Additional thoughts and comments on our Twitter site:
www.twitter.com/4barsrest

SECTION 4

Test piece: Alta Vista, Bruce Fraser
Saturday 26 September
Commences following the Awards Ceremony for Section 2
Adjudicators: David Horsfield and Roy Roe

What do we think?

Overall it has been a disappointing standard in the Fourth Section today – and it wasn’t the fault of the piece either.

Not many MDs really got to grips with the music, leaving their bands to struggle against the odds.

Still, two very good shows from St Breward and Cheshire Constabulary that should see them clear at the top.

Behind them it’s a closer run thing, but Dronfield, Eccles, Rivington & Adlington and Fairfield (Buxton) make up out top six.

1. St Breward
2. Cheshire Constabulary
3. Dronfield
4. Eccles
5. Rivington & Adlington
6. Fairfield (Buxton)

Live comments:

Brass Sounds Inverclyde, Gareth Bowman, Scotland, 19

CN Tower: Lots of purpose but it is a touch on the fruity side with the volume. Needs a little more control but the notes are nearly all in place.

Empire State: It’s that filigree work once more that hurts… we’ve said that before… The flow is there and a nice whimsical feel but the execution varies. The dislocation flows well but it just lacks focus on the reprise.

Sears Tower: Best playing this. More control and purpose and real vibrancy. Just tires as we get to the end.

Overall: Too uneven today to make a mark we feel, but there were signs that the right building blocks were in place.

Star player: Euph – impressed with the individual and section work throughout.

Maltby Miners Welfare, Terry Clifford, Yorkshire, 18

CN Tower: It’s big and bold and a bit brash this. It has the drive and energy though but a little more dynamics contrast would help. Top flugel, but ensemble not quite in the same class.

Empire State: It’s the filigree work once again that hurts. Tuning is wayward but there is flow and style. Not all lost then! It improves but it is playing catch up. Fine playing to end.

Sears Tower: The performance has really found its feet now – led by a classy flugel. This is a different band. Drive and purpose to close.

Overall: A performance that took its time to flourish. When it did – it was some of the best playing today.

Star player: Flugel – Another top class flugel player today. A fine individual performance.

St. Breward Silver, Derek Greenwood, West of England, 17

CN Tower: We’ve waited a long time for this quality – cracking stuff! Wavers a little but super flugel leads things back on track. Just gets a touch OTT to close but it’s a fine start.

Empire State: A little scrappy but it recovers with flow and precision too. Odd moments but there is a real sense of whimsical style to this in dislocated section especially. Just rocks in reprise but closes so well.

Sears Tower: More style and substance too. Little blips but it doesn’t detract. Vibrant but controlled playing right to a super end.

Overall: Well done MD and players. There was a stamp of Cornish class here. Should be in the frame for us!

Star player: Flugel – Take a bow. This was playing that would have graced any section.

Downton, Roland Wright, West of England, 16

CN Tower: Plenty of drive and energy, but it doesn’t need the edginess in tone. The over blowing takes away the character and quality. Less in more – much less in fact.

Empire State: The dynamics have list any relevance. The notes are played but the volume kills any whimsical sense of style. More risk could have been taken surely MD? Solid enough though.

Sears Tower: Energy and excitement but it’s rough and tumble. Just a bit more control is needed to make this shine. A real old bash to close.

Overall: With a bit more self control of dynamics there was a really good performance waiting to emerge here.

Star player: Percussion – the one section that kept a lid on things.

Thurcroft Welfare, Ken Vernon, Yorkshire, 15

CN Tower: Certainly full of brio but it is untidy and scrappy as a result. Just needs a touch of dynamic control too – it is a bit one dimensional. A bit of a messy end spoils.

Empire State: Confident stuff – filigree work is handled well. Questions arise on some tempos though. Why the speed? It’s played but lacks character. Good close rounds things off.

Sears Tower: More pace and the band respond too. It has its moments this and it is exciting. Just loses focus to the end for us.

Overall: A bit idiosyncratic this – a very individual take on the piece p- but well played.

Star player: Flugel – rock solid and very tasteful playing in all 4 movements.

Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes, Steven Askew, North of England, 14

CN Tower: Deliberate style and intent takes a while to find its feet with a few too many slips. They drive on through with more energy but the fragility does show through.

