Live

Published on March 7th, 2020 by gavin

LIVE: Yorkshire Regional Brass Band Championships 2020 4th Section

The Results:

1. Linthwaite

2. Barnsley Metropolitan

3. Garforth Brass

4. Dodworth Colliery MW

5. Friendly Brass

6. Loxley Silver

Best Percussion Section,… Garforth Brass

Best Soloist,… Euphonium,… Dodworth Colliery

Youngest Player,.. Harry Turner Cup,… Edward Hall,… Aged 10,… Thurcroft Welfare Band

A contest much enjoyed by me,..all bands making good attempts at the piece.

I am pleased that most bands fielded near complete bands, a great effort.

So thats it first contest of the Yorkshire area.

I’m not going to place a prediction since all bands played with spirit with engaged with merit

Band 8: Loxley Silver

A long band good luck! 🙂

I. Journey to Neverland

A tentative start, yet settled in the main theme

The band increase in confidence and produce some good sounds especially the horn section

A good ending to the fist movement

II. The Windows that Closed

Well played solo cornet. I like the projection initiative

Cornet tuning hurts in quiet passages

Well done some passionate and musical playing

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

A good start from a young Euph and bari section

The balance of the band is lost towards the end becoming cornet heavy

A good spitted ending

Overall:

Another account enjoyed by the audience, Some good playing yet spoiled at times by some over spirited blowing.

Band 7: Clifton & Lightcliffe B

I. Journey to Neverland

The opening is a little scrappy

Main theme tempo is the quickest so far.

Dynamic range is good

A good first movement

II. The Windows that Closed

The band plays with tenderness and muscilaity

Some beautiful, full, collective sounds

Not so sure of the ending and movement transition.

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

A good start to the movement by Euph, well done flugel

Cornets and horns are a tad scrappy in parts

The band shows signs of tiring towards the final passages.

Overall:

A good, spirited attempt. Spoilt in parts by overblowing and scrappiness in cornets.

Band 6: Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)

I. Journey to Neverland

A good ‘solid’ opening

All parts are handled with confidence, the band seems at ease with the piece

Some cornet tuning distracts toward the end of the movement

II. The Windows that Closed

The band ‘drownes’ the solo lines in parts which is a shame

Sop shows intelligence to gain dynamic contrast

Tuning/intonation spins the end of the movement

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

The movement moves well, with rhythm and control

Cornet/horn tuning again hurt the overall sound

A spirited ending yet soiled in place with overblowing

Overall:

The audience appear to like this rendition from Friendly. I consider it to be a ‘full’ account yet with a fair degree of blemishes.

Band 5: Thurcroft Welfare

I. Journey to Neverland

Cornet tuning hurts to begin yet the band room settles into the main theme

I like the horn tuba combination well balance and has musical quality

As the movement progresses the band grow in confidence

II. The Windows that Closed

A good attempt solo cornet

I note the flugel is passionate and effort input is great, well done

A good attempt I enjoyed this movement

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

Well done Euph, slick and controlled start

Solo cornets struggle towards the end with articulation

Overall:

A very good effort,

Observation:

Nice to see a small lad and I mean small playing back grow cornet sat between two old (sorry) stalwarts of the brass band movement.

Band 4: Dodworth Colliery M.W.

I. Journey to Neverland

A tender start

Well balanced theme

Horn sound a little under weight and is swamp by tubas

A good end the movement

II. The Windows that Closed

Good solo cornet

Again horn cannot be heard, yet euph powers through

Some tuning problems in solo cornets toward the end hurts.

A well handled movement

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

Nice jolly start from euph

Tempo and dynamics well controlled

Some trom tuning hurts towards the end

Overall:

A good attempt yet band stamina drained at the end

Band 3: Barnsley Metropolitan

A young band, nice to see 🙂

I. Journey to Neverland

A well handled start, the journey begins

Well played tenor horns a beautiful sound

A good tent transition,…

II. The Windows that Closed

I like the ‘weight’ of the sound.

