Sunday 24, 18:08:38
Result:
Excellence Division:
Adjudicators:
Set Work: James Gourlay, Bert Piqueur, Sheona Wade
Own Choice: Ian Porthouse, Luc Vertommen, Tom Hutchinson
Set Work/Own Choice = Total
1. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 2/2 = 4
2. Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan (Jean-Francois Bobillier): 3/4 = 7*
3. Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern (Michael Bach): 4/3 = 7
4. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Frederic Theodoloz): 6/1 = 7
5. Brass Band Berner Oberland (Veronique Gyger): 1/8 = 9
6. Brass Band Fribourg A (Florent Didier): 8/6 = 14*
7. Liberty Brass Band (Stefan Roth): 9/5 = 14
8. Oberaargauer Brass Band (Herve Grelat): 5/10 = 15
9. Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien A (Thomas Wyss): 7/9 = 16
10. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia A (Vincent Baroni): 10/7 = 17
*Set test mark takes precedent
Best Tuba Section on Set Work: Valaisia
Best Soloist on Own Choice: Glenn Van Looy (Valaisia)
First Division:
Adjudicators: James Gourlay, Bert Piqueur, Sheona Wade
Set Work: Sounds (John Golland)
1. mgrr Brass Band (Roman Caprez): 96
2. Ensemble de Cuivres AMBITUS (Damien Lagger): 95
3. Brass Band Thurgau (Daniel Gubler): 94
4. Universal Brass Band Wil (Gian Stecher): 93
5. Brass Band Lotschental (Yvan Lagger): 90
6. Brass Band RosAlp (David Bonvin): 89
7. AEW Concert Brass Fricktal (Florentin Setz): 87
8. Brass Band MG Reiden (Roland Froscher): 86
9. Brass Band Treize Etoiles B (Lionel Fumeaux): 85
10. Brass Band Imperial Lenzburg A (Philipp Werlen): 84
11. Brass Band Fribourg B (Aurelien Darbellay): 82
=12. Brass Band Breitenbach (Reto Naf): 80
=12. Brass Band Feldmusik Knutwil (Enrico Calzaferri): 80
Best Soprano: Brass Band Thurgau
All images copyright and courtesy of Etienne Bornet
Sunday 24, 17:02:16
Round up and opinion
It's been a great day of very high quality entertainment — although if there was just one personal gripe it is that there wasn't a great deal of mid dynamic playing on show. The audience didn't seem to mind though.
By heck it was thrilling and visceral, but at times the volume was simply two dimensional even with the best bands. Dynamic subtlety is becoming a lost art even here. I don't think we heard one mp all day.
The sheer technical virtuosity was something to behold though, but at times musically it was like setting light to a box of fireworks made by Willy Wonka and standing back out of harm's way of the extra loud bangs.
The best today though was Treize Etoiles, not perfect but ever so classy and with so many levels of ensemble balance that could be heard, with a thrilling Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern behind them. Then it's Valaisia for us with Fribourg.
As for a winner?
Yesterday we went for Luzern from Treize Etoile by the smallest of margins with Valaisia and Valaisian close behind.
Today we go the other way with Treize Etoile from Luzern and Valaisia close together and Fribourg.
Overall it's perhaps a toss up between Luzern and Treize Etoiles — depending on who the judges fancy from yesterday more.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 16:14:20
Excellence Division:
10. Ensemble de Cuivres Melodia A (Vincent Baroni)
Sand and Stars (Thierry Deleruyelle)
'Sand and Stars' is the fourth in a chronological series written by Delruyelle marking each decade of the 20th century.
It's six linked sections are inspired by the fateful journey undertaken by French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who hoped to break the record for a flight between Paris and Saigon in 1935.
Unfortunately, he and his co-pilot crashed in the Libyan Desert where he believed they would perish in the midst's of "the wind, the sand and the stars."
However, with hope running out they come across a Bedouin traveller and are saved — the work concluding in a brilliant finale.
It wouldn't be an own-choice contest without this hugely popular work being included and you can tell why as Melodia get right into the style and sense of adventure from the word go.
