- OpenSaturday 26, 21:10:03
2022 Champions: the cooperation band
Winner: the cooperation band
Second place: Whitburn
Third place: Rainford
Fourth place: Pemberton
Best Soloist: Phoebe Mallinson of City of Bradford
Best Euphonium: Chris Flynn of the cooperation band
Presentation to Alaisdair Hutton OBEAll images by James Doyle
Result:
Championship Section:
Adjudicators: John Doyle and Glyn Williams
1. the cooperation band (Mike Fowles): 198
2. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs): 197
3. Rainford (David Thornton): 195
4. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Chris Binns): 194
5. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill): 192
6. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm): 191
7. Hepworth Band (Ryan Watkins): 190
8. Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass (Mareika Gray): 189
9. Kirkintilloch Band (David Roberts): 188
10. Kingdom Brass (Paul Drury): 187
11. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley): 186
12. City of Bradford (Jonathan Bates): 184
13. Dalmellington (Gary J Williams): 182
14. Johnstone (Colin McKenzie): 181
15. Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks): 180
16. Newtongrange (Anne Crookston): 179
17. Bon-Accord Silver (Stephen Malcolm): 178
18. Wingates (Andrea Price): 177
19. Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant): 176Best Instrumentalist: Phoebe Mallinson (flugel) — City of Bradford
Best Euphonium: Chris Flynn (the cooperation band) - OpenSaturday 26, 19:44:45
Overall thoughts and opinion...
A very enjoyable day here at Perth Concert Hall — lots of fine choices given well worked and delivered upon performances.
No doubt about the winner for us — a tip top cooperation band on commanding form under Michael Fowles. It may well have the edge over the defending champion Whitburn who had the quality but left the door open with too many small, but noticeable errors.
The final podium spot for us is a toss-up between Easington Colliery, City of Bradford and Rainford, with Pemberton and Hepworth battling it for the top six spot.
4BR Result:
1. the cooperation band
2. Whitburn
3. Easington Colliery
4. City of Bradford
5. Rainford
6. Pemberton OldDark Horse: Hepworth
- OpenSaturday 26, 19:14:53
19. the cooperation band (Mike Fowles)
Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson)
The third 'Lone Wolf' of the day — and as we have said already, Dobson's work is a visceral, emotive portrait of the musical, social and political life of the Hungarian composer Bela Bartok — an alienating figure greatly misunderstood during his troubled and lonely life time.
Poetic and passionate, it explores the psyche of a truly unique figure; an eccentric, troubling enigma to categorise and comprehend; doubtful, melancholic, proud, stubborn, cold, depressive — yet able to write music of such glorious luminosity of spirit, atmosphere and confidence.
Dobson's work is one of the most difficult to bring to life with an authentic sense of spirit, such are its complexities that so accurately reflect its troubling protagonist.
And it is like looking in a mirror cracked a hundred times here — with super characterisation of each disturbing reflection that looks back at Bartok in return; the carefree and playful, the anxious and disturbed, the lonely and melancholic, the bitter and acidic.
The standing flugel is backed by haunting percussion — a deathly prelude to a cold, lonely night of American blues in a cafe out of a Edward Hopper painting.
The maudling reflections continue led by fine euph and cornet (again backed by finely judged perc) before self-pity becomes self-loathing; dark, hurtful, spiteful playing that has such a great presence of deep seated anger. Really high class stuff — led by the MD who has this on strings.
Only the descent to a hellish grave awaits — and Mike Fowles is digging the pit with a musical JCB. Great stuff — a last touch of mystery and then it's into the abyss. What a thumping close — almost a groovy way for the old boy to go.
Super end to a high quality performance. Great solo lines and ensemble — led by a devil incarnate MD on tip top form.
- OpenSaturday 26, 18:44:02
18. Wingates (Andrea Price)
Vita Aeterna Variations (Alexander Comitas)
'Vita Aeterna' has the spirit of a tone poem — an unfolding tale of life, death, hope, despair and redemption; hence the nods of appreciation towards composers and writers who Ed de Boer (written under his pseudonym) felt understood his own deeply held beliefs on such matters.
