To slightly misquote Oscar Wilde in 'The Importance of Being Earnest': "To lose one test-piece may be regarded as misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness".

With tongue slightly in cheek, such are the test piece tribulations in Dutch banding at the moment.

Withdrawn

After composer Harrie Janssen withdrew from writing a work for the European Championship top section in Utrecht earlier this year, now comes the news that 'Trajectum', by Rob Goorhuis, initially chosen as the set-work for the Championship Section at the Dutch National Championships in November, has been withdrawn.

In a statement reported by the website CU Brass, from the board of the Dutch Brass Band Championships Foundation, they say that after careful consideration they decided to withdraw the work.

It is stated that although they had, "no doubts about the quality", of the composition, they had to listen "...to signals from the division, that the work at the moment in time, given the current NBK formula, is insufficiently in line with the aspiration level of the majority of the top of the Dutch brass band world."

A new work will now be proposed, with the final registration date for the Championship Division bands extended until July 15th.

Brought to a head

4BR understands that the situation was brought to a head after representations about the appropriateness of the work were made to the Dutch National Championship organisers.

As the organisers state: "We are extremely aware of a possible precedent for subsequent editions (and for other divisions) but assume that this dispute is a very high exception and will therefore be a one-off affair. We trust that with this decision we have given the top of the Dutch brass band world a new positive stimulus."

However, the composer, who has written extensively for the brass band medium, including the 1997 European Championship test-piece, 'Burlesque', is not a happy man — accusing the board as having "no backbone".

I have received extensive support from conductors and composers who have already worked on the piece and who have studied it Composer, Rob Goorhuis

No backbone

Speaking to 4BR, he said that he stood by his comments recently published in the press:

"The work has been through the procedure and unconditionally approved in the Repertory Information Center. Now a few conductors and others decide that the work will not be played. The board has no backbone."

He added: "I have received extensive support from conductors and composers who have already worked on the piece and who have studied it.

My integrity as a composer is being questioned by what I believe is the threat of a boycott of a few bands. Why then was the registration date extended?

I am very disappointed and upset. Bands should be the performers of composer's musical intentions — not the other way around on such works."