2007 Australian National Band Championships

Report: C Grade Hymn and Test

A report covering the Saturday performances of the Hymn and Test Selection

Adjudicator: Eric Andersen
Test: A Gallimaufry Suite - Phillip Harper

Marist Brothers Bendigo (Vic)
Hymn: In Perfect Peace - Kenneth Downie

Great intonation at the start. Well balanced throughout. Nice blending of solo lines throughout the band. Lower end intonation excellent though it was let down by cornets and horns. Very sensitive ending.

Test:

Secure and exciting beginning. Excellent trombones. Bari and euph intonation slightly off. Very clear and rhythmic cornets nicely contrasting the melody. End of movement not exactly together. Second movement not always together rhymitically. Percussion very reliable. Good dynamic contrasts throughout the whole work. Nice style. A good attempt at an exposed start of the third movement. Lovely atmosphere spoilt by some incorrect notes. Lovely well controlled soft playing. Cornet overpowered by rest of the band at start of the fourth. Exciting dynamic changes. Excellent loud playing always with a very full and well balanced sound. Percussion always spot on. A very exciting and technically sound performance.

St Marys Band Club Brass (NSW)
Hymn: I will follow thee - Robert Readhead

Start not together but well recovered. Good dynamic range but the theme not always projected well. Rubato very well used and the band always responded. Intonation not always spot on but had its good moments.

Test:

Much more secure beginning to this one. Percussion possibly a little overpowering. Cornets very together. Nice lyrical euph and bari. Very warm band sound. Last note not fully together. Good flugel at beginning to second movement. Mostly very well together throughout. Quartet moves well together. Excellent dynamic when full band enters.

Kept well under control but without loosing sound. Crescendo very well handled, no one section leading the way. Movement played with great control. Bass end slightly under the rest of the band in the fourth. Cornets handled technical sections well. Band not completly together in the final section.

Sunshine Community Brass (Vic)
Hymn: In Perfect Peace - Kenneth Downie

Secure beginning and huge bass sound. Very well balanced with horn melody coming over the top without being forced. Trom and cornet nicely together. Intonation in cornets not always right. Very nice last chord though bass pedal a little over done. Lower end have a fantastic sound. Cornets a little thin.

Test:

Tight beginning. Triplets very distinct. Euph and bari not always moving together. Very nice flugel sound in second mvt. Start of third movement not together. Cornet was a little loud. Sounded a little hurried. Full band came in under the quartet, very impressive. Dynamic did tend to get a little comfortable later on. Start of 4th messy. Cornet lagged behind the beat. Excellent loud playing and great change of mood. Very broad horns. Cymbal not balanced with snare. Very loud last chord. Excitement carried right through the last section.

Yagonna District (NSW)
Hymn: In Perfect Peace - Kenneth Downie

Intonation issues during a fairly loud start. Nice sense of movement. Trombone and cornet solo a little stilted. Sensitive playing during tuba and cornet solo. Rubato well executed.

Test:

Some good articulation starting this peice. Euphs and baris intonation, but good phrasing. Better dynamic variation. Lyrical flugel and cornet solos in the second movement. Not always settled in the rhythmic changes. Good sense of style for this movement. A little loud in the finish of the second movement. Not a lot of dynamic variation in the third movement. Excellen cornet solo starting fourth movement over a well balanced band. Good contrast of bright and mellow sounds used. Alot of attention to detail.

Geelong West Brass (Vic)
Hymn: On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss - Holsinger, arr. Gott

Very lyrical and tuneful start with all moving parts coming forward nicely. Very good dynamic variation displayed. Good control from Soprano. Solo and band always well balanced. Beautiful playing from solo horn. The band moved together incredibly well with great use of rubato. A fantastic and moving performance.

Test:

Very exciting start focused on style. Very warm sound, showing good dynamic variety. Great intonation during muted sections. Singing sound in flugal solo. Good phrasing shown. Very comfortable with compound rhythm.

First bone and solo horn (playing baritone solo) changed seats for the third movement. Minor intonation issues in quartet. Very controlled band entry. Tone maintained over all dynamics. Very smooth playing. Solo cornet started very well but became messy.

Very broad and controlled sounds in loud playing. Horn trills and dynamic effects brought out very well. Very convincing ending.

Marion City (SA)
Hymn: The Old Hundredth - Louis Bourgeious, arr. Alan Fernie

Airy sound cornets? Very broad start. Trombone intonation a little prob. Nice projection of soprano - may a bit loud + intonation. Not always moving together. Sound opened up nicely in louder dynamics. Flugal moving parts maybe a bit loud. Nice fast movements from Basses together. Not blended enough.

Test:

Steady start (slow). Warm sound from euph's and bari's. Good leading from flugal. Percussion not always with brass. Musical chairs for the 3rd movement - quartet moved to inner seats. Quartet did not always start together but moved together well. Intonation and higher volume detracted a little. Band entry volume well controlled. Good attempt at cornet solo 4th movment. band not always together. Good solid sound from lower end of band. Dynamic range not fully explored. Warm sound and good intoation towards end. Good buildup from cymbal but not completely supported by the rest of the percussion.
Both pieces conducted by memory!

Advent Brass (Vic)
Hymn: Great is Thy Faithfulness - William Runyan, arr. J Gilson

Nice full opening. Percussion and cornets moved well together. Nice control over lower dynamic. Clear trombone solo with few intonational problems. Consistently phrasing together. Singing sound in euph/bari/horn solo. Some wrong notes with key change. Good, light style change but intonation issues in higher euph/horn register. Solid bass trombone run down. Not as strong an ending as expected but good soprano.

