Brass at the Guild, Preston

_______________________________________________________

Adjudicator:Alan Morrison

Diminuendo rather untuneful and balance is lost. Not well sustained and shaped to 1. Untidy start Cornets/Flugel. Some contrasts and shape were found but tuning is a concern in melody lines. Not all detail heard in decoration figures.

4. Full sound here but it becomes overblown. The fugue started untidily and struggled to settle. Rhythm and pulse were unstable and the technique was under pressure. Lines didn't match and the semi-quavers were unclear. Accompanying figures were often loose and uncertain. Upper levels were often overblown particularly from lower band.

26. No clarity and the big tune was imprecise in ensemble. Some excitement was generated but it become wild in places.

34. Fanfares mostly had stability if not always clear in detail. Quintuplets were well handled.

41. Very secure Horn and expressive Flugel. Well done Sop although the melody could be more prominent beneath.

47. Well played but lacked a sense of drama.

48. Had a sense of calm and then all settled well. Why the accel before 50?

Rall to 51 could be broader in note values but the final statements were controlled and effective.

This eventually found it's feet and the 2nd half was well performed, however, this piece is a tale of 2 halves and the fugue is fiendishly difficult as it proved again today. Not convincingly played at times but a brave effort.

Alan Morrison

________________________________________________________

RESULTS:

Band

Pemberton Old Wigan JJB - 192

Elgar Variations - Martin Ellerby

Timperley - 191

New Jerusalem - Philip Wilby

Zone One Brass - 190

Music for Battle Creek - Philip Sparke

Newstead Brass - 189

Festival Music - Eric Ball

Blackburn & Darwen - 188

Five Blooms in a Welsh Graden - Gareth Wood

Stockport Brass (BT) - 187

Harmony Music - Philip Sparke

Derwent Brass - 186

Year of the Dragon - Philip Sparke

Hebden Bridge - 185

Dances and Arias - Edward Gregson

Fishburn - 184

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - Derek Bourgeois

Freckleton - 183

Dances and Alleluias

RMT Easington Colliery - 182

Pageantry - Herbert Howells

Marsden Silver (Ossett Brewery) - 181

Festival Music - Eric Ball

Hade Edge - 180

James Cook Circumnavigator - Gilbert Vinter

Bactiguard Wire Brass - 179

Festival Music - Eric Ball

Poulton le Fylde - 178

James Cook Circumnavigator - Gilbert Vinter

Longridge - 177

Paganini Variations - Philip Wilby

Withdrawn:

Blackpool Brass

Silk Brass Astra Zenica Macclesfield