Brass at the Guild
(Lancashire Contests)
Sunday 7th February 2010
Guild Hall, Preston

Championship Section
Draw 2pm
Start Approx 4.30pm
Adjudicator: David Read MBE

Adjudicator's stage comments

"Feast of music from all era's and knowing them so well congratulated all the bands in their attempts. He stated that he had been perhaps 'picky' in his remarks as he had looked for detail and for the bands that got the composer's story through."

4barsrest live comments

Hade Edge (S.Wood) (1)
A Moorside Suite (Gustav Holst)

Perhaps a little untidy to start with a few clipped enties noted. The music progresses with lyrical style but the clips keep catching. Mov 2. has nice horn sounds and after a slightly tentative start it flowers quite nicely unfortunately the clips and splits persist. Mov 3. the cleanest playing by the band that has a foundation ready for the Regionals.

Bactiguard Wire Brass (P.Andrews) (2)
Masquerade (Philip Wilby)

Bright opening with quite recessed sounds. The unfolding band dialogue works quite effectively with 'biting'trombone sounds. Euphonium gives 100% and the band sit neatly beneath. Warm sounds maintain the musical progress in lyrical style. Darker edges are caught and the jagged figures fuse quite well. Conclusion opens with decent lower band sounds and it rapidly fires to a foreceful end.

Freckleton (P.Dalton) (3)
Dances and Arias (Edward Gregson)

Forthright opening with a pointed delivery. Good lower band maintain the pulse and the music continues to drive. The dynamic remains on the top side but not out of character with Eb Bass taking a decent solo line. A solid and driven performance all across with real and dramatically 'punchy' edge when needed.

Pemberton Old Wigan DW (M.Bentham) (4)
Within Blue Empires (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

Just a touch unsettled to open but the mood is felt quite cleary. With the ensemble the band musically uplifts. Solo lines are positive and complimenting. Rhythmically sparkling the band respond with some great sounds. Solo lines from both trom and cornet bring a 'smile' and agreeable 'nod of the head' before the 'whale-sounds' appear. All is nicely complimented to a sparkling and most positive close.

Blackpool Brass (C.Larder) (5)
Epic Symphony (Percy Fetcher)

A clean and positive start just finds the link to the solo cornet line challenging and tuning issues are noticable as the movement closes. The horn address to mov.2 is steady but not consuming. Cornet solos are good and euph compliments before steady close. Good opening sets scene for a confident final section that moves rhythmically to a good close, only a tentative transitional section interupts the flow.

Newstead Welfare (D.Beckley) (6)
Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)

Good opening but first percussion bridge is just off the mark before the band ensemble makes a neat transition and the music now fits quite well. Solo lines are developed neatly to the lilting theme were all is at ease with the music. The band have now found their platform and have raised their performance level by a couple of notches. The rapid figures are confident over the broad thematic line without being overstated leading to a good ending.

Blackburn & Darwen (N.Sheppard) (7)
Lowry Sketchbook (Philip Wilby)

Bold and confident opening has a broad and solid ensemble. Strongly accented solo lines figure well and the whole has a confident feel and good tuned percussion compliments the developing picture. Following a lovely dim. to close mov.1 the slow section maintains its confidence and the band keep tight. The final section asks plenty esp. form lower band but they work hard and keep their shape. Again perhaps dynamically a bit on the strong side at times but a performance of real merit to round out the contest day.

Section 2
Draw 11am
Start 1.20pm
Adjudicator: Malcolm Brownbill

Adjudicator's stage comments

Remarks from stage: "Good choices in the main but looked for balance in playing and commented on many remarks about this. Some good enthusiastic playing but quiet playing proved costly. Quite clear winner and points seperate bands quite clearly"

4barsrest live comments

Oldham Lees (J.Collins) (1)
A Moorside Suite (Gustav Holst)

1). Country sounds as expected and the band overcome the musical picture questions posed very well. The odd clip and split but overall quite rewarding. 2). The good opening with confidence continues all through the movement. 3). Solid and direct in style with plenty of breadth given when required. A good performance to start things off.

Pilling Jubilee (B.Porter) (2)
Variations on Laudate Dominum (Edward Gregson)

Most controlled opening but just a touch loose as the theme establishes but with again broad warm sound featuring as the mood melds. All across the music at pace tended to have less cohesion before establishing itself. A performance of complete contrasts in quick and the slow where warm and nutured sounds captured the attention.

Morecambe (A.Warriner) (3)
Triptych for Brass Band (Philip Sparke)

Verve and direct driven sounds fill the hall — no lack of commitment here! A lovely slow section 'Thernody' unfolds with real passion just a touch sticky to close but nice playing. The finale has drive and leads home with a good steady snare & percussion team holding the rhythmic drive.

Knottigley (O.Wedgewood) (4)
Kingdom of the Dragons (Philip Harper)

Solid opening but the percussion just rush the brass as the movement begins to unfold. Lead into 'mechanico' is driven and the section moves with that relentless edge. Slower lyrical movement moves quite 'straight' in the main. The percussion solo is clean in timing but has little clarity. The carillon sings but the fugato finale is all about speed and quite frenetic.
Sets a very good platform in the development of the work for the Regionals though.

