Goodnight from Bergen...

That's it for another memorable Norwegian Championships as we leave the late night revellers to enjoy the Brass Party well into the small hours.

Stavanger's players and supporters may have sore heads in the morning — but congratulations to them, it was some victory.

Well done to all the winners and all the bands that made it another great weekend — and especially the NMF organisers who do such a fine job — and make the press very welcome indeed.

All we hope now is that we miss the eye of the storm that is looking to engulf the UK so that we can get back home — beer is still pretty expensive in these parts...

Result:

Elite Division:

Adjudicators:
Set Work: Bjorn Sagstad, Kim Lofthouse, Arsene Duc
Own Choice: Rex Martin, Lito Fontana, Sheona White
Set Work/Own Choice = Total

1. Stavanger Brass (Allan Withington): 98/99 = 98.5*
2. Manger Musikklag (Peter Sebastian Szilvay): 95.5/96 = 95.75
3. Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag (Ingar Bergby): 96.5/93.5 = 95
4. Jaren Hornmusikkforening (Florent Didier): 93/95 = 94
5. Krohnengen (Prof Nicholas Childs): 94/92.5 = 93.25
6. Tertnes Brass (Martin Winter): 91/94.5 = 92.75
7. Kleppe Musikklag (Philip Hannevik): 90/94 = 92
8. Bjorsvik Brass (Andreas Hanson): 88/95.5 = 91.75
9. Oslofjord Brass (Frode Amundsen): 91/91 = 91.5
10. Oslo Brass (Ivan Meylemans): 89/93 = 91

*Stavanger Brass receives invitation to represent Norway at the 2021 European Championships in Malmo, Sweden

Result:

First Division:

Adjudicators: Bjorn Sagstad, Katrina Marzella, Arsene Duc

1. Ila Brass (Magnus Brandseth) — 97
2. Rong Brass (Erik Janssen) — 96
3. Askoy Brass Band (Reid Gilje) — 94
4. Musikkorpset Gjallarhorn (Adam Cooke) — 93.5
5. Radoy Brass (Bjorn Breistein) — 93
6. Tomra Brass Band (Frans Violet) — 92
7. Molde Brass (Russell Gray) — 90
8. Flesland Musikklag (Thor-Arne Pedersen) — 89
9. Brottum Brass (Ray Farr) — 88
10. Hasle Brass (Robert Solberg Nilsen) — 87
11. Sola Brass Band (Gwyn Evans) — 86
12. Sandefjord Brass Symposium (Helge Haukas) — 85

Result:

Second Division:

Adjudicators: Lito Fontana, Katrina Marzella

1. Orskog Brass (Jonathan Bates) — 97
2. Folleso Musikklag (Thorgeir Thunestvedt) — 96
3. Fjell Brass (Joseph Cook) — 95.5
4. Jolster Musikklag (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen) — 95
5. Oster Brass (David Morton) — 94
6. Lindas Brass (Vidar Nordli) — 93.5
7. Manger Old Star Brass (Margaret Antrobus) — 93
8. Tertnes Amatorkorps (Tormod Flaten) — 92.5
9. Sorum Musikklag (Elsine Haugstad) — 92
10. Tysnes Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen) — 91
11. Alexander Brass Band (Morten E Hansen) — 90
12. Nes Musikkforening (Thorbjorn Lunde) — 89
13. Krohnengen Old Stars (Oyvind Raknes Nikolaisen) — 88

Result:

Third Division:

Adjudicators: Rex Martin, Sheona White

1. Bergen Brass Band (Thor-Arne Pedersen) — 94.5
2. Trondheim Politis Brassband (Espen Andersen) — 94
3. Stavanger Kommunes Korps (Morten Ovrebekk) — 93
4. Sagvag Musikklag (Tom Davoren) 92.5
5. Tromso Brass (Maria Nygard Molund) — 92
6. Haukas Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen) -91.5
7. Stangaland Brass (Paul Hughes) — 91
8. Lyshornet Brass (Oyvind Raknes Nikolaisen) — 90.5
9. Bjorvika Brass Band (Robert Solberg Nilsen) — 90
10. Laksevag Musikkforening (Frederik Schelderup) — 88
11. Valdres Brass (Rune Furoy Johansen) — 87.5
12. Skui Brassband (Hans Andreas Kjolberg) — 87
13. Agder Brass (Eirik Gjerdevik) — 86.5
14. Gjovik Bybrass (Morten Fagerjord) — 86
15. Norheimsund Musikklag (Patrik Randefalk) — 85.5

Result:

Fourth Division:

