That 'wow' moment

[nethers]

I remember mine, and it turns out I have some friends who do too...

Was there a performance that really sucked you in to banding? That pushed you from casual amateur to serious player? Or convinced you to pick up in the first place? Were you playing or in the audience?

For me it was whatever year Montage was used as the regional test. I was at the midlands areas playing with Ratby (either the junior or mid band, so 4th section) and had never heard a 'good' band play a major work.

The older members of the band sensibly encouraged us all to head down the hall and list to a band in the championship section. I was lucky enough to wander in as Desford took to the stage.

I'd never heard a band play music like that before with a sound so amazing, and when the first tutti fortissimo hit I was officially hooked.

From social to ambitious in about 30 seconds of music couldn't wait to be involved in a performance like that.

I'd love to hear some other people's stories!

 

[subtlevib]

As a kid, my mum and dad took us to a series of concerts at St George's Hall in Bradford that were televised. I don't really remember much about them - probably in the late 70's / early 80's, but I do remember the 'sound'- and it was that sound that hooked me.

 

[yoda]

I dont know about hooked, but the best performance I have ever heard as an audience member was Fairy's winning the open on Masquerade, conducted by Major Parks. A truly stunning performance that had everything. They Raised the bar that day

 

[Rob]

YBS at the Europeans in 2000 - was playing with NYBB in the gala concert that night and was lucky enough to be able to hear both Tallis and Dove Descending from about 2 rows back from the stage - had never heard anything like it before!

 

[iffytboner]

My best personal wow was back in the early 80’s.I was lucky enough to take part on trom in 2 concerts that featured DonLusher as a guest soloist with 2 different bands…… and he remembered me the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP]time!

 

[P_S_Price]

I wasnt inspired to "great things", but the first time I Really heard the difference between also rans, and the Top bands at the Whit Friday contests (my first exposure to contesting really).

 

[katieeuph]

For me it was the Europeans in Cardiff in 1992. I think it was Britannia playing 'Year of the Dragon' with (if I'm not mistaken) Nick Hudson on trom- the slow movement was pure magic and I've never heard anything like it since.
Rob- was that in Birmingham? If so, that contest was amazing too (I think it was in YBS performance of 'Dove Descending' where someone knocked the tam-tam over, though I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!)

 

[Rob]

For me it was the Europeans in Cardiff in 1992. I think it was Britannia playing 'Year of the Dragon' with (if I'm not mistaken) Nick Hudson on trom- the slow movement was pure magic and I've never heard anything like it since.
Rob- was that in Birmingham? If so, that contest was amazing too (I think it was in YBS performance of 'Dove Descending' where someone knocked the tam-tam over, though I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!)

Yep it was - I was so taken aback by the playing I didn't notice the tam-tam, someone told me about it afterwards!

 

[Gavin]

Rob- was that in Birmingham? If so, that contest was amazing too (I think it was in YBS performance of 'Dove Descending' where someone knocked the tam-tam over, though I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!)

It was in Birmingham! Dove Descending was our own choice. Just as we were setting up the stage, the CD player we had brought with us for the bird noises decided to get stage fright and would not work. Me and Richard Clough were on stage for what seemed like an eternity trying to get the infernal thing to work! Eventually a message got to us from David King from the side of the stage saying we'd just play without the Dove (obviously I've tamed down the language there!!). About 2 minutes into the piece at the peak of the crescendo after the initial fanfare, as planned Richard came over and hit the tam tam. It would be left for me to back into it to dampen the sound as I still played the bass drum. As I backed into it, it wasn't there so I turned around just in enough time to see it hit the deck. Richard had hit it so hard it began to topple before I even got to it. As you can imagine with what had gone on before, me and Richard kept our heads down and didn't make eye contact with Kingy for the rest of the performance!

 

[Will the Sec]

Was there a performance that really sucked you in to banding?

I mis read that and started to list the times I fouled up on stage....

My "wow" moment was not as grand as some people's, but just as important to me. It was when I sat in a band for the first time. Cyril Suckling took the rehearsal of the Newham Academy Brass Band and I was really taken by the fact that all the nutty people of my age could sit down, apply themselves and make an amazing noise. It helped that the quality of the players around at that time would have placed the band in at least the third, and at a pinch the second section. A piece from that time that still sticks in the mind and might make a good lower section piece is Allan Street's Nott'num Town.

