The 2013 European Championships in Oslo was a somewhat curious event.

The Norwegian Federation, usually so secure and confident in their approach to all matters banding, never seemed at ease with hosting it in the heart of their capital city:  It was as if it was being held in a foreign land.

Missing

The usually self-assured Nordic banding atmosphere of Bergen and Stavanger was missing - not helped by the main competition venue at Oslo Concert Hall being both difficult to find as well as play in for the competing bands (the intrusive air conditioning in the main auditorium was a problem during performances). 

Even the European Brass Party seemed flat - especially as the Norwegians were left to morosely stare into their eye wateringly expensive beer after Eikanger Bjorsvik was pipped by Cory in a photo finish battle for the title.

Musical clash

Oddly, it’s all rather neatly summed up with this double CD recording, which unfortunately misses the chance to give the listener the opportunity to fully recall the only real bit of excitement of the whole event - and that musical clash between two top class heavyweight challengers in tip top form.

Stig Nordhagen’s disturbingly dark, pensive set work, ‘Myth Forest’ was given not one, but two outstanding performances - and it’s a real pity that we are not able to compare Cory’s emotive rendition under Philip Harper against David King’s chillingly melancholic interpretation with Eikanger.

Redundant

Instead, we get some lightweight lollipops from the European Youth and Norwegian National Bands and Black Dyke, as well as Leyland’s performance of Peter Meechan’s ‘Fragile Oasis’ that was placed fifth in the own choice section of the contest (the band eventually came seventh overall).

Although musically interesting, it is retrospectively redundant to the recall mechanism of the contest as a whole. Nigel Clarke’s wonderfully inventive ‘When World’s Collide’ from Buizingen (which was placed third as the band came fourth overall) doesn’t get a look in.

Imposing

Thankfully, we do get to hear Black Dyke’s powerful rendition of Edward Gregson’s imposingly mature, ‘Symphony in Two Movements’ (fourth in the own choice discipline) - an intriguing counterpoint to Cory’s flashier, virtuosic ‘Perihelion - Closer to the Sun’, which eventually just held off Eikanger’s evocative ‘Spiriti’ to give the Welsh champion their fifth European title.

Knackered

You can’t help wondering though if David King’s desire to squeeze every last drop of adrenaline powered musicality from his band cost them ultimate glory: They sound completely knackered on the last chord.  

Unfortunately, as an event, Oslo 2013 won’t live long in the memory banks, and as a result it was always going to be a difficult job for the CD producers to balance its substantive musical highlights (no B Section this year) against the obvious commercial appeal that a release such as this holds.

However, on this occasion the Norwegians didn’t really come up with anything too memorable to help them out.

Iwan Fox

Contents

Disc 1 of 2
1. Myth Forest, Stig Nordhagen, Cory Band, 18.00
2. In Perfect Peace, Kenneth Downie, Norwegian National Brass Band, 4.27
3. Mikkel, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Ole Edvard Antonsen (Trumpet) with Norwegian National Brass Band, 4.24
4. Morning from Peer Gyn, Edvard Grieg, arr. Howard Lorriman, Black Dyke Band, 4.00
5. In the Hall of the Mountain King, Edvard Grieg, arr. Howard Lorriman, Black Dyke Band, 2.10
6. Seabird Mob, Fly On! (3rd movement), Idar Torskangerpoll, European Youth Brass Band, 2.57
7. One Voice, Barry Manilow, arr. Ray Farr, European Youth Brass Band, 3.42
8. Fragile Oasis, Peter Meechan, Leyland Band, 15.48
9. When Thunder Calls, Paul Lovatt-Cooper, Black Dyke Band, 4.52
Disc 2 of 2
1. Perihelion — Closer to the Sun, Philip Sparke, Cory Band, 19.08,
2. Cavanquino, Ernesto Nazareth, arr. Howard Snell, European Youth Brass Band, 2.34
3. Andantino, Jean Sibelius, arr. Laaksonen, Aura Brass Band, 3.36
4. Symphony in two movements, Edward Gregson, Black Dyke Band, 18.53
5. Salute to Youth — III. Relaxation, Gilbert Vinter, European Youth Brass Band, 4.52
6. Finale from Symphony No. 3 (Organ), Camille Saint-Saens, arr. Philip Wilby, Massed bands, 5.23
7. Spiriti, Thomas Doss, Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag, 16.35