Search results

Idly browsing old threads, I came across this one from 12 years ago. I'd forgotten about Band for Britain and the story of Dinnington Colliery Band. At the time, a point was made by some posters that the value of the band being featured in a TV programme would be judged by how well they fared...

Back in 2009 Graham Cole wrote a brilliant piece for brass band called Pentacle which was used as a test piece in the National Regional Championships. To my knowledge he's written nothing for the medium since, and a trawl on Google fails to find any other reference to him. Does anyone know...

Well, you might be right, although the fact that Mr Diamond will be giving a concert in Cheltenham, just a stone's throw away from the OP's bandroom in a couple of months, might cause a certain nervousness! In other circumstances, most bands would be delighted to welcome a global superstar into...

Unfortunately for that supposition, the song has not been chosen as a 'jubilee song' (whatever that may be). It was merely suggested in a poll of Radio 2 listeners. As far as I can see, the suggestion has not been endorsed by anyone who matters. Why Radio 2 listeners thought it would be an...

I looked for it on the Pennine website and couldn't find it. I think maybe you mean Larch Music? I don't want to rain on your parade (literally or metaphorically) but is this arrangement licenced? According to the Musescore page it isn't. Copyright exists for 70 years after a composer's...

How does the 'football version' differ from the original version, please?

Alan Gregory Music was run by Andrew and Karen Oliver. A couple of years ago they bought up the Dawson's chain of stores. If you go to the Companies House website and search for Dawsons Music and Sound Ltd., you will find a correspondence address for Mr & Mrs Oliver. I note that they both...

The last episode provided some much-needed grit to counter the rather dreamy view of brass bands so far put forward. I was pleased to hear a note of scepticism from Mr Green when confronted by the statement from Bob Childs, in defence of the contest culture, that "if it wasn't competitive it...

Yes, after episode one I found myself wondering what exactly was the focus of this series. Episode two went some way to answering the question. More about coal mining, more about trades unions and politics. It makes you realise just how influential Brassed Off was all those years ago. The...

Paris 1900: The Art of the Cornet is a new CD by the French trumpeter and cornetist Eric Aubier of cornet music from around the turn of the 20th century. There are a couple of names amongst the composers who bandsmen will recognise - Jean-Baptiste Arban and Guillaume Balay (of Diadem of Gold...

Rather late I know, as this thread began 15 years ago (!) but there is an audio performance of The Trumpets - complete with Consolation and Felicitation - on Youtube here: None other than Peter Pears as the vocal soloist, which is interesting as the work is scored for a bass, and Pears was...

First episode of this BBC Radio 4 programme went out on Thursday, repeated Monday 7th March at 4pm and available on the BBC website here: BBC Radio 4 - Banding: Love, Spit and Valve Oil, The mines are dead, but the music and the people are not. An interesting perspective on banding by someone...

Just to say that all six principal concerts are up on the WoB website in their entireties.

Tim Jackson is a very well known French horn player and composer who currently teaches at the RNCM. There is an email address for him on the RNCM website. Having said that, I'm familiar with many of his works and I have to say that a xylo solo of this type doesn't sound like the sort of thing...

Well, we all had to show our COVID passports on arrival at the college, and we all wore masks while in the auditorium. Elsewhere, plenty of bands are rehearsing together once again. Walking back up the Oxford Road after the RNCM concerts, the pubs, bars and clubs were packed with people having...

I wonder how many people know that there is a 4-CD boxed set of Philip Sparke's music available? It was released last year but I haven't seen any mention of it on 4BR and it isn't being offered for sale by World of Brass either. It might be because three of the four discs are of Sparke's...

Just got back from the RNCM Festival. There were some super performances. The college's own band were superb, playing a piano concerto by Bill Connor (of whom I'd never heard before). Look out for the name of Justine Gormley, she's going to be a star of the future, I reckon. The new edition...

One book I'd recommend is "Progressive Studies for Trumpet and other treble clef brass instruments" by John Miller. There are thirty studies, each focussing on specific aspects of technique, and which also provide a gentle introduction to a wide range of 20th century musical styles (from Mahler...

I spoke too soon. Foden's and Cory have cancelled their appearances, although Cory have been replaced by the Fairey Band, although playing a not very challenging programme. Rex Richardson can't be there to play Peter Graham's new trumpet concerto with Dyke so that programme has changed too...

I note that there has so far been no mention of Mr Bale's death on 4BR, odd considering that he made many contributions to their output. Presumably, they don't know about it. I can't help feeling that if they hadn't cut themselves off from their readers by discontinuing the letters page, they...