Greenalls (K.Stott) (5)
Kaleidoscope (Philip Sparke)

Steady opening but the timing between sections is a little lost towards its close. Rhythmically well described, the music delivered an exiting interlude before a lilting figure secured the performance. Nice solo work precluded the final section of quite driven and bold ensemble work. A performance of quite noted contrasts in playing.

Lostock Hall (J.Wood) (6)
Kaleidoscope (Philip Sparke)

Warm broad sounds described but some tuning catches as the work opening unfolds. The driven figure has a sparkle but the linking section catches in the lower band. At one in a bar the moves pushed forward with quite a purpose before a lovely cornet solo. Just the odd slip and slide in transition before the rhythmic and dynamic conclusion with lots of character.

Old Hall (J.North) (7)
Resurgam (Eric Ball)

A fairly clean start but just the odd catch on enties is observed but a nice balance keeps the ensemble sounds in context. Dark emotions are sought by MD as the thematic lines develop. Nice euphonim tone but again cornets catch as the detached quavers loom. The sombre tones truly convince and a darkness pervades the whole. The final section reaches a nice calm to conclude a performance certainly to be noted one of the truly dark side!

Skelmersdale (J.Ludden) (8)
Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

A steady opening with things cetainly kept in reserve. Trombones lead with conviction before solo cornet and horn take control. The troms and bass end are making sure their presence is not going to go unnoticed when the music dynamics permit. The nicely secured slower figure's unfolding is well judged. The development towards its bouyed close is well plotted by the MD to round out a generally solid performance.

Tyldesley (R.Taylor) (9)
Symphony of Marches (Gilbert Vinter)

Opening stretches the upper band but the style is clearly mapped and well delivered. The patterns fitting well like a piece of filigree jewelry across the sections. Dark and somber reflections are neatly captured in the second movement. The final movement being delivered with real confidence, perhaps the clips will prove costly however this section in the main had a number of performances that had character to enjoy.

Section 3
Pre-draw
Start 10am
Adjudicator: Roy Sparkes

Adjudicator's stage comments

Remarks from stage: "Pleased with standard of playing and above what he expected, a super morning's music making and a highlight. Sensible choice of works with winners in his words 'terrific".

4barsrest live comments

1.Coppull and Standish (G.Martin)
Dimensions (Peter Graham)

A tidy start full of verve with neat transition to slower movement was built upon with pleasing solist work and confident style. This standard was maintained and this continued to a solid close. A great marker to commence this popular competition.

2.Blackley (A.Smith)
The Four Noble Truths (Philip Sparke)

Decent start with plenty of vibrancy just odd intonation moment but an edgy start just troubles the slower progression of the piece. The whole continued with a logical development but overall the weaker moments in tuning may prove costly.

3.Rivington & Adlington (M.Wilson)
Roman Triptych (L.Baker)

Plenty of purpose with lower band confidently pushing the music forward. Although the tuning was slightly suspect at times the overall the character of the music was nicely upheld with a some sensible dynamics and neat percussion.

4.Trinity Girls (S.Barton)
Dimensions (Peter Graham)

Clear statement of musical intent from the first note where lots of rhythmic and accented detail is heard. The strong solo lines give the music confident direction to the whole making this a quite strong section in the making.

5.Farnworth & Walkden (P.Ashley)
Saint-Saëns Variations (Philip Sparke)

The Regional 4th Section piece gets an airing and is certainly given a decent show. Fitting together the musical threads just plays out its hand and these are in the main sensibly managed but it is more tuning issues that catch the ear as things progress and probably noted in the box.

6.Eccleston (I.Bateson)
Kingdom of the Dragons (P.Harper)

After the Regional 4th Section piece the 2nd Section music gets its chance to shine. The demanding opening causes a few scrapes but the driven style required is sought. The mechanical sounds are quite pacy and accelerate giving a troubling fractured feel. The extended choral sounds have a some presence leading to a good percussion link and fairly solid fugato close.

7.Gawthorpe Brass (S.Bradnum)
Labour and Love (Percy Fletcher)

The 3rd Section regional work now compliments the musical selections and quickly asserts itself. The band make a decent fist though keeping their concentration but it is in the supporting figures and the interwoven slower solo work where things are sometimes exposed. Overall though a geneally rewarding interpretation.

8.Lofthouse 2000 (A.Whitaker)
Labour and Love (Percy Fletcher)

A solid start the quicker figures have a strong and confident placement but again the slower musical threads are the real testers where the band's tuning and phrasing are challenged fully. A decent show setting itself clearly in the work in progress arena.

9.Thornton Cleveleys (S.Simpson)
Oceans (Goff Richards)

The MD encourages a broad sound picture to be painted with quite a level balance that has the musical figures linking quite well. A few strident upper band sounds catch the ear and the Caribbean interlude is a bit of a 'choppy' sea but overall the perfomance has a greater number of pleasing and confident threads outweighed than negative ones.

10.Hoover (Bolton) (T.Halliwell)
Labour and Love (Percy Fletcher)

With the North West Regional looming the 3rd section work gets another visit. Its a bit of broken record but again it is the exposed musical pictures that pose the challenge but their are really positive signs with effective trombone and pricipal cornet solos. The quicker passages move with a paurpose being very clean with dynamic playing from top cornet to the basses and percussion.