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Re: Own choice contests

A. Dalton A9750388 wrote:

> Can anyone tell me why so few 'progressive' bands (i.e. ambitious 1st/Champ
> bands) do not use the wealth of new contest works written over the last 10
> years.  Pieces like Connotations, Contest Music, The Year of the Dragon,
> Dances and Arias, are all extremely popular and if you went to an own choice
> you would be sure to hear them, but they're all 70/80's pieces.
>
> Lets take for example the RAH pieces set over the last 10 years.  How many
> of these have you heard played since?
>
> Alderley Edge.  To early to tell if this will be in common use in years to
> come.
>
> Isaiah 40.  Wonderful piece and Congratulations to the Reading BB Guild for
> using it for their annual contest last year, but has it been used anywhere
> else or by anyone else?

Good one as agreed by the majority on this list a few months ago.

> Songs for BL.  Controversial piece, I know, but would it be such a brave
> choice for a reasonable band who would certainly benefit from playing it, if
> they hadn't already done so?

Benefit from playing it? Get a grip! The only benefit is to forget it ever
happened!

> Theme and Co-operation.  Horowitz at his best IMHO.  Terrific piece of work
> with one of the most imaginative and exciting finishes I've ever heard, but
> it seems, dead and burried.  I've never heard it played by ANYONE since.

Mmmmmm..........

> Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.  Heard it about two months afterwards at
> Leamington Spa Contests (I think it was Banks' Brewery, who had played it
> one the day at the RAH).  Perhaps the most technically difficult piece ever
> used for London, but not impossible.  The performance I heard at Leamington
> was technically flawed and didn't win, but it made a change from hearing 5
> performances of Connotations.

Good piece.

> The New Jerusalem.  Is this really only ever going to be Grimethorpe's
> piece?.  Used a year or two later at the Mineworkers, but again, has been
> avoided like the plague at own choice!!!

I wonder why????????

> Energy.  I know wasn't written specifically for that years contest, but I've
> never heard it before or since.

Again - wonder why?????

> English Heritage.  A great piece, but why should it be the only one of the
> ten that been used to any great extent.  (BTW, the start of the middle
> movement, am I the only one who thinks George Lloyd was watching an episode
> of 'Blackadder' when he was writing it!!).

Maybe because it is a good piece of music?

> Odin.  I'll be honest here and say I've never actually heard this piece, yet
> I don't remember anyone saying that it was an odd one.

Can't remember how it goes - too long since I played it!

> and finally....
>
> Seascapes.  Perhaps my favorite of the lot, WHAT A PIECE, again though it
> seems, 'TTFN', 'Shan't be needing you again for a while'.   WHY???

See earlier comments re Songs for BL......

> I could say the same about the Open pieces.  Masquerade, Salamander etc...

And my reply would be the same!

> What's the story?

What's the story? What medication are you on more like!

:-)

> Adrian Dalton
> BBb (Hepworth and Hudds Uni Band)

Monkey


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