Championship Section

Saturday 22nd January 2011
Venue: Centre Stage, Butlins Skyline Resort
Draw: 9.15am
Commence: 11.00am

Test Piece: 'Requiems' — Darrol Barry
Adjudicators: David Read MBE and Paul Cosh

Comments by Iwan Fox

Half way point prediction:

A bit of a disappointment it must be said today — there was a great deal of very average playing on show, although three bands did stand out for us.

Flowers may be the pick. Although it was inconsistent what they did best was very good indeed and it may just give them a short head lead over Desford who just needed a touch more detail in their playing today.

Redbridge were nearly right up there but may have to be content with third on today's showing.

Marsden in fourth for us with a solid performance and then its a real old mixed bag, with Zone One, GUS and Thoresby.

It's all to play for tomorrow though as no one has really nailed this contest so far.

4BR Prediction:

1. Flowers
2. Desford
3. Redbridge
4. Marsden
5. Zone One
6. Virtuosi GUS
7. Thoresby
8. Woodfalls
9. Blackburn & Darwen
10. EYMS

10. Blackburn & Darwen (Nick Sheppard)

A scrappy opening takes time to find its feet and the 'De Prefundis' that follows lacks a sense of agitation in the flow. It's not quite knitting together.

Lusher interlude is dour ratehr than sad and does not sound in tune in the ensemble. 'Gloria' that follows features a fine euphonium who realy shines, but ensemble accompaniment is not in same league.

Cotter section flows but tuning grates and it doesn't have that simple emotional base, whilst finale is a mess to start but recovers it poise to close with a bold climax.

Overall: Not a great one to close, but they are not alone today. Just struggled too often to overcome the technicalities.

9. Woodfalls (Gareth Pritchard)

An untidy start soon recovers and leads into a well paced 'De Prefundis', which gradually picks up that feel of agitation and sparkle.

Lusher interlude is bland though — and never sounds if tinged with sadness. 'Gloria' is full of anxiousness and never has the sense of bravura required — it struggles in places.

Cotter section is emotionally charged if inconsistent in execution and the finale is a tired mess in too mnay places with individual problems robbing the musical picture too often. A bold close is a little late to really help.

Overall: So inconsistent this — at times there was some fine playing on show, but the individual anxieties were too obvious and costly.

8. Marsden Silver Prize (Glyn Williams)

Bold opening is well handled if a bit brash in places, but there is solidity to the following section in particular. It's workmanlike but you can hear detail and balance.

A bit more could have been made of the Lusher interlude as the ingredients were there, but hats off to the euph in the Gloria — real quality playing and delivered with a sense of aplomb.

The Cotter is well shaped but just tarnished by tired errors, whilst a solid finale is a bit hit and miss — the hits in the ensemble the misses now and again in the solo lines. Bold close rounds things off nicely.

Overall: Not a bad one today — started well but had occassional dips in consistency thereafter. Euph shone in what was a workmanlike performance.

7. Flowers (Paul Holland)

A good solid start has plenty of detail and sheen, but ends sloppily, but what follows is the best of the day — detailed, precise and balanced, led by impressive bass end.

Lusher interlude has just the right style and hint of sad tenderness, but Gloria isn't quite as good despite some bravura playing. It sounded a little too anxious in places.

Cotter is shaped so musically, but just has annoying clips and blips that tarnish the picture. Nicely paced finale loses focus though — the ensemble is at odds at times. Big finish doesn't quite thrill.

Overall: It started so well and promised so much, but it just fell away somewhat in final third. A pity as the classy elements were all there. Up there though today.

6. East Yorkshire Motor Services (Alan Morrison)

A solid start holds promise but a poor final chord is so out of tune. Pacey 'De Prefundis' follows but its not really agitated in style.

Not quite sad, more dour, in the Lusher section and the 'Gloria' is a little hit and miss with the bravura style nearly captured but not quite.

Some lovely moments in the sweet Cotter interlude but it then loses the delicacy. Finale is once more hit and miss — and the unforced errors take the gloss off. A rather tired finish is a disapointment.

Overall: Never quite got off the ground this — at times it was good but then came real average ensemble to tarnish it. Not memorable.

5. Desford Colliery (Russell Gray)

A touch of class about the opening, but it becomes scrappy to follow and not everything is precise at speed. It's got that agitated feel though and a depth to the balance.

Lusher interlude is nicely balanced but Gloria has a few too many anxious moments — old Geoff will be frowning on high.

At last — we get real lyrical playing in the Cotter — lovely stuff and solo cornet is outstanding. Finale is pacy and a touch messy but its big and bold despite scrappy close.

Overall: Musically portrayed with broad brush strokes — the real detail was not always so apparent. It still convinced however especially in the lyrical sections.

4. Thoresby Colliery (Melvin White)

A scrappy opening doesn't have ensemble precision and this carries on in the following section despite sensible tempo from MD. Nothing is quite knitting in the technique — its agitated for the wrong reasons.

Trom does well in Lusher interlude but once again ensemble is so scrappy. Gloira has the Whithamesque qualities but it never sounds at ease.

Cotter interlude is well shaped but those little errors are really taking the gloss off. Finale is a right mess to start but it recovers with bravura solo lines helping things. Ending is underwhelming though.

Overall: Not a great one this — too much average playing in technical delivery although musically it had its moments. Disappointing.

3. Virtuosi GUS (John Berryman)

Cornets stand to open but it doesn't always knit or stay in tune for that matter. OK but an opportunity missed. Following section has its moments too with an anxious euph balanced by fine running ensemble work.

Lusher moments are lovely but again its sounds a touch dead in other areas. Gloria has that gruff Whitham element, but perhaps not the sheen. It's nearly there but not quite.

Cotter interlude is suave and subtle but the finale is taken at such a lick that the detail is a mess. Superb solo cornet brings things back on track and solid finish shows what might have been.

Overall: Just off the pace this from start to finish. There were moments of real quality but so much was lost in inconsistent delivery.

2. Redbridge Brass (Jeremy Wise)

A stamp of control and precision to open in the cornet fanfare, which leads to heavy agitation in 'De Prefundis' led by bravura tubas. Good stuff this and boldly coloured too.

The Lusher interlude is solid whilst the 'Gloria' has that gruff Whitham non nonsense feel. A little untidy in places but its on the tempo mark. Bravo euph and Lalo snippet is earmarked too.

The Cotter perhaps lacks suave intent, but the finale is big old bruising stuff — and shows the quality of that heavyweight bass end right to the close.

Overall: A performance that showed varience in style and dynamics backed with solid technique. A tad scruffy in places, but this was a a well managed account and reading.

1. Zone One Brass (Richard Ward)

An interesting one this as a premiere. A scruffy start with the fanfares leads into an agitated 'De Prefundis', which has its moments good and bad.

Some fine solo playing from trom in the Lusher interlude and the Whitham euph tribute is bravely tackled. Not too sure about the CoTter inspired 'Paradisum', but it is elegantly protrayed. Messy close is not bad but fine solo interventions help, although close is a litte underwhleming.

Overall: Interesting as we said. Hard to see it really holding the lead, but there was enough quality on show to make its mark today.