NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 – A blow by blow commentary
The National Brass Band Championship 2009 through the eyes of our reporter, blow by blow and brass band after brass band. The pieces are in the order in which they appear on the programme; the impressions are those of someone who likes music for its own sake and who is neither teacher, instrumentalist nor member of any jury. Just someone with ears and a heart!
Translated by Rodney Gravett
Before the ’kick-off’ H
Around 9.30 a.m., this devoted reporter from www.brassband.fr crosses a deserted rue de Rome, typical of Paris on a Sunday. In the rue de Madrid, the first stop is at the Europe café for an espresso - a little reinforcement before the work of the day. In the short distance that separates him from the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional (CRR), he meets some people that he amusingly baptises ’the black trousers’. You can always recognise musicians who are going in for a competition: they generally have black trousers with matching shoes, their faces looking a little worn from lack of sleep, an impressive bag slung over the shoulder and a mobile phone to the ear, and already concentrating on the objective of the day.
10.00 am
The vestibule of the Conservatory is already buzzing. Members of the C.M.F. (Confédération Musicale de France), organisers of the event, are welcoming people, shaking hands and giving out information. It is time to get a programme and go into the auditorium. The first surprise: the hall is already quite full and you notice that there are a lot of children who seem to be thrilled to be there. This augurs well for the future. When you have members of the public who aren’t worried about going from place to place to support the first division bands which quite often include the youngest of the competitors, it is rather a good sign for the future of the brass band movement in France.
10:20 am: Opening of the competition
For those who don’t know, the bands play their pieces to a jury which is hidden behind a screen. The jury is never seen or heard except for a discreet whistle blow to say that they are ready. The bands are only identified by a letter. This system ensures anonymity, or almost, for it is true that a practised ear can often recognise a style, a particular sound or touch. Nevertheless, there is no more secure a way.
10:30 am: Third Division
Brass Band en Seine, Director of Music: Pascal Piedefer
Set piece : European Folks, Bertrand Moren
Chosen piece : A Malvern Suite, Philip Sparke
This is a band that counts among its ranks some very young instrumentalists. As a result, it is naturally a little untidy and inflexible in places but this does not hide a fine healthy energy that you would expect from the dynamic leadership of Pascal Piedefer. You feel that he gives the maximum and endeavours to pass this on to his musicians. The cornet bench is on the right road for closely-knit and coherent performances. The presence of young girls on percussion is very attractive. Finally, even though the test piece sometimes has easy passages, it is still stirring and pleasing to listen to. Everything considered, the Brass Band en Seine deserves its applause.
11:05 am: Second Division
Brass Band Sagona, Director of Music: Pierre-Marie Budelot
Chosen piecei : Ross Roy, Jacob de Haan
Set piece : Valerius Variations, Philip Sparke
The first few bars demonstrate a certain fullness and give a fine impression of ensemble playing. It has to be pointed out that this band has a large female representation. Could it be this that gives it its musicality, its freshness? Who knows? The high notes however are not perfectly in tune. Sometimes the sound loses its sense of coordination. The trombones lack a bit of body and it seems that the percussionist has a job finding his sticks! Nevertheless, in spite of the inexperience of youth, the Brass Band Sagona is able to transmit emotions. And this is not always due to technique. The band also has the good fortune to have as principal cornet an extremely promising young girl endowed with a very subtle and smooth touch. We just want to see them progress and to follow their progress.
11:35 am: First Division
Brass Band À Tout Vent, Director of Music: William Houssoy
Chosen piece : Legend In Brass, James Curnow
Set piece : Firestorm, Stephen Bulla
We can see them setting up behind their stands draped with the banners bearing the colours of their band and wonder if they aren’t going to stand up and do a Haka like the All Blacks (the New Zealand rugby players, Editor) from whom they seem to have borrowed their black uniform… So we have some great people all dressed in black who give us a manly and powerful not to say martial performance. There are rumblings, vibrations, the sound rises up and bursts forth. And all this with fine cohesion. The audience is carried away and applauds warmly. Despite all the qualities mentioned above, it is slightly regrettable that some of the nuances have been neglected. Technically, it is fine but it is still a little cold, even shrill at times. This is a band that ought to work on the gentler side without worrying about losing its strength.
