Saturday night at Butlins was certainly a long one for the quartet of bands that claimed the title honours in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Sections, as celebrations went on well into the early hours for players and supporters Skelmanthorpe, Pemberton Old Wigan DW B, Shirland Welfare and Crystal Palace.

Skelmanthorpe in Fantasy land

Malcolm Arnold's 'Fantasy for Brass Band' had attracted a mammoth field of 24 bands hoping to carry off the Butlins Trophy and £2,000, but in the end it turned out to be a 'War of the Roses' battle between the heavyweight hitters of Yorkshire and North West Area that filled the top-six places.

The best of them according to judges Derek Southcott and Mark Wilkinson was Skelmanthorpe conducted by Jim Davies, who used all his years of experience, right back to the time he was principal cornet of Cory Band when they won the National title on the piece in 1974, to help steer his band to victory.

Style

"I can't quite believe it was all those years ago,"he told 4BR. "It seems like yesterday really. It's a great piece of music to play and one that still requires a great deal of care and attention with the basics as well as an understanding of the style in which Arnold wrote.

If I learnt anything from the great Arthur Kenney it was about style — so that was the key to the success — and plenty of hard work from the players of course!"

He added: "I was so pleased with the way the band played. They are working very hard and this has given us a huge boost ahead of the Yorkshire Areas."

Victory for Skelmanthorpe came a decade after their last success at Skegness, as they overcame the substantive early marker set by fellow Yorkshire rival Stannington, who ensured they will also be a band to watch out for in Huddersfield in March.

The 2016 Second Section National Champion eventually came runner-up, pipping the late challenge posed by North West contenders Oldham (Lees), who were many people's favourites for victory.

Pace and volume

Despite its age and lack of technical pyrotechnics, 'Fantasy for Brass Band' certainly retained a great deal of its musical bite, as a number of MDs failed to capture the composer's subtle differences in tempo and dynamic inferred in the score, resulting in performances where pace and volume submerged clarity and style.

A strong showing from 2015 champion Unite the Union (City of Sheffield) saw them come fourth, with the final top-six places claimed by the fancied duo of the in-form Eccles Borough and defending champion Hebden Bridge. The 'Highest Placed Mining Band' trophy went to Leicestershire Co-operative.

All Inclusive victory for Pemberton

There was a clear cut victory for Pemberton Old Wigan DW B Band in the Second Section, as under MD Mike Golding they delivered, what the judge's told 4BR, was 'an outstanding performance' of Paul Sharman's compact set-work, 'Inclusion', to claim the £2,000 first prize.

Speaking to 4BR after the results, Brian Rostron (joined in the box by Allan Holdsworth) said that the winners would have been placed 'several' points ahead of their rivals, such was the musical style and adherence to accurate tempo and dynamics they displayed.

Margin ahead

"They were a good margin ahead of the rest of the field,"he confirmed, before adding; "It was hard to find fault with the way they played and the quality of the sound produced. It was excellent — and it wasn't until the last band came on that they were challenged."

"That was so good to hear,"Pemberton Band Manager Kath Marsh told 4BR. "We are a family band that works so hard together. We spoke to the judges after the results and we were thrilled to hear what they had to say about the performance and especially about the quality of our soloists led by Danielle Don-Duncan on solo cornet, who was picked out for special mention.

This has been a fantastic victory — led by our brilliant MD and supported by everyone in the Pemberton Old organisation. We are now looking forward to the Brass at the Guild contest in Preston and then the Area contest in Blackpool."

Fine second

Another band who will look forward to their Area contest appearance will be Skelmanthorpe Prospect, who almost emulated their senior counterparts in coming a fine second as the last band to perform on the day, whilst the final podium place went to the 2016 Third Section National champion, Crofton, who also claimed the 'Highest Placed Mining Band' prize.

Bodmin Town enjoyed their long trip up from Cornwall as they eventually ended fourth to pip the fancied contenders of Haydock (who took to the stage just hours after hearing of the death of the father of their solo cornet player) and City of Coventry Brass.

In what was a thoroughly enjoyable contest (it was standing room only for the audience at times) where the compact musicality of Paul Sharman's concert work caused basic difficulties especially with intonation and over blowing, defending champion Besses Boys had to be content with seventh place.

