The 2011 Lower Section National Finals sponsored by Allianz, Yamaha & Wright & Rounds is taking place at The Centaur Conference Centre, Cheltenham.
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Sunday 25th September
Test Piece: 'Darkness Visible' — Richard Grantham
Comments by Malcolm Wood
Adjudicators: Philip Harper & Paul Holland
4BR Prediction:
An intriguing piece and an intriguing contest today. The class should stand out for us at the top end, but a bit of a mix and match below the top six.
The real quality for us came from City of Bradford, Horbury Victoria, Goodwick, Hoover (Bolton), St Davids and York Railway in our top six
Our dark horse is Inverclyde.
1. City of Bradford
2. Horbury Victoria
3. Goodwick
4. Hoover (Bolton)
5. St Davids
6. York Railway
Dark Horse: Brass Sounds Inverclyde
Whitworth Vale & Healey, John Binns, North West, 16
Steady but effective opening pains a bleak picture — just as required. The ensemble is well balanced and we hear detail and clarity in the solo lines. Just needs a touch mroe pace perhaps to bring the drama through.
Dynamics are pushed at times and this is something of a scrappy affair in places. Doesn't really capture the mood for us, despite some decent indivdual contributions and dark sounding ensemble.
MD pushes the tempo now and it gets a little scrappy and brash. The drama has been lost in the search for excitement. A big, bold end comes a little to late.
Overall: A bit of a mixed one to close. Had its moments — but not enbough for us today.
Star Player: Solo cornet was strong and purposeful from start to finish.
Amington, Wesley Kendrick, Midlands, 15
Very steady to open but the approach has much to interest. Slips are noticeable but nothing too serious. The atmosphere was certainly created even if it lacked a bit of drama.
Subdued, serene and austere — even if the error count is quite high. Tempos are well chosen but the execution is not all 100% by any means. It lacks energy and is very bland sounding.
The energy has been sucked out of this somewhat — strange. This has just fallen away. A pity as the band is balanced and intonation is ok. Odd.
Overall: Not one that caught the imagination. Safe but rather bland.
Star Player: The percussion team did their best but were a little under utilised.
Brass Sounds Inverclyde, Lynda Nicholson, Scotland, 14
Very steady to open — both in temp and dynamic. Safety does work though. The style is very persuasive — a smooth sense of darkness descending. Lovely little touches in shape and style.
The approach continues — a little understated perhaps but it draws you in. Effective ensemble and solo lines. The tempos have purpose and create a growing drama. Just odd hints of unease.
Percussion does well and the ensemble sound is good. More solid and effective work all the way to a well judged close.
Overall: A very persuasive one this. Not as bold or colourful as some today, but so well portrayed.
Star Player: Sop — but special mention to the MD.
Treherbert & District, Nigel Seaman, Wales, 13
Opening has the odd blemish, but the slow flow to the music helps it unfold with a nice sense of momentum. The bleak feel is mainatained well, with a touch of the gothic about this.
Impressive stuff — nicely shaped with the contrasts in colour and style enhanced without being OTT. Just the odd lapse here and there, but it soon recovers and the sop shines.
Puposeful playing this — that momentum that was set out at the start has been maintained and there is a conviction about this that grows and grows to the close.
Overall: One that kept your interested from start to finish. A potential top six finish?
Star Player: Sop just edges out a fine solo cornet. Well played both.
Downton, Steven Mead, West of England, 12
Good opening is nicely constructed and the cornet work is effective. Ensemble has its moments of discomfort though and tuning suffers in low brass. The musical flow is well paced though.
Subdued and bleak, but the style is evident and well shaped by MD. Some odd little moments when there is real discomfort but it does recover.
The flow continues but the band is sounding a little tired now. Scrappy in places, but it just has enought to hold its focus to the close.
Overall: Had the potential for a good one but the obvious lapses will cost we think.
Star Player: All three troms did a sterling job.
Ripon City, Malcolm Dibb, North of England, 11
Sedate feel to a musical opening which has neat litle touches of light and shade. Good solo and ensemble work and the perc keep the drive and momentum going without over powering the band.
The bleak feeling is well portrayed and shaped by the MD. The dynamic contrasts are made well but not overdone. The little blemishes on the solo and ensemble just tarnish the picture, but this is pretty good.
Loose connection between sections takes time to recover. When it does its OK but something has been lost. Last section takes a real time to blaze into life.
Overall: Rather fell away this. Starting well and had potential, but them rather fell flat.
Star Player: Solo cornet delivered the goods.
Hoover (Bolton), Trevor Halliwell, North West, 10
A bit of a cautious opening settles into its stride with a fine ensemble sound leading the way in the darkness. Detail comes through in both the solo and ensemble lines with the steady tempo from the MD.
More deliberation — and it pays dividends. There is a solidity in the solo lines and the growing sense of expectancy is heard. Nicely handled this.
What a fine perc team. They gave this drive and energy but didn't obliterate the band sound. This was played with a neat sense of style and plenty of power in reserve. It finally blasted into life in the climax — full of bright sounds.
Overall: A well managed account this. Perhaps in need of a bit more energy in places, but it was well thoguht out and delivered.
