Area Test Piece Rumours for 2009

[KMJ Recordings]

Much as it'll never happen in my lifetime, I'd love to be part of an areas (or any other contest for that matter) where every piece was brand new for the day.

Maybe even do it with no CD recordings available beforehand, and agreements a-la music for battle creek to prevent public performance, so as to ensure as many different interpretations as possible.

Forget winning and losing, what a great musical experience that would be!

Probably the only way it'd happen would be to use complete (or almost complete) unknowns. It'd be prohibitively expensive to commission new works at full rates from established composers. It'd would be a good day musically though.

The CD is a bit of a cash cow to an extent I guess - especially if you reuse recordings previously issued (which I don't know if it's the case or not), although the idea of downloads could potentially do away with these things in the fullness of time.

AFAIK there was always an embargo on public performances of new commissions on test pieces which - again as far as I can remember - also included 'open rehearsals'.

 

[IoW_Sparky]

4th Section - "Variations on I've got a lovely Bunch of Coconuts." (Commission - TBC)

I assume that this will best be played by the Brass Monkeys!

 

[redstripe]

champ section- valero.
1st section - santaclaustraphobia.
2nd section - theme from schindlers list.
3rd and 4th still to be confirmed.
so get practicing lads and lasses!!

 

[snazzy_cornet_sound]

Just for a laugh they should get all the bands to vote for pieces next year!

Would be something new and differant.

 

[DMBabe]

I've heard a rumour that following the success of "Dark side of the Moon", it has been suggested that a follow-up called "Lighter side of the moon" has been commissioned for next years 3rd section........ planned to feature an homage to such classics as "moon River", "Blue Moon", "moondance", "the whole of the moon", "by the light of the silvery moon", "paper moon", "the theme from moonlighting" and my personal favourite the showaddywaddy classic "under the moon of love"!!!! :clap: (of course featuring a battery of over zealous percussion).

Shame my lot are getting promoted........

 

[Thirteen Ball]

Probably the only way it'd happen would be to use complete (or almost complete) unknowns.

Where do I sign?

 

[Anno Draconis]

Just for a laugh they should get all the bands to vote for pieces next year!

Would be something new and differant.

Actually no, if bands voted for the pieces they wanted to play it wouldn't be new and different; we'd get the same 7 or 8 pieces doing the rounds of every contest. Blitz, Journey into Freedom, Paganini, St Magnus, Harmony Music, etc. (and equivalent perennial favourites in the lower sections).

I've got nothing against hearing these pieces again, they're all great to listen to, but you'd never get anything new.

 

[KMJ Recordings]

Where do I sign?

If you've got the pieces, Andi (and they really are good enough - no personal slur intended, just a statement of fact - and meet the criteria), then your publisher(s) should be putting them forwards to the relevant selection committee. The thing to remember, though, is that the shortlists and selections are made quite a long time in advance (until the rumour monkeys come out and spoil the fun ).

If they're not doing it, change publishers

 

[Thirteen Ball]

If you've got the pieces, Andi (and they really are good enough - no personal slur intended, just a statement of fact - and meet the criteria), then your publisher(s) should be putting them forwards to the relevant selection committee. The thing to remember, though, is that the shortlists and selections are made quite a long time in advance (until the rumour monkeys come out and spoil the fun ).

If they're not doing it, change publishers

No slur taken! I was actually more making a reference to me being a complete unknown! But you've set me thinking about some stuff my publishers haven't seen yet. Watch this space....

I think Anno's point on the possibility of voting for pieces is a good one. We would almost definitely end up with a plethora of favourites worthy of a 'greatest hits' CD, but that's not really the point. The areas is surely the broadest showcase for music, as far more bands play the pieces than at the finals. And whilst I'm a big fan of messers Wilby, Sparke, Heaton, Gregson etc, new music is the lifeblood of any movement, and a vote couldn't really generate interest in that.

The only way round it would be to have MP3s or something of new pieces, say, three per section, on a central website (maybe this one?) and have some sort of voting system where each band in a given section can vote, via their regional secratary, for the piece they want.

That might generate some interest?

I'm not saying it's practicable, (or even within the realms of sanity) but it's an idea!!

 

[KMJ Recordings]

But you've set me thinking about some stuff my publishers haven't seen yet. Watch this space....

I will

Something that Andy did with me following us recording The Sword and the Star with Middleton was that he sent me some of his other material that I put forward to a couple of Bands with a view to them recording them. Circumstances were, though, that they didn't end up being done....however, one of those pieces was the piece that was chosen for the Swiss contest and the other (A Short Ride on a Brass Machine) was also picked up by Jagrins and played by Tongwynlais at Butlins this year.

Every year, I tend to do a couple of subsidised recordings where I essentially 'give away' the services of the team for one thing or another - and it's on occasions like that when I can try and push Bands to record hitherto unknown stuff.

As a result, I'm quite happy for people to send me music that they might like to be taken into consideration for such a project.

Maybe we should do something similar as one of the recordings in the next 12 - 18 months.....get the readership and beyond to send in pieces, if there are lots we could appoint 'people' to cut the numbers somehow, find a Band to record them and host them somewhere....put on a public vote and the 'winner(s)' could be proposed to the selection committees?

 

[Anno Draconis]

Maybe we should do something similar as one of the recordings in the next 12 - 18 months.....get the readership and beyond to send in pieces, if there are lots we could appoint 'people' to cut the numbers somehow, find a Band to record them and host them somewhere....put on a public vote and the 'winner(s)' could be proposed to the selection committees?

Mr Johnson, there are times when you display nothing short of genius

You already know I'd send something in!

 

[KMJ Recordings]

Mr Johnson, there are times when you display nothing short of genius !

I know - I just can't help it :biggrin:

The thing here is that absolutely no promises can be made about pieces being chosen - but at the very least it'd enable people to get some music down on tape and out into the public domain (I'd have to work out all the licencing aspects and stuff).

New thread time I think, just to gauge interest.