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Live: Nationals - 3rd Section

Live coverage of the National Championships of Great Britain - 3rd Section - from the International Conference Centre, Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Test Piece: Imperium, Bruce Fraser
Adjudicators: Alan Hope & Lt Col. Chris Davis OBE
Saturday 29th September
Commences 9.30am

Live:

Campbletown Brass, Craig Anderson, 18
Region: Scotland

Pompey: Bold and purposeful from the off – but there are some noted casualties of war. Pompey needs to keep the troops on a tight reign.

Cicero: A slightly nervous Cicero at the lecturn but it’s a lyrical portrait that’s painted. Just a few too many fluff lines robbed it of making more of an impact.

Caesar: Another bold and brio approach – lots of life even if it gets a little messy on the final trek back home.

Overall: Not bad – a bit of a mixture overall. Not defeated this army but a few blooded noses.

Star player: Euph – Craig Bannatyne – An impressive young leader and a classy euphonium centurian.

Barton, Richard Evans, 17
Region: North of England

Pompey: A good start and a swagger march [what would you expect from the old General Tickius Dickius]. Some scrapes but nicely done.

Cicero: Perhaps a little less secure but well shaped and atmospheric. You sense the critique and the dark deeds.

Caesar: Again the Romans are all swagger and show – chests puffed out and the head back home to rome.

Overall: A good one this – and should be rewarded with a share of the spoils from the box.

Star player: Cornet – Neil Day – Brutus to Dickie’s Caesar – but he didn’t end up stabbing him!

Thundersley Brass, Keith Schroeter, 16
Region: London & Southern Counties

Pompey: A solid march for Pompey and pals even if they do have some scraps on the way. Keeps its discipline in the ranks to the end.

Cicero: Musical chairs in the Forum as the euph, cornet and flugel each have a turn at standing at the despatch box. Not really needed but its all solidly played this.

Caesar: Another solid and disciplined approach neat, tidy and enough power to crush a few rivals we think.

Overall: Good show this – a solid no nonsense Roman holidat snapshot of three top guys in Latin history.

Star player: Cornet – Lauren Cave – As tidy in her toga as Tiny Turner tap dancing on the Tiber.


Camborne B, Alan Pope, 15
Region: West of England

Pompey: At last! The Roman army in its glory – disciplines and controlled and mightily impressive. Up Pompey!!! A cracker this.

Cicero: More quality – this time reflective and lyrical and so well shaped by MD. The best speech made all day!

Caesar: Dark, brooding and pulsating. No stopping JC on this form even away from home! Super stuff all the way back to the Coliseum.

Overall: Camborne came, the saw and the conquered. This will take something special to beat for us!

Star player: All together now – we’re Spartacus – heroes one and all!


Llwydcoed, Alan Davies, 14
Region: Wales

Pompey: Good solid stuff to start – a controlled march in to battle – Pompey runs in to a bit of trouble towards the end though and suffers a few nicks and scrape.

Cicero: A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum here! All the fine playing is missing – it recovers to end but it’s uncomfortable in places.

Caesar: More like it – a bit scratchy in places but this is fighting talk and a nice swagger about it too. Just loses focus towards the end.

Overall: Better in battle than the verbal negotiations…

Star player: Cornet – Nicholas Brill – A real Welsh gladiator – a gladiolau perhaps…

Dodworth Colliery MW, Eliot Darwin, 13
Region: Yorkshire

Pompey: Big and bold stuff but the odd trip or two is evident in the soldier ranks at times. Certainly up for the fight and not taking many prisoners.

Cicero: Less comfortable away from the battlefield – it’s a bit hit or miss this. Not one of Cicero’s greatest speeches at the Senate.

Caesar: Back to battle – hold on lads – don’t get over excited by the thought of killing everyone too quickly. A bit of a messy end but it was thrill a minute stuff!

Overall: Lots of life [and death] with battles but the peace was a bit too stressful perhaps.

Star player: Cornet – Gemma Hankings – confortable in her battledress and chiffon toga.

Wotton and Districy Silver, Dennis Grant, 12
Region: West of England

Pompey: A relaxed army on the Appian Way – especially on the pick-ups. Everyone is playing off the same parchment. Doesn’t quite feel as if they are off to do battle though. More like a few rounds with the local trouble makers.

Cicero: Not quite waxing lyrical at the depatch box and there a re some nasty hiccups before Cicero takes his seat.

Caesar: Another relaxed outing for the lads – a bit of playful pillaging rather than vanquishing the vandals. Neat and tidy – a bit of battle planning.

Overall: Just in need of a bit more lust for glory this one. Not bad – but it was Rome with a Health and Safety certificate.

Star player: All in it together this lot – a bit ‘I’m Spaticus’ – all for one and one for all.


Matlock Band, Roger Jepson, 11
Region: Midlands

Pompey: This packs a real punch to start – there’s the odd slip or two in some centurions lines but overall a well drilled unit under General Jepson.

Cicero: A super start from horn and flugel – loses some focus as Cicero waxes lyrical but a fine portrait of the old charmer.

Caesar: Good strong stuff – disciplined and workman like. Lots of good quality playing.

Overall: A fine show this – 3 fine Roman portraits. Have Matlock come, saw and conquered we wonder?

Star player: Horn – Jane Baldwin – Mrs Maximus!

Porthaethwy Menai Bridge, Chris Williams, 10
Region: Wales

Pompey: This sets off in triplet pick-ups – safe and solid with some neat touches. A youthful army needs a touch more weight to pack a punch but well handled.

Cicero: A little uneven. Cicero fluffs a few lines at the Senate and struggles to get his manifesto over comfortably.

