2007 Norwegian National Championships - Second Division
6-Feb-20074BR casts its eye over the 13 bands hoping to fight their way out of the Second Division at Bergen.
Second Division
Adjudicators: Alex Schillings, Kim Lofthouse
Friday 9th February (10.30am)
Another promising contest in store here in the Second Division with 13 well matched bands and 12 own choice selections (there will be two performances of ‘Diversions on a Brass Theme'). Who will come out on top is just about anyone's guess, but once more it will depend heavily on how realistic some of those own choice selections really are.
This year we will get an eclectic selection from Ray Steadman-Allen's ‘The Lord is King' to Vinter's ‘Variations on a Ninth', Lloyd's ‘English Heritage' to Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen's very Norwegian ‘Dampsanger'. You don't usually get stuff like this in the Second Section in Treorchy each year do you now?
There is also a wide spread of conducting talent on show too – from the up and coming youngsters such as Tormod Flaten and Bjorn Breistein to some older heads in the form of Reid Gilje, Helge Haukas and Yngve Nikolaisen. Oh – and a certain John Hudson who continues to do some brilliant musical missionary work here.
It should make for a great contest and one full of plenty of good music for the two judges to enjoy in the open.
Who do we think will win? Find out at the bottom of the page.
Bergen Brass Band
Conductor: Helge Haukas
National Record:
2006: 5th (Stian Svendsen)
2005: 3rd (Stian Svendsen)
2004: 5th (Stian Svendsen)
2003: 10th
2002: 14th in Second Division
2001: 2nd
2000: 7th
Last Year: 5th
Own Choice Selection:
2006: A London Overture
2005: The Land of the Long White Cloud
Bergen couldn't quite keep up their fine record of improving each year here last year as they had to be content with 5th place after a very good performance of ‘A London Overture' that featured some fine, if rather laid back individual playing at times.
Helge Haukas takes over the reins for this year and that could be a signal that they are trying to go for broke – o something completely different. Wait and see, but after coming 7th in the First Division at SIDDIS they should fancy their chances.
Brøttum Musikkforening
Conductor: Thorbjørn Lunde
National Record:
2006: 10th in First Division (Thorbjørn Lunde) (rel)
2005: 6th (Thorbjørn Lunde)
2004: 9th (Thorbjørn Lunde)
2003: Winners Second Division (prom)
2002: 8th in First Division
2001: 3rd
2000: 9th in First Division
Last Year: 10th in First Division
Own Choice Selection:
2006: Chivalry
2005: Montage
Brøttum has just fallen away off the pace a little in recent years and were relegated from the First Division after producing a performance of ‘Chivalry' that didn't capture the essence of the piece at all.
It will be interesting what they will choose then this time as in the last two years they have gone for broke and it hasn't come off. Something a little less ambitious perhaps may well set them up nicely.
Flesland Musikklag
Conductor: Svein Henrik Giske
National Record:
2006: 10th (Bengt Florvag)
2005: 7th (Yngve Nicolaisen)
2004: 9th (Egil Magnussen)
2003: 11th
2002: 5th
2001: 7th
2000: Joint 9th
Last Year: 10th
Own Choice Selection:
2006: The Land of the Long White Cloud
2005: Viking Saga Opus 3
A band in need of a good result here it seems after three years when they haven't really pressed to come in the top six let alone gain a podium place. Svein Henrik Giste is the fourth person to try and turn things around in as many years and he may have his work cut out after the band came 10th at SIDDIS last year. They may start with checking the speedo as last year their own choice went hell for leather and suffered a bit of a Richard Hammond in the process.
Gjesdal Brass Band
Conductor: Reid Gilje
National Record:
2006: 2nd in Second Section (Christian Tenfjold) (prom)
2005: 8th (Russell Gray)
2004: 10th (Russell Gray)
Last Year: 2nd in Second Section
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Festivity
2005: The Long Ships
Gjesdal are a band moving in the right direction it seems as well as one that takes the sensible action of picking for themselves a top notch MD to take them on stage. Last year it was Christian Tenfjold and the end result was a fine performance of a tricky own choice selection and promotion.
More of the same would be great – no pressure then for Reid Gilje, although they could only manage 6th at SIDDIS last year.
