We had a great response for annual Christmas Quiz — and it proved to be a bit of teaser, as a few questions caught people out.
Still, thanks to everyone who took the time to give it a go after trying to squeeze in an extra slice of cold turkey or one more segment of Chocolate Orange...
Winner
Our winner is Karen Hurn from Cornwall, who is a semi-professional singer who has worked with a number of brass bands, especially for 'Last Night of the Proms' events in her native county.
Although she doesn't play she has supported her sister who used to play with St Dennis Youth and senior bands and told 4BR that the cornet "will be put to great use!"
Here we are then...
1. Which famous Christmas Carol links a former principal cornet of Black Dyke, a lightweight Morris Dance folk tune by composer Percy Grainger and the fifth man to walk on the Moon?
Answer: While Shepherds Watched... courtesy of the great Jim Shepherd, Shepherd's Hey and Alan Shepard.
2. In which country would you have found bands called Immanuel, Hosannah, Halleluja, Glora Dei and David competing in their National Championships this year?
Answer: The Netherlands
3. Which colour of light was originally earmarked by Gilbert Vinter to open his test-piece 'Spectrum'?
Answer: White (check out the story behind Spectrum at: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2019/1811.asp
4. August (Gus) Helmecke was alleged to be the highest paid player in John Philip Sousa's band, but what instrument did he play?
Answer: Bass Drum
5. 'In Memoriam R.K.' by Elgar Howarth is written in tribute to which great German orchestral conductor?
Answer: Rudolf Kempe
6. Which band won the first ever All England Masters title in 1989?
Answer: Leyland DAF
7. Which band won the last Pontins Championship title in 2010?
Answer: Marsden Silver Prize
8. What mythical animal links composer Philip Sparke, a Welsh regional rugby team and Daenerys Targaryen from 'Game of Thrones'?
Answer: Dragons (Year of the Dragon, Dragons Rugby Team, Mother of Dragons)
9. What was unique about the way in which the 1958 British Open Championship was decided?
Answer: The top 6 had to take part in a second round play-off
10. Which composer wrote an own-choice Championship Section work played this year for 'Brass Band and Ondes Martenot'?
Answer: Ludovic Neurohr
11. Which Edward Gregson test-piece comprises movements entitled, 'Dialogue', 'Soliloquy' and 'Epigram'?
Answer: Essay
12. What does the musical term 'incalzando' mean?
Answer: To 'press' forward as in an urgent manner
13. How many times has Cory won the National Championship of Great Britain title?
Answer: Nine (1974, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2000, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019)
14. Which famous brass band player's autobiography is called 'From Umchucks to Cadenzas'?
Answer: Gordon Higginbottom
15. Which famous Gilbert Vinter test-piece, which started life as suite for string orchestra, omits a movement called 'Taproom Ballade' in its brass band version?
Answer: Entertainments
16. Which band is the current Champion Band of Sweden?
Answer: Gota Brass Band
17. Which famous composer wrote a ballet, premiered in 1930, that tells of a Soviet football team visiting the West, whose captain is imprisoned by fascist agents only to be released after the players are joined by the local workers to defeat the police?
Answer: Shostakovich (he once said "Football is the ballet of the masses")
18. Who is Paul Raphael in real life?
Answer: Philip Harper
19. Which former European Championship set-work opens with the second movement of Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No 1 in D, Opus 11?
Answer: Extreme Make-Over
20. Which trumpet player had a backing ensemble called 'Tijuana Brass'?
Answer: Herb Alpert
21. What nationality is the trombone player Lito Fontana?
Answer: Argentinean
22. Which two bands were relegated from the British Open in 2019?
Answer: Whitburn and Wingates
23. Who was the last band to win the British Open off the number 1 draw — and in what year?
Answer: Munn & Felton in 1954
24. Which composer wrote the musical scores to the films 'Psycho' and 'Taxi Driver'?
Answer: Bernard Herrmann
25. Which standard brass band instrument is made up of approximately 6 and a half foot (1.9812 meters) of tubing?
Answer: The tenor horn
