The 2010 Senior Trophy is taking place at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.
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Saturday 15th May
Test Piece: 'Le Roi D'Ys' — Edouard Lalo
Draw: 10.00am
Commence: 11.00am
The Spanish Hall
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs and Richard Marshall
Live comments by Dave Tinker
What do we think?:
This was a very stern test of the bands here today. Not many, if any came through completely unscathed and there were some pretty average performances — not helped by many MDs taking no notice of the acoustic.
The general level of euphonium playing was very good though and hats off to everyone of them. The MDs may wish to have a closer look in the mirror when it comes to tempos and dynamics. Many didn't help their bands.
The top six was fairly clear for us with Beaumaris a clear winner from Zone One in second place. Both were a good musical yard or two in front of the rest of the field.
Blackburn & Darwen and Wakefield Metropolitan deserve their promotion, whilst Northop and Friary Guildford should make the top six after performances that caught the ear due to their musicality.
4BR Prediction:
1. Beamuaris
2. Zone One
3. Blackburn & Darwen
4. Wakefield Metropolitan
5. Northop
6. Friary Guildford
Full official results to follow around 5.30pm
20. Friary Guildford Brass (Chris King)
Well balanced opening is safety first. Flugel is a fine voice to lead but not everything lese falls into the same classy category around it.
Allegro is well paced with a bright feel and precise cornets and the following lead to the euphonium solo is also well handled by one and all.
Euph shines and so does sop, so it is a disappointment when it gets touch overblown and messy in the finale — they let their hearts rule their heads here. Big old finish just sounds a touch tired and harsh.
Overall: A performance that had the potential to have been a cracker. It was a decent one, but an opportunity perhaps missed.
19. Knottingley Silver (Dr Owen Wedgwood)
A nervous opening lacks security and takes time to finds its feet. Nasty little errors robs the well thought out approach and the build to the allegro seems hesitant.
Lacks verve and excitement here and this leads into a slightly prosaic euph solo, which needs more security of support in ensemble.
It recovers in the ride for home and the band produce their best playing, but it sounds tired and harsh to close.
Overall: On that found the test right on the limit of the bands's curent abilities.
18. Point of Ayr (John Hinckley)
Atmospheric opening is well handled and flugel plays with an air of confidence as this builds with well paced and placed intensity.
Verve and vitality in allegro which leads to a neat change of pace led by a euphonium of style and poise. Just loses its focus after this as little errors creep in.
Picks up in the ride for home with that controlled sense of excitement — all delivered because of a sensible take on the tempo by the MD.
Overall: A performance of musical credit this. Not perfect by any means, but one that was ruled by the head and not the heart.
17. Yorkshire Co-op (Simon Kerwin)
Another band that has worked on the opening few bars — good solid stuff. Nice solo cornet and flugel set the scene and the allegro is played with a controlled excitement.
Some poor intonation robs the musical picture in lead to euph solo, and from here on it becomes insecure. Not great this at all, and a pity as what went before was good. The ride for home is once again played with admirable control and allows for the bold ending to sound impressive.
Overall: A might have been performance. If they could have played the middle section as good as the opening and close, it might have been more of a contender.
16. Easington Colliery Brass (Nigel Steadman)
A safe opening is well negotiated and flugel is a tasteful voice is a little light. Build to allegro is well handled but it needs a touch more sparkle here — it sounds a touch bland.
Link to solo is not good and it doesn't quite settle in solo lines thereafter — a pity as there is a tasteful restraint to the flow of the music. It loses confidence a touch in the ride for home and the good ensemble sounds are replaced by a harsh edge in the final few bars.
Overall: Had its moments this, but it was a performance that couldn't quite raise itself up wit the best today.
15. Hebden Bridge (Roy Curran)
Not a bad opening is safe rather than sorry, with solid flugel and a neat control to the build to the allegro. This is well done too — not over agressive as many have been today and basses are heard with clarity.
Euph link is OK, as is the following solo, but it doesn't quite get have the tingle factor. Starts to get a little tired now, and the control is lost as the band ride for home and the adrenaline starts to course through the veins. Big and bold to close, but a little sloppy too.
Overall: A good show that just faded after such a promising start. Should be OK, but just needed a touch more quality in final quarter today.
14. Beaumaris (Gwyn Evans)
Superb opening — so well shaped and phrased and all with a dark sense of foreboding of what is to come. Link to allegro is the best today and what follows is sparkling stuff — controlled excellence from all around the stands.
Euph is top drawer and so too sop. This is again very classy playing and so well directed. The ride for home is played with a rare old verve and sense of controlled excitement. Such vitality this. A little cracker.
Overall: Hard to find much fault. This and Zone One have been a class ahead of the rest, with this a clear leader.
13. Aldbourne (David Williams)
A good solid opening promises much, but the occassional wobble just takes the edge off the sense of impending excitement. Gets a little harsh in places in the allegro, but there technique is clean and clear.
Lacks a touch of extra quality from the euph solo — its solid but no more. Sop does well and the ride for home is played with a sensible approach to the pace and style required. Good bold close rounds things off in style.
Overall: A decent show this — just the loss of quality in the slow section will cost, but they are not alone in this today.
12. Lydbrook (Nigel Seaman)
Opening is a shade on the heavy side, but it is so secure with fine flugel lead a feature. Build to allegro is well done — controlled excitement and there is a stamp of authority about this playing.
