The rather intimate surroundings of The Core Theatre in Corby may have been unfamiliar to the vast majority of competitors on the weekend, but there was certainly a familiar feel to the expansive excellence of the winning performance from Championship Section winners Desford Colliery.
Their resurgence under Michael Fowles continued with a high-class rendition of 'Contest Music' that secured the title with more than a little something to spare.
Impressive stature
It was the latest success for a partnership that continues to build in impressive stature at major contests and bodes well for both the British Open and National Finals later in the year.
The MDs ability to mould the experienced elements of his ensemble with such cohesive understanding was both a tribute to his musical skills and the pursuit of excellence it has elicited from his players.
As the final band of the day there was an understanding of the Heaton score and its challenges that spoke of a musical maturity that just doesn't come with age.
The playing had refinement; enhanced by a collective appreciation of calibrated dynamics (and the bone-dry acoustic) that brought the sense of melancholy to the central section and even that essential touch of Stan Kenton inspired dark edged jazziness in the finale.
It was thoroughly absorbing and deeply impressive. This was a fine conductor leading a fine ensemble in a very fine performance.
Victory was clear and fully deserved — a point later confirmed with equal clarity by judges David Hirst and Alan Fernie.
Signature attention
Joining them at the Royal Albert Hall will be Ratby Co-operative, as Ian Porthouse inspired an equally deserved qualification performance hallmarked by his signature attention to detail, balance and flow.
After the heroics of their fifth-place finish in Kensington Gore last year, this was also further justification of their continued impressive development.
It also meant disappointment for the defending champion — although GUS were not at their best on this occasion. The uncomfortable moments were noticeable and expensive as they missed out on qualification for the first time since 2012.
Even their most ardent supporters knew they were going to find it hard after Ratby's performance a couple of bands before them and especially after Desford sealed the lid on things to close.
Close battle
With the top three clearly defined in their own way, there was a close battle for the remaining top-six places, with Howard Evans using his experience to fine effect in leading a revived Jaguar Land Rover into fourth to pip engaging accounts from Derwent Brass and Enderby.
Behind them 'Contest Music' showed just why it remains a work that tests Championship Section credentials to the full, with bands displaying inconsistencies and increasingly high errors counts, despite the musical intentions of their conductors.
Few complaints you suspect from the likes of Blidworth, Newstead, Thoresby and Hucknall & Linby.
No complaints either from supporters of Desford as they provided a litmus test of quality that rivals here could not match, and others later in the year at the Albert Hall may also find difficult to beat.
First Section:
Experience and musical nous also played a major role in deciding the destination of the First Section title, as Craig Williams led Staffordshire to a thoroughly consummate success.
There shouldn't really have been any excuse about unfamiliarity for conductors on Gilbert Vinter's 'Spectrum', yet for many in the field of 16 contenders, that's what it sounded like at times.
As adjudicators Alan Morrison and Chris King later pointed out, although the score was close on 60 years old, its challenges at this level remain stern, and on too many occasions somewhat unmanageable — especially with the inability to make successful transitions in pace between the various colourings.
No such worrying concerns for the winners, although Craig later admitted that he felt Staffordshire may have left the door open.
Emotion
Full of emotion he later told 4BR: "This is a band full of good, honest people wanting to play together. I've asked a lot of them, but they just giving me everything and more."
That was certainly true, as his appreciation of the subtler aspects of textured colourings and pacing (especially the kaleidoscopic accelerando in the opening bars and the difference between ralls and rits that followed) was adhered to by commitment and understanding from around the stands.
Alan Morrison wrote in his remarks that in "a performance of stature" there was "so much to commend as you searched for the colours and styles of each section", whilst Chris King added that overall that it had been "a very good performance indeed on a very tough piece".
They were bang on the mark. An impressive band will head to Cheltenham as a short-priced runner.
Gresley delight
Joining them there will be a delighted Gresley Colliery (and by heck didn't some of their players enjoy the moment), as Craig Stevens secured the all-important qualification spot in what was a closely matched battle of varying quality behind the clear-cut winner.
The crucial opinion (and the only one that counted), came in the box, with Alan and Chris picking out Gresley Colliery with their bold and increasingly confident early number 3 draw showing that just pipped rivals from a tightly knit pack.
That included podium finisher Langley's energised account (especially a 'Red' that oozed with visceral intent), as well as the top-six finishers of a brightly tinted Oddfellows Brass, a persuasive, if scratchy Burbage (Buxton) and youthfully exuberant Shirley.
