As a well-satisfied audience filtered out of Symphony Hall on Saturday evening, Cory's 2016 British Open Championship victory brokered for little or no argument as they made their way back to car parks and hotels.

It was a triumph as dominant as any in the 164 year history of the event; a commanding performance that will live up to the name of Peter Graham's engaging test-piece for generations to come.

Harper-Slam

Despite excellent performances from Brighouse & Rastrick, Black Dyke and Brass Band Willebroek in particular, the world's number 1 ranked band's display of every facet of their formidable talents saw them complete a historic 'Harper-Slam' by a clearly defined margin of superiority.

Under their inspirational MD, they now hold every major honour in the banding world: National Championship, Brass in Concert, European — and the famous Gold Shield of the British Open. There will surely be more to come.

Something special

Even by Cory's recent remarkable contesting standards this was something special — a victory as deserved as it was almost universally expected.

It confirmed the opinion that at present, nobody seems to have the ability to beat them — especially on a test-piece that so cleverly combined the extremities of technique and musicality as 'The Triumph of Time' — which proved a popular choice with listeners and performers alike.

You suspect even their sternest rivals sense the inevitability of a 2016 'Grand Slam' at the Royal Albert Hall and Brass in Concert. Some very good bands will have to reach new levels of excellence and self-belief to come close to matching them. They are simply head and shoulders above anyone else at present.

What a picture

In a way it was neatly summed up by adjudicator Michael Ball when he spoke to 4BR on Sunday morning at Symphony Hall.

"I'm sure 4BR would have loved to have taken a picture in the box after they had played,"he said. (Allan Withington and Rob Wiffin were with him). "We just looked at each other. We were simply blown away."

The written remarks confirmed that collective sense of musical amazement.

"I would travel many miles to hear playing of this calibre of collegial musicianship — thank you so much!', the composer wrote.

"Actually I don't write anymore. Just want to listen. Fantastic show — Well done band and conductor. Bravo!" added Allan Withington.

"Awesome. How did you do that!" was Rob Wiffin's compact summing-up.

Power generator

Despite there being another three bands left to play, the contest was over. The hum of excitement that went around the auditorium as Cory finally left the stage to meet their ecstatic supporters sounded as if the engineers had switched on an extra power generator.

The most triumphant of British Open victories had been won in the most thrilling fashion — a victory of controlled ensemble dynamism, aided by superb soloists, led by a truly inspirational MD.

"It was a magnificent team effort,"Philip Harper later told 4BR. "All the solo prizes went to our players today which was fabulous, but it was also about the rank and file players which make all the difference and turn Cory into something extra special."

Ominously he added: "I ask such a great deal from my players but they are always ready to push themselves higher and higher. It's a privilege to work with them week in and week out — let alone on the contest stage. There is much, much more to come."

Winning soloists

The trio of winning soloists were led by Helen Williams, who claimed the Stanley Wainright Memorial Trophy for the second time — 20 years after her first triumph as principal cornet with Marple in 1996.

Meanwhile, husband Glyn won his third Geoffrey Whitham 'Best Euphonium' prize and Steve Stewart made it a hat-trick of Brian Evans 'Best Soprano' Awards to complete the clean-sweep of the individual silverware. Even their immensely popular Band Secretary Austin Davies picked up an award — much to his delight.

"This has been one of the most memorable victories for Cory,"he told 4BR. "Philip Harper has taken the band into a new musical dimension. Listening to them today sent a shiver up the spine!"

Shiver of apprehension

A collective shiver of apprehension will now be felt by well beaten rivals, as contest thoughts are focussed on Kensington Gore in a month's time.

Brighouse & Rastrick and Black Dyke gave heavyweight performances touched by moments of sublime beauty and creativity (as well as some uncertainty) under their MDs, but still came up short, whilst the Belgians of Brass Band Willebroek under Frans Violet gave a wonderfully shaped musical rendition to end fourth.

