The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) has spoken of its delight that Alan Fernie's 'Music for Jock Tamson' has been selected as one of the 2024 Regional Championship test-pieces.

The work which will be used in the Fourth Section was commissioned by SBBA with funding from the Creative Scotland Targeted Fund in 2021 to aid recovery from Covid and to support Scottish composers.

It was one of 12 pieces commissioned from four Scottish composers: Gareth Bowman, Cameron Mabon and Iain Mundy and Alan — each writing three compositions of differing levels of difficulty and style.

Jock Tamson

Formed in three movements, 'Music for Jock Tamson' was given its premiere by the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland Reserve Band in August 2021.

Alan pointed out that the title comes from the Scottish saying; "We're all Jock Tamson's bairns!"- meaning that everyone is the same under the skin. "In other words, this music for everyone,"he said.

Th old Scottish phrase is used to "describe everyone"and was taken from an inscription on a 19th century gravestone in Edinburgh, relating to the Minister of Duddingston Kirk, John Thomson.

Three movements

'Music for Jock Tamson' has three movements entitled 'Nyah Fearties!', 'Inchkeith' and 'Wha's Like Us?', and as Alan explained, it is all about the legendary newspaper cartoon family, 'The Broons!'

"It was only fair that their Sunday Post newspaper colleague, the equally iconic 'Oor Wullie', would provide the inspiration for the opening movement,"Alan said. "'Nyah Fearties!' is the phrase directed at defeated opponents by Oor Wullie and is depicted in the music which takes the form of a belligerent Strathspey."

Alan added: "All Scots will know who he is and will understand the initial tempo indication — 'Sitting on a Bucket' — as being dedicated to the shrinking violet we all know and love, SBBA president Carrie Boax!

The slow middle movement, 'Inchkeith' is dedicated to music publisher Nigel Durno and related to the small picturesque, uninhabited island in the middle of the Firth of Forth, halfway between Edinburgh and the Kingdom of Fife.

The finale, 'Wha's Like Us?', is a shortened version of the Scottish toast.

'Music for Jock Tamson' has three movements entitled 'Nyah Fearties!', 'Inchkeith' and 'Wha's Like Us?', and as Alan explained, it is all about the legendary newspaper cartoon family, 'The Broons!'4BR

Good name

Alan added: "The finale is dedicated to my pal Gareth Bowman who particularly excelled at hosting online band rehearsals during lockdown and there was one particular phrase he used during one of these that stuck in my mind.

In encouraging the members of one of my youth bands to try double tonguing, he asked us all to 'kick the ku' — as in 'tuku tuku'. I wrongly heard it as 'Kick the Coo!' which I immediately knew would be either a good name for a ceilidh band or a tempo indication!"

Alan said that he was delighted that the work will now be heard across the UK. "There are no hidden messages or meanings in the music, and I just hope everyone enjoys playing it."