Flowers success in being crowned Champion Band of Europe in Linz gave EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg's announcement at the event's opening ceremony that brass banding was "coming home" to England, a curious sense of the prophetic.

However, much like the utterances of Cassandra, few at the time would have believed that it was to be two years earlier than he stated in revealing that EBBA would run the festival at Symphony Hall in Birmingham in 2028.

No doubt

Two days later though, no one was left in any doubt after Paul Holland and his superb ensemble had given a brace of stunning performances at the Brucknerhaus to become the first English band since Black Dyke in 2015 to win the title.

It was as an emphatic a victory as any achieved since Cory's success in 2016 — the last time a band had topped both elements of contest. The famous Milton Stevens treble clef trophy now resides in Gloucester, just the third time it has returned to English 'home soil' in the past 20 years.

The ultimate margin of victory was three points from the Swiss of Valaisia with the Welsh of Tredegar five points further back in third. In truth it could have been more. It took a telescope to spot much of the rest of the field. And all this on their European Championship debut.

Such a clear margin

Speaking to 4BR, set-work adjudicator Philip Harper (joined by Margaret Antrobus and Jan Van de Roost) revealed that the trio felt that Flowers' set-work performance of 'Alienus' by Thomas Doss was "such a clear margin" ahead of their rivals — the only account for them that completely mastered the cryptic intricacies of its muti-layered balances, inverted textures and dynamic complexities.

Not only did it "stand alone", but it did so against rivals that they felt were also somewhat "underwhelming".

It was bold post contest assertion, but one backed by their immediate impressions in the box.

Epic

Their written remarks were laced with adjectives of excellence, noted appreciations of individual and ensemble quality and commendations on its interpretive insight. "Thank you for an amazing performance", wrote Margaret in her summing up, whilst Jan said, "compliments with this wonderful performance". Philip called it "an epic performance in all respects".

It was much the same 24 hours or so later when it came to their own-choice premiere of Oliver Waespi's 'West Wind — Metamorphoses for Brass Band', with Edward Gregson (joined by Grethe Tonheim and Thomas Ludescher) admitting to 4BR that the trio "raised our arms in the air" in communal acclaim of its performance excellence as the final chord sounded in the box.

"I enjoyed myself all the way. BRAVO band, bravo soloists, bravo MD", wrote Grethe, whilst Thomas called it "so perfect, so natural! Magnificent!". Edward Gregson summed up his remarks with; "I have nothing to write — I just sit and listen and admire playing of this incredible quality!"

Sunk in

After the first hearing of the English National Anthem at the event for over a decade (although the final few chord were also given the Thomas Doss treatment) the Flowers Band celebrations went on long into the Linz night, as well as the following days as they started to get used to a new level of European Champion media profile.

"Even though we were being told that we were the band to beat, it still came as a surprise when we were declared the winner," Paul Holland told 4BR. "It was a bit of a blur of emotions after that, and only really sunk in when I could get my hands on the trophy."It hasn't been far from his grip ever since.

Since securing the invitation after coming runner-up at the 2024 British Open, there had been a singular focus to Flowers' preparations — from raising the finance to commissioning their own-choice selection, planning rehearsal schedules, travel logistics and boosting their playing ranks.

Highest elite level

It resulted in performances of the very highest elite level quality; unwavering in confidence, undeniable in excellence, unbeatable in execution. It was English musicality dressed in European technique — textured tonality cut in its tailoring with a razor-sharp edge of style.

At the end of the opening day theirs was the name that was being repeated time and time again as the front runner. At the end of the second, it was the same. And when the announcement finally came it was received by universal acclaim by the multi-national audience.

They knew that they had heard the worthiest of unimpeachable winners.

Well beaten rivals

Behind them came well beaten rivals. Valaisia gave their all under Arsene Duc, especially in a powerful, somewhat surgical rendition of the set-work, whilst in contrast Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen's evocative 'Mnemosyne Phrases' the following day was shaped with layered textural delicacy.

And still it wasn't enough. Disappointment for ardent Swiss supporters, but realisation also that on this occasion their even best wasn't good enough. They will return to the British Open in 2027 keen on revenge.

Third placed Tredegar once again showed their quality to secure a sixth consecutive top-5 finish.

A slightly hesitant opening to 'Alienus' just took the edge off potential title winning aspirations, although it was perhaps only the number 1 draw on a sumptuous 'So Spoke Abion' by Gavin Higgins that stopped Ian Porthouse's band from getting closer to their fellow podium finishers.

Growing German scope

The players of 3BA Concert Brass certainly helped in ensuring the bars at the Brucknerhaus soon ran out of celebratory beer, after the Germans produced twin performances of considerable quality to end fourth.

