Black Dyke reasserted its claim to be the best band in Britain on Saturday, as under the direction of Dr Nicholas Childs they retained their National title at the Royal Albert Hall with a performance of Peter Graham’s ‘The Torchbearer’ that according to the judges contained, ‘… golden moments’ of music making.

22nd victory

It gave the band from Queensbury its 22nd victory at the contest, as well as providing their conductor with his fifth title in the past decade.

No Grand Slam

The MD was aware that his band entered the contest as the underdog on the day, as rivals Cory were favourites to take another inexorable step towards completing a ‘Golden Grand Slam’.

He also told 4BR, with tongue perhaps slightly stuck in his cheek, that his fourth win had somewhat surreal parallels with his first with Foden’s in 1999.

Black Dyke’s MD certainly took risks with the performance of the test piece, with the use of mutes to enhance low level dynamic textures, but they were risks that came off with the men in the box4BR

Number 5

As then, his band was drawn number 5 and he had even subconsciously bought a number 5 box in the Grand Tier of the hall with a number 5 seat in it – the same as 10 years ago.

Risks

Black Dyke’s MD certainly took risks with the performance of the test piece, with the use of mutes to enhance low level dynamic textures, but they were risks that came off with the men in the box.

Dyke’s marker could not be matched by Cory though, and the rather philosophical Welsh band had to be content with third place on the day. “We knew we didn’t quite do enough,” one player told 4BR after the results.

The heavyweight contenders were matched together in the early part of the draw, Dyke at 5, Cory following at 6, with the other short priced favourites, Foden’s, at 9.

Foden's disappointment

Cory’s disappointment though was nothing compared to that of Foden’s, who were many people’s favourite to take the title back to Sandbach for the first time since 1999.

Their performance under Garry Cutt, seemed to resonate with the majority of neutral observers in the hall, but not quite in the box, where Messer’s Read, Broadbent and King placed them second – their third consecutive runner up spot at the contest.

Not even the gracious condolences from a number of Black Dyke players in the pub afterwards could hide their acute depression at the result – not even the news that the peerless Glyn Williams once again won the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ award on the day.

Rothwell joy

There was joy though in the Rothwell Temperance camp (and some not very temperance celebrations too) as the Yorkshire band put behind them their disappointment of the British Open to secure a richly deserved fourth place, with an impressive performance at the tail end of the contest.

North East

Meanwhile, there will be celebrations too in the North East, as Reg Vardy, posted their best return at the Albert Hall since 2004 to come fifth, whilst there was a return to form for Carlton Main, who produced their best playing of the 2009 season to pick up sixth place.

However, outside the top places, there may well be a few bands left scratching their heads after they found out their fates, with a number of fancied runners failing to make any sort of impression with the men in the box.

To the winners the glory though and the thought of trying to make it a National hat-trick in 2010.

Result:
Test piece: The Torchbearer — Symphonic Variations on a Theme by Eric Ball, Peter Graham
Adjudicators: David Read, David King, Derek Broadbent
Draw: 0830-0900hrs
Commences: 10.00hrs

Results:

1. Black Dyke, Dr. Nicholas Childs, 5
2. Fodens, Garry Cutt, 9
3. Cory, Dr. Robert Childs, 6
4. Rothwell Temperance, David Roberts, 19
5. Reg Vardy, Stephen Roberts, 3
6. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, Russell Gray, 11
7. Flowers, Paul Holland, 14
8. Camborne Town, Richard Evans, 12
9. Co-operative Funeralcare, Michael Fowles, 1
10. Newstead Brass, Duncan Beckley, 20
11. Fairey, Philip Chalk, 13
12. Zone One, Richard Ward, 18
13. Hepworth (Cookson Homes), Frank Renton, 10
14. Tredegar, Ian Porthouse, 17
15. Redbridge Brass, Jeremy Wise, 4
16. Desford Colliery, James Gourlay, 7
17. Kirkintilloch, Selmer Simonsen, 8
18. Northop, Thomas Wyss, 2
19. Pemberton Old Wigan DW, Mark Bentham, 16
20. East Yorkshire Motor Services, Jason Katsikaris, 15

Best Instrumentalist:
Glyn Williams, euphonium, Foden's