Good euph leads to a section of emotion and quality

A lovely movement

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

A well paced beginning and well handled by euphs

The band plays with control

Some good FF’s wow

a tad scrappy in cornets towards the end distracts

A nice ‘tight’ ending

Overall:

Another account of merit, the band appear to relish playing the piece

Observation:

Nice to see a small young lad playing Bb tuba. He cam on stage with back pack on back, whats this for,.. to sit on of course! 🙂

Band 2: Garforth Brass

I. Journey to Neverland

Some tuning problems to start, but soon settles.

The journey proceeds with confidence and bounce.

No major problem here a good first movement.

II. The Windows that Closed

The MD genes music of tenderness and emotion, i like the sounds.

The scope of dynamics is good and a well balanced.

Nice glock and bell tree playing

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

The movement starts well with jollity and effective playing

A few small slips from solo cornets distracts

Tiredness creeps in towards the end and accuracy falters

A good rousing finish

Overall:

A very good effort with much the MD and band must be pleased about

Band 1: Linthwaite:

I. Journey to Neverland

Good start to the day by Linthwaite,…

Some nice early morning sounds, well balanced and tuneful

Good horn and tuba base.

Chiming bells ring clear and rhythmically

II. The Windows that Closed

Solo cornet starts a little tentative, yet settles quickly

Musical Euph, well done

The section is played with passion and empathy.

Slight tuning problems toward the end which distracts

A good movement

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship

All aboard we’re off.

Good dynamic contrasts

The MD paints a picture of jollity, skulduggery, and rolling waves.

A nice finale to the movement and piece.

I enjoyed that!

Overall:

A good opener by Linthwaite well done. The band were not deterred by the early start and played with confidence and musicality

The Draw:

3. Barnsley Metropolitan
7. Clifton & Lightcliffe B
4. Dodworth Colliery M.W.
6. Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
2. Garforth
1.Linthwaite
8. Loxley Silver
5. Thurcroft Welfare

Good morning from Huddersfield Town Hall for this Yorkshire Area 4th section contest of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain

The Bands

Barnsley Metropolitan
Clifton & Lightcliffe B
Dodworth Colliery M.W.
Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
Garforth
Linthwaite
Loxley Silver
Thurcroft Welfare

The Test Piece – “Neverland”- Christopher Bond

“All children, except one, grow up” wrote J.M. Barrie about Peter Pan in 1911; the first line and an expression of beautiful melancholy and fantasy, coming to represent one of the best-loved children’s stories of the twentieth century. ‘Peter & Wendy’, as the book was first released, has subsequently been transformed into adaptations for film and stage, with subsequent books based on this iconic tale. In writing this new work for brass band, the composer has taken three of the main themes from J. M. Barrie’s book, and used these themes to create new musical material, forming a work in three contrasting sections.

I. Journey to Neverland
The opening of the work, mysterious in its style, reflects the opening chapters of the story – a leafy London street, still in the dead of night – with the music transforming quickly as it builds in texture and momentum – a Journey to Neverland through the night sky; Second Star to the Right and straight on ‘til morning. “Then Peter knew that there was not a moment to lose. ‘Come,’ he cried imperiously, and soared out at once into the night, followed by John and Michael and Wendy. Mr & Mrs Darling and Nana rushed into the nursery too late. The birds were flown.”

II. The Windows that Closed
The central section of the work takes its inspiration from the sense of longing throughout the book, mainly by Peter Pan, the Darling Children & The Lost Boys. Distant memories of life before Neverland, memories of the Lost Boys’ mothers, and regret at what the children have missed. Peter says “Long ago, I thought like you that my mother would always keep the window open for me; so I stayed away for moons and moons and moons, and then flew back; but the window was barred, for mother had forgotten all about me, and there was another little boy sleeping in my bed.”

III. Aboard the Pirate Ship
The final section of the work takes its inspiration from the Pirate Ship, and Peter Pan’s ultimate battle with its infamous Captain Hook. “In person, he was cadaverous and blackavized, and his hair was dressed in long curls, which at a distance looked like black candles, and gave a singularly threatening expression to his handsome countenance. His eyes were the blue of the forget-me-not, and of a profound melancholy, save when he was plunging his hook into you, at which time two red spots appeared in them and lit them up horribly.”