2011 Norwegian National Championships
Elite Division:
Follow the action streamed live:
www.musikkorps.no/nett-tv
Saturday 12th February
Starts: 14.45 (Norway)
Own Choice selections
Adjudicators: Armin Bachmann, Maurice Hamers, Peter Bassano
Additional comments at: http://twitter.com/4barsrest
Overall thoughts
A great two days of brass band playing — and very interesting as always.
The best bands here on this form would be real contenders for a British Open or UK National title — and whoever gets the Euro nod will be a force to be reckoned with in Rotterdam.
Over the weekend though it has been Manger who just had that extra touch of brilliance to win the title — there was something inspired about them.
Eikanger couldn't have given anything more in pursuit of a 12th title, but may come up short — by the narrowest of margins. They were brilliant too.
Stavanger are back to their best under Allan Withington and deserve a podium finish, whilst the remaining top six places should go to a fine Oslo, a determined Ila and forceful Sandefjord.
Behind them, Krohnengen and Oslofjord are neck and neck, then Molde and finally Sola.
Overall Prediction
1. Manger Musikklag
2. Eikanger Bjorsvik
3. Stavanger
4. Oslo
5. Ila
6. Sandefjord Brass Symposium
7. Krohnengen
8. Oslofjord
9. Molde
10. Sola Brass
What do we think today?
Today has been a real delight — some quite stunning playing from the very best bands and some interesting choices of repertoire. It may just be down to personal preference between the top three.
Anyway — heads on the block, and we opt for Manger again, just the closest of short heads in front of Eikanger with Stavanger an impressive third.
Oslo once again delivered a fine performance as did Ila, and Oslofjord were a different band today.
Behind them, Sandefjord who were perhaps just a bit too forceful with their intentions, Krohnengen's oddball effort, then two decent efforts from Molde and Sola.
It was a very good standard overall but the top three would have graced any contest anywhere in the world.
Own Choice Prediction
1. Manger Musikklag
2. Eikanger Bjorsvik
3. Stavanger
4. Oslo
5. Ila
6. Oslofjord
7. Sandefjord
8. Krohnengen
9. Molde
10. Sola Brass
Draw
Oslofjord Brass (Simon Dobson), 10
Titan's Progress
This is more like it – well judged in style and tempi and just the right amount of rubato too.
Big bold sounds are coupled with a delicacy of touch as the story from youthful tyro to mature man unfolds. This is very musical playing if sometimes a little uneven in execution. MD knows his Mahler. Lovely stuff – bravo sop! Epic high wire playing.
Nice sense of dry wit before the run for home, which starts with a bit of trip but has character and style even if it gets a touch OTT in perc in a rousing finish.
Overall: A different band form yesterday – and a piece that brought the best out of the band and the MD. Bravo.
Sola Brass Band (Benjamin Wiame), 9
Montage (Peter Graham)
Safe start is well handled, but it lacks that sense of underpinning pulse. It’s untidy in the ensemble but some neat solo lines do enhance things. Bravo baritones, but elsewhere it’s not so clean. Finds its rhythmic shape at last but it still has moments on unease. Is sop muted to close – we wonder? OK but not special this one.
More unevenness on display but the solo lines are well enough handled. Tuning grates too often though and takes the sheen off. Well done solo cornet, but this has been a movement lacking real inspiration.
Bright start works but then comes untidy ensemble playing. It has drive and energy but the nasty clips are hurting. Hangs in there with the shock notes before the bass led finale. Gets heavy handed and messy and why the huge rall to end – it’s supposed to be an arrow hitting the ground.
Overall: A pretty middle of the road one and not just in relation to rivals today. Never came to something this.
Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag (David King), 8
Spiriti (Thoas Doss)
Superb opening has real presence and hints of things to come. Wonderfully effective playing with troms at the centre. There a growing pulse underpinning this that ensures musical flow.
Some elements are a little hesitant in places – not sure about muted sop on top of singing back row. Is there an overtone? Gloopy accompaniment provides elastic underbelly and bluesy riff is superb. Some risks are taken here with the score?
Wicked playing follows – such strength in the depth and so stylish too. Again – that pulse – brilliantly paced and delivered. Sweet little baby Moses! Hymn playing to make a Welshman cry and there is more – right to an immense finish.
Overall: You couldn’t have asked for anything more from Eikanger. Risks were taken as expected but by heck they delivered.
Manger Musikklag (Peter Sebastian Szilvay), 7
Old Licks Bluesed Up (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
A first movement full of immense sounds allied to delicate filigree – at times it parted you hair. You get the blues motifs and undercurrents coming through in the most unexpected places.
Real drive and purposefulness with that hint of oblique darkness so beloved of old hardened jazzers.
My oh my! A bass trom with a tone that crosses Barry White with Ella Fitzgerald. Fab and cool. More quality follows with a blues sway like the hips on a Harlem stripper. Gorgeous , sensuous stuff, but with that slightly dislocated feel. It does go on though, even with cracking tuba close.