The Swiss gave the world Toblerone, but this was 'Fry's Turkish Delight' with Libyan knobs on — played with a splendid richness of colour and excitement. The crash thumped into the ground, the propeller spinning like a wonky air conditioning fan as it came to a halt.
A fine sense of the forlorn permeated the music as the men wandered aimlessly in search of salvation. Just the occasional moment when the dry desert air cracked with a little error, but so much of this had a stamp of quality.
Super build, neat and intriguing in its semi quaver work made for the anguished euph cry. Again the odd scratch or bit of camouflage work didn't detract too much.
Then along comes the fortuitous travelling Bedouin with what seemed a lively old belly dancing troop in tow for a fun packed wink of the ruby navel stone and sashaying hips.
It is played with a hungry enthusiasm and great style, all the way to close — emboldened with exotic triumphalism.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 15:48:46
Excellence Division:
9. Brass Band Fribourg A (Florent Didier)
Other Lives (Oliver Waespi)
Oliver Waespi's composition reflects on the intriguing theme of imaginary lives — or certain stages of a single life re-interpretated through different emotional states that morph basic musical material into something new through expression.
The opening is derived from 'Der Doppelganger', one of Franz Schubert's late songs which itself is a haunting memorial to things past and lost, familiar but inherently different.
'Rage' has an agitated character, whilst the ensuing 'Reflection' turns back to the initial chord progression. 'Redemption', is a widely spaced sound field that references Schubert's song of reflective understanding, 'Ruckblick'.
'Farewell' sees an abstract musical transformation trigger an emotional change, before the final 'Renewal' returns to the grim atmosphere of the first section — although transformed into an energetic exuberance of a fulfilled life.
Oliver Waespi's cultured take on Sliding Doors meets the Manchurian Candidate is a fascinating exploration of the 'what if' paradox.
The music expresses those sentiments — the band playing with an authoritative sense of purpose in the subtle shifts that initially don't sound marked but veer off in new directions with alacrity.
Superb tuned playing underpinned the somewhat frenetic drive, but the opening third of the piece was impressively delivered. The euph sang with a lovely forlorn melancholy and other lead lines also drew deep into the emotional well.
Just got a little overwrought in places, but it was deliberately heart on sleeve stuff, led by top notch baritone, before we reached the 'flick over' point from minor to major and that future sense of optimism. The climax rang out gloriously.
Always thought the yeehaw midwest rodeo finale a curiosity, but if it's a sliding doors trip then who knows?
It's all a yippe ki-yah! and Swiss folk song climax, but what a way to round off a cracking performance.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 15:23:23
Excellence Division:
8. Brass Band Berner Oberland (Veronique Gyger)
Dark Road (Thomas Doss)
From the personal reflections of our world to the long road home for the second new work we will hear today from Thomas Doss.
The premise is found in the words that set his musical journey out...
The dark street takes us on a journey through different mood landscapes and atmospheres. The speed of the music is constantly changing and occasionally even allows us to freak out a bit before it picks up speed again.
It is a somewhat surreal journey that we take with Mr Doss here — a road trip adventure of darkness and light, the surreal and classical as we make our way home via stop offs from everywhere from old renaissance hunting lodges to the Bates Motel.
The main flugel motif is like a twisted version of the opening line to "I don't know how to love him' from Jesus Christ Superstar.
The band play it though with such authority (aided by great perc), making musical sense of the mix and match genres. The trombone (as with other main leads) is a delight as oddly we head into what seems like a Caribbean theme night at the court of Queen Bess.
The oddities return time and time again — effects and motifs that spring up like startled deer ready to be run over in the headlights of your car. Then it's back in time for another few kilometers up the road before its foot to the metal with a bluesy Quincey Jones rock ride home with the ghostly baroque passengers in the wake.
Got to say — and despite the fine playing on show from a fully committed band and MD — that I didn't know that to make of that at all — right to the three knocks on the front door to say you've arrived home to the dog.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 14:39:04
Excellence Division:
7. Liberty Brass Band (Stefan Roth)
Magnetism (Gilles Rocha)
Liberty opt for a piece that was played last year here and made a fine impression.