Latinus Brass Band, Director of Music: Philippe Limoge
Set piece : Firestorm, Stephen Bulla
Chosen piece : Northern Landscapes, Peter Graham
In the set piece, we notice that the nuances are not simply superficial. Thanks to a more flexible and less forceful performance than that of their predecessors, the musicians of the Latinus Brass Band give us time to see the storm brewing and the flames starting to dance more and more furiously (if we are to believe the title of the piece). This is a band that radiates an air of class and elegance. Unfortunately, the northern landscapes of Peter Graham don’t give them the opportunity to confirm this feeling. The interpretation lacks involvement; it is quite flat except the finale which eventually finds some momentum. It is a pity that the piece finishes on a badly controlled note.
1:00 pm: Excellence Division
Brass Band d’Amiens, Director of Music: Éric Brisse
Set piece : Salomé, G. Wood
Chosen pieces : Hispanola, Jan de Haan and Portrait Of A City, second movement "Autumn", Philip Sparke
The band oozes strength but their version of ’Salome’ does not give us much of the Orient. Their solid technique does not make room for the sensuality that such a piece could give. The bass section does really well. And even better in the chosen pieces where you can hear them ’singing’ just like human voices. In the last piece, untidy attacks cause the overall sound to become disjointed. You can suppose that there are some great qualities here, but they require more precision to blossom.
Brassage Brass Band, Director of Music Mathias Charton
Chosen pieces : Brass Spirit, D.J Titanium and The Armed Man, Karl Jenkins, arrangement Tony Small
Set piece : Salomé, G. Wood
From the time they come on stage, you are aware of their dynamism. The hall is packed. Their first performance is sparkling. They’ve got the audience (and possibly the jury) in their pocket with a piece like The Armed Man: feet tap the floor in time with the music and hearts beat in unison. The conductor directs with wide-sweeping gestures, gracefully and with a real sense of musical phrasing. This enables us to imagine Salome coming and displaying her charms, flowing freely from strength to gentleness, well supported by the timpani and very nicely served by a young girl on principal cornet. We suddenly see veils of silk, a desert, a dancer… It’s the second time today that soloists of the fairer sex have brought something new to brass-banding. Time for the gentlemen to revise their sometimes forceful approach to some parts? It remains to be seen…
3:00 pm: Honours Division
Æolus : Director of Music: Bastien Still
Set piece : Alea Jacta Est, The Die Is Cast, Michaël Forsyth
Chosen piece : Music for Battle Creek, Philip Sparke
How can you listen to the quadruple champions of France with complete objectivity? Closing your eyes is one way. Aeolus manages to marry humility to virtuosity. The overall sound is what it should be. It is neither too strained, nor shrill, nor tremulous; it is a big, round warm sound that takes flight in all its sonority. You might not like this lyricism but you cannot deny that it stirs real emotions. The acoustics of the hall don’t deceive. Principal cornet and euphonium answer each other in a song which is both gentle and of indisputable musicality. Finally, we have to highlight the intelligence of the conducting and the interpretation. Æolus is an orchestra with its own phrasing and style. A French brass band, with a sound that imitates none other. It could be risky.
Brass Band Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Director of Music: Frank Renton
Set piece : Alea Jacta Est, The Die Is Cast, Michaël Forsyth
Chosen piece : Malcolm Arnold Variations, Martin Ellerby
The performance of the Brass Band Nord-Pas-de-Calais is a tribute to hard work. Everything is really precisely placed. Technique, attacks, rhythm, the possibility for everyone to be heard, while being integrated into the whole, every detail has been studied, practised, with problems ironed out to the point where they give a performance which is difficult to criticise. All this underpinned with an almost palpable desire to win - also a characteristic of champions!
And very soon, you will be able to find some columns, anecdotes, information on pieces and their composers, as well as some favourites…
