Strange as it may seem but it is now 33 years since we last heard a piece of music by Eric Ball played at the Championship National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall.

Enigma

In 2003 bands played his arrangement of some of the variations from Elgar’s ‘Enigma’ – but you have to go back to the 1976 for the last time one of his compositions was actually played.

Wayfarer

That year Black Dyke took the honours on ‘Sinfonietta – The Wayfarer’ – the third time since 1945 that they had won on an Eric Ball piece at the Finals.

Eric Ball enjoyed the atmosphere of the Albert Hall – his introductory note to ‘Kensington Concerto’ certainly showed that, and the facts also show that he made more appearances here than just about anyone except Vera Lynn and Eric Clapton.

Test pieces

His test pieces were as follows:

1956: Festival Music
1967: Journey into Freedom
1969: High Peak
1972: Kensington Concerto
1976: Sinfonietta – The Wayfarer

Curiously, he also conducted four consecutive performances in one go at the 1950 contest — bringing three bands into the prizes4BR

Judge

In addition he judged at the contest 13 times too – from 1960 to his last appearance in 1983.

Then he also conducted 24 bands from 1945 to 1958, including the winners, Brighouse & Rastrick in 1946.

Curious

Curiously he also conducted four bands in succession at the 1950 contest (Ransome, CWS (Manchester), Brighouse & Rastrick and City of Coventry drawn 6,7, 8 & 9) bringing three into the prizes – the longest single conducting appearance at the Nationals since the War.