dyl
31.05.2006, 14:03
tMP presents: The World's 100 Favourite Test Pieces 2006 - The Results
http://www.themouthpiece.com/images/poll_dyl.gif
Well I've finally finished trawling through the PMs received for the survey - many thanks to everyone who took the time to think of their top 10 favourite test pieces, and submit them to me over the last month or so. Thanks also to tMPer 'BreadOfHeaven' who's idea this was originally when he undertook the first favourite test piece poll back in 2004. I have revisited the results of 2004's survey to indicate whether pieces are new to the list this year or whether they have gained in popularity or even become less popular in the last 2 years.
A total of 188 different pieces were put forward, and 75 different composers were nominated. From the Top 100 that is published below (it actually includes 109 pieces in all, due to ties in some positions) 46 pieces fell down the chart, 25 were climbers, 2 were non-movers and there was a whopping 36 pieces being featured in the Top 100 for the first time.
The biggest new success was Kenneth Downie's 'St. Magnus' coming straight in at #5 - one of two new entries in the top 10. There were a total of 5 new entries in the top 20 - all are new pieces written or published since the 2004 survey.
It's good to note that the highest climber this year is a 'lower section' piece - Philip Sparke's 'Triptych' - climbing 72 places to #24.
Surprisingly, the biggest casualty is one of the 'classics' from the past - 'Diadem of Gold' - which fell 61 places to #100.
As for our favourite composers, there are two ways to look at it - those with the highest number of points received from their test pieces in the list, and those with the most pieces in the list. Either way, we have a clear favorite composer!
The composers lists are as follows:
Highest Number of Points:
1. Philip Sparke (957 points)
2. Eric Ball (667)
3. Philip Wilby (589)
4. Peter Graham (397)
5. Derek Bourgeois (330)
6. Gilbert Vinter (284)
7. Kenneth Downie (257)
8. Edward Gregson (179)
9. Johan de Meij (176)
10. Wilfred Heaton (171)
Total Number of Test Pieces Featured:
1. Philip Sparke (13 pieces)
2. Eric Ball (8 pieces)
3= Gilbert Vinter (7)
3= Peter Graham (7)
5= Philip Wilby (6)
5= Edward Gregson (6)
7. Derek Bourgeois (5)
8. Kenneth Downie (4)
9= George Lloyd (3)
9= Michael Ball (3)
Well that's a brief summary, so now on to the detail!
The World's 100 Favourite Test Pieces 2006 (according to theMouthPiece.com) are:
Key: Rank, Test Piece & Composer, Change in Position from 2004
100 - 52:
100 - 'Cambridge Variations' (Sparke) --> -12
100 - 'Diadem of Gold' (G Bailey) --> -61
100 - 'Diamond Heritage' (Darrol Barry) --> New
100 - 'Glorifico Aeternum' (Dean Jones) --> New
100 - 'Lowry Sketchbook' (Wilby) --> -42
100 - 'Lydian Pictures' (Simon Dobson) --> -37
100 - 'Phoenix' (Carl Rüti) --> New
100 - 'Quintessence' (Redhead) --> New
100 - 'Renaissance' (Graham) --> New
100 - 'Salamander' (McCabe) --> New
98 - 'Music for the Common Man' (Downie) --> New
98 - 'Tournament for Brass' (Ball) --> -24
95 - 'Aubade, Dawn Songs of the Fabulous Birds' (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen) --> New
95 - 'Diversions for Brass Band' (Bourgeois) --> -37
95 - 'St Austell Suite' (Downie) --> New
91 - 'A London Overture' (Sparke) --> New
91 - 'Oceans' (Richards) --> -25
91 - 'Severn Suite' (Elgar) --> New
91 - 'The Force of Destiny' (Wright) --> -21
87 - 'Les Preludes' (Rimmer) --> 9
87 - 'New Jerusalem' (Wilby) --> -52
87 - 'Prague' (Bingham) --> -24
87 - 'Salute to Youth' (Vinter) --> New