Caesar: A youthful Emporer full of youthful spirit. The Ides are a long way off – lively and well handled – just needs a bit more blood and guts?

Overall: Lots to admire. Even if at times if was a touch lightweight in the attack department for the generals to really win the battle.

Star player: Solo cornet – Gywn Owen – a pint sized Peatorian Guard – a mini Ben Hur

Middleton Band, Matthew Stringer, 9
Region: North West

Pompey: A wonky wheel on this chariot to start but soon recovers and it is a majestic stroll out of Rome. Perhaps needs a touch more brio – sounds a little a little more like Harry Redknapp’s Pompey this – solid at home but not exciting to watch.

Cicero: Super horn – and the good work continues. Safe and solid this if a little lacking in passion. Well shaped and controlled – nothing much wrong.

Caesar: More good work. MD is a sensible Emperor – he knows his troops capabilities. Well worked this right to the end.

Overall: A solid as the coliseum. Built to last. Lots of good playing on show.

Star player: Horn – Emma Davies – As good as Angelina Jolie in an off the shoulder toga…

Ripon City, Malcolm Dibb, 8
Region: North of England

Pompey: Just the odd slip on the road out of Rome but recovers with a nice swagger. A Roman version of Death or Glory – well done.

Cicero: Spoke too soon. Cicero stutters like I Claudius. Actually it’s more like Arkwright the shopkeeper in a toga. Brave recovery to end.

Caesar: Better. Another swagger campaign – gets a touch harsh in places but a stylish Caesar none the less.

Overall: The middle movement when the chariot had a puncture will cost a decent effort unfortunately.

Star player: Solo horn – Eleanor Stokes – A versatile Cleopatra.

Perthshire Brass, George Annan, 7
Region: Scotland

Pompey: Quite a few casualties on the Appian Way to start as Pompey goes pretissimo. The legion has been a touch decimated unfortunately.

Cicero: Better stuff but Cicero is suffering some nervous moments at the Senate. Well done euph though. A good close.

Caesar: Now Julius is in a hurry to conquer Gaul. Better playing but the casualties are as high as the Yanks in Iraq.

Overall: The two generals were in a real rush and left more than a fair bit of collateral damage in their wake for this to feature.

Star player: Euph – George Annan – McMaximux – A solid presence through this campaign

Epsom & Ewell, Ted Howard, 6
Region: London & Southern Counties

Pompey: A bit of a bumpy ride on the chariot this ne in places – not quite the Pompey chimes but ok if it didn’t quite frighten the natives into surrender.

Cicero: Better stuff. Well done Brutus on second man! Nicely shaped and safely played.

Caesar: Again the legion grows in confidence. They sense the blood loss but a couple lose their heads to finish.

Overall: A bit of a Roman dolly mixture this. Had its moments but not enough to raise the Imperial standard for us.

Star player: Timp player: Tim Lain – A touch of the galley drummer at times but splendid stuff.

Wem Jubilee, 5
Region: Midlands, Roger Thorne

Pompey: Togas in a tangle to start but it recovers. Now they find their sandals even if it does go along at a fair lick. Super end.

Cicero: Good stuff – lyrical playing and solos shaped well. A softer picture of the old trouble shooter. Another fine end.

Caesar: Beware the Ides of March JC! Scrappy and sounds tired. Perhaps he knows what’s in store! A pity.

Overall: Just the start and end robbed this one from being a successful campaign for glory.

Star player: Solo cornet – Simon Griffiths – A seasoned legionnaire but a classy contribution.


Oldham Band (Lees), John Collins, 4
Region: North West

Pompey: Up Pompey! Powerful and stirring stuff. Odd moments when the chariot lost a wheel but a strong assault this even with clipped end.

Cicero: Just the odd uneasy moment but well shaped this. Dark and detailed – tuning just spoils the picture to end.

Caesar: It’s all out attack this. Few prisoners taken at this speed – just lost a few too many towards the stirring end.

Overall: Very nearly came, saw and conquered this. Left the door open perhaps but a good one.

Star player: Euph – Lois Fielding – Another true Gladiator on form.

Wellington (Telford), Steve Curtis, 3
Region: Midlands

Pompey: Just the odd trip on the opening march but it recovers well and it has the majestic feel despite losing the odd soldier here and there.

Cicero: Just little touches of uncertainty but well managed and it has the correct sense of political mischief making.

Caesar: Old JC on a romp here. Full of life and bashing all and sundry. Classy and bright to the end.

Overall: They may have lost the odd soldier or two in battle but a stirring performance this.

Star player: Soprano – Mel Whyle – a toga full of talent and great playing.


Eccleston Brass, Ian Bateson, 2
Region: North West

Pompey: It’s a bold one this – hold the chariots though as it gets a touch messy at times. Powerful to the end.

Cicero: Again a touch bold but well played with some nice solo lines in particular. There are confident Romans here.

Caesar: More of the same with plenty of drive and power from all the the cohorts of te MDs legion.

Overall: A powerful account of Rome – three top dogs this – perhaps a touch OTT in places but good.

Star player: Euph – Tom Duddle - well done Maximus.

Clifton and Lightcliffe, John Clay, 1
Region: Yorkshire

Pompey: Strong start that’s just falls away a little with the tuning but a nice majestic feel

Cicero: A colloseum thumbs up for horn and flugel all through – nicely shaped this with expression and dynamics. It’s growing in stature this one.

Caesar: Not quite the decisive finish but again well handled with plenty of blood and guts to the end.

Overall: A good marker set out by this Yorkshire legion – it grew in confidence right to the end.

Star player: Solo Horn – Jane Clay – as sturdy as a centurion.