Those who are familiar with the writing of the talented Mr Rocha can guess that his exploration of the diametric forces of magnetism is sure to be colourful and virtuosic. There is no forward story to the piece with the score although it quickly showcases the musics polarity — quick, slow, loud, fast etc.
Certain motifs are identified and returned to emphasis the differences in lead lines and ensemble.
It is the balance between though that forms the core — the point that attraction becomes repulsion with the finale deliberately 'explosive' as he says.
What a hoot of a piece — packed to the rafters with wizardy effects, dayglo colourings and a power generation that could rip the fillings out of your mouth and onto the stage. It was packed like an Amazon warehouse with goodies for immediate delivery to the stage though.
How it all came together was hard to fathom at times — as the mix of formulas to create a high would have had Walter White in 'Breaking Bad' seeking chemical help from the composer. Bravo perc.
The playing was splendidly over the top too in places, but balanced by the reflective moments (if you could call them that), that had a delicious weirdness about them. Solo cornet and flugel were tender artists amongst the tinkling Salvador Dali accompaniment.
The mood changes though leapt upon you before disappearing like a robber in the night. Nothing lingered, every flipped one way and then another. So odd but also fun.
MD let the leash go to close — feral playing, but wonderfully so. It was Van der Graff generator stuff to make your hair stand on end. The audience responded as if they had 20,000 volts shot through them.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 14:11:40
Excellence Division:
6. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Frederic Theodoloz)
A Gabrieli Fantasy (Bert Appermont)
The work is an exploration of an octet composition 'Canzon in Diouble Ech a 12' written in 1608 by Italian composer Giovani Gabrieli. It is developed through five linked elements based on a triple chorus band structure — the three groups both separate and co-joined.
The central group is positioned behind the main ensemble to act as a musical echo to 'choirs' spaciously flanked each side of it.
Part 1 ('Canzon') is formed from the original melody but adapted quickly into virtuosic passages as well as choral and tutti themes of a 'Toccata'.
A 'Chorale' creates dissonance and mystery based on four tones of the original Canzon, whilst the 'Scherzo' that follows also adapts the thematic cell but in a completely new identity — including a sarcastic canon between the three groups.
The finale returns the music to its theme — hammering motifs and virtuosic scalic passages adding to the ornate colourings of neo-baroque inspiration.
The prestissimo ending adds all the elements together for an overwhelming climax.
Appermont's hugely demanding works asks so much of the players from the off, and here there was some unease amid the razor sharp precision in the baroque opening choir.
Thereafter though we were treated to ensemble playing of such rich virtuosity, balance and deftness of touch — coloured both vibrantly and with subtle shadings; distorted, expanded or simply adapted in various contrapuntal or canonic variants.
The bridge to the central section was an arc of understanding followed by a finely tempered delicacy from lead lines and ensemble. Nothing saccharin about this. Just the odd moment to note but the solo cornet lead to the close was sumptuous — the climax layered like a wedding cake.
The scherzo finale fairly flew with stunning virtuosity on show from each lead. The baritone must have had six fingers on his hand and sop was freakish in the best possible way.
The wow stuff carried on to the end — but played with huge dynamic contrast and control to the baroque reprise in gloriously bonkers renaissance fashion — like Henry VIII on an acid trip.
Seat of the pants stuff, but what pants — huge and made of atomic energy. No wonder the audience exploded.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 13:39:08
Excellence Division:
5. Oberaargauer Brass Band (Herve Grelat)
Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
The work is part of Deleruyelle's chronological series of the 20th century that has since included 'No Man's Land', 'Crazy Twenties' and 'Sand and Stars'.
It is inspired by the tragic 1906 mining disaster in Douai in France that claimed over 1,000 lives
The musical narrative, with nods of appreciation to composer Paul Dukas amongst others is set in seven linked sections; from the 'Black Land' and 'Towering Colliery' above ground, to the journey to the face to extract the coal.
The catastrophe is ignited by a frenzied forcefulness, the prelude to which is the ghostly on-rush of air through instruments — life or death.