At its core is a deeply affecting attempt to reconcile feelings of immediate physical loss with those of eternal spiritual hopefulness, through an intellectual appreciation of the Hindu and Buddhist teachings of Karma.
'Vita Aeterna Variations' commemorates the life and death of a young Dutch euphonium player called Jeffrey Lindelauf — from tentative beginnings, through episodes of energy and vitality, fate, despair and redemption, to an apotheosis of an acceptance of the possibility of eternal life.
There have been some very interesting choices made by the MDs and bands today — and this is certainly one. It is brass band music cut from a different type of test-piece cloth; almost a religious tone poem with hints of Strauss, Eric Ball's 'The Undaunted' and even the Victorian theme music to 'Upstairs, Downstairs'.
It takes some commanding (it is always questioning its resolve in the music), but you are left in no doubt the MD has this one sorted in full — despite the occasional fragilities around the stands. So well set out and moulded to make sense without ever descending into misplaced pathos — aided by a very fine flugel, euph and solo cornet.
The central heart of the piece was played with simple reverence (great timps) — the glorious life affirming apotheosis rang with Catholic abandonment as if a new Saint had been proclaimed. Odd stuff but a joyful performance of note led by an impressively informed MD.
- OpenSaturday 26, 18:21:59
17. Hepworth Band (Ryan Watkins)
Revelation (Philip Wilby)
'Revelation' was commissioned for the 1995 British Open. It is titled, 'Symphony for Double Brass on a theme of Purcell' — 1995 being the tri-centenary of the English composer's death, whilst it's inspiration comes from John Donne who described 'Revelation' as: "At the Earth's imagined corners, blow your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise from death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go."
Many of the solo lines are played standing to the front of the band, which is split into two brass ensembles with percussion at its centre. The climax of the music is declared with a section of abandonment before the 'Revelation' of God's creation is reaffirmed in all its glory.
The huge work (in spatial as well as musical senses) that both defined the last decade of the banding century and provided the blueprint for the 20 years to follow — it is still one that is rarely mastered.
Great to hear it played again — and given a robust and engrossing account from a band that ensured that its ambition had not overreached itself through obvious hard graft and rehearsal.
The inherent structural cracks and fragilities were on show, but so too was the rich sense of musicality and artistry — led by a fine euph duo, bravura horn and sweet/banzai sop. Perc was classy from start to finish.
The sheer scale in the end just took its toll — tiredness and harshness crept in, but by heck they had given this a fair old working over and emerged at its conclusion hugely in musical credit — chief amongst them the excellent MD — an unobtrusive but commanding presence throughout.
Bravo. Took guts to take on that — and they didn't come up short either. In the mixer.
- OpenSaturday 26, 18:09:20
16. Kingdom Brass (Paul Drury)
Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Initially commissioned as the set-work for the 2016 European Championship, 'Fraternity' received widespread acclaim, and has since been performed extensively throughout the banding world.
Inspired by the tragic circumstances of a 1906 mining disaster in Douai in France that claimed over 1,000 lives, it's written in an open, tonal fashion — eschewing the trend for high-energy injections of volume and speed for more considered pacing and texture, subtly scored balances and lengthened lyrical lines.
It is a work that has given us a new twist on the modern test-piece blueprint; richly characterised, melodic, dramatic, poetic and ultimately uplifting. Oh — and very hard as well.
That was evident here — but hats off for the effort in delivering a performance that had adrenaline coursing through its veins like the seams of black gold far under the soil in the Scottish coalfields.
This was edgy, visceral playing — pounding with energy, drive and industrial heft. The sheer hellishness of the dark and dangerous conditions was never far away (great perc), although a great deal of detail was lost in the freneticism.
When reflection was required it was led by the mournful trio of troms which soon turned the music into an uplifting paean of prayer and that glorious resolution. A bold choice played so.
- OpenSaturday 26, 17:20:57
15. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)
'The World Rejoicing: Variations on a Lutheran Chorale (Edward Gregson)
The 2022 British Open test-piece (although delayed) offers the second chance of the day for a band to an ideal opportunity to test their mettle on the work that will face them at the Grand Shield in Blackpool in May.