Finale is a free wheeling display of virtuosity led by perc and them through the band. Its immensely loud and comes to a thudding end!
Overall: 19 and half minutes of virtuosity – sheer brilliant virtuosity at that. Inventive and innovative with quite brilliant individual elements making up one hack of a whole. Blimey Charlie.
Stavanger Brass Band (Allan Withington), 6
The Night to Sing
Great opening sequence is full of drive and purpose with real emphasis on clarity and precision.
All the internal balances are defined, and the wit is dry and just with the right feel of a slightly acidic loving eye. Sop leads with a touch of class whilst troms are a fine counterpoint. There is a subtle musical hand at the tiller here.
The pathos is displayed too – no overwrought emotion – just a sense of empty loss. A rare musicality permeates this led by fine euph with sop and cornet adding a wonderful sheen.
So much to admire with the control and flow – all directed to a superb climax to close.
Overall: A masterful reading of a highly complex score brought this to life with a wonderful sense of musicality. Truly a night to sing – and maybe in celebration in the bar afterwards for Stavanger, despite the odd applause from the hall.
Sandefjord Brass Symposium (David Roberts), 5
On the Shoulders of Giants (Peter Graham)
Well they certainly set their stall out from the first note here – powerhouse stuff too with the knob turned up about 11 in places.
Gosh!
It’s formidable playing but not without its cracks and nasty ones at that. You cannot fault the commitment that’s for sure.
2nd movement shows off the softer elements to good effect with first rate trom and sop, and showy flugel. It just gets very rigid though – and it loses that sensuous feel required. It’s all there but it leaves you cold in the heart if impressed in the mind.
Tour de force finale though sees the band back to the dynamic comfort zone. Brilliant sop is a real star but there is little dynamic variance on show – and there is plenty in the score. Little motifs towards end are a mess but it recovers to all bells and whistles finish.
Overall: Power, power and more power. Some of this was thrilling, but some was less impressive. Not everything needed to be this loud surely? Certainly found favour in the hall, but some of the subtleties in the piece were missing for us.
Krohnengen Brass Band (Gary B Peterson), 4
Vocalise, Fanfare and Rondon (Gary B Peterson)
Well it starts off with a touch of intrigue and carries it on with aplomb. Don’t quite what to make of this – it sounds like a personal pick of opera highlights with an added twist – and a dark twist at that.
We get a bit of everything and more – from the classic romantics to idiosyncratic Ibert and perhaps Fred Quimby! Snapshots and motifs come and go like one liners from a stand up comic in places – and they are hit and miss.
Wagner, Mozart, Philip Wilby? Blimey. It’s certainly different – and a rondo to end? Sop gives it his all as do the rest of the team – including off stage cornet and on stage drummers. Odd but engaging in a way that you somehow can’t quite explain.
Overall: Blimey Charlie. Will this see the light of day again – or has it been tried before? A brave choice but a very personal one. Not for us – but it may find favour with Opera buffs around.
Oslo Brass Band (Frode Amundsen), 3
From Ancient Times (Jan Van der Roost)
Superb opening has real sense of stature and emerging mystery. A team of high class soloists play their part to the full too with a classy flugel the pick of a top notch bunch.
There is a sense of deep seated musical understanding about this from the MD, which permeates right through his band. Great internal balances and precise ensemble enhance things admirably.
There is one nasty interlude when things get out of sync but it soon reclaims its authority led by an epic bit of sop playing. Drive and purpose lead the ensemble to hit extended climaxes of power and presence. More fine playing on show from all around as it comes to thumping close.
Overall: A high class one this – very high classes in lots of places in fact. Musically and technically a performance of considerable stature.
Molde Brass Band (Russell Gray), 2
Cambridge Variations (Philip Sparke)
A solid opening is enhanced by a real flow to the pace of the music and some great ensemble balances.
Not all the individual lines are as well handled though and the exposed sections do sound strained. Fine perc work and solid euph bring things back on track but those errors do just take the polish off the musical veneer.
MD works hard to draw warmth and emotion out, but the band sound at ease with the dynamics set to a healthy level. Fine reprise leads to an exciting climax and bold close.
Overall: A good choice and one that showed off more strengths than weaknesses. Helped by a fine reading from MD this was a solid purposeful performance.
Ila Brass Band (Thomas Rimul), 1
Seid — Version A (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
Big, bold and powerful playing this but set out against a very bleak backdrop.
As an ensemble choice this makes sense and there is balance, detail and precision about the playing. The spacious reading gives the music time to find a dark lyrical edge and the contributions of the tuba, troms and flug add to the sense of austere bleakness.
Just starts to wane in places as the lactic acid hits the lips, but a fine reprise and lovely solo cornet and safe sop end things with aplomb.
Overall: A bit like one of the Bergmann films with Death playing chess on the beach – a construct of a darkly mature mind and played as such too.
