Comments ~ 2009: January

Helping hands, Butlins, Grimethorpe, Little Maids, Vinter and more as we end January on a high note...

Helping hand
 
4BarsRest is a fantastic source of news for banders all round the world and as such has a lot of responsibility and influence.  The article about bands in the credit crunch was very illuminating, but not very helpful.

If bands are to survive we need to make our movement more accessible to the general public and widen our audiences – easier said than done for a single band to do, but collectively there is a wealth of knowledge that could turn our movement around.  4BarsRest has both the access and the influence to do something about it.

So here is a challenge – I throw down the gauntlet to 4BarsRest to help our UK band movement turn around and make bands popular again.

Help us to – Find what makes our successful bands work; Come up with innovative new ways of bringing in revenue; Initiate ideas to attract new, younger audiences to our movement; Encourage the younger generation to participate in bands again; Get bands more exposure in the wider media; Set up a resource of information to help bands set up successful events.
 
Not so long ago our bands were popular and well respected, but now all too often our events are attended only by the more elderly population who remember the ‘good old days’.  

Bands in Norway, Australia and New Zealand appear to be thriving and attract young audiences at a time when our bands in the UK are struggling.  Help us shrug off the negative aspects of our image and bring our movement kicking and screaming into the modern era!

Let’s not get all doom and gloom about the recession, let’s use this to our advantage to encourage the public to take part in what could be a fun, cheap and uplifting source of entertainment.  So 4BarsRest, will you help us?

R Stock
Yorkshire 

4BR Reply:
That's what we thought we have been doing for the past eight years - asking the questions, initiating the debate, giving the ideas, setting out our opinions and reporting on the outcomes. We will keep trying though.

Time to stop the Saga of the North

Further to my recent post within your comments section regarding the Grimethorpe issues raised just before Christmas, I have some basic facts regarding information and it's release.
 
I am very familiar on a practical working basis of these so therefore they are given with the best of intentions, and, without prejudice.
 
Based upon the assumption (always a dangerous thing, I know) that the Grimethorpe Band are a registered charity, therefore there has to be by the current Law governed by The Charity Commissioners of England and Wales, a full disclosure of any information regarding that charity by the Board of Trustees whom are legally bound to do so as taxpayers money is received under "charitable status".
 
This is further covered by the Freedom of Information Act itself monitored by the Data Protection Registrar in Wilmslow Cheshire.
 
Regarding the obligations of both the Charity Commissioners and DPR, they take a very serious view of any alleged or proven breaches.
 
And, may I add, I am not talking about ridiculous " Political Correctness".
 
What I understand is that many of us cannot understand is that not one reason as far as I am aware has come forth from the trustees in to the public domain, unless it is to be corrected.
 
I would strongly suggest that in the interests of both the organisation, its members, and the brass band movement (which seems to myself to be coming out with the most ridiculous and somewhat seemingly petty arguments eg air miles etc) that the Board of Trustees are both requested and urged to make a full disclosure to both Mr Webster and Mr Shires and then disclose those reasons into the public domain, which, they are legally bound to do so, if not morally to the parties affected et al.
 
Any failure to do so would cause so much damage to an organisation that we all dearly love, respect and is held in the highest of regard.
 
Any failure to do so could also bring in to question the integrity of any board of trustees regardless of any decision being right or wrong, and possible and far more reaching consequences to them as individuals.
 
Is that what they REALLY want to happen?
 
Rumours and counter rumours must cease, and cease now.
 
Bob Harwood
Banbury 

Found! One of the Four Little Maids

With reference to the article concerning the whereabouts of the ‘Four Little Maids’ 

Miss Serious still lives in Bedlington and she is now a urology specialist nurse student. She loves all kinds of music, especially brass and classical and she has one son, two step grand children and four grandchildren.
 
Guy W Stoker 

Memories are maid of this

I was just browsing through the always interesting  4BR website, when I spotted the article about "Four Little Maids" being recorded by Dyke on the LP "High Peak for Brass".

It brought a flood of memories back as I depped on EEb Bass for that recording.

I might even get it out of the loft, buy a deck, and listen to it again.

Great days!
 
Ian Wilkinson  

Thumbs up for Butlins

Having just returned from Butlins, I want to congratulate all concerned for a good event.
 
Even the weather changed from icy-cold windy rainy on Saturday to just icy cold and windy on Sunday!
 
I think that "bandies" in general should have enjoyed the event. There were some pretty basic practical things that could have improved things; like heating in the main contest hall on Saturday morning, a better draw process for the Championship Entertainment section (2 number twelves in the bag!!!), and perhaps less "star" deps on display in the bands?
 
