2022 National Championships Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Saturday 15 October
Comments: Chris Thomas and John Ward Images: Craig Chapman Social Media & Production: Iwan Fox & Matthew Ruel
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The opening flourish is not comfortable and the Risoluto that follows is somewhat steady in its tempo, yet still the detail is not evident with the tutti passages coming across as nervous and edgy. Yet it is also fair to say that although we are nearly half way through the contest, we have not heard one entirely flawless performance yet… some measure of how challenging Hyperlink is to pull off.
The austere atmosphere of 'Remember Me' is to some degree captured in playing that takes genuine risks with the dynamics. Not all of it comes off but there are some moments that do find magic in the colours and serenity of the central passages.
The insecurities of the opening movement are once again evident in 'Vivat', with the inner detail not projected with consistent clarity or real precision of ensemble. The closing paragraphs summed up what has been a very mixed affair from the Midlanders.
Overall: It has been a battle for Ratby today, but one that was fought with enthusiasm and commitment.
Some glitches in opening bars — lacks a bit of presence. As it continues, it feels a little restrained. Fugue is well paced but lacks balance as other lines enter. Reprise of Bach motif sees the band open out. Not fully in tune to close.
Opening isn't spotless but there is a nice atmosphere generated. Lovely flugel and there follows confident and assured playing. Good start to tuba solo, just lost a little focus towards the end. The band settles to produce some very controlled quiet playing. Gentle close.
The band feels confident now and lots of qualities on show. Well voiced reprise of movement 2 motifs. Feels like some momentum is lost in the duets section. Full band sound is admirable. The rall robs the ending of the impact that could have been generated after lots of momentum had built up.
Haverhill certainly do not lack boldness in their approach. The 'Voice of Jupiter' is delivered with power and purpose but there are also issues with tuning and the projection of the inner detail which is often masked.
'Remember Me' is well shaped and there are moments of high quality with an excellent Eb bass enunciation of the VW Tuba Concerto. There are also some finely conjured colours and textures, albeit occasionally undermined by fragilities individually.
'Vivat' mirrors the opening movement in that its surface drive and velocity is all too often held back by ensemble that is prone to faltering at key moments. The intent is one again evident and the close is delivered with authority.
Overall: A bold account from Haverhill. At times it was affected by issues of tuning and clarity but the approach was always musical in its intent.
Steady opening with weighty basses. Trombone trio intonation isn't comfortable. Leads into fugue lacks cohesion and then the fugue itself feels a little underdone. Playing begins to settle with some fine cornet sectional work evident. Strong reprise of Bach motif with well balanced cornets to close — excellent work in trying to achieve the niente effect.
Horns not fully secure. The trio after lacks a little expression — the playing doesn't feel fully settled yet. Well done tuba, you give it time and space. E feels a little loud, so we don't get the magic of that dynamic development from p to mf. Full band 'lament' feels nicer and displays the band in its best light yet. Effective close, just a little waver in the euph.
Admirable work to try and achieve the busy feel the score suggests. Some good playing mixed with some occasional lack of cohesion between band and percussion. Fine cornet work in reprise of movement 2 material. Good duet section — well done. Grand section is confident and full voiced. Lots of energy in the presto which leads to a confident close.
An opening flourish of high quality. This really asserts itself immediately and what follows is brazen with confidence. It's certainly dark and foreboding but it also displays a striking authority that impresses, allied with inner detail and solidity of ensemble that is critical in this opening movement. Flowers 'Voice of Jupiter' has been a powerful one indeed.
'Remember Me' opens so evocatively. The flugel solo is chilling, the balance of the instrumental voices carefully moulded. Fine horns and the voice of Vaughan Williams and his Tuba Concerto is finely done, both on Eb bass and cornets to follow. This unfolds and evolves so naturally, but always those clouds hover in the background, the fleeting moments of sunlight warming the picture beautifully and fading to a true 'niente' in the final repeated bars.
'Vivat' drives with so much verve, purpose and vigour from the off. There are the tiniest slips but my goodness does this move onward in relentless fashion. The detail is admirable with great work from cornets and soprano and the build up to the close is one of inexorable power and unbridled confidence once again.
