On a contest weekend of mountainous challenges both natural as well as musical, it was Black Dyke that eventually found the way to overcome both to be crowned Champion Band of Great Britain.

It was the Queensbury ensemble's 24th title success and the sixth achieved under Director of Music, Prof Nicholas Childs. It had come 22 years after their first and nine since their last together. It was also the Welshman's seventh title success on what was a recording breaking 29th contest appearance.

The bare historical statistics though will tell little of a victory that could well herald the start of another incarnation of major contest success following a year in which they have retained their Yorkshire Area title, come runner-up at the European Championship and fifth at the British Open.

La donna e mobile

"We've got our trophy back" to the tune of 'La donna e Mobile' was sung on stage as they celebrated with the MD proudly clutching the silver trophy amongst them. It may well be heard again and again in the years to come.

"It's been a long time coming," Prof Childs said to 4BR with a wry smile of delight. "We've had a few runners-up finishes at events since 2015, so it's great to win again. The band has also changed greatly in that time and it's a new generation of Black Dyke players all determined to write their own piece of Queensbury history."

He added: "That showed in the way they were all determined to get to London. They're a fantastic team with such a spirit.

It was a brilliant test-piece and one we had to work so hard on. We knew and felt that and I'm sure all the other bands did too. The win means a great deal to me of course, but I also hope it does for Black Dyke fans across the world."

Biblical rain

With biblical rain sweeping away rail lines and playing havoc with transport connections on the eve of the contest, rivals from across the country spent hours negotiating revised train timetable routes or even hiring cars to get to their hotels late on Friday night.

The Queensbury band was amongst them, with their exhausted players and administrators eventually making it to Kensington way beyond time for a final rehearsal.

Thankfully, the 8.00am draw the next day offered the opportunity for a refreshed ensemble to put the final touches to their preparations, as more torrential rain greeted those battling their way to the Royal Albert Hall.

Chance and fate

Inside though the challenges of chance and fate were felt too — with just draw numbers 1 and 20 left to be picked out of the bag, and only WFEL Fairey and defending champion Foden's left to dip.

The look of relief on the Foden's rep when their counterpart pulled out Kelly's Eye was one of heartfelt relief as much as it was a moment or two later in its sportsmanship towards their rival.

By Saturday evening though no one was left in any doubt that Edward Gregson's 'Of Men and Mountains' had also been a musical journey conquered without equal anxiety followed by a sense of relief.

Top 4 difficulties

Whilst Black Dyke, Foden's, Cory and Tredegar were to be most listeners clear top-four choices to fill the pre-qualification slots, each also encountered difficulties in traversing the epically proportioned score — from errant entries to tempi choices, intonation issues and minor clips to make an overwhelmingly unquestionable claim on the title.

To a greater extent so too the top-six finishers of Brighouse & Rastrick and Hammonds, whilst behind them the judges had to balance out ever increasing problems as bands struggled with the topography of a score that allowed MDs scope for subtlety but punished needless excess.

Black Dyke ponder

Black Dyke certainly gave the adjudication trio plenty to ponder off the late number 17 draw.

Dr Robert Childs (joined by Dr Stephen Cobb and Prof Roger Webster) clearly alluded to the fact in his extensive pre-results remarks when he said that they had discussed in detail, and not in full agreement, the title claims of Black Dyke and defending champion Foden's in particular.

In the end though the Queensbury band's account of carefully observed consideration by the MD, top class solo leads, and resonant ensemble tonality drew rich praise as well as critical analysis in securing victory.

"A truly wonderful performance, so musical — Great soloists and MD. Bravo!", wrote Bob Childs, whilst Roger Webster summed up his observation with; "This is a fantastic performance with just a few moments that detract from a well prepared show." Stephen Cobb stated, "Just a wonderful performance and great reading MD. Thank you soloists and band."

Balancing detail

The same balancing detail was also highlighted within Foden's remarks, with Dr Childs summing up their rendition under Russell Gray as, "A wonderful performance, so controlled. Bravo!".

Roger Webster stated, "This is just a fantastic performance and made a long day 'totally' worthwhile. Thank you!", whilst Stephen Cobb summed it up with, "What an excellent performance — excellent soloists, particularly cornet and a good interpretation MD. Congratulations to all."

The Sandbach band could not have given anything more in search of a historic hat-trick, as Russell Gray set out his elegant, elegiac approach of the broadest musical vistas, aided by classy soloists — notably the superb 'Best Instrumentalist' award winner Gary Curtin.

