ARTICLES

Live @ the Preston Front - National Finals 2001

Section 4

Saturday 22, Sept 2001
KO: 10.00am

Test piece:
Attleborough Suite, Malcolm Arnold
Adjudicators:
Derek Broadbent & Philip McCann
KO: 10.00am

The results:
1. Shirland Welfare Training, 184
2. St. Dennis, 183
3. Ware Brass, 182
4. Briton Ferry Silver, 181
5. West Mercia Constab, 180
6. Carlton Brass, 179
7. Saltash town, 178
8. Bearpark and Esh Coll, 177
9. Nelson Brass, 176
10. Cliftonand Lightcliffe, 175
11. Maltby Miners Welfare, 174
12. Pendennis Brass (Falmouth), 173
13. Fulbourn and Taversham RBL, 172
14. Pemberton Old Wigan 'B', 170
15. Swinton and District Excelsior, 169
16. Arbroath Instrumental, 168
17. Dundee Instrumental (St. Margarets), 167
18. Llanelli and District, 166
19. Sandhurst Silver, 165
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Draw:
1. Saltash Town, David Dobson
Good confident playing with only occassional slips spoil a good 1st movement

Not so great in the 2nd and some tuning problems. Nice solo cornet and sop.

3rd mov, better in the loud stuff. Good perc, but tuning suffers. Good end.

Star Player. Solo cornet, very nice playing throughout.

2. Fulbourn and Teversham RBL, Peter Mott
Nice balanced sounds and confidnt playing. Excellent Sop. Some tuning spoils though.

2nd mov. Again very nice, some tuning problems in solo lines - all a bit flat. Good stuff though.

3rd mov. Good stuff again. Nice perc and band sounds. Only tuning lets it down.

Star Player. Sop - Well done throughout.

3. Shirland Welfare Training, Marie Smith

What a young band - none over 4 foot tall.
1st mov. Nice band sound - excellent stuff

2nd mov. Again very good playing - only slight tuning detracted.

3rd mov. Older heads lead the way. Nice sop and solo cornet and horn. Fine finish to a very neat show. Well done MD.

Star Player. Sop and solo cornets - fine playing

4. Nelson Brass, Keith Richmond
1st mov. Big sounds but not clear and tuning is suspect throughout. Style is too heavy and a bit staid.

2nd mov. Again a big sound is spoilt by tuning problems. A pity.

3rd mov. Good effort from everyone and some nice sounds. Solo lines are well played. Only tuning is out.

Star Player. Timp player did a bit of everything very well.

5. Maltby Miners Welfare, Terry Clifford
1st mov. Starts confidently but the music needs to flow more. Detail not always clear.

2nd mov. Again it could all flow more. Some effective playing with some sensitive timp work.

3rd mov. Nice tempo. The style is not always good but flows well.

Star player. Flug - nice sound

6. Arbroath Instrumental, Michael Robertson
1st mov. Nice tempo but the playig lacks detail in places. Some quality band sounds but the usual intonation probs.

2nd mov. Effective opening. Soloists don't always project although the music flows nicely. A few tunig probs to end.

3rd mov. Fast tempo - timp player lost? Now sounds very messy due to tempo.

Star player Horn(s)

7. Sandhurst Silver, Roger Burke
1st mov. A full on opening but untidy. Somenice moments but it all needs more control.

2nd mov. Entries not always together. Good dynamics. A well played movement.

3rd mov. Conductor struggles to keep together but recovers nicely. Gets a bit clippy in cornets but nice close.

Star player. Bass trom

8. Pemberton Old Wigan 'B', Peter Ashley
1st mov. Big sounds and plenty ofgood stuff but lots of slips. Nie end.

2nd mov Again good sounds.Some tuning probs but good style. Neat playing.

3rd mov. They go for it all together! Excellent troms ad a fine attempt. Slips may cost

Star Player. Sop - for sheer bravery

9. Ware Brass, Kenny Durbin
1st mov. Mature band producing big sound. Tuning though! a bit staid and over blown.

2nd mov. Confident playing but tuning detracts from some good playing. A nasty blob at end.

3rd mov. Perc do well and good playing from all. A good end to a really good effort.