Overall: Flowers have delivered a very fine account indeed and one which has certainly created a stir in the hall. So electrically charged with an exquisite central movement.
Dramatic opening with fine basses setting the centre. I like the direct and clear approach. The fugue is precise and there's much clarity on show. Well balanced cornets bring a movement of high quality to a close.
Safe horns with lovely vibraphone colour. Flugel emerges and it's lovely, the trio after is very expressive. Well done tuba. Fine full band sounds, with expressive and understated melodic playing. I like this! Lovely close to the movement.
Fizzes with activity, I can hear the accents. The pace never lets up and it feels like a performance constantly looking forward. Minor cornet glitch at 'I' is a shame. Razor sharp duet section — bravo! Grandiose section is exactly as I think it should be. Impressive close to a very impressive performance.
The opening Bach flourish hits between the eyes — this really catches the attention and the approach to the opening is bold and dramatic with confident trombones and a darkly hued yet impressively cohesive rhythmic clarity. The ending is finely done and caps an authoritative 'Voice of Jupiter' from Hammonds.
'Remember Me' is chilling in its distant, searching atmosphere and although there are occasional little slips in the horns, the sense of emotion created, relieved by shafts of penetrating sunlight in the central bars, is deeply moving. One can sense the complex emotions that were coursing through the composer as he wrote the music, with the closing bars being beautifully done.
The opening of 'Vivat' is cleverly paced, allowing the momentum and energy to build through the opening bars. This sits on firm rhythmic foundations and although there are fleeting insecurities, they really are fleeting with a close that built on earlier good work.
Overall: A high quality account from Hammonds, well paced and measured in the outer movements with admirable solidity and counter balanced by a darkly pensive, yet nuanced 'Remember Me'.
Imposing and very direct opening — good atmosphere created. Well done troms. Good work in the fugue — plenty of detail uncovered. Generally very good playing with the occasional loss of focus. Fine close with shimmering cornets.
Well balanced horns to open and good muted work helps set the scene. Horn trio at not fully secure at D. Warm sounds at E, lovely. Little glitches in horns reappear but recovers with beautifully voiced solo cornet playing. Lovely atmosphere. Nice to hear the mute colours and 'welcome home' figure to close.
I like the busy feel generated here, leading to impressive full band sound. Very good dynamic contrasts and there follows a fine trombone trio. Good feel to this movement, which grows in momentum. Grandiose section has authority and excellent triplet fanfare like figures. Strong end caps a performance with many fine qualities.
The opening blaze of Bach is problematic and tuning between the trombones sets an uncomfortable tone to the opening of 'The Voice of Jupiter', with the subsequent detail in the Risoluto struggling to penetrate with clarity and precision.
The atmosphere of 'Remember Me' is carefully created but the slips that are heard so clearly serve to unbalance and unsettle the overall musical picture once again, despite some moments of quality.
The energy and rhythmic propulsion of 'Vivat' is held back by ensemble that for all the effort evident from the players, is not able to provide the necessary foundation to a movement that has to sit on rock solid terra firma.
Overall: A valiant effort from Easington Colliery and a performance that was clear in its musical intent but also clear in its slips and errors.
Opening moments feel a little hesitant. Trombone trio tuning isn't secure and upper cornet glitches detract. Good attempt to make the fugue make sense. M — would love to hear that vibraphone colour. Reprise much more confident that opening, good closure to movement.
Secure horns to open — well done tuned percussion. Tender and expressive flugel with horn trio after, lovely. Good start to tuba solo, just a little hurried towards the end. Warm band sounds noted and well voiced solo cornet sound. Would like to hear more of the 'Welcome home' figure to close — untidy to finish.
Tempo feels safe but it is secure. Well done trombones for your trio. Good lower band sounds noted. Duet section loses pace, very noticeable. Confident close — shame about overlong last note.
The opening bar is a tad uncomfortable and as it progresses, there is a nagging lack of clarity and precision in the ensemble, the result being that 'The Voice of Jupiter' never quite settles.
