2007 European Brass Band Championships

Brass Band Willebroek, Cory, Oberosterreich, EYBB, BB Frener-Reifier Pfeffersberg, Fodens Richardson, Brass Band Treize Etoiles
Soloists: Raf Van Looveren, Hans Gansch
Doyen Recordings CD234: Double CD
Total Playing Time: 2hrs 9 minutes

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It now seems like an age ago that the European Brass Band Championships took place at Symphony Hall in Birmingham. It turned out to be a pretty decent event (although as we said at the time, it rather lacked scope and imagination in its organisation) and despite its more obvious shortcomings, the quality of the music making was as good if not better than ever before. 

That was helped by a fine line up of bands, two excellent set works and some ambitious choices of own choice repertoire in the main contests, whilst the gala events were also enhanced by the slick and professional approach of both the European Youth Brass Band, and especially Brass Band Oberosterreich under their electrifying MD Hannes Buchegger.

There are 21 tracks here to enjoy (on an excellently produced release), and if at times the quality does vary a little in execution there is no sense of any of the bands just ‘going through their paces’ as can be the case when the contesting pressures are off.

In fact the Austrians were perhaps the stars of the entire event. Precise and detailed in their approach, but with a tremendous sense of musicality in all that they played, they simply oozed class both in the main Championship contest and with their lovely contributions to the Farewell Concert.

The only pity for this listener is that they are not featured playing their own choice piece, ‘Titan’s Progress’ (you have to buy the DVD for that) which was quite simply a masterclass in refined brilliance – like standing in front of a Vermeer painting. It’s worth going out and splashing a bit of extra dosh on the DVD just for that alone.  Here they are featured in the Farewell Concert and the playing of the band and especially its soloist Hans Gansch is to be admired and enjoyed in full.

The European Youth Band were also on fine form all weekend too, led admirably by Ian Porthouse, who’s friendly yet hard working approach brought the very best out of his charges. His linguistic skills may have taken a bit of a bashing but his musical ones led to a series of high class performances from the band – five of which are featured on the release.

The eventual winner of the European title was Brass Band Willebroek, who once again showed in retaining their crown that they are a band of the very highest quality. There was no sense of shock that greeted their first win at the contest in 1993 or the slight feeling of good fortune of 2006. Here they did what they needed to do and showed their class. The result was a deserved victory, achieved in no small part to the unique conducting abilities of MD Frans Violet. 

The Belgians didn’t win the set work section of the contest - that honour went to the Cory Band, and their performance of the enjoyable set work, ‘Elgar Variations’ is full of bright vibrant colour as well as that all important sense of Edwardian restraint and repressed emotion. It is a performance that brought Elgar to life once more.

Crucially though Willebroek took the honours in the own choice section with a fine performance of ‘Music of the Spheres,’ which although not error free, still captured the sense of the unknown as well as the wonderment at the joys and thrills of a musical journey through the firmament.

With the serious business out of the way the European Champion also had time to let their hair down too, and although they were not on sparkling form at the Gala Concert they once again showed their quality. Raf Van Looveren displays his yodelling skills to fine effect in his Tyrolean contribution, whilst the three band items, although sounding tired, still showed the band off to pleasing effect. 

The test piece for the B Section was Simon Dobson’s intriguing ‘The Drop’ that found inspiration from the unlikely brass band source of ‘Drum ‘n Bass’ garage music. It’s a real eye opener of a piece, well played by the Italians of Frener-Reifer Pfeffersberg.

Back in the Championship race the battle between the very best bands brought a number of top class performances from some eclectic own choice selections. Fodens Richardson were on excellent form and produce a wonderful performance of the classic ‘Contest Music’ that features cornet playing of the highest class (led on the day by a superb Mark Wilkinson).

Treize Etoiles meanwhile really went for broke with a quite remarkable composition entitled ‘Beyond the Horizon’ by Paul Kelly (a pseudonym for their fine trombone player Bertrand Moren).  Over 22 minutes in duration (and that with a cut by all accounts) it is a remarkable piece of virtuosity – both in the writing and execution, even if the brilliance of the technique does become a little lacking in musical fulfilment as it meanders to its conclusion.

In its way it rather summed up the entire 2007 European Championships – an event that perhaps lacked focus but was still overall, a very enjoyable experience.  

Iwan Fox

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