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Re: Own choice contests

"A. Dalton A9750388" <a9750388@xxxxxxxxx> on 24/06/98 23:11:00

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To:   brass-band-approval <brass-band-approval@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
cc:    (bcc: Darrall Cutting/NSW/AGL)
Subject:  Own choice contests




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?
=======================================================================
This piece was selected as the test piece for the 1998 Australasian Brass
Band Championships last Easter 1998. I agree it's a great piece of music,
though it put me under a great deal of pressure on first bari at the
opening!
========================================================================

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?

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.

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.

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!!!

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

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!!).
=========================================================================
Warringah Concert Brass played this as our Own Choice at the Oz Nationals.
Also a great piece.
==========================================================================

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.

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???

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

What's the story?

Adrian Dalton
BBb (Hepworth and Hudds Uni Band)


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