors or even the odd mercenary player for an important contest. There cannot be a band treasurer in the entire movement who hasn’t had to rob Peter to pay Paul so to speak to ensure survival at some time or another.

That they manage to do it year after year is a minor miracle, that they wish to do it to keep the name of a community based band going against seemingly impossible odds deserves a medal, especially when the rewards for doing so in the lower sections are so pitifully low.

So shed a tear if you feel it necessary that a sponsored band has bitten the dust, but spare a thought for all the others who have managed to survive without such capricious help for all these years too. If they start to be killed off in any greater numbers than we are currently losing, then we are all in serious trouble.

What do you think?
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Time to take a Lower Section chill pill 

One way in which those all important root and branch bands can possibly be helped was highlighted recently in articles in British Bandsman by Gwyn Evans, conductor of the Beaumaris Band and Alan MacLaren the former President of the Scottish Brass Band Association.

Their ideas, both persuasively argued, suggested a much more relaxed and possible less formal rulebook for the bands competing in the lowest sections of the contesting hierarchy.

A relaxation of the registration process, a less prescriptive approach to the number of players allowed to play, the need to encourage innovation in respect to music selection and the need to think in a much more user friendly terms to organisation and presentation were points touched upon with a clarity of thinking that is so desperately needed (and is perhaps so lacking in some organisations) at present.

To be fair, some contests are trying to do just that (Pontins this month for instance), but perhaps the time has come to really move lower section banding (especially in the Third and Fourth Sections) in a new direction.

Why not allow a Fourth Section band to play an additional 10 young players under the age of 16 if they so wish on the contest stage? Why not get rid of prescribed test pieces and replace with own choice selections (it was good enough for the British Open a few years back), open up the adjudication process; in fact make the whole damn thing much more open, friendly and welcoming to families, supporters and players alike.

The higher up the contesting chain the more prescriptive the rulebook can become, but to equate what occurs at the all important lowest levels of competition to what happens at Symphony Hall and the Albert Hall is now an anachronistic nonsense.

Time in fact to take a chill pill and appreciate the beauty and benefits of a more relaxed contesting environment.  

What do you think?
Send an email to: comments@4barsrest.com   

In praise of Philip Sparke

Where would we be without great composers?

Jaws without the music of John Williams? Television adverts and shopping mall lifts without the background music of Beethoven to Bjork, Mozart to the Manic Street Preachers? Brass band contests and concerts without the likes of Ball, Vinter, Wilby, Heaton, Gregson et al?

It is great to admire and appreciate the genius of old Wolfgang and Ludwig, the slick cinematic alchemy of John Williams or even the slightly surreal impulses of the Icelander chanteuse. We do however tend to take for granted the gifted practitioners in our own midst.

Philip Sparke may not be as well known as any of the above but he deserves to be called a truly great composer for brass bands. For over 30 years now he has had his thumb on the musical pulse of the movement, identifying and responding to the subtle changes in our tastes and fancies, continually producing the high class musical output that we have taken so much for granted – and have so much enjoyed both performing and listening to.

His works encompass just about every level of performance the movement has to offer, from the National Finals and the European Championships to youth band concerts in your local school. He rarely comes up with something that doesn’t appeal and invariably leaves an indelible impression on the listeners mind long after the actual performance has been heard.

He has done it because he is exceptionally good at what he does – one of the very best the brass band movement has been lucky enough to write for us. Long may he continue to do so. We are very fortunate to have him.

What do you think?
Send an email to: comments@4barsrest.com  

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