Can you clarify if the contest attracts Ranking points? I have checked your "criteria" and couldn't positively identify yes or no?
 
A point to ponder if it does contribute - should a band be credited with points if it is clearly heavily supported by the inclusion of "Star" deps?
 
This is all said tongue in cheek - but perhaps deserves thought when recipient bands would not attract such help at say, the areas or "Open".
 
Thanks to all who organised a very complex event and long may it continue.
 
Gordon Eddison 

Great contest, pity about the Chavs

Having returned from yet another excellent weekend at Skegness, can I first of all congratulate the organisers on a superb contest with a great selection of test pieces to listen to.
 
However, my gripe comes from my visit to listen to the Third Section. The band coming on stage as I entered the contest room was Kirkby Colliery Band, who proceeded to commence their performance of Haydock Variations with the principal cornet player wearing a baseball cap! 

The said cap remained upon his head for the entire performance less about two bars where it was used as a mute. Apart from the fact, it is considered bad manners for any gentleman to wear any form of hat indoors, on a contest stage? 

I thought it was disgusting and showed the band in a highly unprofessional light. I was wondering if they thought they had entered an entertainments contest and this was part of the novelty item.
 
I have no objection to a cap being used as a mute, I have in the past played with bands where dusters and even disposable bedpans have been used as an alternative to traditional mutes.
 
I hope never to see the like on a contest stage again, I am all for modernising Brass Bands to the point of modern stage wear etc.... but baseball caps was just too much for me.
 
Perhaps in future, Kirkby (CHAV) Colliery Band can take lessons in professionalism from the youngsters of Coleshill Town Youth Band, who I saw perform in the newly re-introduced youth section.

Here was a band of extremely young children, smartly presented in shirts and waistcoats, who although not being judged on deportment were an absolute pleasure to watch.

They took to the stage in orderly fashion, lifted instruments up on the enthusiastic MD's direction (well done Stephen Fagg), played their pieces, instruments down together and left the stage in order.

Fantastic and well done all three Youth Bands performing on the day, hopefully there will be a much larger entry next year in this section.
 
Albert Fairbrother 

Grimethorpe finisher

I'm wondering if you can please help me, regarding firstly the concert on the Saturday night played by Grimethorpe, and, secondly, a piece of music played in the Sunday entertainments contest.

I listened to the second part of the concert by Grimethorpe...what I'd really like to find out, please, is the title and composer of the last piece they played

In the entertainments contest, there was a band (who name I cannot for the life of me remember now) who played a piece simply entitled 'Sleep'....I have no idea who it's by

What I'd also like to know is, are either, or both, of these pieces available on CD?
 
Many thanks for any help you may be able to give. 

S. Wilton 

4BR Reply:
We didn't hear Grimethorpe on the night - busy working of course - so can someone help? 

The Trumpets

Tom Stone asks if there is to be a performance of Gilbert Vinter's The Trumpets in the coming year, and suggests that it might be suitable material for a Prom or the Three Choirs Festival.
 
Another obvious shop window for the work would be the RNCM Festival of Brass, which at the end of this month will celebrate the work of Gilbert Vinter in the 100th year of his birth. 

His masterwork is, however, unaccountably absent from the programme.  It is especially strange since one would suppose that the college has all the extra resources the piece requires - SATB choir, bass soloist, trumpet soloist, extra band players, organ - at its disposal. 

They have certainly managed to stage similarly ambitious works in the past – ‘Samson’, ‘Requiem for a Charred Skull’ and ‘An Age of Kings’ come to mind.
 
It really is baffling - and very disappointing!
 
Jim Yelland

Air miles but no smiles

Leyland Band did not make any mention of any financial arrangements surrounding Paula Russell's appointment to the Principal Cornet seat when they announced it in December. 

So why does Paula Russell make an oblique reference to it in her 'press release' as a means of airing some grievance she may have with the band?

This is yet another example of some players being too full of their own importance, thinking that they need to amend their public image when nobody knew there was one to amend in the first place.

Quote: 'I did not expect to receive any payment from Leyland for playing for the band, nonetheless, I feel that a one way air ticket was not a lot to expect in return for my willingness to make the adjustments in my life in Australia...'

Well, payment for an airfare from Australia is still payment, and a fairly hefty one at that for an unsponsored band to fork out. The lack of detail in Paula Russell's brief dig at the band lends itself to misinterpretation.