Many listeners had them a touch higher in their personal adjudications as their deserved inclusion in the contest line-up was justified in the most impressive manner.

So too Wellington Brass from New Zealand, who despite ending 16th delivered a compact, musically cohesive rendition that was warmly received by the audience.

Bravura defence

Filling up the remaining top-six places came a bravura title defence from Grimethorpe Colliery, full of drive and detail under Dr Robert Childs, whilst Desford gave the judges the early marker with a super rendition under Michael Fowles that deservedly held its own to end sixth.

The margins after that grew and grew. "There were noticeable differences between the bands,"Michael Ball admitted. "The overall standard as you would expect was excellent — the winners something special, but we had little trouble placing the bands in order."

Resonate

Leyland and Co-operative Funeralcare will have left Birmingham delighted after giving bold, purposeful accounts to finish 7th and 8th, although fans of Fairey and Rothwell may have been left a little deflated that their top-ten efforts perhaps didn't quite resonate in the box as they did in the hall.

Meanwhile, there was acute disappointment for fancied pre-contest challengers and former champions Tredegar and Foden's who eventually ended 15th and 17th respectively, to leave themselves with a relegation trap door creak or two under their feet for next year.

Neither played to form, although MDs Ian Porthouse and Bramwell Tovey accepted their fates with good grace.

Solid accounts

Elsewhere, Flowers and Milnrow in particular overcame the naysayers to produce two solid accounts to end 11th and 12th, whilst Carlton Main's early draw curse struck again as they finished 14th off number 1.

Such was quality of the scrum of midfield finishers that Woodfalls impressive 13th place was not enough to secure a third successive Symphony Hall appearance, as they joined Hammonds Saltaire back at the Grand Shield, whilst Jaguar Land Rover will also know that they will be in one heck of a dog-fight next year after ending 19th.

Fraternity

Before the results came the presentations of the Harry Mortimer Trust Awards, a brace of short, but delightfully witty speeches from the composer Peter Graham and adjudication spokesperson Michael Ball, and the welcome announcement (received with a warm cheer) that the set-work for 2017 will be 'Fraternity' by Thierry Deleruyelle.

As Cory won on that at the European Championship in Lille earlier this year, rivals may already be wondering how on earth they will try to wrestle the British Open Trophy from their grasp in a year's time.

For now though, they all need to try and come up with a musical plan to stop them winning at the Royal Albert Hall.

On this form, it may seem to be an almost impossible task.

I ask such a great deal from my players but they are always ready to push themselves higher and higher. It's a privilege to work with them week in and week out — let alone on the contest stage. There is much, much more to comePhilip Harper

Results:

Saturday 10th September
Test Piece: 'The Triumph of Time' (Prof Peter Graham)
Adjudicators: Dr Michael Ball, Rob Wiffin, Allan Withington

1. Cory (Philip Harper)
2. Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof David King)
3. Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas J. Childs)
4. Brass Band Willebroek (Frans Violet)
5. Grimethorpe Colliery (Dr Robert Childs)
6. Desford Colliery (Leicestershire Miners Trust Fund) (Michael Fowles)
7. Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
8. Co-operative Funeralcare (Allan Ramsay)
9. Fairey (Garry Cutt)
10. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)
11. Flowers (Paul Holland)
12. Milnrow (Mark Bentham)
13. Woodfalls (Howard Evans)*
14. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Erik Jannsen)
15. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)
16. Wellington Brass (David Bremner)
17. Foden's (Bramwell Tovey)
18. Hammonds Saltaire (Morgan Griffiths)*
19. Jaguar Land Rover (Dave Lea)

Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy: Helen Williams (flugel) — Cory
Brian Evans Memorial Trophy: Steve Stewart — Cory
The Geoffrey Whitham Memorial Trophy: Glyn Williams — Cory

*Hammonds Saltaire and Woodfalls relegated to the Grand Shield.