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Adjudication correct?

Concerning the recent area contest for the Midlands area, First Section
Contest, performing Purcell Variations...

James Scott adjudicated the section at Nottingham, and it may seem that his
views, and resulting allocation of points, were very narrow minded. Upon
receiving our results (which coincidentally were not very pleasing, but I have
convinced myself I would claim an unfair result even if we had won) we were/I
was dismayed and fairly disgusted to learn that the only factor that Mr. Scott
was interested in was the quality and interpretation of the Allegretto
Grazioso movement, primarily featuring a beautiful horn duet. The rest of the
piece was apparently discarded in his eyes, and this, in my opinion, is a
musical blasphemy. The whole piece, no matter what piece you take as an
example, is supposed to tell a story: a musical tale; and taking one part
disjointed from the other movements is ruining this concept. 

May I say that one of the top four bands played the Andante con espress
(Cornet solo movement) with absolutely no feeling or emotion whatsoever, and
any 'musical' listener I spoke to agreed that this, and their similar
treatment of the majority of the piece, should have gained them a lowly
position. Am I wrong or is technical quality more important nowadays than a
musical quality?

Also, I found it interesting that Langley Band changed their conductor at the
last minute, resulting in their usual conductor, who is also a cracking horn
player, sitting in the horn seat. Was this because they got word of James
Scott's judging criteria?    :)

Alan Hope, adjudicator of the 2nd Section, said that he was hoping to hear a
story told throughout the piece of Culloden Moor, and the winning band did
this. Surely this is a much more appropriate way to judge a contest than that
which James chose. Obviously adjudication will always be partly down to
personal interpretation, but if you don't even listen to 5/6ths of the piece
then you cannot even begin to judge it fairly.

Any comments, or am I just being a sore loser? Sorry, I don't mean to be, but
it gets right on my tits when this apparently mindless judging occurs 

:)   :)   :)   :)

Kris Leech, Shirley Band, Birmingham, UK.


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