I have no doubt that the trip was seen as an opportunity to visit the UK, catch up with friends and family and play in a brass band at the same time, getting them to pick up the tab.

I doubt that all of the 'adjustments to my life in Australia' were for the sole purpose of serving Leyland Band, so why should the band pay?

Although I am no Max Clifford, might I suggest it would have been better not to mention this at all?

John Gilbert 

The Olympic bandwagon - a slightly different approach

I found your comments on the Olympic Bandwagon very interesting and, on the whole, I agree that, probably from now until the next century, there will be no money left for any other project, let alone brass bands.
 
As for hosting the Europeans, why don't we put it out to tender?  I am sure that there are bands here in the UK that would love to host them - my own band has a room that can sit a whole brass band quite (or nearly) comfortably, although we no longer use the stage as this is full of equipment.  

As for an audience, do we really need one?  Lets face it, there wasn't much of one at the Nationals so my thoughts are that the adjudicators could sit on stage and the band in the auditorium.
 
The villages in and around Woodfalls have some pubs and guest houses, but they probably would not be able to cope with the influx of foreigners from places as far flung as Norway, Belgium, Hampshire and Dorset, but we could hire some marquees, put them up in the New Forest (Woodfalls is right on the edge) and we could bus the bands in each day!  

Unfortunately, as the New Forest is now a National Park the bands would not be allowed to practice within 5 miles of it, in case it upsets the animals or some rare orchid that has received £15.5 million protection money from the National Lottery or Government.
 
I think that the Woodfalls Band Ladies Committee would be able to provide refreshments, but would need a couple of days notice to order the loaves for the sandwiches.  I haven't asked them yet but sandwiches for around 4,000 bandsmen shouldn't be a problem, should it? 
 
Toilets might be a problem, though, as we don't have them in the country, but then neither do most foreign countries so they will probably feel right at home!!
 
You never know, if a band from "Team GB" win the Europeans, all the members could receive OBE's in the New Years honours, the conductor made a Knight and the organisers (the Ladies Committee) a bouquet of flowers for their services to the brass band culture.
 
So come on everybody!!  Put in your tenders to host the Europeans in 2012.......it may lead to bigger and better things in the future..........anyone up for the International All England British Open National Whit-Friday Mine-Workers qualifiers from the great hall of Corfe Castle?
 
Mark Pye
Woodfalls (pop 125)      

Gilbert Vinter - not forgotten

Rest assured - Gilbert Vinter is not forgotten!

To those of us who experienced his music 'first hand' in the 1960s his fresh approach to composition was like a breath of fresh air.

He challenged us technically and intellectually and demonstrated a genius for Brass Band writing unmatched by any previous composer.

Brilliant mood swings, unusual and often gorgeous chord structures and rhythms, combined with his exploitation of the full 'spectrum' of colours and muted effects not heard before, endeared him to the Band fraternity at a time when we were all ready for change!

No, Gilbert is not forgotten! Rather, we have just moved on you know!

Musical styles change, new composers arrive on the scene, and young players look for new challenges.

Yes, our new young players should be encouraged to play Vinter's music, and also the music of those earlier composers who have enriched the Brass Band heritage.

I have yet to meet a young player who hasn't expressed amazement at the technical difficulties of 'Journey into Freedom', 'Life Divine', 'Freedom', 'Epic Symphony' etc.

Gilbert Vinter's music rests lovingly in our filing cabinets alongside these and the many other fine classics by Ball, Howells, Geehl, Wright etc, etc.

So, raise a glass to Gilbert Vinter.

He's not ----- FORGOTTEN!

Archie Hutchison
Kirkoswald 

Great scoops! 

Logged on for the first time in a while yesterday and was amazed by the amount of content you are now putting on the site.

I didn’t really know it was that busy and interesting out there in the banding world – and we get to hear the news direct from the horse’s mouth too.

Some great scoops with Mr Webster and Alan Morrison in particular.
 
Keep up the good work
 
Dave Stringer  

Chipmunk interviews?

Really enjoying the little interviews you are doing the site. They give an insight into how the band movement works in terms of hiring and firing! 

One problem though – a friend of mine told me they couldn’t get the interviews to work – they were playing at a high speed on his machine. Any ideas to what the problem is?
 
Ben Willaming
 
4BR Reply:
 
Thanks for your email Ben.  We've received a few emails where readers were hearing them play at high speed. We think we've sorted that out now and are encoding the latest interviews differently. Please let us know if you still hear the very latest interviews sounding like the Chipmunks! 

Benitez of South Wales

Hi Guys - Love the audio stuff. Is it me, or do I hear a touch of 'piquancy' in one interview over last year's Regional result in Wales? 