Empire State: Well done horn – tastefully done. Filigree work nearly comes off and there is an understated sense of style. Dislocation flows but that fragility shows again unfortunately.

Sears Tower: Bravely played. It sounds a bit tired but everyone battles through and it has energy and bravura to the end.

Overall: One that struggled at times but always tried to capture the vibrancy of the writing.

Star player: Solo horn – lots of tasteful moments.

Wantage Silver ‘B’, Danny Dullforce, London and Southern Counties, 13

CN Tower: Energetic start has a warm precision and tone. Good ensemble sounds mask the odd bit of trouble here and there. Gets scrappy towards the close and the tuning has gone AWOL. Recovers just in time.

Empire State: Filigree work exposes fragilities but solo lines compensate. There is a nice flow to the dislocated sections and this gives confidence for the rest of the movement. Not bad at all.

Sears Tower: Takes a little while to get going but when it does it is not bad stuff. It sounds a little tired in places but holds it style to the end.

Overall: A bit of a mixed bag of musical constructions. Will stand up there but perhaps not quite a stage mention.

Star player: Solo horn and flugel – played as a pair and linked well throughout.

Peebles Burgh Silver, Alan Fernie, Scotland, 12

CN Tower: Plenty of energy and drive if a little hit and miss in some individual motifs. It keeps its pace and rhythmic pulse through the Apache call and to the call.

Empire State: It flows stylishly but the fragility is obvious. The intent is there but not quite the execution. Dislocated flow is maintained but the return of the filigree work is not so good. Neatly closed.

Sears Tower: More like it! Confident and vibrant and with that pulse to keep momentum. Just tires to end.

Overall: A performance that really tried hard to capture the styles required even if it didn’t quite come off.

Star player: Solo cornet – led from the front and did her band proud.

Battle Town, Jon Penton, London and Southern Counties, 11

CN Tower: A considered approach nearly comes off – just needs the occasional input of pace and dynamic. A little loose in places but it has a neat style. Perc drops one in the last bar!

Empire State: Another considered approach even if the filigree work is wayward. Well doe horn! Not everything comes off but the style has a warm whimsy. A little bumpy to close.

Sears Tower: Careful MD! It gets a bit excitable and messy and takes time to settle. Horns and flugel do just that. Now its good stuff right to the controlled end.

Overall: One that was ruled by the head and not the over excited heart – and that made it a good one.

Star player: Solo cornet – well played that girl! A really stylish bit of playing.

Our top 3 at the halfway point?

1. Cheshire Constab
2. Dronfield
3. Eccles / Fairfield

Eccles Borough, Les Webb, North West, 10

CN Tower: Well it’s certainly big and bold – and a bit of a bashing in places. It’s as red raw as a Chicago ribeye steak. It certainly made an impact this.

Empire State: Has flow and style if a little untidy. Tarzan calls in horns don’t really summon Jane. It’s confident playing though and has controlled dislocated feel. Just a bit lumpy to close.

Sears Tower: Energetic playing full of vibrancy and purpose. We hear contrasts amid some untidy playing. Fair old finish holds focus.

Overall: Another good one this – went for it in style and volume at times but it was one that caught the imagination.

Star player: Percussion – neat, tidy and unobtrusive. Just how they should be!

Cheshire Constabulary, David Woollam, North West, 9

CN Tower: What a good sound. Bold and round and maintains drive and precision. Nearly all there. Tasteful Apache call to close a confident opening.

Empire State: Lovely floe and stylish intent. Odd blips but so what it is played so confidently. The whimsy is back and well played too.

Sears Tower: Good solid playing with energy and balance too. There is something in reserve too for bold ending. Bravo!

Overall: A good one this. A times very good indeed. The understanding of the work from the MD and players was on show all the through.

Star player: Flugel horn – lovely stuff right from the off and right to the end.

Fairfield (Buxton), Charles Kitchen, Midlands, 8

CN Tower: Big, bold and a bit bashful, but it has drive and energy by the bucketful. Bravo sop – not many will get these runs today! A touch harsh maybe but it has character this.

Empire State: More confidence. Solid stuff and dislocation has flow too. Well done horns – Tarzan calls work clearly! A little one paced as we progress but the notes are played well.

Sears Tower: More of the same. A kittle bland at times but the basics are all in place. That could count in their favour today . Just the odd uneasy moment to close.

