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Re: concert at nationals -Reply

Angela Tregaskes wrote on 28th Oct:
> Kevin Crockford:  Wonderful soprano player who is never afraid to "go for

> it" (quite an animal in fact!) ..... it is a pity that sometimes this 
> means his sound pierces the eardrums like bullets and carries so well 
> above the rest of the band .... and he messes up quite a bit too on stage

> (but I am nevertheless still WELL IMPRESSED).

I would like to say that as a fellow Sop player I think Kevin is a great
player.  I have sat at the side of him on a massed band concert, and its
only then that you realise how good a player he really is.  He can
obviously strip paint from walls at the back of a hall (if you ask him why
he plays so loud he says its because he can !!), but he also plays quiet,
has excellent control, with a great technique, and with superb confidence. 
I learnt a lot that day from him, just by sitting there and listening.

> I was unable to attend ..... but enjoyed what I heard on last week's 
> "Listen to the Band" program on BBC Radio 2 ....... in particular the 
> Olympic Theme & Fanfare mentioned earlier.

I heard the broadcast and didn't like the way the Olympic piece was played,
but I thought the playing (and arrangements) during the backing of James
Morrison's solos was great.

> But in fairness to Black Dyke ...... is it any wonder their sound might 
> have come across as harsh in the Gala concert after the heavy weekend 
> THEY'D had, i.e. on Friday alone they had: a LONG trip to London; a
workshop 
> with Peter Graham on "On Alderley Edge" at the Regent Hall followed by an

> extremely heavy INAUGURAL CONCERT at the Royal Academy (that bastion of 
> musical excellence where nothing less would have done than "Connotations 
> etc.") ........... and then a rehearsal with James Morrison on Saturday 
> pm ........ no mean feat for any bandsman (& I would like to hear what 
> Edy van Asch's band would sound like after THIS amount of playing such a 
> variety of musical styles).

I don't agree with the sympathy expressed here.  Bands like Dyke, B&R,
Faireys, etc are used to doing this amount of work and have built up great
stamina as a result.  Without wishing to upset anybody, I can see that
bands not at this level, who aren't busy concert/contest bands will have
sympathy because it may be impossible for them to attain this level on a
regular basis, but Dyke are a very busy band and the amount of work you
describe is not that much for them.  Sorry, no sympathy from me.

I would just like to end by saying that even though Dyke are great rivals
to my own band, I still think they are a great band (nearly as good as B&R
!!!!), with some superb players.

Martin Irwin.
B&R band.


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