Divertimento - Eric Ball

[Wonky_Baton]

Dunston are playing Divertimento at the Durham League contest and have just started to practice it. However in the 3rd movement there is a poco rall for 4 bars. There is a breath mark after the 3rd ctotchet of the fourth bar and then the last crotchet at the slow temp leads into a presto for the big finish.

Anyway someone said that Eric Ball wrote a breath mark but meant it as a cut off //. So do any brass band anaraks out there know if it is a breath mark or a cut. I have never played the piece and hope never to have to play it again but would like to do it right. :lol:

The worrying thing is, even if he did mean a cut off, will the adjudicator know cos the score gives no clues. Ideally a reply from the adjudicator of the contest would be good, whoever he is. :?

 

[Roger Thorne]

Can't really help you with this one Wonky, only to suggest that it may be worth contacting the Secretary of the Contest and asking him to clarify with the adjudicator so that he can report back to the bands at the draw.

If you follow the score you won't go far wrong and I wouldn't take much notice of the 'what he meant to write' remark.

If Eric Ball, the celebrated composer, arranger, conductor, organist, pianist, adjudicator, writer, lecturer and for 15 years Editor of the British Bandsman hasn't written a breath mark then he obviously didn't want one!

Good Luck with the Contest and don't forget to let us all know how you get on.

:wink:

 

[Wonky_Baton]

Cheers roger I'll contact the secretary and see what she says :wink:

The person that mentioned it plays trombone for our band but was a successful lower section conductor from down south. She also had an uncle who lived in Eric Balls street and they were friends. Therefore when she said it wasn't a breath mark but a cut, I have to take it seriously as she has a lot of knowledge. The problem is as I said the adjudicators view is the one that counts!! :?

 

[Straightmute]

Eric Ball uses both ' and // marks, and the common interpretation seems to be that the former indicates a short break, the latter a longer one.

But it's really a bit of an interpretational thing: what sounds best for you and the band ought to be most convincing from an adjudicators' perspective. There isn't really a right or a wrong way of doing it, and two very different interpretations might be equally valid.

D

 

[DublinBass]

I'm surprised this question didn't come up again, given that it was the 4th section testpiece at the areas. Were recent scores amended or was the issue addressed better.

I often find it strange how sometimes mistakes never seem to get correct...ie how could there still be an errata for the Variations for Brass Band when the piece is umpteen years old?

 

[Will the Sec]

The areas piece was written by the tMP band's (first) bass trombone. Why not ask him?

 

[Will the Sec]

Post deleted as I realise Pat's entry above has led me up the garden path...

 

[HBB]

I'm surprised this question didn't come up again, given that it was the 4th section testpiece at the areas. Were recent scores amended or was the issue addressed better.

I often find it strange how sometimes mistakes never seem to get correct...ie how could there still be an errata for the Variations for Brass Band when the piece is umpteen years old?

I think you're wrong Pat... wasn't it Brian Kelly?

 

[DublinBass]

I think you're wrong Pat... wasn't it Brian Kelly?

Oh right...different "divertimento"

I stil think its strange that publishers are either printing wrong band parts for some of the other test-pieces (ie RVW)or continuing to circulate them

 

[geordiecolin]

The areas piece was written by the tMP band's (first) bass trombone. Why not ask him?

Wasn't the tmp band's first bass trombone player Neil Twist back on Whit Friday 2003??!!

 

[MoominDave]

The areas piece was written by the tMP band's (first) bass trombone. Why not ask him?

You kept that quiet, Brian! I suppose I should have put 2 and 2 together to get 4, not 2 and another 2...

Dave,
2nd Bass Parp,
tMP band

 

[Welsheuphoniummanjamie]

Hiya,

Would anyone happen to have a recording of Eric Ball's Divertimento? alternatively does anyone know where i can get one from?

many thanks,

 

[ian perks]

This was the 1st piece i played at a junior band ensemble contest in october 1975 ;
West Midlands Solo,Quartet& Ensemble Contest held at Walsall.
We came 3rd our very first contest we had played at only played first 2 movs but from then on we just marched on to WIN contest in 1977&1978 finishing by playing
Suite Gothique by Eric Ball
won by 10 points and remarks from adjudiactor Ted Massey &Ralph Tarn were amazing!!!!!!!!
You thought we were Black Dyke that day
The Junior Band in question was
Walsall Metropolitan Juniors:woo:woo

 

[brassbandmaestro]

This brings back the memories!! I believe this was the first test-piece I ever played at a contest!! I was on 3rd cornet!! I finished up on rep, then euph, then graduated onto EEb Bass!

 

[Keppler]

Hiya,

Would anyone happen to have a recording of Eric Ball's Divertimento? alternatively does anyone know where i can get one from?

many thanks,

Another old thread.
Closest match I can find from a quick web-trawl is on Bridgewater Hall 2002 with a trombone solo called "The Passing Years"
I expect that's a coincidence, though, as I recall the 2nd mvt of Ball's Divertimento isn't a trombone solo.

That's really not very helpful, but interesting!

 

[PeterBale]

Another old thread.
Closest match I can find from a quick web-trawl is on Bridgewater Hall 2002 with a trombone solo called "The Passing Years"
I expect that's a coincidence, though, as I recall the 2nd mvt of Ball's Divertimento isn't a trombone solo.

That's really not very helpful, but interesting!

"The passing years" is a Salvation Army bass trombone solo by Kenneth Cook.

 

[Keppler]

I wonder was it inspired by EB, or just a coincidence that the titles are the same.

Anyway, back on topic Kepps - anyone able to find a recording?

 

[Welsheuphoniummanjamie]

Another old thread.
Closest match I can find from a quick web-trawl is on Bridgewater Hall 2002 with a trombone solo called "The Passing Years"
I expect that's a coincidence, though, as I recall the 2nd mvt of Ball's Divertimento isn't a trombone solo.

That's really not very helpful, but interesting!

Thats closer than i got, thanks all the same :tup

 

[michellegarbutt]

Wasn't the tmp band's first bass trombone player Neil Twist back on Whit Friday 2003??!!

Yep we were there

 

[bumper-euph]

How on earth can you "graduate" from the only perfect brass instrument, to a metal bass drum !!!! ????