Aided by Erik Janssen's contesting nous, it was richly deserved and came as little surprise after the clearly set-out symphonic playing of the set-work and the considered emotional balance created with 'A Brussels Requiem'. Founded in 2005, and just a decade after their top-section debuts, their growing scope of musical maturity will surely continue to make a mark at this event in the years to come.

That will also apply to Brass Band Willebroek, despite the sense of surprise in the hall as they were announced in fifth overall after being unable to make up the lost ground on ninth place on the set-work.

Underwhelmed

Philip Harper later revealed that it was one of the many performances that left the judges "underwhelmed" on the first day, as the intricate detail and clarity of the multi-layered ensemble balances were too often masked by the warm textures and opaque focus of Frans Violet's interpretation.

They were not alone, as the Thomas Doss score, packed with trademark ciphers, musical sleights of hand, onion-layered balances, dead-end diversions and acerbic wit was rarely stripped bare of its deliberate pretentions and camouflage. Flowers flayed it back to its bones whilst others found trouble in finding a clear path through its cryptic crossword musical fodder.

The following day the kaleidoscope scope of Stijn Aertgeerts' 'Orpheus & Eurydice' drew Willebroek back into the chasing pack (aided by 'Best Instrumentalist', Tim de Maeseneer on horn), but much like Orpheus, it still left them to look back with regret on what might have been.

Musical adventure

Hauts de France once again displayed their admirable contesting consistency in sixth overall as they displayed enticing musical adventure under Luc Vertommen, especially with the film-noir atmosphere created by their classy rendition of Nigel Clarke's 'Dial 'H for Hitchcock'.

Just behind was Festival Brass in seventh, aided by a surrealist inspired Alice in Wonderland trip down the rabbit hole with 'Wisdom or Madness' by Klaas Coulembier.

Mixed emotions though come the results for the rest of what is surely the optimum number of competing bands at the event.

Not a good look

The set-work ran well over 75 minutes late by the end of the first day, resulting in a tired audience (on a humid day and equally warm concert hall) quickly deciding on what bands they wanted to listen to and those they didn't. It wasn't a good look for EBBA to see the rows of empty seats being broadcast around the banding world, despite the proud boast of the 'sold out' signs.

That will matter little for the Swedes of Gota Brass and the Romans of the Italian Brass Band who secured their best ever results at the event, although both Manger Musikklag and Whitburn will know they didn't find their usual levels of performance consistency over the two days in coming tenth and eleventh respectively.

No prophecy

Elsewhere, home nation favourites Brass Band Oberoterreich, Concord Brass Band and Brass LT would have also left for home with little cause for complaint, although Brass Band De Waldsang had one of those contest weekend's when they were short of luck.

No such worries about serendipity for Flowers, and no substance to any argument from rivals in Linz, at home in England, or anywhere across the banding world for that matter, that prophecy was anything to do with it either.

Any predictions for Montreux next year are already under review.

Iwan Fox

It resulted in performances of the very highest elite level quality; unwavering in confidence, undeniable in excellence, unbeatable in execution. It was English musicality dressed in European technique4BR

Result:

Championship Section:

Set Work: Alienus (Thomas Doss)
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Margaret Antrobus; Jan Van der Roost; Philip Harper
Own Choice: Grethe Tonheim; Edward Gregson; Thomas Ludescher
Set Work / Own Choice = Total

1. Flowers Band (Paul Holland): 98/98 = 196
2. Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc): 96/97 = 193
3. Tredegar Band (Ian Porthouse): 95/93 = 188
4. 3BA Concert Band (Erik Janssen): 92/94 = 186
5. Brassband Willebroek (Frans Violet): 89/96 = 185
6. Hauts-de-France Brass Band (Luc Vertommen): 93/90 = 183
7. Festival Brass Band (Guy Audenaert): 91/91 = 182
8. Göta Brass Band (Ryan Watkins): 94/85 = 179 *
9. Italian Brass Band (Giuseppe Saggio): 90/89 = 179
10. Manger Musikklag (David King): 85/92 = 177
11. Whitburn Band (Prof. Nicholas Childs): 88/88 = 176
12. Brass Band Oberosterreich (Gunther Reisegger): 87/84 = 171 *
13. Concord Brass Band (Jesper Juul Windahl): 84/87 = 171
14. Brass Band De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde): 86/83 = 169 *
15. Brass LT (Russell Gray): 83/86 = 169

*Higher mark on set work takes precedence

Best Soloist: Tim de Maeseneer (horn) — Brassband Willebroek