The textural exposure of 'Remember Me' is merciless and takes another early victim here. There is a clear musical intent about much of the central movement and admirable risks are taken with the dynamics, but the slips are all too obvious with the atmosphere unsettled and fragile as a consequence. The close is beautifully done though and fades away to nothing so atmospherically.
'Vivat' opens in driving, purposeful fashion and the sheer intensity of this impresses, even if the clarity is not always obvious. Individually there are some high quality contributions but it is the collective impact that is not always evident, the closing bars tiring noticeably.
Overall: A battling account from Northop but one that all too often fell prey to the myriad pitfalls of a challenging score.
Unfortunate slips in opening moments. Trombone trio isn't fully secure. Tidy open to fugue but gradually becomes a little muddy. Well balanced cornet section noted. Moments before Bach reprise — band just hangs in there. Well paced risoluto to close.
Slightly over safe opening but it's secure. Good intentions in the flugel/horn trio, just several glitches. Insecure back row and trombone tuning, but well done tuba. A warm band sound revealed — best moments for you so far. Fantastic close — really beautiful.
Committed opening. A little splashy in rising semi-quavers figures D to E. Well done sop in duet section. Lost a little of its early drive but it's a confident close with a slightly over long final note, for me.
The opening Bach motif is clear, bold and exciting — this has really grabbed the attention from the very start and the detail that follows in the Risoluto, allied with the drive, brooding energy and sheer virtuosity heard in the inner detail is simply terrific. The closing bars fade away to nothing and paves the way for a heart rending, soul searching opening to Remember Me.
As the middle movement unfolds, it does so with a chilling, eerie sense of austerity... to the point that when the first light emerges it comes as a relief. The sense of grief, of a deeply personal emotional battle that proceeds that passage of light, is palpable. The delicacy of the colours and textures conjured top toads the close of the moment is magical. There is the tiniest of solitary clips but the close is wonderful. Haunting, ethereal and questioning.
The detail heard at the opening of 'Vivat' is of the utmost clarity, the drive, verve and momentum underpinned by that ever present darkness that lends the music and performance its own particular aura. Again, the detail in the latter stages is at times, electrifying, with the closing bars brilliantly despatched.
Overall: Powerful stuff from Tredegar. So detailed and with a central movement of such dark sincerity.
Brutal but impressive opening bars. Basses and bass trombone imposing but not fully in tune. Well done trombones after this (solo trombone in particular). Clarity is very impressive — not easy to achieve in this hall! Fine fugue, we can hear what we're meant to hear! Muted close not fully in tune.
Very loud solo horn to start which upsets trio balance. Better on 2nd phrase. Expressive trio led by a lovely flugel. Tuba is secure leading to warm band piano sound, which has a real 'shimmer'. Great to hear muted cornet figures before M. Gorgeous euphonium sound in repeat section — great close.
Great clarity achieved from the outset. Well done percussion, you're really helping here, fine snare playing. Duet section is suitably chaotic, in the right way! Impressive playing, so much is flying out the score here. Upper cornet tuning before presto is a little suspect but huge drive to an imposing and defiant close. Very enjoyable!
The draw has not been kind to Scotland today with the two bands from North of the border having an early start on stage and potentially, an early bus home.
The opening flourish of Bach from Bon Accord is not entirely uniform and as the pace quickens through the Risoluto, the detail is sometimes inaudible and at other times, not rigid in its precision of ensemble.
There is certainly a brooding austere atmosphere to the opening of 'Remember Me' but the perilous nature of the scoring exposes even the tiniest of blemishes, of which there are several here. As the light penetrates the darkness, there are some beautiful moments from the Scots however and the ending is deftly handled if not as quiet as we suspect the front running bands might be today.
The opening has energy, albeit held back to some degree by the lack of inner clarity in the running parts. At times there are moments of real quality but again those perilous high wire moments just hold the overall picture back.
Overall: Scotland the Brave. This was a courageous performance with moments of high quality, but the sheer technical demands in the outer movements proved tough to overcome.
Very first moments have glitches. Trombones confident but a few mispitches. A general feeling of not being fully settled. Well done xylophone! Quality is upped in the 'march section' and the close is secure.
