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Buxton Contest 4/5/03

I use these contests as an opportunity to test my adjudicating skills. This is
the first time I have tried this exercise at an own choice contest. I always
knew it would be difficult; if I do not like a piece of music I should not
hold that against the band, though choice of piece is a different matter, I
believe that is an important factor. On the whole it is better to choose a
piece that a band can play well rather than a piece that it cannot approach,
but one still needs to feel that the band is being tested and will learn and
improve from the experience.

I listened to two bands in the second section, and two from the combined 1st
and championship section. With the exception of Heaton's Contest Music, I am
not familiar with the pieces other than occasionally having the chance to
perform and listen to them. Without a score this meant that I was not able to
analyse more close than as overviews.

Oakley Silver (J. Jones); Music For a Festival (P. Sparke)
The band has a full ensemble sounds that it is comfortable with, as one would
expect with this piece, though the band loses some tightness during
semi-quaver runs, these runs are often thrown away. As notes on the paper,
semi-quavers are just as important as minims. I too often find that
conductors view them just as embellishment, or technical exercises added to
increase the difficulty of the music. I find such performances unconvincing.
Generally the tuning is safe, but in this type of full music intonation isn't
usually a problem. The few exposed passages do find problems in the cornet
section.
The band does play the piece well and from that respect it is a good choice: I
notice few obvious wrong notes. Though listening to it I do find that the
band is not being stretched by the piece, perhaps they could have attempted a
piece that is slightly more challenging.

Meltham and Meltham Mills (S. Fawcett); Land of the Long White Cloud (P.
Sparke)
The bands has a pleasing sound with mostly secure tuning even in the more
exposed and quieter sections which just wanders a bit in louder unison
sections and during muted passages. I can see a player playing the tubular
bells, but I cannot hear him except in the quieter passages. Each of the
sections is well balanced within each other, especially the trombones in a
trio section.
I enjoyed this more than the performance of Oakley. I hope the choice of music
did not influence this decision, Meltham were better in the quieter passages
with more dynamic range and tighter rhythms which gives a more convincing and
enjoyable performance.

Harrogate Band (D. Lancaster); Cloudcatcher Fells (J. McCabe)
The effective opening was only slightly marred by a few balance problems in
particular different players often had different ideas of where crescendi
should be played, and by how much they should increase the volume. Although
there is some tuning problem in the lower muted cornet notes the overall
sound is a pleasant one especially with some warm sounds from the basses.
At this point I found that I had not written anything for about five minutes -
a pleasing indication that I was listening to the music not the band, is that
not what it's really all about?
Towards the end the band starts to sound a bit more nervous in the exposed
passages, but the fuller sections are better controlled (that is: there was
no wildness). An excellent choice of music for the band and occasion.

Wrexham (W. Rushton); Contest Music (W. Heaton)
1.This music is full of energy and fire and I am sorry to say that the band
does not bring this across. Some of the quiet cornet notes wander out of
tune. At times the playing sounds rather struggled, I wonder if this piece is
a bit beyond the band. I admire the conductor, he has good stick technique
and knows how to use the left hand.
2.This is much more convincing, just a couple of slight blemishes in the high
notes of the flugel and cornet soloists. The trombone section sounds well
balanced, but the conductor could help by watching them not the score. The
last note seemed rather short - it should be a full value note with a
diminuendo.
3.As with the first movement, the band lacks bite and is playing with safe
dynamics.

I would have placed Harrogate Band higher than Wrexham and Meltham above
Oakely.

-Nigel

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