85 - 'Kenilworth' (Bliss) --> -22
85 - 'Sounds' (Golland) --> -53
81 - 'A Winter's Tale' (Heath) --> New
81 - 'Kensington Concerto' (Ball) --> -7
81 - 'Northern Landscapes' (Graham) --> New
81 - 'Royal Parks' (Lloyd) --> -25
78 - 'Connotations' (Gregson) --> -38
78 - 'Festival Music' (Ball) --> -56
78 - 'Kaleidoscope' (Sparke) --> New
76 - 'Divertimento' (Brian Kelly) --> New
76 - 'Labour and Love' (Fletcher) --> New
71 - 'An Epic Symphony' (Fletcher) --> -46
71 - 'Chaucer's Tunes' (Michael Ball) --> New
71 - 'Entertainments' (Vinter) --> New
71 - 'Indian Summer' (Ball) --> New
71 - 'Vizcaya' (Vinter) --> -13
69 - 'Plantagenets' (Gregson) --> -20
69 - 'Un Vie de Matalot' (Robert Farnon) --> 5
67 - 'All The Flowers Of The Mountain' (Michael Ball) --> New
67 - 'Partita' (Sparke) --> -25
65 - 'Odin' (Butterworth) --> -11
65 - 'Rhapsody In Brass' (Goffin) --> -20
61 - 'A Mendip Celebration' (Darrol Barry) --> New
61 - 'High Peak' (Ball) --> 20
61 - 'Of Men and Mountains' (Gregson) --> -25
61 - 'Suite Gothique' (Ball) --> -14
59 - 'Ballet For Band' (Horovitz) --> -5
59 - 'Rienzi' (Lorriman) --> New
58 - 'Passacaglia on a Theme of Brahms' (Butterworth) --> New
56 - 'A Moorside Suite' (Holst) --> 40
56 - 'Dimensions' (Graham) --> New
53 - 'Fantasy for Brass Band' (Arnold) --> 17
53 - 'Montreux Wind Dances' (Carl Rüti) --> New
53 - 'Variations on an Enigma' (Sparke) --> -31
52 - 'Voyage of Discovery' (Richards) --> New
50 - 22:
50 - 'Albion' (Jan van der Roost) --> 38
50 - 'Jazz' (Wilby) --> -35
48 - 'Partita' (Gregson) --> 10
48 - 'Purcell Variations' (Downie) --> 33
47 - 'Life Divine' (Jenkins) --> -29
44 - 'Apocalypse' (Bourgeois) --> -18
44 - 'James Cook Circumnavigator' (Vinter) --> 52
44 - 'Music For A Festival' (Sparke) --> New
43 - 'Le Roi d'Ys' (Frank Wright) --> -3
41 - 'Trittico' (Curnow) --> New
41 - 'Triumphant Rhapsody' (Vinter) --> 6
39 - 'A Malvern Suite' (Sparke) --> 49
39 - 'Coventry Variations' (Tovey) --> 4
38 - 'english Heritage' (Lloyd) --> -17
37 - 'Variations on Laudate Dominum' (Gregson) --> New
36 - 'Les Preludes' (Gay) --> -19
35 - 'Isaiah 40' (Redhead) --> -16
34 - 'On Alderley Edge' (Graham) --> -6
31 - 'Between the Moon and Mexico' (Sparke) --> 1
31 - 'Dances And Arias' (Gregson) --> 6
31 - 'Variations on a Ninth' (Vinter) --> -3
29 - 'The Land of the Long White Cloud' (Sparke) --> 2
29 - 'Whitsun Wakes' (Michael Ball) --> 38
28 - 'The Night to Sing' (Tovey) --> New
27 - 'Dove Descending' (Wilby) --> -16
26 - 'Devil And The Deep Blue Sea' (Bourgeois) --> -13
25 - 'Tristan Encounters' (Ellerby) --> -11
24 - 'Triptych' (Sparke) --> 72
23 - 'Montage' (Graham) --> 4
22 - 'Diversions On A Bass Theme' (Lloyd) --> 15
20 - 11:
20 - 'Harrison's Dream' (Graham) --> 8
20 - 'Pageantry' (Howells) --> 0
19 - 'Concerto Grosso' (Bourgeois) --> -12
18 - 'Eden' (Pickard) --> New
17 - 'Tallis Variations' (Sparke) --> 15
16 - 'The Essence of Time' (Graham) --> -8
15 - 'Masquerade' (Wilby) --> -3
14 - 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' (Graham) --> New
13 - 'Cloudcatcher Fells' (McCabe) --> 3
12 - 'Revelation' (Wilby) --> -3
11 - 'Music Of The Spheres' (Sparke) --> New
The Top 10:
10 - 'Spectrum' (Vinter) --> 12
9 - 'Blitz' (Bourgeois) --> -3
8 - 'Harmony Music' (Sparke) --> 1
7 - 'Contest Music' (Heaton) --> -2
6 - 'Extreme Makeover' (Johan de Meij) --> New
5 - 'St Magnus' (Downie) --> New
4 - 'Resurgam' (Ball) --> -1
3 - 'The Year of the Dragon' (Sparke) --> -1
2 - 'Paganini Variations' (Wilby) --> 2
1 - 'Journey into Freedom' (Ball) --> 0
So, have fun digesting all that, and let the debate begin!
"tMP World's 100 Favourite Test Piece Poll" Copyright © 2006 - the MouthPiece.com - All Rights Reserved
http://www.themouthpiece.com/images/poll_dyl.gif
Well I've finally finished trawling through the PMs received for the survey - many thanks to everyone who took the time to think of their top 10 favourite test pieces, and submit them to me over the last month or so. Thanks also to tMPer 'BreadOfHeaven' who's idea this was originally when he undertook the first favourite test piece poll back in 2004. I have revisited the results of 2004's survey to indicate whether pieces are new to the list this year or whether they have gained in popularity or even become less popular in the last 2 years.
A total of 188 different pieces were put forward, and 75 different composers were nominated. From the Top 100 that is published below (it actually includes 109 pieces in all, due to ties in some positions) 46 pieces fell down the chart, 25 were climbers, 2 were non-movers and there was a whopping 36 pieces being featured in the Top 100 for the first time.
The biggest new success was Kenneth Downie's 'St. Magnus' coming straight in at #5 - one of two new entries in the top 10. There were a total of 5 new entries in the top 20 - all are new pieces written or published since the 2004 survey.
It's good to note that the highest climber this year is a 'lower section' piece - Philip Sparke's 'Triptych' - climbing 72 places to #24.
Surprisingly, the biggest casualty is one of the 'classics' from the past - 'Diadem of Gold' - which fell 61 places to #100.
As for our favourite composers, there are two ways to look at it - those with the highest number of points received from their test pieces in the list, and those with the most pieces in the list. Either way, we have a clear favorite composer!
The composers lists are as follows:
Highest Number of Points:
1. Philip Sparke (957 points)
2. Eric Ball (667)
3. Philip Wilby (589)
4. Peter Graham (397)
5. Derek Bourgeois (330)
6. Gilbert Vinter (284)
7. Kenneth Downie (257)
8. Edward Gregson (179)
9. Johan de Meij (176)
10. Wilfred Heaton (171)
Total Number of Test Pieces Featured:
1. Philip Sparke (13 pieces)
2. Eric Ball (8 pieces)
3= Gilbert Vinter (7)
3= Peter Graham (7)
5= Philip Wilby (6)
5= Edward Gregson (6)
7. Derek Bourgeois (5)
8. Kenneth Downie (4)
9= George Lloyd (3)
9= Michael Ball (3)
Well that's a brief summary, so now on to the detail!
The World's 100 Favourite Test Pieces 2006 (according to theMouthPiece.com) are:
Key: Rank, Test Piece & Composer, Change in Position from 2004
100 - 52:
100 - 'Cambridge Variations' (Sparke) --> -12
100 - 'Diadem of Gold' (G Bailey) --> -61
100 - 'Diamond Heritage' (Darrol Barry) --> New
100 - 'Glorifico Aeternum' (Dean Jones) --> New
100 - 'Lowry Sketchbook' (Wilby) --> -42
100 - 'Lydian Pictures' (Simon Dobson) --> -37
100 - 'Phoenix' (Carl Rüti) --> New
100 - 'Quintessence' (Redhead) --> New
100 - 'Renaissance' (Graham) --> New
100 - 'Salamander' (McCabe) --> New
98 - 'Music for the Common Man' (Downie) --> New
98 - 'Tournament for Brass' (Ball) --> -24
95 - 'Aubade, Dawn Songs of the Fabulous Birds' (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen) --> New
95 - 'Diversions for Brass Band' (Bourgeois) --> -37
95 - 'St Austell Suite' (Downie) --> New
91 - 'A London Overture' (Sparke) --> New
91 - 'Oceans' (Richards) --> -25
91 - 'Severn Suite' (Elgar) --> New
91 - 'The Force of Destiny' (Wright) --> -21
87 - 'Les Preludes' (Rimmer) --> 9
87 - 'New Jerusalem' (Wilby) --> -52
87 - 'Prague' (Bingham) --> -24
87 - 'Salute to Youth' (Vinter) --> New
85 - 'Kenilworth' (Bliss) --> -22
85 - 'Sounds' (Golland) --> -53
81 - 'A Winter's Tale' (Heath) --> New
81 - 'Kensington Concerto' (Ball) --> -7
81 - 'Northern Landscapes' (Graham) --> New
81 - 'Royal Parks' (Lloyd) --> -25
78 - 'Connotations' (Gregson) --> -38
78 - 'Festival Music' (Ball) --> -56
78 - 'Kaleidoscope' (Sparke) --> New
76 - 'Divertimento' (Brian Kelly) --> New
76 - 'Labour and Love' (Fletcher) --> New
71 - 'An Epic Symphony' (Fletcher) --> -46
71 - 'Chaucer's Tunes' (Michael Ball) --> New
71 - 'Entertainments' (Vinter) --> New
71 - 'Indian Summer' (Ball) --> New
71 - 'Vizcaya' (Vinter) --> -13
69 - 'Plantagenets' (Gregson) --> -20
69 - 'Un Vie de Matalot' (Robert Farnon) --> 5
67 - 'All The Flowers Of The Mountain' (Michael Ball) --> New
67 - 'Partita' (Sparke) --> -25
65 - 'Odin' (Butterworth) --> -11
65 - 'Rhapsody In Brass' (Goffin) --> -20
61 - 'A Mendip Celebration' (Darrol Barry) --> New
61 - 'High Peak' (Ball) --> 20
61 - 'Of Men and Mountains' (Gregson) --> -25
61 - 'Suite Gothique' (Ball) --> -14
59 - 'Ballet For Band' (Horovitz) --> -5
59 - 'Rienzi' (Lorriman) --> New
58 - 'Passacaglia on a Theme of Brahms' (Butterworth) --> New
56 - 'A Moorside Suite' (Holst) --> 40
56 - 'Dimensions' (Graham) --> New
53 - 'Fantasy for Brass Band' (Arnold) --> 17
53 - 'Montreux Wind Dances' (Carl Rüti) --> New
53 - 'Variations on an Enigma' (Sparke) --> -31
52 - 'Voyage of Discovery' (Richards) --> New
50 - 22:
50 - 'Albion' (Jan van der Roost) --> 38
50 - 'Jazz' (Wilby) --> -35
48 - 'Partita' (Gregson) --> 10
48 - 'Purcell Variations' (Downie) --> 33
47 - 'Life Divine' (Jenkins) --> -29
44 - 'Apocalypse' (Bourgeois) --> -18
44 - 'James Cook Circumnavigator' (Vinter) --> 52
44 - 'Music For A Festival' (Sparke) --> New
43 - 'Le Roi d'Ys' (Frank Wright) --> -3
41 - 'Trittico' (Curnow) --> New
41 - 'Triumphant Rhapsody' (Vinter) --> 6
39 - 'A Malvern Suite' (Sparke) --> 49
39 - 'Coventry Variations' (Tovey) --> 4
38 - 'english Heritage' (Lloyd) --> -17
37 - 'Variations on Laudate Dominum' (Gregson) --> New
36 - 'Les Preludes' (Gay) --> -19
35 - 'Isaiah 40' (Redhead) --> -16
34 - 'On Alderley Edge' (Graham) --> -6
31 - 'Between the Moon and Mexico' (Sparke) --> 1
31 - 'Dances And Arias' (Gregson) --> 6
31 - 'Variations on a Ninth' (Vinter) --> -3
29 - 'The Land of the Long White Cloud' (Sparke) --> 2
29 - 'Whitsun Wakes' (Michael Ball) --> 38
28 - 'The Night to Sing' (Tovey) --> New
27 - 'Dove Descending' (Wilby) --> -16
26 - 'Devil And The Deep Blue Sea' (Bourgeois) --> -13
25 - 'Tristan Encounters' (Ellerby) --> -11
24 - 'Triptych' (Sparke) --> 72
23 - 'Montage' (Graham) --> 4
22 - 'Diversions On A Bass Theme' (Lloyd) --> 15
20 - 11:
20 - 'Harrison's Dream' (Graham) --> 8
20 - 'Pageantry' (Howells) --> 0
19 - 'Concerto Grosso' (Bourgeois) --> -12
18 - 'Eden' (Pickard) --> New
17 - 'Tallis Variations' (Sparke) --> 15
16 - 'The Essence of Time' (Graham) --> -8
15 - 'Masquerade' (Wilby) --> -3
14 - 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' (Graham) --> New
13 - 'Cloudcatcher Fells' (McCabe) --> 3
12 - 'Revelation' (Wilby) --> -3
11 - 'Music Of The Spheres' (Sparke) --> New
The Top 10:
10 - 'Spectrum' (Vinter) --> 12
9 - 'Blitz' (Bourgeois) --> -3
8 - 'Harmony Music' (Sparke) --> 1
7 - 'Contest Music' (Heaton) --> -2
6 - 'Extreme Makeover' (Johan de Meij) --> New
5 - 'St Magnus' (Downie) --> New
4 - 'Resurgam' (Ball) --> -1
3 - 'The Year of the Dragon' (Sparke) --> -1
2 - 'Paganini Variations' (Wilby) --> 2
1 - 'Journey into Freedom' (Ball) --> 0
So, have fun digesting all that, and let the debate begin!
"tMP World's 100 Favourite Test Piece Poll" Copyright © 2006 - the MouthPiece.com - All Rights Reserved