Adjudicators: Kim Lofthouse, Selmer Simonsen

1. Moen Musikkforening (Ole Kristian Egge) — 93
2. Gjesdal Brass Band (Jonas Skartveit Rogne) — 92
3. Filadelfia Hornorkester Drammen (Pal Andre G Worren) — 91
4. Flora-Bremanger Brassband (Johnny Saelemyr) — 90
5. Kjolsdalen Musikklag (Arvid Anthun) — 89.5
6. Tysvaer Brass (Martin Kinn) — 89
7. Fraena Musikkorps (Jens Kristian Mordal) — 88.5
8. Hetlevik Musikklag (Sturle Berntsen) — 88
9. Grenland Brass (Tommy Sorby) — 87.5
10. Saksumdal Musikkforening (Andres Halla) — 87
11. IMI Brass (Halvor Gaard) — 86
12. Indre Torungen Brass Ensemble (Lars Bjornar Strengenes) — 85
13. Floro Hornmusikk (Torgeir Halvorsen) — 84
14. Frei Hornmusikk (Stein Age Sorlie) — 83

Result:

Fifth Division:

Adjudicators: Bengt Florvag, Svein Henrik Giske

1. Fla Musikkorps (Odd Steinar Morkved) — 93
2. Sotra Brass (Ben Hirons) — 91.5
3. Skeie Brass (Nigel Fielding) — 91.0
4. Holmestrand Ungdomskorps (Arild Ovrum) — 90
5. Randaberg Musikkorps (Pal Magne Austernes-Underhaug) — 89
6. Langhus Brass (Tomas Austestad) — 88
7. Fjordbrass-Lavik (Jason Burn) — 87
8. Riska Brass Band (Espen Westbye) — 86
9. Lismarka/Mesnali Brass (Andres Halla) — 84
10. Brumunddal Brass (Gunnar Roen) — 83
11. Otta Musikkforening (Per Kritian Syversen) — 82

Gala Concert...

The Norwegians enjoy their brass band playing so much that there is now a gala concert featuring the defending champion Eikanger Bjorsvik before the results are announced.

As soon as we get them we will post them up on 4BR.

Own-choice and overall round up and prediction...

We think the destination of the King's Cup (which is awarded every two years) and the great National Trophy could be one of the closest run things here after a day in which things at the top end of the table turned a bit upside down for us.

Manger was utterly sensational with their moth inspired brilliance — with their MD conducting with bolts of electricity coming out of his hands. We've got them ahead of Stavanger who were almost in the very same bracket of high octane fusion, but just relied a bit more on control in their rendition of 'The Turing Test'.

That leaves yesterday's clear winner (for us that is), Eikanger in third today — after a brilliant 'Spiriti' that just had occasional moments of unease and was dynamically thermo-nuclear powered.

Behind the top three comes some immensely impressive performances — from Bjorsvik, Kleppe and Tertnes from dark horse Jaren.

Own Choice prediction

1. Manger Musikklag
2. Stavanger
3. Eikanger Bjorsvik
4. Bjorsvik
5. Kleppe
6. Tertnes

Dark Horse: Jaren

Set Work prediction:

1. Eikanger Bjorsvik
2. Stavanger
3. Manger
4. Tertnes
5. Krohnengen
6. Oslo

Dark Horse: Kleppe

All this means that we think that Eikanger may well make it five wins in a row — but by the narrowest of margins depending on just how far ahead they were on the set-work.

Stavanger and Manger could be breathing down their necks though — making them feel very sweaty indeed until the final announcement is made. Tertnes may just get the squeeze on Kleppe for fourth and fifth with Bjorsvik in sixth.

Whatever the result, it has been a huge pleasure to listen to the playing this weekend.

Overall prediction:

1. Eikanger Bjorsvik
2. Stavanger
3. Manger
4. Tertnes
5. Kleppe
6. Bjorsvik

Dark Horse: Krohnengen

Elite Division:

10. Kleppe Musikklag (Philip Hannevik)

As if a voice were in them... (Oliver Waespi)

Oliver Waespi has written a number of works that reflect the majesty of nature and its connection to man — both geographically as well as historically.

'As if a voice were in them...' is the third in a series that started with 'Audivi, Media, Nocte' and was followed by 'Traversada' — all three of which place man's thoughts, inspirations and aspirations at their core.

This work is inspired by William Wordsworth's poem evoking the beauty, majesty and dark, imposing power of the force of nature as he saw it when visiting the Simplon Pass high in the Alps in 1790.

It's complex, powerful, technically brilliant and musically uplifting music, evoking the poem to perfection from the simple folk tune on leaving the Swiss village in which he stayed before his trek, to the imposing vistas that he enjoyed on reaching the top of the Simplon Pass itself.

As if a voice were in them, the sick sight
And giddy prospect of the raving stream,
The unfettered clouds and region of the heavens,
Tumult and peace, the darkness and the light

Iwan Fox

A full-on concentrated effort this (even the MD opted away from his usual freestyle no score stance) — and there was no distillation in the overall quality.

Some moments of niggling unease and clips, but the opening was played with security and followed by that pulsating, hypnotically repeating undercurrent motif. Bluesy jazz meets an old poet's classic meter — and its so well done.

MD has commanded this so well — paced neatly and without artifice to allow the music to flow. The standing choirs work a treat too — proper antiphonal stuff on such a wide expanse of stage.

Then its lead socks on to clamber up the rocky face to the summit — heavy footsteps all the way — pounding and pounding, quicker and quicker to a great close. Bravo.