Of course, all my friends call me Frank!
H'mmmmm now ... Portrait's of a City ... Could we be on to something???
Is that the new title?
National Finals 2011 - test piece rumours
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Is that the new title?
Tom Kuiling
Member
Only heard a rumour that it was a Sparke piece, but didnt know which one but now Portrait of a City has been mentioned maybe somebody knows something that the rest of us doesnt.
As for someone mentioning Ballet for Band, that would be a great shout. No doubt one or two will say its too easy though
Ballet would still sort bands out. Prob 1st section in it,s original form though?
ophicliede
Member
Anyone know the history of 'Portrait of a City' ? Was it commissioned for anything? Phillip has the knack of writing music that is popular with players and audience alike.
Di
Active Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this the championship test piece at the Albert Hall in 1983? Not to be confused fourth section that year being Ballad for Band?
Now where is that test piece archive when you need it. :-?
ophicliede
Member
Ballet for Band was used at the areas for the 1st Section testpiece several years ago, a great one!
Tom Kuiling
Member
ophicliede
Member
Ballet for Band was used as the 1997 1st Section regional testpiece!
Bass Man
Active Member
It was also used as the Senior Trophy piece in 2007
MoominDave
Well-Known Member
I remember it well - as I recall you put most of the bottom end of the band onto my part...
I think it's fair to say that it stretched the 1st section above and beyond?
Thirteen Ball
Active Member
It certainly sorted out the senior trophy as well.....
cockaigne
Member
In 1997, possibly - having tried it out on Forest of Dean, I'd say it's probably now within the reach of most 1st section bands, or (as in their case) a strong 2nd-section band.
It's a lovely piece of music - very characterful and entertaining, not merely a "test" piece.
Laserbeam bass
Active Member
No thanks :wink:
MoominDave
Well-Known Member
You're joking, Jack, I hope?
Standards haven't risen in the last 14 years - I don't understand why so many people think that they have. The myth of test piece inflation is a powerful one, peddled by various people on this site at various times - but as I see it, the years 1970-1990 saw a genuine increase in average technical standards and general musical awareness within the brass band world [driven by, to pick a few things, greater mass communication, larger bore instruments, and an influx of directing talent that was bent on rendering banding less insular], but have since been followed by a twenty year plateau, and maybe even some falling away - and, to be fair, a plateau is what one would expect to see in terms of usual behaviour in the long term.
BfB is a deceptive piece - not too hard to get through if your soloists are up to it, but very hard to pin down completely - all parts have important roles to play, and a lot of the writing is dangerously intimate for a brass band. A section of bands who all just about get through it does not do what is a lovely piece any justice at all.
Standards haven't risen in the last 14 years - I don't understand why so many people think that they have. The myth of test piece inflation is a powerful one, peddled by various people on this site at various times - but as I see it, the years 1970-1990 saw a genuine increase in average technical standards and general musical awareness within the brass band world [driven by, to pick a few things, greater mass communication, larger bore instruments, and an influx of directing talent that was bent on rendering banding less insular], but have since been followed by a twenty year plateau, and maybe even some falling away - and, to be fair, a plateau is what one would expect to see in terms of usual behaviour in the long term.
BfB is a deceptive piece - not too hard to get through if your soloists are up to it, but very hard to pin down completely - all parts have important roles to play, and a lot of the writing is dangerously intimate for a brass band. A section of bands who all just about get through it does not do what is a lovely piece any justice at all.
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KMJ Recordings
Supporting Member
+1 to Dave.
I've heard it massacred, and I'd much prefer not to again....it's too 'nice' for that.
I've heard it massacred, and I'd much prefer not to again....it's too 'nice' for that.
Thirteen Ball
Active Member
I can only really speak for the bass parts (having never properly laid eyes on a full score) but though there's nothing massively demanding in them technically or sound-wise, they're one of those things where a lot of subtlety and a lot of musicality is needed. And we do a lot more work in unison/octave with the euphonium and baritone than is usual - more like playing in the mode of a double-bass and cello team, rather than as one would tend to expect of brass band basses.
The other thing is that it's a rarety in which it's one of those few pieces I thought was unutterably tedious the first time I played it, (with a closed mind, I'll now freely admit) but has since completely won me over both as a player and a listener. Normally I'm pretty stubborn about these things and first impressions tend to grow stronger with time.... but I was completely wrong about BfB.
James Yelland
Well-Known Member
Horovitz himself said that he had a story in his mind as he wrote Ballet but chose not to tell us what it was. But it isn't difficult to identify some of the individuals or concepts depicted. The piece has an obvious love interest, a comic interlude, and best of all, a wonderful role for the tubas and solo euph as the villain of the piece, doing unspecified nefarious deeds. And after a frantic scramble towards the end, they all live happily ever after. Aaaahhh!
If you like Ballet and want to hear a work in a similar vein, try Buxton Orr's Narration (for wind band).
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