This is so musical — euph is a touch heavy handed and sop edgy but it doesn't detract too far. Just gets a tad over ripe, but recovers in time for a fine finale. Solid stuff to the close.
Overall: A very musical take on the old pot boiler this. Not without its errors but a persuasive account that should do well.
11. Zone One (Richard Ward)
What a good opening — full of control and dark atmosphere. There is a fine musical shape to this playing from super flugel right through to the bold basses. Lead to allegro is well paced and this is played with verve and style.
Melodic lines are so well sahped despite the odd clips and euph shines, as does soprano. Again, just the odd moment or two of unease, but the MD deserves a mention here. Ride for home is top stuff, full of pomp and splendour.
Overall: Highly enjoyable playing this — classy and refined, but also exciting too. Bravo — the leader for us by a margin.
10. Felling (Graeme Tindall)
Opening is played with darkly hued feeling of atmosphere. Good stuff this and especially from flugel and cornet. Allegro is moving at a pace and the agression loses the character of the music. A pity this — it wasn't needed.
The build to the euph solo is well played, and euph is stylish as the lead voice. So too sop. The return home sees the band fall back into bad habits though — the aggression really spoils this. Bold ending is a touch too ripe. A pity.
Overall: This had all the makings of a really top notch performance, but the aggression was misplaced. Nearly a cracker.
9. Enderby (Jonathan Mott)
Opening just lacks that required dark depth to the sound, but it is all pretty solid stuff, and the solo lines in particular have a confident air.
Link to euph solo is neat, but this never quite sings with emotion as it should. It's there or thereabouts but no more. Finale has its moments but becomes untidy as a light sounding band searches for depth to the volume.
Overall: A performance of merit that just lacked for that extra colour and depth that would have brought character to the music.
8. Northop (Thomas Wyss)
A fine opening shows lovely shape and style in solo lines and ensemble. Allegro is well handled too and we hear dynamic contrasts — one of the few today here.
Link to euph solo is well played and euph solo is a classy bit of work too. Solid stuff this and put together with a sense of style. Intonation just robs the picture, but it recovers.
The finale is played with real authority and no lack of excitement.
Overall: A highly enjoyable account this — played with a stylish appreciation of the musical subject matter.
7. Wantage Silver A Band (Phillip Bailey)
A fair opening, but the solo cornet is a little tentative. Flugel does well and this has a fine shape. Top sop and build to allegro is well done. Exciting stuff this — but a touch agressive in places.
Euph solo is very well handled and so too soprano and ensemble. This is much to admire with this one and the presto is played with a sense of control right to the fine close.
Overall: A little aggressive in places but one that also had a lot to admire too.
6. Bournemouth Concert Brass (Captain Dave Barringer)
Bold is the word for the opening — very bold in fact. Why the volume? It creates no atmosphere. Flug is classy, but what has happened to the dynamics — the hall here doesn't suit this volume and percussion iS OTT.
It settles down in the link to a super euph solo and tasteful sop, and all of a sudden the band seems to have found its dynamic feet. Spoke too soon — the finale is full of red raw excitement, but the volume kills the clarity.
Overall: A misjudged one this for us — the volume just didn't suit the acoustic. Exciting for sure, but also neary deafening too.
5. Lindley (Neil Jowett)
Opening is decent and flugel does so well, but tuning issues occur. The mood of impending excitement is obvious and the allegro is well played, if a little bold at times.
Link to euph lacks security, but euph is quality and so too soprano. This is now motoring home with real confidence and the presto is big but controlled.
Overall: A decent account this that just dipped in quality at times, but still made a good show of a difficult work.
4. Wakefield Metropolitan (Norman Law)
Fine opening is played with real dark atmosphere and the build to allegro is done with real style. Exciting stuff this, full of panache.
Link to euph solo is loose and this section doesn't quite have the same authority. Nearly but not quite. Well shaped by the MD but the execution just lacks something.
Recovers well to close with a real vibrant feel to the finale.
Overall: The second good one in a row, but just that hint of unease in the slow interlude may just cost a few precious points today.
3. Blackburn and Darwen (Nick Sheppard)
Opening is well balanced and full of atmosphere, with solo lines played with a confident air. Good, bold allegro has vitality and verve as well as pulse.
Perc loses it head in places and detracts, but MD cracks the whip and it regains poise. Lovely euph is tender and tasteful and sop too. Just loses focus, but recovers for an exciting ride for home that has details and control.
Overall: Impressive one this, led by an MD with a clear idea of the musical needs of the piece.
2. Johnstone Band (Raymond Tennant)
Another opening that finds the acoustic a touch alien to start before settling. Nerves are evident though, although it recovers.
Sparky allegro is a touch ripe in places but it is confident playing. Link to euph solo is weak but euph displays a cool head. Sop compliments too, and the ride for home is payed with a rush of adrenaline that just gets scrappy.
Overall: A bit of a mixed bag, good and bad. It could be the first of many like this today.
1. Wrexham Brass (Wayne Ruston)
A slightly tentative opening soon finds its feet and there is a fine flugel and ensemble playing to follow.
Allegro gets a touch harsh in places in search of the excitement, and the link to the euph solo lacks poise. Euph plays with bravura confidence and sop is a bold voice too. Ending just loses focus.
Overall: A fair show to open and a marker that will hold its own today we think.
