The Music Panel of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain has released the identity of test-pieces that have been chosen for the 2016 Regional Championships.

Old, new, recycled

There is a selection of old, new and recycled with the five works — from Edward Gregson's early 'Essay' written in 1971 to 'The Mermaid of Zennor', written by Philip Harper for the Cornwall Youth Band this year.

Interestingly, the panel has chosen Philip Sparke's 'Cambridge Variations' as the top section set work — a piece that will also be utilised by the All England Master International Championship in May — 23 years after it was originally written for the then Cambridge contest.

Michael Ball's 2001 composition 'A Cambrian Suite' will be the test in the Third Section — although first used as the set work at the Fourth Section National Finals in 2002.

Jules Verne

Another Jules Verne inspired epic from the pen of Peter Graham (following on from his 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth') will test the Fourth Section contenders with his composition, 'The Journal of Phileas Fogg', originally written for the National Children's Band of Great Britain.

Interestingly, the panel has chosen Philip Sparke's 'Cambridge Variations' as the top section set work — a piece that will also be utilised by the All England Master International Championship in May4BR

Championship Section:
Cambridge Variations (Philip Sparke)
Published by Studio Music.

Written in 1992, and commissioned by Philip Biggs and Richard Franklin for the All-England Masters Brass Band Championships, the work falls into five continuous sections (an introduction, a Molto Vivace, an interlude, a slow section, a Vivo) and comprises variations based upon the six musical notes in the word 'Cambridge' (CABDGE), used mostly in reverse.

Although not used as extensively as either an own choice selection or a set work as many of his other major works, it has been performed at the top level in the USA, Holland, New Zealand and Australia.

First Section:
Essay (Edward Gregson)
Published by R. Smith and Company.

Commissioned as the test-piece in 1971, the three movements of Essay entitled 'Dialogue', 'Soliloquy' and 'Epigram', all have literary connotations.

'Dialogue' takes the form of 'conversations' between the instruments before a second theme is introduced.

'Soliloquy', is dedicated to the memory of Gilbert Vinter and poignant in mood, the middle section building to a powerful climax when the opening theme is heard again. Tranquillity returns with a solo trombone playing the original theme as other instruments add decorative accompanying patterns.

'Epigram', creates strong rhythmic contrasts and exploits the virtuoso character of the brass band. A rhythmically charged coda brings the work to an exciting conclusion.

Second Section:
The Mermaid of Zennor (Philip Harper)
Published by Harper Music.

Commissioned by the Cornwall Youth Brass Band and premièred in 2015, this Cornish folklore-inspired piece, set in the village of Zennor on the coast of Cornwall, tells the story of chorister Mathew Trewella and a mermaid, who fall in love.

The music comprises three sections: 'The Sea and Seafaring', which evokes rising and falling waves before the fishermen set sail; 'At the Church' portraying the mermaid with gentle, magical-sounding music and the church choir; and 'Return to the Waves', which tells of the couple's disappearance into the sea.

Third Section:
A Cambrian Suite (Michael Ball)
Published by Studio Music

Commissioned jointly by Black Dyke and the Brass Band Heritage Trust, and premièred at the RNCM Festival of Brass by Black Dyke in 2002.

'A Cambrian Suite' was used as the set work for the National Youth Championships and as the set work for the Fourth Section National Finals in 2002.

It comprises three sections: 'Gwyr Harlech' (Men of Harlech), 'Suo Gan' (Cradle Song) and 'Codiad Yr Hedydd' (The Rising of the Lark) — each containing skilful musical and technical challenges for bands.

Fourth Section:
The Journal of Phileas Fogg (Peter Graham)
Published by Gramercy Music.

Commissioned in 2012 by Dr Nicholas Childs for the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain, Peter Graham has taken elements of Jules Verne's epic work, 'Around the World in Eighty Days', as the outline for a series of adventures recorded in an imaginary diary by the hero of the story, Phileas Fogg.

The ensuing journey takes Phileas by boat and train to Paris (where he passes the Moulin Rouge), Russia (where he is chased by Cossacks), Vienna (at night), Spain (where he is a spectator at a bull fight) and a final circumnavigation by sea (when foreign lands are evoked), before he arrives back in London with rich memories of his trip.