Star player . Euph(s) - very tidy playing throughout.
10. Briton Ferry Silver, Mike Faro
1st mov. Confident playing from the start. Well played horns and nice soloists. Steady and unspectacular but well played.

2nd mov. Another good effort. Excellent tuning and fine solo lines. A good ending

3rd mov. A little weak in perc but recovers well. Sensible approach. 3rd movement not as tight as others but fine show.

Star player. Flugel - very nice

11. Bearpark and Esh Colliery,
1st mov. A big sounding band but so out of tune. This spoils all the good stuff - especially from solo cornet.

2nd mov.It's the tuning again. Soloists very flat. This detracts - a shame

3rd mov. Clean perc - well do bongos. Just the tuning spoils some nice playig here.

Star player. solo cornet - lovely tone.

12. Llanelli and District, Robert Owen
1st. mov. Confident but overblown and hard. This spoils what would be some nice playing.

2nd mov. Tuning wonky but some fine playing when the dynamics are observed. Neat end.

3rd mov. Well done perc and good stuff here. Goes wayward towards end. A very enthusuastic approach.

Star Player. Perc Section - good young team.

13. Carlton Brass, Tony Wilson
1st. mov. N ice sound - detail not 100% but lots to admire and dynamics are good.

2nd mov. Another good attempt with lots of good stuff. It goes a bit peetong towards the end. Very much there.
3rd mov. Neat and tidy stuff. Perc and band lose it for a few bars but an overall good show.

Star player. Flugel - excellent throughout.

14. Clifton and Lightcliffe, Robert Collinson
1st mov. Nice controlled start. Tuning a little suspect in places and a bit untidy. Good attempt at the dynamics. Neat close.

2nd mov. Tuning a little oiny boiny and a few nerves creep in. Nice shape to the music though. Just let down by the tuning.

3rd mov. Good start and balanced ensemble. Theres lots to commend here. Not overblown and fine end. Not bad at all.

Star Player. Euphonium - nicely played throughout.

15. Pendennis Brass (Falmouth), Glyn Thomas
1st mov. Why so loud in the perc? It submerges everything. Its all a bit OTT for us and the tuning is wonky. The good playing is killed by the volume.

2nd mov. Dynamics and tuning have gone AWOL we're afraid. Nice cornet and solo lines but it's too loud and hard for a ballad.

3rd mov. Better stuff and the bands best playing by far. This could have been so much better with less volume.

Star Player. Solo cornet - coped well throughout the piece.

16. Swinton and District Excelsior, Robin Rutter
1st mov. Detail not clear and the approach is overcooked to a degree. The band sound is good at times but is out at the end.

2nd mov. Overdone again at opening. Tutti cornet playing suffers with intonation. Quiet stuff is nice though and effective.

3rd mov. Perc indecisive! This is scrappy stuff yet the tutti stuff continues to impress at times.

Star player. Solo cornet - talented young girl played well throuhout

17. Dundee Instrumental (St. Margaret's), James Tonner
1st mov. Big sounds but the tuning suffers. A bit too scrappy and ends untunefully.

2nd mov. Good work from soloists but tuning spoils once more. some nice shapes at times.

3rd mov. A good effort. A pity that the intonation suffers. Ends securely.

Star player. Solo Trom - good display.

18. West Mercia Constabulary, Howard Gibbs
1st. mov. Good opening but suffers as it goes on. It gets a bit untidy and disjointed in places. Hangs in there to end.

2nd mov. A bit havy handed but very good flugel and this has shape and style. A bit OTT in places but safe and solid.

3rd mov. Only two perc players - so important parts missing - a pity this. as there is good playing from band. It ges a bit staid and lacks the killer excitement. Not bad though

Star Player. Flugel - excellent stuff

19. St. Dennis, Brian Minear
1st mov. Confident to open - complete with TV camera crew and mascot. It gets a little OTT and untidy. but there's plenty of good stuff.

2nd mov. A bit brash and hard maybe? But good good solo lines once more with lots to commend. Quiet stuff suffers a bit. Well ended.

3rd mov. Confidence is high but it is a bit scrappy and perhaps overblown at end. A good show though

Star player. Sop - neat, tidy and a sweet sound.

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