National Champions Cory booked their place in the final reckoning for the £10,000 ‘winner takes all’ Band Cymru contest, after a hard earned victory in their semi final broadcast on Saturday night on the Welsh S4C television channel.

The international adjudication panel of Barry Forgie, Gareth Small and Oystein Baadsvik certainly admitted to having difficulty in comparing Cory’s high class 15 minute set under the direction of Nigel Seaman, with the eclectic entertainment provided by the Liberty Big Band from the Vale of Glamorgan, and especially James Clark’s Lonely Hearts Rugby Club Band from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Very difficult

Barry Forgie stated that the contest had been, ‘...very difficult to judge’, adding that the Lonely Hearts Rugby Club Band had provided, ‘...a free off the wall, joy of music, absolutely no boundaries’ performance, in contrast to the winners, who he said, ‘...played perfectly, they played brilliantly, but somehow the joy wasn’t there for me. But it was so good, it won’.

In contrast, Gareth Small ensured that the audience at home was in no doubt about his views on Cory’s victory, adding, ‘...they had exceptional players throughout the band. Intonation, articulation, ensemble playing was second to none — and a worthy winner.’

Oystein Baadsvik’s only query with a performance he felt was ‘better than any brass orchestra on the planet’ came with his desire to hear ‘a little bit more warmth perhaps’, and that ‘I wish they could take more chances’.

Speechless

However, Cory’s programme, which opened with ‘Sound the Bells!’ by John Williams, followed by Kenneth Downie’s arrangement of ‘Myfanwy’ and the ‘Finale’ from the Rachmaninov ‘Piano Concerto No 3’, certainly made a huge impact on the two television presenter experts sat in the audience at the Parc & Dare Hall in Treorchy.

‘Blimey, Cory’ said Branwen Gwynn -‘just speechless’, with Geraint Cynan adding, ‘The fireworks came out in the end — I’m speechless for once in my life’.

they had exceptional players throughout the band. Intonation, articulation, ensemble playing was second to none — and a worthy winnerGareth Small

Variety

The kaleidoscopic musical nature of the contest has seen the programme obtain encouragingly high viewing figures — not surprising perhaps given the quality and variety of the polished performances on show over the last four weeks.

The rugby kit clad players of James Clark’s Lonely Hearts Rugby Club Band certainly making a huge impression with a programme that certainly lived up to their desire ‘to have fun’, and which featured everything from Brazilian salsa and Bulgarian funk to the young band leader’s own surreal ‘Curry Nights’.

No wonder one of the presenters referred to it as being ‘bonkers’.

Meanwhile, there was also much to enjoy in the swing set from the Liberty Big Band, who featured music from Glen Miller, Henry Mancini, Neil Hefty and Louis Prima.

Winner revealed

With the four finalists now decided, all that is left is for the announcement to be made live on a special S4C programme next Saturday evening to which of Tongwynlais Temperance, Tredegar, the Capital City Jazz Orchestra, or Cory will claim the £10,000 first prize and become the 2014 Band Cymru champion.

Watch again:

A repeat viewing of the four semi final programmes can be viewed at:

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_level2.shtml?series_id=519870584