Now we've heard Mr Benitez of South Wales - I'm waiting for Fergie's response...
 
David ‘Mourinho’ Morgan 

The Trumpets 

Just wondered if you knew of any concerts featuring Gilbert Vinter’s masterpiece -The Trumpets -coming up this year.

I last heard it live at the Royal Academy of Music about 10 years ago. It is an amazing work and God alone knows why it is so neglected. There are many Choirs out there that would give their bottom teeth to sing a new and engaging piece of music such as this.

Where are the all brass band promoters and their imagination these days? This would be a great piece for the Three Choirs Festival-or even a prom concert.

Still I can dream!

I'll get back to my old Black Dyke recording of it instead, and enjoy it on  my gramophone!!

Tom Stone

What a funny old game...

I hope that you all had a very happy and peaceful, restive Christmas break and I send to my friends in the brass band world my very best wishes.

Now to business!

1. I have read with utter disbelief the comments regarding the Fairey Bands Saga with a Miss Kath Stokes. What on earth is the  movement coming to I ask myself.

Good grief I have heard some tales in my time but that one takes the biscuit.

 2. What the hell has gone on at Grimethorpe with the Trustess departing Messrs Webster and Shires? Perhaps with the Freedom of Information Act being brought into play we may just find out.

Oh happy days!

Bob Harwood
Banbury  

Placings and points

I was at the Nationals in 2007 and six places were awarded which has survived the test of time.Why is it necessary to have six places.Surely the main placings should be be 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

I would propose that 4, 5 & 6 be abolished or at least 5 & 6.That would leave the first three placings being the important placings.The first three places would have the points awarded and declared. 

The Adjudicator's would have to differentiate the placings of 1, 2 & 3 so why not leave points awarded as per the adjudicator's awarded points in the box.By not declaring points those present would be a little mystified and would question the results without hearing points awarded.

John Harmer
Gosford Citadel Band
Gosford Australia 

The Paganini question

Beg the much simpler question chaps, of “why played to death” in the first place? 

Why so few same works chosen time & time again over such a short period? Is it simply we are starved of works that hit the right musical nerve for all? 

Or do we have too few musical nerves and those nerves are very touchy on accepting new music? Or more accurately, we rely on the nerves of the music panel that also had the foresight to choose Wilby & Downie!

We/you initially don’t choose, you are fed what to listen to and to play, and if you like it, you get it again, and again, and again! 

How slow we creep to accept new music, I notice that the “New Music” Fodens CD has Judith Bingham’s Prague on it when I can clearly remember 6/7 years ago many publicly said that she should be burnt at the stake. 

We move forwards with the stealth of a crippled two toed geriatric sloth on prozac inexorably to the point when the odd new piece gets in via some unknown wormhole from another universe which will no doubt raise the musical bile of banders from this planet! 

Meanwhile this great music from Wilby & Downie will eventually become as popular as a turkey sandwich on December 31st. Eat beluga caviar & and drink crystal champaign for a month and soon beans on toast will become the new foie gras!

There’s a competition once a year for new compositions of orchestral works called “Masterprize” with the LSO/Classic fm/Radio 3. Unknown composers from any walk get a chance to enter, and like X Factor many works are heard first besides the winner, or 2nd, 3rd or 4th.

If the BB World can get one of these going we should get 10 times the turn over of works and new composers every year! Entrepreneurs/Dragons step forward now and let us remove the “head from the sandpit of Butlins” syndrome for 2009? A show where you might get to choose?

Phil Lawrence 

Great series

Paul Hindmarsh's item, "The Music Bands Play", is one of the best I have ever read on this website.  I share his interest in the music and agree entirely with his analysis.  

I look forward to the rest of this series of articles.

Alec Gallagher 

Thanks to the bookies!

Many thanks for the to news articles “Bookies predictions” and Mystic Meg. Very funny, some worth a punt! 

Keep up the good work. 

N. Garman 

British Nationals

I and my husband are lovers of music and band music in particular.  We would like to plan a trip that would culminate in our attendance at the British National Championships. 

If you could please let me know the date and location for the 2009 event, possible we could arrange for tickets now.

Carolyn Tillman
Sacramento, CA  USA

4BR Reply:
We understand that they will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 17th October 

Abide with Me

Do you know if the Karl Jenkins arrangement of Abide with Me (recently recorded by Cory) is available from any publishers? If yes, can you provide the contact details. 

Morris Cameron

4BR Reply:
Can anyone shed some light on this one for us?

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