DVD - British Open 2004

Highlights from The British Open Brass Band Championship 2004 and World of Brass Gala Concert
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, September 2004
WOB108DVD

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Remember this one? Given what went on at the 2004 British Open Championships in Birmingham last year, you can't really forget can you?

Foden's (Richardson) ending their 40 years of hurt to reclaim the old Gold Shield of glory; YBS and Stavanger producing one of the most memorable brass band concerts in recent memory; Dr Michael Ball being asked to explain the unexplainable and the audience showing ancient Roman tendencies and giving the thumbs down to the announcement of Black Dyke coming sixth after producing a stunner of a show on ‘Montage'. Thank goodness World of Brass has produced this DVD then, for you can now relive all those great memories time and time again at the flick of a remote control button.

And you won't get bored too, as there are some real golden moments here; from the brilliance of Stavanger in the type of slick choreography that was a mix between ‘Pans People' and the Band of the Welsh Guards at the Gala Concert, to the immense surge of self belief that overflows from the bells of the players of Foden's as they reach the immense climax at the end of their winning performance of ‘Contest Music'.

There is also a subtle sense of intrigue as well, with an obviously disappointed Dr Robert Childs giving a very thoughtful appraisal of the ‘three test piece' format that was resurrected for the event by the organisers. It is a masterclass in understated diplomacy, as you sense he already knew his chances of his BAYV Band winning the 152nd British Open had disappeared with his number 2 draw, even though they gave a quite thrilling account of their own choice, ‘St. Magnus'.

Not only that, but there is a bit of unintentional humour thrown in for good measure, with a great little ‘montage' (if you excuse the pun) of members of the audience giving their opinion of who they thought had won, direct to the camera (including the wife of one of our leading adjudicators no less!). Some went for Dyke (they came 6th) some went for Foden's (the winners), and one went for Tredegar (they came last!), so if that was the scope of opinion, what chance did the judges have?

What indeed; and it is another very intriguing interview that is conducted by Trevor Caffull (putting Jeremy Paxman to shame by his tricky questions) when he asks the judges, Philip Sparke, Michael Ball and David Read why they made the decision they did after the results were announced. Have a look at the expression on Mr Sparke's face when his fellow judge Michael Ball starts explaining his rationale. Were all three judges singing from the same carol sheet? Not on your Nelly, if this is anything to go by.

Of course, the beauty of this release is that you can sit through the three performances that the judges thought were the best, again and again, and all with the added benefit of actually seeing the effort put in by each of the three bands in producing their varying accounts.

Foden's (Richardson) immense achievement opens slowly before Garry Cutt's thoughtful reading of the Heaton score unveils a most persuasive and powerful account that grows in intensity through to the huge climax at the very end of the piece. It was without doubt the best ‘Contest Music' on the day, and arguably the best overall performance as well.  After 40 years of varying degrees of disappointment at this contest, you couldn't begrudge them their win. If the Open was a contest won on sheer guts, self belief and an immense amount of talented players giving their all, this was it. Garry Cutt was perhaps the missing ingredient, and once he gave them that sense of destiny with yet another clear and thoughtful account of a difficult score, there wasn't much that could have beaten them. And so it proved.

The same could also be said of BAYV and their ‘St. Magnus' that was delivered in scorching technical fashion by Dr Childs and his band. They couldn't have played any better, but it wasn't to be enough, as the draw (as the MD recounts in his interview) may have been too much for even this band to overcome on the day.

There is also much to admire in Kirkintilloch's account of ‘Montage', but was it really the best of the Peter Graham accounts all day? Not for us, and not for the audience come results time, but it is still a very well musical performance that has a great deal of time and space, especially in the second movement. The history books will forever say they came third, and no one can take that away from them.

The history books will also say that Black Dyke came sixth, but could anyone who heard them say they deserved it?  Maybe not, but unfortunately this DVD will not give you the chance to relive their performance of ‘Montage' as a combination of a fainting cameraman (a bit too difficult to edit a performance of a ceiling) and of the time constraints in providing full coverage of the days other memorable events means that the Dyke ‘Montage' will now acquire mythical status as the years pass and the memories of their performances grow ever more rosy in the minds eye.

What will definitely grow rosier, thankfully because the cameras recorded it all, will be the performances of both the YBS and Stavanger Bands at the Gala Concert. This was quite brilliant playing, fantastically choreographed and presented and leaving the large and appreciative audience quite stunned. You will be too after you have watched and listened to this.

It rounds off a fine release from World of Brass (and we are not just saying that because we provided the sleeve notes either). The production values are high, with fine camera work and quality sound reproduction. There is also a nice sense of the international flavour of the Open with the merited inclusion of part of the Dalewool Auckland Band's performance of ‘Montage' and a nice interview with Riki MacDonnell. Nice also to hear from the former editor of the British Bandsman, Peter Wilson who as he has done over the years, gives an intelligent appraisal of the whole event in succinct terms.

World of Brass has invested heavily in this release (as it had done with the 2004 European Championships DVD) and the quality shows. If this is the future of recording for posterity for our major brass band contests, then it couldn't have got a better example of what one is all about than this. You will not forget this one in a hurry.

Iwan Fox

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