*
banner

4BR Boxing Day Brain Tickler — Answer and winner

We had a great response to our Boxing Day quiz — with plenty of people using their musical brains to get to the answer...

Granville
 

Thanks to everyone who took the time to take part in our Boxing Day quiz.

We have to say, quite a few worked out the overall test piece we were looking for way before they answered all the questions — and then tried to fit in the individual answers- but plenty got them all right.

All you had to do was work out the answers of the 17 fairly easy questions below. The first letter of eventually gave you the name of the 4BR Editor's favourite classic brass band test piece.

Answers:

1. The little, not omnipotent, bit of Rolf Rudin's 4BR prize-winning European test piece.
Particle (The God Particle)

2. Opera by Wagner inspired by the last Tribune of Rome: Later arranged as a National Finals and Area test piece.
Rienzi

3. Metrical psalm tune of uncertain origin — sung to the words 'All people that on earth do dwell'.
Old Hundreth

4. Tuned percussion instrument — African in origin — low pitched, lower in tone, richer in sound than a xylophone.
Marimba

5. Welsh festival of music, poetry, dance and literature held every year — full of bards and druids heralded by the trumpet playing principal cornets of Tredegar and Fairey Bands.
Eisteddfod

6. A major 3rd in a tonic chord at the end of composition in a minor key — most famously 'The Coventry Carol'.
Tierce de Picardy

7. Surname of the composer of 'Pageantry' and 'Three Figures'.
Howells (Herbert)

8. Brass band instrument originally invented around 1843 by F. Sommer of Weimer — taking its name from the Greek for 'pleasant sounding'.
Euphonium

9. 'A Sailor's Life' — in French. Test piece with fearsome opening for soprano cornet...
Un Vie de Matelot

10. Musical instrument of sinuous, reptilian shape: Forerunner of the ophicleide in brass bands.
Serpent

11. The...... subject matter of Eric Ball British Open test piece. Inspired by poet Louis Untermeyer's line 'And, when at last the fight is won, God, keep me still unsatisfied'.
Undaunted (The)

12. Italian word meaning 'nothing'. Often found at the end of reflective compositions.
Niente

13. Surname of composer of 'Grimethorpe Aria'.
Birtwistle (Harrison)

14. National Finals test-piece inspired by epic Finnish poetry about a Nordic God who rides an eight legged horse called Sleipnir.
Odin

15. Name generally given to Schubert's Symphony No 8 in B Minor D759.
Unfinished

16. The.... famous cornet solo named after a bird with the Latin name Luscinia megarhynchos.
Nightingale (The)

17. The first degree of the scale in the Tonic Solfa system and the famous utterance of cartoon character Homer Simpson.
Doh!

If you got them all right then it spelt PROMETHEUS UNBOUND by the great Granville Bantock4BR

Test piece identity

If you got them all right then it spelt PROMETHEUS UNBOUND by the great Granville Bantock (who is one the left of the picture — the other is an old actor called Monty Wooley)

Winner:

The lucky winner of a selection box of CDs was Cathy Chinn of Southampton, who plays tenor horn with Gosport Solent Band.

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


lbrrt

Report & Result: 2026 National Championship of Great Britain

October 3 • Cory returns on the road to victory as Philip Harper's band reclaims National title honours at the Royal Albert Hall.


4BR Podcast

4BR Review — Episode 22

October 2 • A preview of the 2026 Championship Section National Final at the Royal Albert Hall and the issues that arise....


NYBBGB

NYBBGB launches Young Composer competition

October 2 • Young composers aged 30 and under are being asked to create a new work for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.


James Shepherd

New award to be presented at Royal Albert Hall

October 2 • A wonderful new award in memory of one of the greatest ever cornet players will be made at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend.


Regent Hall Concerts - Thundersley Brass Band

Tuesday 6 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Parlour Brass

Friday 9 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Chiswick Jazz Orchestra

Friday 9 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Regent Brass

Saturday 10 October • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Hathersage Band - Hathersage Village Autumn Concert

Saturday 10 October • Hathersage Methodist Church, Main Road, Hathersage S32 1BB


Rushden Town Band

October 6 • Bb bass - Following the relocation of our previous player, a Bb bass position has become available.


Rushden Town Band

October 6 • A tenor trombone position has become vacant following the relocation of the previous player.


Alder Valley Brass

October 6 • Seeking a Bb Bass player to join our friendly ambitious second section band under the direction of new MD Oliver Halstead - Brooks. Featuring a good variety of concerts and contests. . We rehearse each Monday and Thursday 8pm to 10pm in Farnham Surrey


Stan Lippeatt

BA, LRSM
Conductor, adjudicator, tutor


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd