2020 British Finals Tests Announced
The Music Panel of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain has announced the test-pieces for all five sections of the 2020 Finals in September (Championship Section on 10 October at London’s Royal Albert Hall and Sections 1 – 4 on 26 – 27 September at The Centaur, Cheltenham).
Said Philip Morris of Kapitol Promtions Ltd., which presents the Finals: “We are preparing on the basis that the Finals will go ahead as normal, although the final decision obviously lies with the Government.”
He added: “Our top section test-piece, Heroes by the double Academy Award nominee and ten-times Emmy Award-winning composer, Bruce Broughton, will be dedicated to the fanatstic heroes on the frontline of Covid-19, some of whom we plan to invite to the Finals as our guests, should they wish to attend. We very much hope that we are also able to welcome bands and audiences to the Finals.”
CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION
Heroes by Bruce Broughton
Studio Music
Heroes was premièred by Black Dyke Band as its own-choice piece at the 2019 BrassPass UK Band of the Year Championship and pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, plus the incredible achievements of astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
The piece is cast in three continuous sections:
A powerful Ignition with dynamic, rhythmic writing, evokes the rocket blasting into the stratosphere and leads to the tender Tranquillity, in which the beautifully melodic solo writing reflects the stillness of the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, allowing soloists to revel in a contrasting soundworld against controlled band accompaniment. The turbo-charged Return is a technical tour-de-force that develops material from the earlier sections, before the Tranquility theme is reprised and brings the work to a resounding conclusion, as the triumphant astronauts return to Earth.
SECTION 1
Connotations by Edward Gregson
Studio Music
Commissioned for the 1977 Final of the National Championships, Connotations came at the end
of a productive five years for the brass band publisher, R. Smith and, aged just 32, Edward Gregson was the youngest composer to have received such a commission. The direct and tuneful style of some of the composer’s works during those five years – The Plantagenets, Essay and Patterns for example, prepared the ground for Connotations, arguably his finest work at that point.
As the composer himself has stated: ‘Connotations suggests more than one way of looking at something – an idea – and this is exactly what the piece is about’.
Edward Gregson has also said that writing a competition piece brought its own problems and noted: ‘It has to be technically difficult and yet musically satisfying. I didn’t like being kept to an 11-minute maximum. The inclusion of short cadenzas for less usual solo instruments seems to signify a certain test-piece mentality’.
Edward Gregson solved these problems by adopting a symphonic approach to the variation form: Introduction – fanfares, a call to attention,
in effect Variation 1; Theme – a six-note motif given a lyrical and restrained first statement; Variation 2 – a delicate toccata; Variation 3 – robust in melody and rhythm; Variation 4 –
lyrical solos; Variation 5 – a scherzo; Variation 6 – cadenzas; and Variations 7 - 9 – an introduction, fugato and resounding restatement of the theme.
SECTION 2
Lions of Legends by Thierry Deleruyelle
De Haske
Recorded by Cory Band during the summer of 2019, the five-movement piece describes both the history of the lion throughout centuries,
as well as its characteristics of courage, strength and temperance. A challenging idea to turn into music! The final movement King of Kings is extremely spectacular and has likely contributed to its popularity as a contest work in a relatively short period of time.
Having been premièred as an own-choice selection by Brass Band Atout Vent at the Flemish Open in 2018, Musikgesellschaft Brass Band Hauptwil used it in Section 2 of Switzerland’s Thurgauer Kantonal-Musikest of 2019, which saw the band take first place. It was also the set work at both the 2019 Belgian National (Division 2), 2019 French National (Division 1) and, just last month, Brass Band de la Côte Picarde performed the work as its own-choice piece in Division 1
of the French National.
From the composer of the highly-acclaimed Fraternity, this descriptive work is sure to prove popular with the UK’s Section 2 British National contenders.
SECTION 3
Kaleidoscope – Five Variations on the Brugg Song by Philip Sparke
Anglo Music
A set of five variations on the Brugger Lied –
the traditional Brugg Song inspired by the town
of the same name. The lyrics tell of the geography, people and traditions of this charming and historic town situated in the north of Switzerland, halfway between Basel and Zurich, near to the German border.
The variations are based on tiny extracts of the theme, the whole piece therefore resembling the effect of a kaleidoscope that juxtaposes small fragments of colour in a constantly changing pattern. The introduction is inspired by the many rising intervals, which start phrases within the song, and the main theme is then introduced.
Variation 1 is based upon the dotted rhythm that permeates the song and the short interlude of Variation 2 plays on the interval of a seventh, midway through the song. Variation 3 uses a waltz- like theme, with a central theme derived from the rising third figure and Variation 4 is a slow ballad once again based on the opening bar. The finale, Variation 5, starts with a moto perpetuo. Later, a contrasting theme briefly interrupts, but the moto perpetuo returns, eventually acting as a descant to the reintroduction of the Brugg Song in its entirety. A short Coda recalls material from Variation 1 before bringing the piece crashing to a close.
SECTION 4
An Elgar Portrait by Dan Price
Kirklees Music
Composed to commemorate the 150th anniversary Sir Edward Elgar’s birth, the piece has been chosen regularly as an own-choice test, and was the 2007 Swiss National and 2008 Pontin’s contest set tests.
Each of the suite’s three movements are inspired by Elgar’s most celebrated works – Chanson de Matin, Variation IX from the Enigma Variations – Nimrod and Pomp and Circumstance No. 1. The first movement, Introduction – Holybush Hill, evokes one of Elgar’s favourite walking areas in the Malvern Hills, the view from which inspired much of his music.
The second, Elegy – Broadheath, evokes his birthplace at the foot of the Malverns, where he also lived at various times and near to where he is buried. The third, March – Worcester Cathedral, depicts the building overlooked by the statue of Elgar, who was involved in The Three Choirs Festival at the Cathedral, and who also conducted and played in light orchestras and vocal groups across Worcester.
Performance materials are avialble to order from all good brass band music retailers, including Just Music, who remain open for business.
Professional download recordings may be available via World of Brass. Public domain YouTube recordings of the works are also available to listen to via our Media sharing platform.
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