Credit
Others such Rushden, Sovereign, Hathern and Foss Dyke found favour with others in the hall, whilst a few bands battled bravely with reduced numbers, with a special mention to David Ashworth and Glossop Old, who could have taken the easy option but didn't — much to their credit.
In the end Gilbert Vinter's iconic test-piece showed that it was still an imposing test at this level (Chris King making a very pertinent point that he felt half the top section bands around the country would struggle with it), although Staffordshire displayed a full spectrum of quality to secure a thoroughly deserved victory.
Second Section:
Goff Richards' 'The Aeronauts' found a host of musically joyful bands trying to catch the ears of judges Paul Norley and Alan Duguid in the cockpit sized box in the hall at The Core Theatre.
And they certainly had a first class cabin position to assess the efforts of the 15 well matched, and well directed contenders, with a squadron of performances that deserved to be in and around the eventual qualification places.
Bone dry
Less than 20 feet from the back of the MDs, it may have appeared almost ludicrously close, yet the bone-dry acoustic and design of the theatre made it an ideal spot to hear exactly what was going on all weekend.
As Alan Duguid said in his pre-results address. "We could certainly hear everything"- perhaps even the sweat forming on player's brows.
And what they did hear was very good.
Biggles
In the end it was a colourful account from Stamford Brass that claimed the title — led with the type of Biggles inspired brio and daring-do by Julian Bright that imbued the music with technical security and musical character.
The score hid its deceptions in plain sight — although a few conductors did shoot themselves in the foot by trying to make something from the music that wasn't so already marked.
That wasn't the case with the winners; Paul Norley calling it, "A performance demonstrating excellent musicianship", whilst Alan wrote that it had been "…well controlled and very stylish".
After winning the Third Section here in 2020, Stamford Brass has made solid progress under their inspirational MD, with Julian telling 4BR that he was "very proud"of what his players continue to give him "week in week out".
If that progress continues then they could well look to add a second National title in just four years at Cheltenham.
Texture and colour
They will be joined there by the Harborough Band, who maintained a run of excellent form after a brace of podium finishes at Wychavon and Butlins, with a rendition of texture and colour under Brad Turnbull.
It was a pity that there were only two qualification places on offer as third placed Audley produced a wonderful number 1 marker measure for the judges under the talented young conductor Tom Hancock. On another day it may well have fended off their rivals.
Performances of note and substance too from Shirland Welfare, City of Coventry and Avonbank, whilst all the way down the list MDs offered a lightness of touch to their approach — sometimes to compensate for reduced numbers.
It made for a thoroughly enjoyable contest — headed by a winner of impressive stature.
Third Section:
Gordon Langford's cleverly designed 'Facets of Glass' test-piece proved to have a bit of a cutting edge to it in the Third Section.
However, thanks to his skill (and not the proof reader on the newly minted parts) they were all easily recognisable in a score that had little technical opaqueness and plenty of translucent musicality.
The MDS offered contrasting takes on their appreciation — the best for judges Chris King and Paul Norley (both giving excellent pre-results summings-up) coming from Ratby Co-operative Mid conducted by Gary Perrin alongside fellow qualifier City of Birmingham led by Saphran Ali.
Splendid Ratby
Playing just after the mid-contest break, Ratby were on splendid form; brimming with confidence and desire to provide the organisation with a huge boost before their senior top flight counterparts played later in the day.
Despite a slightly hesitant start they soon blossomed, the MD utilising the skills of his players inventively (fourth trom instead of second baritone) to provide the marker that couldn't be beaten.
Promoted City of Birmingham must have come pretty close though — also playing with bold confidence, backed with wit and ebullience. Their qualification was also fully deserved under an MD who coaxed his players along with great encouragement.
Missing out
It meant that just missing out on this occasion was Raunds Temperance with another impressive outing under Jonathan Pippen that secured their fourth consecutive podium finish together.
Behind them it was just a question of little errors and occasional moments of uneasy ensemble style that saw Pleasley Colliery (another band that provided such a good marker off number 1), a jaunty Stourport on Severn and Towcester Studio (with some of the best soloists of the day) just miss out on trips to Cheltenham.
After that the playing became a little less secure and variable, but each band offered something of note and interest from Long Eaton Silver in seventh down to Bakewell Silver — all committed and enthused by the music and its challenges.
The silverware (perhaps its should have been a glass vase on this occasion) though belonged to Ratby Co-operative Mid on a weekend when their splendid organisation had so much to celebrate.