Shirland success

There was a wonderful success for Shirland Welfare to enjoy as they captured the stylistic nuances as well as the brass band contesting basics to claim the title, the 'Highest Placed Mining Band' and £2,000 first prize from judges Kevin Wadsworth and Philip Littlemore in the Third Section.

The duo certainly enjoyed comparing and contrasting the dozen performances of Philip Wilby's beautifully crafted 'The Lion and the Rose' set-work, which gave all the competitors the opportunity to showcase their solo and ensemble talents.

Technical security

The best of these was undoubtedly Shirland, as the Midlanders produced a thoroughly engaging account under MD Lynden Cooper.

After dropping down from the Second Section at the end of last year they produced a performance rich in technical security and warm, stylistic tonality to secure a first major contest success since 2009 and give themselves a huge boost of pre-Area confidence into the bargain.

Just behind them came Greenfield, who also impressed the men in the box with their bold approach and clarity of ensemble precision under Tom Haslam, to provide the marker for the rest of the field to beat. Only Shirland managed to do it in the end, consigning them to their second successive runner-up spot, with third placed Ifton Colliery also catching the ear of many in the Crazy Horse venue as they eventually ended third.

Return to form

Dodworth Colliery MW and Dronfield Genquip will have been boosted ahead of their Yorkshire Area challenges by their performances in coming fourth and fifth, whilst former champion Stamford Brass returned to form in sixth.

There was something of a curiosity to start the contest when there appeared to be no sign of Skelmersdale, the band drawn number 1. However, it later transpired that the band had not entered the event and an administrative error saw their name appear on the programme.

Palace glory

The decision by the contest organisers to make the Fourth Section own-choice proved a huge success, as the eleven bands provided engaging entertainment as the early morning showcase at the Centre Stage venue.

Aided by excellent choices made by each of the conductors, it also gave the judges Paul Norley and Brett Baker plenty to think about as the series of well-rehearsed performances unfolded — from works by Edward Gregson and Philip Sparke to Paul Lovatt-Cooper and Jan de Haan.

New work

Even more encouraging was the appearance of a brand new work from the joint pens of Paul McGhee and Andrew Baker entitled 'Lucid Perspectives' — a great addition to the repertoire at this level, and one that will hopefully be published in the not too distant future.

However, it was Kenneth Downie's 'Music for Kantara' that provided the backbone of Crystal Palace's success — that and some lovely solo and ensemble playing and the intelligent direction of their experienced MD Michael Gray.

They set their stall out with a great deal of authority and style and were rewarded by claiming their first Skegness success (and boosting their coffers by £2,000) after coming third last year.

Fantastic

"It's fantastic,"Band Secretary Rachel Bleach told 4BR. "We have really enjoyed ourselves coming to Skegness for the contest, and to win at what was only our second attempt is brilliant.

We enjoyed a really successful 2016 after qualifying for the National Finals and coming sixth at Cheltenham, so to start the new season like this gives us a huge boost as we look towards the Oxford Winter Contest and the London & Southern Counties Area Championship at Stevenage."

Rachel added: "We have a very settled band and a great conductor in Michael Gray who has led us for nearly 30 years. He decided that Kenneth Downie's test-piece was ideal for us — and he was right as always! It was great to see him able to celebrate with the trophy on Saturday night."

Evenly matched

In what was a closely matched contest, BMP Europe td Goodshaw came closest to pipping Crystal Palace, as under Joshua Hughes they produced a cracking account of 'Chorale Variations' by Jan de Haan to end runner-up, whilst Sherwood Forest Brass was third under Christine Lippeatt — helped in their solid 'Highest Placed Mining Band' performance of 'Partita' off the number 1 draw by a certain Stan Lippeatt on flugel horn.

Woodbridge Exclesior certainly enjoyed playing that thoroughly interesting new work by Paul McGhee and Andrew Baker as they ended fourth, with two well directed accounts from Syston and Banovallum ended fifth and sixth respectively.