Hornorkesteret Stavanger
Conductor: Geir Karlson
National Record:
2006: 4th (Geir Karlson)
2005: 8th (Geir Karlson)
2004: 11th in First Division (Russell Gray) (rel)
2003: 8th
2002: 2nd in Second Division (prom)
2001: 4th
2000: 5th
Last Year: 4th
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Variations on a Ninth
2005: The King of Elflands Daughter
Hornorkesteret Stavanger more than held their own here last year, despite performing a varied interpretation of Vinter's old classic test piece. Some of the varieties of cadenzas raised an eyebrow or two. That said they were still good value for their result and they showed that they should be a band to look out for here by coming 4th at SIDDIS last year too.
Jølster Musikklag
Conductor: Arvid Anthun
National Record:
2006: Winners of Third Section (Arvid Anthun) (prom)
2005: 4th (Arvid Anthun)
2004: 2nd in Fourth Section (Arvid Anthun) (prom)
2003: 9th in Third Division (rel)
2002: 7th
2001: 4th
2000: 6th
Last Year: Winners of Third Section
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Voyage of Discovery
2005: Nautalis
Promoted from the Fourth Division in 2004 Jølster showed that they were ambitious and talented and after testing the water they dived head first last year to win the Third Division in fine style.
That win was based on a intelligent bit of repertoire choice that highlighted the strengths of the band and more of the same could well see them up in the prizes this time too.
Sagvåg Musikklag
Conductor: Havard Kroka
National Record:
2006: 7th (Havard Kroka)
2005: 10th (Michael Fowles)
2004: 8th (Michael Fowles)
2003: 9th First Division
2002: 5th
2001: 9th
2000: 8th
1999: 8th
Last Year: 10th
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Blitz
2005: Music for the Common Man
Sagvåg Musikklag held their own again here last year without ever suggesting they were going to come any higher than they did and their own choice selection of ‘Blitz' was perhaps a touch too ambitious. You can't blame them for that thugh can you and they are not afraid to test themselves against stronger bands even though it resulted in them coming 13th at SIDDIS. They may need to temper the ambition this time to get a good result.
Stangaland Brass
Conductor: Yngve Nikolaisen
National Record:
2006: 9th (Eirik Gjerdevik)
2005: 6th (Morten E. Hansen)
2004: 10th (Morten E. Hansen)
2003: 12th
2002: 4th
2001: 10th
2000: Joint 5th
Last Year: 9th
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Trittico
2005: Tallis Variations
Stangaland are bobbing about a bit in the lower reaches of the Second Section and are in need of a confidence booster of a result here this year. That said they certainly made the right move in engaging the experienced Yngve Nikolaisen who immediately brought them a first dose at SIDIS where they came 3rd. A repeat performance here would be great.
Tertnes Amatørkorps
Conductor: Tormod R. Flaten
National Record:
2006: 8th (Tormod Flaten)
2005: =4th (Tormod Flaten)
2004: 4th in Third Division (Tormod Flaten)
2003: Winners of Fourth Division (Tormod Falten)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
Last Year: 8th
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Quintessence
2005: Rhapsody in Brass
Principal Euphonium player of the Eikanger Band, Tormod Flaten will once again lead his Tertnes Amatørkorps for the fifth time and he has steadily built up a very decent band. Last year they were heading along nicely for a possible top six place when the wheels fell off, so they will want to check all the nuts and bolts especially in the percussion department before they set off this time. If things are shipshape they could be well worth a few Krone at the Bergen branch of William Hill.
Tromsø Brass
Conductor: Robert Jensen
National Record:
2006: 11th in First Section (Robert Jensen) (rel)
2005: 2nd in Second Division (Robert Jensen)
2004: 4th (Robert Jensen)
2003: 7th
2002: 8th
2001: N/K
2000: 3rd
Last Year: 11th in First Section
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Babylonian Tablets
2005: Blitz
The band which has a penchant for the colour yellow really caught our imagination last year with their playing of their own choice selection that had a bit of everything from a superb euph player to a didgeridoo. A pity then that the judges didn't like it all and sent through the relegation trapdoor. What can we expect this time then? Hopefully more of the same and a result that reflects the ambition and bravery of the selection and execution – even if some of the players look as if they have used a bottle of advocat to wash their hair.