Fourth Section:
The Fourth Section report will be added after the competition takes place on Sunday 6th March.
For report and result go to:
Iwan Fox & Chris Thomas
It was thoroughly absorbing and deeply impressive. This was a fine conductor leading a fine ensemble in a very fine performance4BR
Results:
Championship Section:
Test Piece: Contest Music (Wilfred Heaton)
Adjudicators: Alan Fernie and David Hirst
1. Desford Colliery (Michael Fowles)*
2. Ratby Co-operative (Ian Porthouse)*
3. GUS (Chris Jeans)
4. Jaguar Land Rover (Howard Evans)
5. Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
6. Enderby (Stephen Phillips)
7. Blidworth Welfare (John Roberts)
8. Newstead Brass (Jim Davies)
9. Thoresby Colliery (Michael Howley)
10. Hucknall & Linby M.C. (Paul Whyley)
*Invite to National Final
Withdrawn: Jackfield (David Maplestone)
First Section:
Test Piece: Spectrum (Gilbert Vinter)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison and Chris King
1. Staffordshire (Craig Williams)*
2. Gresley Colliery (Craig Stevens)*
3. Langley (Cliff Parker)
4. Oddfellows Brass (Ben Smith)
5. Burbage (Buxton) (Steve Critchlow)
6. Shirley (Tom Stoneman)
7. SPAL Sovereign Brass (Simon Jones)
8. Bilton Silver (Rugby) (Anthony Hodgetts)
9. Bedworth Brass (Wayne Ruston)
10. Rushden Town (Adele Sellers-Hudson)
11. Carlton Brass (Tony Wilson)
12. Rolls Royce (Derby) (Graham Cardwell)
13. Hathern (David Newman)
14. Foss Dyke (David Dernley)
15. Glossop Old (David Ashworth)
16. Kibworth (Brendan Caddy)
*Invited to National Final
Second Section:
Test Piece: The Aeronauts (Goff Richards)
Adjudicators: Paul Norley and Alan Duguid
1. Stamford Brass (Julian Bright)*
2. Harborough (Brad Turnbull)*
3. Audley (Tom Hancock)
4. Shirland Welfare (Lynden Cooper)
5. City of Coventry (David Nicholson)
6. Avonbank (Colin Herbert)
7. Wigston (Rob Boulter)
8. Shirebrook MW Unison (Geoff Wood)
9. Wellington (Telford) (Stephen Rhodes)
10. Market Rasen (Matt Leach)
11. Cleobury Mortimer Concert (Matthew Ludford-King)
12. Leicestershire Co-op (Snibston) (Luke Pallister)
13. Ibstock Brick Brass (Chris Banks)
*Invited to National Final
Third Section:
Test Piece: Facets of Glass (Gordon Langford)
Adjudicators: Chris King and Paul Norley
1. Ratby Co-operative Mid (Gary Perrin)*
2. City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali)*
3. Raunds Temperance (Jonathan Pippen)
4. Pleasley Colliery Welfare (Geof Benson)
5. Stourport on Severn (Oliver Wilson)
6. Towcester Studio (Peter Wain)
7. Long Eaton Silver Prize (Ian McCormick)
8. Daventry (Ken Ewer)
9. Arrow Valley Brass (Ashley Buxton)
10. Newhall (Kevin Holdgate)
11. Shipston Town (Howard Gibbs)
12. Ireland Colliery (Chesterfield) (Richard Windle)
13. Melton (Tony Rifugiato)
14. Cubbington Silver (Keiron Howe)
15. Bakewell Silver (Ryan Stacey)
*Invite to National Final
Fourth Section:
Test piece: Argos (Stephan Hodel)
Adjudicators: Paul Norley and Alan Duguid
1. Amington (Alan Gifford)*
2. Trentham Brass (Shaun Farrington)*
3. Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
4. Newark Town (Gary Wyatt)
5. Corby Silver (Catherine Fountain)
6. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford)
7. Brackley & District (Rhys Owens)
8. Whitwell Brass (Rob Deakin)
9. Syston (Colin Jones)
10. Croft Silver (Ian Needham)
11. Matlock (Chris Banks)
12. Coventry Festival (Allan Wheelhouse)
13. Bilton Silver (Rugby) Evolution (Jack Fisher)
*Invite to National Final
*Withdrawn: Fairfield (Buxton) (Charles Kitchen)
The Fourth Section contest took place on Sunday 6th March