Overall: Another good one that just needed a touch more contrast to have really shined. Lots to like though.

Star player: Sop – played with no fear. A fully paid up member of the union.

Dronfield CMW, John Davis, Midlands, 7

CN Tower: Real purpose drive and energy. Little scrappy edges but its bold playing and very confident – even the Apache Indian call near ends sounds authentic. Good start this.

Empire State: Decent efforts at the filigree work. Confidence is not in short supply even if that sense of whimsy is at times missing.

Sears Tower: More confident playing borne of sensible direction. A good quality closing movement and something in reserve as well to end.

Overall: The leader for us and by a few floors in this Harrogate skyscraper. One to look out for.

Star player: Solo cornet – led from the front and didn’t put a foot worng.

Rivington and Adlington, Malcolm Wilson, North West, 6

CN Tower: A bit up and at ‘em at times. It has drive and energy though. Just gets messy in places. Solid motifs but dynamics are lost at times by the end.

Empire State: Good attempt at the style but the filigree work catches out again. Dislocated patterns flow well but return to main theme sees problems. Decent effort though.

Sears Tower: Neatly done with a sense of style and control. Odd blips and tiredness creep into things but it has polish to close.

Overall: Not a bad one this helped by sensible approach by MD. Should hold its own and maybe even more

Star player: Solo horn – neat, tidy and confident in all three movements.

Kirkby Lonsdale, Allan Greenwood, North of England, 5

CN Tower: Takes time to settle but it then has the drive and energy required. It grows in confidence as it progresses with neat individual motifs. A pity about the close.

Empire State: Its that tricky filigree work again that hurts. The whimsical dislocated feel doesn’t always sit well. It needs a touch more confidence for it to shine.

Sears Tower: Purposeful playing is neat and tidy for the most part and there is control too. Best playing so far and it holds form just about to the end.

Overall: Not bad. Struggled a bit in places but overall more plus points than minus.

Star player: Euph – what a fine sound. Really stood out.

Ebbw Vale Town, Ceri Thomas, Wales, 4

CN Tower: It’s driven and powerful but also very untidy at times. Tuning grates a bit too. But it holds its form to the end. Just in need of a bit more precision.

Empire State: Filigree work fluctuates at times but solo lines are well played. Neatly shaped if not always secure. Fine trom and euph. Not quite always whimsical enough.

Sears Tower: It’s a bit lightweight in places. It struggles to capture the style but is solidly played. Just tires to close.

Overall: A bit hit and miss this one. In need of more security for it to really come to life.

Star player: Solo trom – classy contributions throughout made her stand out.

Whitwell, David Fretwell, Midlands, 3

CN Tower: Not always together this. Has the drive and sense of purpose required but it gets wayward at times. Bold close recovers lost ground.

Empire State: Starts well, but it loses focus and the sense of dislocation isn’t always as planned. It’s off beat and tricky but never quite under control.

Sears Tower: Has drive and purpose but it gets a touch mechanical as it progresses. Just fades away to close as stamina just wanes. Untuneful to end.

Overall: Not a bad one at all – A touch uneven but they won’t be alone with that today.

Star player: Solo cornet. Was the centre point around which the performance grew.

Test Valley Brass, Steve Large, West of England, 2

CN Tower: A confident start and we have a real sense of drive and purpose. Well done euph. This is solid playing from all. Good start.

Empire State: A nicely shaped opening even if not all detail is heard cleanly. Solo lines sometimes feel exposure but it recovers its focus to close.

Sears Tower: Neat musical approach is delivered with style and fits the sense of driven purpose. It gets a little overblown but it’s good stuff.

Overall: Very good show. Clean neat and well delivered.

Star player: Eb Bass. Confident and has pizzazz.

Pontypool Brass, Patrick O’Leary, Wales, 1

CN Tower: Powerful stuff to open but the tuning goes AWOL. Flugel shines and so do solo motifs. A good solid close too.

Empire State: The feel of time and place is just about there but tuning exposes frailities. This is testing to the full. It just hangs in there.

Sears Tower: Brave and committed playing. There is a confidence about this. Good perc but it just loses focus and energy to close.

Overall: A decent marker to start but it just faded away.

Star player: Flugel. Solid and confident throughout.