Star Player: Perc team. Bravo the lot of you.
Goodwick, Matthew Jenkins, Wales, 9
A fine start — confident, dark edged playing. Sounds just like it should do — with hint of menace. The bleak picture is brought to life so well, helped by the players responding to the MD. Cleverly laid out.
Fine playing again — plenty of contrasting light and shade and the tempos are well chosen. Just a few clips take the sheen of quality off a bit, but this has been effective playing. Nicely shaped and delivered.
More quality — led by percussion and helped along with a brisk tempo that grows in excitement but doesn't lose control. There is plenty in the tank too to end in a blaze of bright light glory.
Overall: A fine one this — just a few clips, but up there with the best today.
Star Player: The sop was the pick of a fine bunch.
Sidmouth Town, Adrian Harvey, West of England, 8
A confident well managed start is taken at a pace that grows in menace and momentum. It's effective and well planned out this with balanced ensemble and main soloists playing with thesense of bleakness required.
Restaruned opening works well and there is plenty of finely worked playing on show. The drama unfolds slowly but surely. Again its effective and well proportioned.
Neat stuff — not the boldest today perhaps. Grows and grows though and the final climax is so well portrayed.
Overall: A performance that was a bit of a slow burner — but when it did ignite it certainly caught fire.
Star Player: Flugel horn. A mellow presence in the middle of the band
Horbury Victoria, Duncan Beckley, Yorkshire, 7
What a confident start. This is avery descriptive playing — dark and menacing. There is such a good balance about this. The colours are bleakly portrayed.
Subdued opening is played with musicality. There is good dynamic contrast and the tempos are well chosen. A nice sense of dark flow. is displayed. Soloists and ensemble compliment each other well too.
Bold stuff — perhaps a little on the edgy side but it has drive and energy. Builds with momentum and increasing drama. What a fine close too.
Overall: A good one this — up there in and around Bradford.
Star Player: Sop is a little gem. Aded just the right brightness all through.
Hangleton, Richard Baker, London & Southern Counties, 6
Settles very quickly into a darkly hued atmopshere. Just the odd uncertain moment or two takes the edge off what was growing into a performance of substance.
Recovers well, with a nice dark sound and flow to the music. Just those little uncertainties though. The picture is being well portrayed, but little smudges do detract.
Driven and rhythmic — but not in unison. It grows in drama and excitement but a little messy to close.
Overall: A nearly one. Had the potential but it never quite materialised.
Star Player: A fine sop played their part in full
St. David's Brass, John A. Dickson, Scotland, 5
A cautious opening, but there is some neat cornet work on show and a nice dark sound to the ensemble. It's carefully set out by the MD this, and there is a growing sense of drama.
There are some neat contrasts being shown here — light and darker shades. Its not the most dramatic but there is a solidity to this.
Drama at last — its been worth waiting for too. Now its bold and played with a growing energy. Just gets a tad harsh in places but the final climax was well positioned.
Overall: One that grew in stature this as it went along.
Star Player: Lots today but a special mention for a fine euph.
City of Bradford, Lee Skipsey, Yorkshire, 4
A positive opening — this is classy. What a fine cornet and especially soprano. My word this is high class stuff and very darkly musical. The changes in tempo and style are so well handled.
Deliberate approach works so well and the solo lines once more are secure and artistic. This has a bleak beauty that will tkae some matching today. The energetic return is a fine contrast.
More quality. MD holds the dynamic in check and then releases the turbo. Black then brilliant bright white — and a great final climax.
Overall: A different class this. It will take some matching let alone beating.
Star Player: What a bobby dazzler on sop. Bravo young lady.
BAE Systems, Keith Woodger, London & Southern Counties, 3
Good opening — full of confidence with a really stylish cornet led. Ensemble holds well and we hear a perc section that adds colour and effect.
Subdued opening creates atmopshere. More good solo and ensemble work and the darkness of the colour comes through. Basses? Dramatic stuff, but not always 100%.
More good percussion playing adds to the drive and energy. There is a darkness to this that is appealing. Just loses focus in final section but a fine cliamx to close.
Overall: Appealing in approach if not quite 100% in execution.
Star Player: Perc section added just the right extra quality.
Daventry, Nigel Howard, Midlands, 2
Slightly uneven opening takes time to settle but when it does it gets into its stride with a dark hued band sound and dramatci dynamics.
Nicely restrained opening — a touch of dark refinement. Steady tempo allows time for music to unfold. Neat contrasts are shown.
Excellent perc drives this forward. Ensemble responds in kind and although there are some minor clips this has built in drama and excitement to a fine close. Just the odd blip caught the ear.
Overall: A pretty good one — enhanced by a musical approach full of drama.
Star Player: The perc section take a bow — a team of little stars today.
York Railway Institute, Gordon Eddison, North of England, 1
After Her Majesty comes a confident start. The ensemble blends well and there is darkness visible from the start.
Staedy opening to second section and confidence grows. A good sounding band this, lots of energy and drama and this has musical character.
Good percussion — adds colour and effect and this leads to a confident build to a well balanced climax.
Overall: A marker of quality from the North East contenders.
Star Player: A soprano who shone light into the darkness.