Could take more expression in the horn trio. Full band sound is good, would have been great to feel more impact for the 'p' to 'mf' development though. Lovely solo cornet — melodic playing. Ending is very well managed and played — the best playing yet from this band, for me.
I like the light footed 'busy' feel, well done. Smart playing with lots of lower band conviction. Good attempts at the duet section. Plenty of dynamic contrasts — well managed again. Robust and committed link the presto section and finishes strongly.
The Scots' 'Voice of Jupiter' darkens the Albert Hall in brooding, sinister fashion. An early hint of just how tricky it is going to be to project the myriad detail that is so crucial to the opening movement. That detail is not always abundantly clear here, but this certainly has an atmosphere of chilling foreboding.
'Remember Me' opens hauntingly but with just the tiniest of slips… this is so exposed in its scoring but darkly beautiful in an austere, almost troubled manner. The glimpse of warmth that emerges is like the autumn sun and there is much about this that captures the intensely personal mood of the music admirably… but not without little lapses on occasions. The ending is fascinating… how different bands are going to deal with the gradual fade into silence in the manner of Holst's Neptune but without the benefit of walking off stage is surely going to differ.
Some of the opening driving detail of 'Vivat' is lost in the melee and again, this is going to be a major challenge for the bands in the cavernous space of the RAH. There's some fine playing here but by the closing bars it just loses a degree of its momentum.
Overall: A compelling opening account from Whitburn. Not all of the detail penetrated the textures but the darkly imbued atmosphere was never less than involving.
Fine opening with a subtle improvisatory feel after the first pause. Decisive troms (well done solo in particular). Cornet triplet figures not entirely clear and although the fugue starts very well, it does become progressively more untidy. Excellent reprise of Bach material and secure close.
Good muted cornets and trombones, creates a very sound base for the horn section's moment in the spotlight. Secure tuba and as the movement develops so too does a lovely band sound with understated expression (just right for me). Lovely close to the movement, perhaps another 'repeat' would have provided some extra magic.
Opening full of conviction although not 100% in lower band rhythmic. Fine trombone again. Reprise of 2nd mvt material is well balanced. Fine solo cornet, soprano, horn and euph duets! Presto to end not 100% tidy but the final moments are decisive.
Test Piece: Hyperink (Peter Graham) Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, Dr Stephen Cobb, Prof Rob Wiffin OBE
1. Whitburn (Garry Cutt) 2. Bon Accord Silver (Adam Cooke) 3. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse) 4. Northop Silver (Daniel Brooks) 5. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm) 6. Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths) 7. Flowers (Paul Holland) 8. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby) 9. Ratby Co-operative (Mareika Gray) 10. NASUWT Riverside (Dr David Thornton) 11. Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins) 12. Desford Colliery (Michael Fowles) 13. Leyland (Thomas Wyss) 14. Redbridge (Chris Bearman) 15. Aldbourne (Erik Janssen) 16. Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas Childs) 17. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts) 18. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Christopher Bond) 19. Cory (Philip Harper) 20. Foden's (Russell Gray)
Saturday 15 October • the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP
Saturday 15 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London WC1 2 DJ
Sunday 16 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London WC1 2 DJ
Sunday 16 October • Boarshurst Band Club. Greenbridge Lane. Greenfield. Saddleworth OL3 7EW
Tuesday 18 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London WC1 2 DJ
October 15 • UPPERMILL BAND NW 2nd Section invite applications for the position of MUSICAL DIRECTOR We are a friendly committed Band looking for an experienced and energetic MD who will challenge and develop the Band musically whilst making playing enjoyable.
October 15 • Fancy a shot at the end chair? Staines Brass, L&SC first section, has a vacancy for principal cornet. We've got a exciting year ahead planned - come and join us!. We also have vacancies on horn, but all players welcome.
October 14 • UPPERMILL BAND 2nd Sect have vacancies for EEb/BBb BASS & HORN PLAYER We are seeking players who demonstrate musicality, commitment and are proactive in wanting to develop their playing skills alongside a supportive team of like-minded people
Mus.B (hons) Conductor, Adjudicator, Teacher
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