Test:

Brass and percussion not quite together. Good dynamic variation. Warm, singing sound in euph and bari. Xylophone overbalanced muted cornets a little. Tentative start to second movement by tubas. Flugal strong but intonation issues. Tempo a little slow and not quite comfortable with the compound rhythm but good balance. Clean ending. Startled start to third movement but good volume control and balance of quartet. Not always moving together.

Starts aren't always clean but follow with good blending. Some excellent phrasing. Very long last note - Beautiful tone and tuning from tubas. Solo cornet solo not entirely clean. Great dynamic variety displayed. Great work from Soprano. Percussion and brass not always spot on. Dynamic effects were delivered well and percussion leadup to the end was very effective.

City of Ballarat Municipal Brass (Vic)
Hymn: Be Thou My Vision (Slane) - arr. William Gordon

Very warm opening with good intonation. Nice buildup and phrasing with dynamics. Moving lines were a bit lost under longer notes. Good dynamic variety. Intonation issues on last chord.

Test:

Very bright sound at start. Intonation between cornets in loud dynamics can be a problem. Muted cornets a little loud. Euph/bari line nice and long but with tuning issues. Fast rhythmic phrases not completely together. Good rhythmic feel at start of second movement. Flugal was a little underbalanced. Lost the rhythm during accidentals but recovered well. Missed part of ending. Quartet opening of third movement not quite balance and a little jerky.

Very smooth band entry with good dynamic control. Intonation in cornets during soft work. Exciting fourth movement. Percussion very precise. Good dynamic variety. Good attention to accents in cornets. Powerful ending with clean percussion interlude.

Warragul Municipal (Vic)
Hymn: Make me a Channel of Your Peace - Temple, arr. Himes

Strong and lyrical solo cornet opening. Some pipped entries around the band. Minor intonation issues amongst cornets, but moving together well. Warm moving lines from euph's and bari's. Effective dynamic changes.

Test:

Clear beginning and articulation. Good interplay between cornets and trombones. Percussion and brass rhythms not quite together initially. Nice clear horn tones singing and balanced well above band. Strong, singing flugal solo at start of second movement - minor intonation issues up high. Good movement through accidentals. Quartet mostly balanced - cornet a little loud - and phrased well together. Phrase starts not always clean. A nice band tone muddied a little by intonation.

Good cornet solo at start of fourth movement. Lyric and rhythmic lines not always together. Clean low register trombone sound - nice work bass trombone. Most moving lines coming out clearly. Exciting with effective percussion at ending.

Interesting layout - trombones and cornets on opposite sides!

Toronto Brass (NSW)
Hymn: Relections in Nature - Robert Redhead

Very clean and smooth introduction. A few blip entries. A little loud solo cornets. Nice moving lines brought out. Warm sound with good dynamic variation and effects. Good use of rubato. Solo cornet counter melody mostly secure. Lower end slightly underbalanced during end. Wonderful sound and a sensitive performance.

Test:

Very clean rhythmic lines with good intonation. Warm euph and bari line with good phrasing. Good balance between brass and percussion. Glockenspiel not moving with brass. Excellent flugal solo at beginning of second movement. Very good rhythmic style. Good variety of dynamics. Quartet mostly balanced, cornet a little shaky.

A little stilted in movement. Clean and warm band entry. Minor intonation issues in quiet dynamics. Sustained control over long phrases. A shock start of the fourth movement from percussion! Volume? Good cornet solo. Good dynamic variation and accents. Brass and percussion well together. An exciting performance.

Royal Hifofua Tongan Brass (NSW)
Hymn: St Laurence - arr. Craig Millar

Nice sound at opening though percussion not together with brass. Nice dynamic variation. Intonation a problem in cornets. Very fat lower end sounds. Beautiful cornet solo, huge sound but doesnt overpower the band. Wel controlled in the higher dynamics and lovely changes. Percussion not always agreeing with brass. Beautifuly in tune last chord.

Test:

Very secure beginning. Percussion very effective. Excellent accents and bell tones right across the band. Euph/Bari melody solid. Intonation close but just not 100%. No flugal so solo cornet takes the solo in the second movement. Everything very short but together. Falls apart in the middle with some uncertain entries. Quartet unbalanced. Intonation really lets the mood down.

Not always moving together. Solo cornet not technically secure at start of 4th. Balance really lacking here. Huge sounds when loud but tended to lose quality when soft. Great ensemble playing towards the end. Very short last chord.

Greater Bendigo Concert Brass (Vic)
Hymn: Nottingham - arr. Goff Richards

Well balanced and exciting opening. Flugal intonation. Good use of rubato. Excellent dynamic contrast. Sound still very full at softer dynamics. Enormous soprano cornet. Euphonium line was overpowered by strong cornets. Sensitive ending.

Test:

Very secure opening. Soprano tended to overpower. Middle of the band got lost. Triplets not clean in horns. Eupho/Bari very smooth. Muted cornets well done. Some small timing issues in basses and troms at beginning of second. Intonation in flugal. Excellent character. Dynamic contrast lacking. Missed notes in basses at end. Cornet didnt enter with rest of quartet.

Balance off with cornet above the rest. Full band nice phrasing but intonation issues, though improved by movements end. Very loud shock note to start 4th. Excellent cornet solo. Soprano just too loud. Cornet section too loud for rest of band. Last note didnt start together.

Overall:

Some very fine playing in this section. Outstanding performances from Geelong West and Toronto. Soft playing tested the bands intonation capacities. Multimeter of third movement of the test was an indicator of each bands sense of rhythm. Exposed playing in quartet tested out the bands soloists, particularly solo cornet's soft playing ability.

What do we think?

Hymn:
Geelong West Brass
Toronto Brass
Greater Bendigo

Test:
Geelong West Brass
Toronto Brass
St Marys Band Club Brass

Natasha Knopper and Simon Moffat