"Diversions" - Errata?

[GJG]

I've contacted the publisher (R Smith & Co.), and been told that there is no official errata listing for "Diversions on a Bass theme".

Whilst there seem to be very few possible errors in "Diversions" (certainly compared to some other recent offerings) there is one particular point that concerns me, and I was wondering if any other tMP'ers involved in the First Section Finals had any thoughts on it.

It occurs in bar 389 and involves Solo/Rep. cornets. The printed 'D' nat. produces an "unusual" (!) dissonance aginst the rest of the chord at that point. (Although in fairness no more unusual than some of the other dissonances in the piece ... ). In the Grimethorpe ("Brass from the Masters") recording the note has been "corrected" to a 'Db'. Does anyone know if there is any official source for this alteration? I suppose it would be too much to expect any sort of pronouncement from the adjudicators as to what they expect ...

It bothers me, partially because the phrase (387-390) is a repetition of the one already played by the Troms./Euphs./Basses at 377-380, and in order to match, then the minim at 389 should (in theory) be a 'D' nat. as printed. However the resulting dissonance is slightly out of context with the rest of the piece (to my ears, at any rate), and I would have thought that the note would not have been amended on the Grimethorpe recording without some sort of authority ...

Any thoughts ... ?

[bcbeuph]

I have just found an errata sheet from 1987 when it was the area test piece.

Score and Parts

1. Bar 162 - Glock - note should be A not B

2. Bar 389 - Solo Cornet and Repiano - 1st note (minim) should be Db not D nat, corrected to D nat at last crotchet.

That is all that was on the errata sheet.

[GJG]

Excellent! Very helpful, thank-you. :tup

[Accidental]

Any thoughts on bars 301-302 in the 1st bari part? Its another 'unusual dissonace', to quote Gareth!

[GJG]

Any thoughts on bars 301-302 in the 1st bari part?

My first guess would be it's a transposition error, and should be a perfect 4th higher in order to match the 1st Horn notes ... but then it could just as easily be a deliberate example of George Lloyd's "quirky" harmony. I'm still not entirely convinced by the original "correction" referred to in my earlier post; it reminds me of Rimsky-Korsakov's "corrections" to Mussorgsky's unconventional harmonies ...

Unfortunately at this stage, there is no way to check/confirm any such suspected errors. The composer is no longer with us, and unless R Smith & Co. are sitting on an original M/S copy (which may still include the transposition error in any case), then we have no authoritative source to consult.

[GJG]

re. 301-302: I've now had an opportunity to listen very carefully to the (Grimethorpe) recording; I can't be 100% certain, but I am fairly sure I can hear the Bari. notes played as they are written (albeit very quietly!). I've analysed the harmony using a piano, and I have to admit it sounds pretty dreadful, but on the recording the moment passes so quickly, and the low harmony is very much in the background, so it doesn't seem as bad.

I think an MD just has to make a decision and live by it. If it were a concert situation, I think I would be inclined to alter the part to be at the same pitches as the 1st Horn part. In a contest, I'm not sure. No disrespect intended, but I doubt many adjudicators would be confident enough of their aural acuity to risk accusing you of having altered it. I also doubt that it's the kind of issue that's going to make the difference between 1st and 2nd place ...

[Accidental]

Thanks Gareth!

[Gorgie boy]

How hard is this piece by the way????!!!! :sup :sup :sup

Great test though.

[GJG]

FWIW, I've now been in touch with the organisers; they say they do not intend to issue errata for this piece ...

I don't know for sure where that leaves us with the adjudicators. Presumably they have no choice now but to accept either version ... ???