Tysnes Musikklag
Conductor: Yngve Nikolaisen
National Record:
2006: 3rd (Eirik Gjerdevik)
2005: 2nd in Third Division (Yngve Nikolaisen) (prom)
2004: 12th (Yngve Nikolaisen) (rel)
2003: 5th
2002: 11th in Second Division
2001: 12th
2000: Winners
Last Year: 3rd
Own Choice Selections:
2006: A London Overture
2005: The Plantagenets
Big Eirik did a great job with Tysnes last year with a bold and colourful performance of the Sparke work that featured a quite outstanding solo cornet player. More of the same will surely put them in the frame for possible promotion although they may have to just up the form a bit after coming 5th at SIDDIS late last year. The experience of the MD should hold them in good stead.
Vennesla Kristne Brass
Conductor: Bjorn Breistein
National Record:
2006: 12th in First Division (David Tellefsen) (rel)
2005: 10th (David Tellefsen)
2004: Winners of Second Division (David Tellefsen) (prom)
2003: 10th in First Division (rel)
2002: Winners in Second Division (prom)
2001: 10th in First Division (rel)
2000: 3rd
1999: 4th
Last Year: 12th in First Division
Own Choice Selections:
2006: The Pilgrim
2005: Journey into Freedom
Vennesla did well to survive two difficult years in the First Division where they found the step up in standard difficult to adjust too, but they certainly didn't disgrace themselves. Last year they chose a very worthy work from Kenneth Downie that just need a bit more emotion and feel for the music – it was perhaps a touch too serious in approach, but that may bode well here for getting all the basic nuts and bolts in the right place. An encouraging 6th place at SIDDIS bodes well.
Ørskog Brass
Conductor: John Hudson
National Record:
2006: 6th (Henrik Dalhaug)
2005: 12th in First Division (Michael Antrobus) (rel)
2004: 4th (Michael Antrobus)
2003: 2nd Second Division
2002: 7th
2001: 11th in First Division
2000: 2nd
Last Year: 6th
Own Choice Selections:
2006: Trittico
2005: Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden
After some real progress in recent times Ørskog fell away badly in 2005 and propped up the First Division table and found themselves relegated. Last year though they held their own with a pretty decent account of ‘Trittico' that featured a fine young cornet player but just fell away towards its conclusion. Nice to see John Hudson on stage conducting (although he may appear elsewhere on a variety of instruments) and his usual musical approach to things could well bring further reward.
Own Choice Selections:
A. A London Overture (Philip Sparke)
B. Chivalry (Martin Ellerby)
C. Coventry Variations (Bramwell Tovey)
D. Dampsanger(Steamsongs) (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
E. Dances and Arias (Edward Gregson)
F. Diversions on a Bass Theme (George Lloyd)
G. Diversions on a Bass Theme (George Lloyd)
H. English Heritage (George Lloyd)
I. Firestorm (Stephen Bulla)
J. Tallis Variations (Philip Sparke)
K. The Lord is King (Ray Steadman-Allen)
L. Variations on a Ninth (Gilbert Vinter)
M. Year of the Dragon (Philip Sparke)
2006 Result:
1. Follesø Musikklag, Egil Magnussen, 93
2. Sørum Musikklag, Erling Myrseth, 92
3. Tysnes Musikklag, Eirik Gjerdevik, 91
4. Hornorkesteret Stavanger, Geir Karlson, 89
5. Bergen Brass Band, Stian E. Svendsen, 88
6. Ørskog Brass, Henrik Dalhaug, 87
7. Sagvåg Musikklag, Håvard Kroka, 86
8. Tertnes Amatørkorps, Tormod Flaten, 85
9. Stangaland Brass, Eirik Gjerdevik, 84
10. Flesland Musikklag, Bengt Florvåg, 83
11. Fræna Musikkorps, Jens Kristian Mordal, 82
12. Trondheim Politis Brassband, Odd Steinar Mørkved, 81
13. Borge Brass Band, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, 80
Solo prize: Solo cornet, Follesø Musikklag
Best section: Percussion, Sørum Musikklag
4BR Prediction:
It could very well be a close old contest this one, but there are still a few form horses here that we think will make a mark.
We put our head on the bocks then by going for Bergen to make it a home win, closely followed by Tysnes who did so well last year and Tromso who will be keen to make a mark after their relegation. The same applies for Vennesla with Hornorkesteret and Tertnes up there come the results for us too. Our dark horse is Jolster who seem to be moving upwards at a rate of knots.
1. Bergen Brass Band
2. Tysnes Musikklag
3. Tromso
4. Vennesla Kristne Brass
5. Hornorkesteret Stavanger
6. Tertnes
Dark Horse: Jolster Musikklag
