Championship Section

Saturday 21st January 2012
Venue: Centre Stage, Butlins Skyline Resort
Draw: 9.15am
Commence: 10.30am

Test Piece: Un Vie de Matelot (Robert Farnon)
Adjudicators: Ray Farr & Peter Roberts

Comments by Iwan Fox
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4BR Comment & Prediction

A bit of a disappointment this — a 37 year old test piece caused a great deal of trouble for these bands, with only a couple really delivering performances of substance.

Sop players didn't enjoy a great day with a couple of exceptions, but there was some quality solo cornet work on show. Some interesting interpretations though from the MDs.

Flowers lead the way for us with a classy show, with GUS behind with their more crafted effort. Carlton Main and Desford had a noticeable error count that may see them with ground to make up, and so too with Redbridge and Thoresby.

Prediction:

1. Flowers
2. Virtuosi GUS
3. Carlton Main
4. Desford
5. Redbridge
6. Thoresby
7. Jaguar Land Rover
8. Woodfalls
9. Marsden
10. Tongwynlais
11. EYMS
12. Wingates

12. Wingates (Andrew Berryman)

Bold start has a jaunty feel, but the little clips are noticeable. Nice sense of stylish vibrancy about the ensemble, but it is fragile in leading lines at times.

Sop is fragile, but euph does well. Ensemble provides a solid foundation, but the lead to solo cornet solo is untidy. Principal cornet holds on.

Reprise is bold and vibrant, but a tired band gets harsh in tone despite the bluff splendour of the style. Good build leads to fine final flourish.

Overall: One that had too many fragilities to make a real impression today. A good interpretation just lacking substance in execution.

11. Redbridge Brass (Jeremy Wise)

Neat start with clean as a whistle sop. Just loses ensemble security to close but a stylish opening. There is a persuasive musicality to this — bold but not overdone.

Tuning hinders fine sop, but the free flowing musicality is good to hear. Euph does well but deliberate lead to cornet solo just needs more verve for us. Bravo solo cornet — ensemble blob threatened to spoil though.

Reprise needs a touch more energy but it has a sense of bluff pride. Just gets tired to close but bold finale ends well.

Overall: An enjoyable one. Not always secure in execution, but the sense of style outweighted the obvious errors.

10. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Phillip McCann)

A real sense of style and swagger, despite the odd little clip. Best horn all day too. More of the same follows too — stylish and vibrant.

Sop is uneven and the dep dovetail doesn't work. Sounded stilted and untuneful, but recovers with fine euph and lead to cornet solo, which outstanding — so tasteful.

Reprise has a splendid free flow — a light touch of marziale. Just the odd untuneful top end moment as it tires, but just enough in the tank to build to grandiose climax topped by sop.

Overall: A very stylish performance — if not always secure in execution. Some high class individual elements enhanced.

9. Jaguar Land Rover (Dave Lea)

Solid opening is well delivered — no nonsense. Gets a bit scrappy in places but the approach makes for safe delivery.

Sop does well (just the question mark over wrong note) and euph gives solid lead too. Ensemble needs a touch of warmth in accompaniment though. Solo cornet is excellent — a classy bit of playing this.

Reprise is untuneful to start, but it recovers with bluff pride and flow to march beat. Plenty in the tank even if its gets harsh to close in top end.

Overall: A performance of solid contesting virtues this. Not a French sparkler but no cheese eating surrender monkey either. Should more than hold its own today.

8. Virtuosi GUS (John Berryman)

Bold, stylish opening has a few clips that do tarnish, but there is a warmth to the band sound and a free flowing musicality on show.

MD draws character and style from the score even though the execution is not always 100%. Fine sop and euph — tasteful. Solo cornet leads with warm lyricism in a section of quality all round.

Reprise is neatly done with great troms. Lots in reserve and build to final climax is well delivered.

Overall: A solid no nonsense bit of contesting this. Lots to admire in a well structured performance.