The aftermath sees the solemn task of bringing out the dead, which draws the music into a bleak paean of reflection, before ending in uplifting fashion in the form of a 'Fraternity Prayer' that pays tribute to those lost.
A work that has retained both its popularity and its ability to challenge bands of the highest calibre was presented with dramatic impact here even if at times it was not completely mastered.
The mix of the musical realism of Emile Zola's 'Germinal' meets the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' is a hard trick to pull off, but after the imposing sounds of the trip to the shaft head and decent to the face led by the euph and cornet (doing well with a neat bit of help) the band got to industrious work.
Lots of well delivered ensemble work played with dislocated rhythmic cohesion found a fine seam of quality before the explosive air and chaos. That was also well portrayed — frantic and increasingly desperate, the MD driving the music onwards.
The trombone chorale was a little inconclusive but it led into a wonderfully lyrical paean of grief led by a beautifully melancholic cornet, sorrowful sop and tender flugel. The growth in the full blown prayer was bel canto passion — with an organ-like foundation from tubas.
Just the odd clip detracted from the heartfelt final chord.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 13:01:19
Excellence Division:
4. Ensemble de Cuivres Jurassien A (Thomas Wyss)
The Untold Story (Louis Kroni)
Jurassien return to a composition they performed here in 2018 with Swiss composer Louis Kroni's reflections (he is the band's soprano player) on one of the most tragic and mysterious aviation disasters in history the loss of Malaysian flight MH370.
It's disappearance somewhere on its flight path between Kuala Lumpar and Beijing in March 2014 has never been resolved, or the wreckage found. It remains as the composer states; 'La Grande enigma'.
The work traces the effect on the families left to ponder the fate of the 239 passengers; from the optimism of the 'Night Flight' to the 'Loss of Contact' through, 'Fear', 'Pain' and 'Misunderstanding' to 'Anger' and 'Mystery'.
It is a piece that asks whether the mystery will ever be resolved or the pain of those left behind ever healed.
Some eight years or so on from this tragedy it still retains a distinct, visceral impact of raw emotion, incomprehension and anger.
The cohesive momentum and a disturbing sense of anxiety that came immediately from the off stage cornet opening drove the music forward.
There was a sense of dread though that filled the music that was so well portrayed in its growing intensity, before the take off phase and the flight into the sky — still dark but fast paced and dramatic.
Finely judged balances and detail shone through — the lost connection of loved ones yearning for news amid diminishing hope expressed by yearning solo lines. Fear next though, drawn in the tension in the ensemble writing that permeated through before acceptance in the form of a finely played cornet solo.
The deliberately unsettling feel remains — the MD shaping things with such respectful understatement before allowing full vent to the incomprehension — frantic, haphazard and dislocated
It ends though underpinned by an mysterious earthly humming and anger, the full force of the band bringing all the tension to bear before a resolving final chord.
Interesting and engaging that on many levels.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 24, 12:38:32
Excellence Division:
3. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc)
This World (Thomas Doss)
We haven't heard a great deal from the pen of Thomas Doss of late but we have two new works here today starting with this very personal reflection of the world he and we all live on...
"This one, unique, wonderful world we live in. On which we love, laugh, mourn, cry, fear. On which we beget, give birth, kill and destroy.
Just see this world from outside..."
The opening muted chorale was pianissimo simplicity itself (although with a fingerprint trombone glissando effect underpinning it) with an oblique hint of a take on 'Jesus Joy of man's desire" before we plunged into the huge canvas of textures, effects and microcosm detail.
Those familiar Doss structures were melded and moulded brilliantly — packed with drama, drive and Mike Tyson bass drum thumps to the skull.
The contrasts were offered with the lyrical interlude with a touch of the baroque meets the blues — led by incredible euph. There was a wonderfully dirty swagger about this — like the wiggle of Marilyn Monroe in 'Some Like it Hot.' Phew!
A quick detour into the Kasbah before fluidity was restored with a 'spiriti' viscosity and the overarching links to the core material.
It was triumphant playing, resplendent in its balance and sheer scope before we had the frantic spearhead drive to the close — aimed right between the eyes of the audience.
Iwan Fox