The defending champion certainly came to the stage well prepared as was apparent from the depth, balance and warmth of their ensemble sound when it was soon unfurled. The opening was handled with a deftness of touch, only occasionally pockmarked by little, but noticeable clips that tarnished the melodic picture.
The MD opted for an elegant reading of the score and his players responded so well under the spotlight — esp trom, glorious horn, baritone, artistic cornet and euph. The hallmark of ensemble class was evident — broad and so richly coloured (top notch perc), even if you felt that there was more to give in terms of detail and precision. Not everything came off.
The final section was a class apart today though — playing of the stature demanded of the score and laid out with a bold confidence that still had a long way to go to reach its limits. Lots to enjoy about it — with a special mention for the way the MD controlled each aspect of the constructive process and delivery.
- OpenSaturday 26, 16:58:04
14. Kirkintilloch Band (David Roberts)
Cloudcatcher Fells (John McCabe)
John McCabe's masterpiece was commissioned for the 1985 National Finals and instantly became a work of iconic stature for the medium; majestic, poetic, moving.
The title comes from the poem 'Cockermouth' by David Wright and comprises four movements, played continuously — each consisting of sections associated with the area of Patterdale in the English Lake District.
The ambition to perform a work of such imposing depth of musicality at this event is to be applauded — even if does come with huge inherent performance risks.
So much to commend with the MDs approach here — both sensible and sensitive in equal measure; not able to ask too much in terms of dynamic and colour blending, but still able to produce a feeling of rugged atmosphere and bucolic landscape nonetheless — from the tributary streams of the cornets (super sop throughput) to the menacing cloud cover of the tubas and foggy horns.
The central 'Angle Tarn' was lovely — tender and respectful, and whilst the following climb to the top of Grisedale Brow, Striding Edge and ultimately Helvellyn was a little too rugged and harsh in places, once we got there the ensemble vista was one of broad, warm sounds and majestic viewpoints.
A great show of musical ambition this — an occasionally inconsistent hike to the hills, but one well worth taking. Bravo MD and band.
- OpenSaturday 26, 16:33:24
13. Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)
Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)
It's the second time we get to hear Edward Gregon's expertly realised homage to composer friends and contemporaries commissioned jointly by the British Open and the Norwegian Band Federation, and is dedicated to the composer's brother Bram.
On the face of it the work looks back in its Tchaikovsky inspirational outlook and decoration, but it is anything but as a whole — the pen portraits lucid and affectionate yet imbued with modernistic character and technique; new looks at Ball, Heaton, Steadman Allen, Howarth, McCabe and Wilby.
MD Raymond Tennant worked his band so well here — and was rewarded with a performance of richly defined musical character.
It was far from perfectly executed, but it was good to hear the DNA of each of composers allowed to flow freely within the carapace created around them by the composer.
Just lost precision and cohesion in more exposed lines, but the character of the musical wasn't robbed.
It did sound a little tired in the diabolical Wilby fugue with its dark nod to Cloudcatcher Fells, but there was something in the reserve tanks for a great dissonant close.
- OpenSaturday 26, 16:09:28
12. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)
English Heritage (George Lloyd)
The second time today we hear 'English Heritage', which was commissioned for the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England in 1988.
As with all Lloyd's works they are crafted with innate attention to detail and purpose; test pieces of refinement and elegance that ask the very same questions of the conductor and players.
That is certainly the case with this piece — build on obvious structures and themes that are developed and repeated throughout — both subtle and bold, sometimes within the same melodic lines. There is a sadness at its heart though for things lost.
It's an informed reading of the score by Duncan Beckley, using all the years of his accumulated experience to provide the template on which the performance is built. Lots to appreciate with the playing too — nothing over done in terms of dynamics and pacing, just decent top level playing.
Some nervousness took the deepest hue of polish from the ensemble colouring at times, but it was good to hear a band trying hard to go that little further to make a musical point — led by excellent solo cornet, vocal tuba, cultured horn and tasty trom.
The final build to the end had a well-intentioned reserve (topped by sweet sop) that held a rich resonance to the triumphant end.