We have really enjoyed ourselves coming to Skegness for the contest, and to win at what was only our second attempt is brilliantCrystal Palace Band Secretary, Band Secretary Rachel Bleach

Results:

First Section:

Set Work: Fantasy for Brass Band (Malcolm Arnold)
Adjudicators: Derek Southcott and Mark Wilkinson

1. Skelmanthorpe (Jim Davies)
2. Stannington (Derek Renshaw)
3. Oldham (Lees) (John Collins)
4. Unite the Union (City of Sheffield) (John Roberts)
5. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
6. Hebden Bridge (Rob Savage)
7. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
8. Langley (Cliff Parker)
9. Enderby (Simon Gresswell)
10. Kidlington Concert (Duncan Wilson)
11. Foresters Brass (John Davis)
12. Bedford Town (Steve Phillips)
13. Colchester (David Maddocks)
14. Cawston (Leigh Sharpe)
15. Ibstock Brick Brass (Simon Willis)
16. City of Cambridge (Peter Bassano)
17. Kibworth (David Holling)
18. Leicestershire Co-operative SMW (Graham Jacklin)
19. Rushden Town (Adele Hudson)
20. Gresley Colliery (David Purkiss)
21. Harborough (Brad Turnbull)
22. Knottinglley Silver (Kevin Belcher)
23. Ireland Colliery (Chesterfield) (Richard Windle)
24. Old Silkstone (Sam Fisher)

Highest Placed Mining Band: Leicestershire Co-operative SMW (Graham Jacklin)

Second Section:

Set Work: Inclusion (Paul Sharman)
Adjudicators: Brian Rostron and Allan Holdsworth

1. Pemberton Old Wigan DW 'B' (Mike Golding)
2. Skelmanthorpe Prospect (Philip Garlick)
3. Crofton Silver (Dean Jones)
4. Bodmin Town (John Maines)
5. Haydock (Mark Quinn)
6. City of Coventry Brass (Stephen Cooper)
7. Besses Boys (James Holt)
8. Hucknall & Linby MC (Paul Whyley)
9. Waterbeach Brass (Andrew Kershaw)
10. Ellington Colliery (Jonathon Fenwick)
11. Pleasley Colliery Welfare (Geof Benson)
12. Milton Keynes Brass (Bob Stradling)
13. Darwen Brass (Steve Hartley)
14. Hoover (Bolton) (Craig Mann)
15. Soham Comrades (Jayne Murrill)
16. Old Hall Brass (John North)
17. Epping Forest (Keith Schroeter)
18. Yiewsley & West Drayton (Christopher Cole)

Highest Placed Mining Band: Crofton Silver

Third Section:

Set Work: The Lion and the Rose (Philip Wilby)
Adjudicators: Kevin Wadsworth and Philip Littlemore

1. Shirland Welfare (Lyndon Cooper)
2. Greenfield (Tom Haslam)
3. Ifton Colliery (Scott R. Lloyd)
4. Dodworth Colliery MW (Eliot J. Darwin)
5. Dronfield Genquip (Rob Straw)
6. Stamford Brass (Robert Prew)
7. Amington (Malcolm Read)
8. Maltby Miners Welfare (Terry Clifford)
9. Brighton & Hove City Brass (Matthew Hackett)
10. Audley Brass (Tom Hancock)
11. Dinnington Colliery (Lyndon Bolt)
12. East Coast Brass (Paul Speed)

Highest Placed Mining Band: Shirland Welfare

Fourth Section:

Set Work: Own Choice
Adjudicators: Paul Norley and Brett Baker

1. Crystal Palace (Michael Gray)
2. BMP Europe Ltd. (Goodshaw) (Joshua Hughes)
3. Sherwood Forest Brass (Christine Lippeatt)
4. Woodbridge Excelsior (Chris Lewis-Garnham)
5. Syston (Chris Banks)
6. Banovallum Brass (Horncastle) (Steve Ingham)
7. Sale Brass (Alan Seymour)
8. Great Yarmouth Brass (Colin Swaep)
9. Whitwell Brass (Ryan Stacey)
10. Thurcroft Welfare (Matthew Wright)
11. Kirkby Colliery Welfare (Neville Buxton)

Highest Placed Mining Band: Sherwood Forest Brass