7. Desford Colliery (Russell Gray)

Super ensemble opening is blighted by mis-firing sop, but it recovers its poise and sense of style.

There are some lovely musical touches on display — tasteful phrase endings and ensemble refinement. Bravura sop makes full amends and euph leaves tasteful impression. More fine ensemble work too and solo cornet has that stamp of the highest class.

Great reprise — real French marching bluff and puffed out chests. Moves with flow and purpose and builds to cracking climax — and sop top C!

Overall: Got over the dodgy opening and became a quality performance of high merit with that sense of musical substance. Early slips though were nasty ones.

6. Thoresby Colliery (Ian Porthouse)

A fine opening ensemble leads into an error strewn sop lead — it does take the polish off. Recovers well and we hear balance and detail in the inner parts and a sense of musical flow.

Sop makes amends — bravo, and euph also contrubutes with classy lead. Solo cornet plays with sensitivity in a section of warm lyricism.

Good solid reprise — sensible, balanced ensemble work has control and nice march feel. Just tires in top end but there is enough in the tank to close with a bold flourish — geat sop top C!

Overall: The most coherent musical picture so far, even if there were some nasty moments of fragility in places.

5. Marsden Silver Prize (Glyn Williams)

Full bore opening is on the edge — and over, as nasty cracks take gloss off. More bold playing is certainly colourful, but the ensemble is not secure at times.

Sop is uneven, but euph does well. Solo cornet brings warmth and lyrical style, but has to work hard over generous ensemble dynamic.

Reprise is so much better — with that bluff sense of French style. MD really captures it and so do band with marziale style. Just enough in the tank to give a bold final climax.

Overall: One that got better. Final section was excellent, but the early cracks may cost.

4. Woodfalls (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

A bold start is vibrant if a little chippy, but it finds its sea legs and there are some lovely touches of refinement with the phrasing.

Sop is a little uneven in places, but euph does well. Again — neat touches in ensemble phrasing enhance. Solo cornet stylishly delivers — all the way to the end. Lovely playing.

Reprise is bold and this is bold and pulsating. Lots left in the tank too with real marziale feel to close. Just gets untidy but this is full of French bluff and character.

Overall: An enjoyable one this. A touch scrappy in places but this was a colourful musical portrait that captured the essence of the subject matter.

3. East Yorkshire Motor Services (Alan Morrison)

A real bold, high tempo opening — it has its moments of uncertainty but you sense the joi de vivre! Ensemble is a little scrappy.

MD is giving this flow. Sop is a uneven in delivery but euph does well. Solo cornet holds on, but the more lyrical elements didn't quite seem relaxed.

Reprise is moving along with that exciting flow, but the edges are a little scrappy. There is plenty in the tank and they draw on it to close in bold style.

Overall: Exciting if scrappy. Had its moments, but the sense of lyrical relaxation wasn't as good as the high tempo stuff. Solid if not really polished.

2. Tongwynlais Temperance (Philip Harper)

Controlled dynamic presence to open — but little blips and some tuning issues in lead lines. Very compact ensemble sound. This has just taken time to settle.

Bold sop does well and euph is classy despite the long wait. Back row cornets have gone AWOL though in solo cornet accomp — miles out. Cornet is warm and lyrical as it should be though.

The compact dynamics return and there is plenty in reserve, but is it too little too late.

Overall: A different dynamic approach and the errors count may cost against this one today. There were obvious ensemble and leading line errors. Not really a vibrant picture of colonial French life.

1. Flowers (Paul Holland)

A scrappy few bars to open, but sop really does set the scene with bold presence. Good stuff from the ensemble as it settles and we hear lots of inner detail.

Fine euph and sop again shines — bravo. The solo cornet is excellent too — warm, lyrical and full of stamina. Just the odd scrappy moment in the reprise before the final fling for home, which is played with control and sense of building climax. Long final note!

Overall: A fine marker from the champions. Just those little moments but this was a statement of intent led by high quality soloists.