Tip top Cory

Behind them Cory's performance was described as a "tip-top show" and "what a performance — clearly an outstanding band", as well as "a fine performance — although a few liberties with tempo/accel/poco rit taken."

Philip Harper's band certainly gained plenty of admirers in the hall (and in the Champagne Bar in particular), but in the box those little moments of interpretive difference caused a furrowed brow or two.

Outstanding Tredegar

Tredegar meanwhile set the contest marker that led by a considerable margin until their Welsh rivals played.

Just a few too many little ensemble clips put pay to their title winning hopes, although fourth place came with a performance described as "really exciting — although at times the tempo didn't allow all the detail through", as well as "a very fine performance" and "an excellent performance from clearly an outstanding band."

Communal conclusiveness

The usual varied opinions and debate about the top bands (and the podium finishers in particular) came from the neutrals.

However, as Black Dyke celebrated on the stage, it was worth reminding yourself of the communal conclusiveness of the judges' result, especially as Dr Childs clearly pointed out that they took time to debate at some length their personal considerations before coming to a consensus.

In that respect both Brighouse and Hammonds in fifth and sixth will have known where they ultimately fell short in performances that never quite entirely felt at total ease, as would have all the bands on a test-piece that was a timely reminder that virtuosity, camouflage artifice and excess are not the only requirements needed to claim a major title.

Tempered accounts

Plenty of that was heard throughout a contest day that took its time to really ignite, and in many ways confirmed why more tempered accounts from Llwydcoed, GUS, Zone One and Aldbourne filled the top-10. Each had moments of troublesome execution as they battled through, but all benefitted from the controlled readings of their MDs.

Behind them came the inconsistencies of the midfield finishers as the judges were presented with more noticeable frailties, misplaced excitement and dynamic excess which ultimately cost Whitburn, EverReady, Camborne Town and Flowers — the latter, as at the British Open, just when you thought that were perhaps heading into the top-six territory.

Leyland may also feel a touch aggrieved they didn't come higher, although the difference between 15th and 11th was minimal.

No complaints and petulant disappointment

The bottom quartile of WFEL Fairey, followed on stage by the cooperation band, Friary and NASUWT Riverside as numbers 1 to 4 in what was a rather underwhelming start to the day, could have few complaints, as would Ratby Co-operative in 20th. Each will reflect on performances that never fulfilled their true potential.

As ever with the subjective nature of contesting, not everyone will have agreed with the results.

However, it was disappointing to witness, not for the first time it must be said, a rather petulant outburst of disrespect. One band representative exhorted their opinion within clear earshot and sight of others that they were leaving aside the collection of their adjudications from the contest controller with an expression of vernacular haste.

An official reprimand, followed by an apology should be forthcoming, as Kapitol Promotions once again worked hard to attract an audience back to the contest with their approach to the bands and audience.

Thankfully, others noted their disappointment with good grace. It was heartening to see the delighted young representative of Llwydcoed Band, stood almost tearful in joy as she picked up their adjudications, accepting congratulations from other band reps.

Kapitol looking out

Although the 'twin' singing of the National Anthem was a touch surreal, the excellent presentation, inventive use of social media and the tasty Mike Lovatt and Whitburn Band pre-results mini-concert, showed that the event is looking outwards rather than being consumed by what Edward Gregson called the obsession with "contesting minutiae".

More set-works of the quality of his 'Of Men and Mountains', allied to better weather and reduction in the inflationary Albert Hall ticket and bar prices will help Kapitol Promotions overcome those natural and man-made challenges in future too.

Iwan Fox

The band has also changed greatly in that time and it's a new generation of Black Dyke players all determined to write their own piece of Queensbury historyProf Nicholas Childs

Result:

Test piece: Of Men and Mountains (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, Dr Stephen Cobb, Prof Roger Webster

1. Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas Childs)*
2. Foden's (Russell Gray)*
3. Cory (Philip Harper)*
4. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)*
5. Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof David King)
6. Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths)
7. Llwydcoed (Joshua Ruck)
8. GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
9. Zone One (Richard Ward)
10. Aldbourne (Ivan Meylemans)
11. Whitburn (Luc Vertommen)
12. EverReady Band (Phillip McCann)
13. Camborne (Gareth Churcher)
14. Flowers (Paul Holland)
15. Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
16. WFEL Fairey (Allan Withington)
17. the cooperation band (Glenn van Looy)
18. Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
19. NASUWT Riverside (Michael Fowles)
20. Ratby Co-operative (Marieka Gray)

*Pre-qualify for 2024 National Final
Best Instrumentalist: Gary Curtin (Euphonium) — Foden's