 

[Pav]

That Euros (2000 Birmingham) was my probably most enjoyable day's banding. On a relatively straightforward set piece YBS just shone that day.

Then there was Eikanger on Concerto Grosso. Wow!

Going back to the original question. It would have been going to see Briggus at Huddersfield Town Hall in about 1981/2. I would have been about 11 and remember being mesmerised by the sop playing (I assume it would have been Roy Roe).

 

[WoodenFlugel]

Desford playing Harmony Music at the Nationals in 1988(?). The sound intensity they got at the end of the opening crescendo was something else. It was like the note reached a critical mass and then exploded. As an impressionable teenager it definitely had the desired effect.

Also remember William Davis Band (RIP) playing Variations on a Ninth at Pontin's in Hemsby (not sure when, maybe a year or two later). In a small, poxy room the clarity and precision throughout the piece really stick in the memory.

There have been several others of course, but those two stick in my mind as 'wow' moments from when I was still wondering if I wanted to 'do' banding.

 

[Thirteen Ball]

As a lad who'd just started playing Tuba, watching Grimey at leeds City Varieties and hearing them play Grainger's 'Irish Tune from County Derry'... with that legendary bass section including Tiny, Deano et al.

I was blown away by the wall of warm, dark sound that came from them the whole night, but that remains one of my favourite arrangements ever and the whole team made an astonishing job of it on the night. I knew then that Bass was the only thing for me.

 

[PeterBale]

Then there was Eikanger on Concerto Grosso. Wow!

That was definitely one for me!

Also, Bob childs playing the Horowitz concerto at the Royal Academy of Music in the last concert James Watson did with Dyke. (Pretty special 'Dove's descending' that night as well.)

Thirdly, the opening chord of 'Corpus Christi' when the ISB played it at the RAH.

 

[nethers]

For me it was the Europeans in Cardiff in 1992. I think it was Britannia playing 'Year of the Dragon' with (if I'm not mistaken) Nick Hudson on trom- the slow movement was pure magic and I've never heard anything like it since.

I think I have a recording of that I've managed to hang on to for many years despite moving around the world. I'm a fan of the first movement especially in that performance, wonderful clarity and excitement. Reminds me how big a noise a great band can make.

 

[John Brooks]

Mine was at the RAH in June 1966 when Norwich Citadel Band played Song of Courage, a "performance" that was amazing by any standards. That such playing could come from a band from a relatively small town in Norfolk was even more stunning. I've always kept that recording but, interestingly, it was recently released on two separate CD's. As a 20 year old at the time, I realized something special had just happened. When the band visited Canada a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Michael Whybrow about that night and we again shared something of the memory from all those years ago, Michael from his proud place in the band that night and mine from my seat in the RAH. There have been many others through the years, but that one has always stood out. Special indeed!

 

[tubamaest]

As a lad who'd just started playing Tuba, watching Grimey at leeds City Varieties and hearing them play Grainger's 'Irish Tune from County Derry'... with that legendary bass section including Tiny, Deano et al.

I was blown away by the wall of warm, dark sound that came from them the whole night, but that remains one of my favourite arrangements ever and the whole team made an astonishing job of it on the night. I knew then that Bass was the only thing for me.

Omg! Andy, I feel old I was playing in a tuba section while you were a "kid" thanks for that pal!
R.

 

[johnflugel]

Canadian Staff Band in 1990 opening their Castleford concert with Finale from The Little Russian. That was the band that really got me hooked on playing and listening to brass.

YBS at the 2001 Open on Les Preludes - wasn't spotless but beautiful one moment and incredibly exciting the next. Miles ahead for me that day.

Eikanger at the 2006 European on Riffs and Interludes. It came nowhere but remember an interview with Roger Webster saying he gave his first standing ovation ever for it. Stunning!

 

[P_S_Price]

Canadian Staff Band in 1990 opening their Castleford concert with Finale from The Little Russian. That was the band that really got me hooked on playing and listening to brass.

YBS at the 2001 Open on Les Preludes - wasn't spotless but beautiful one moment and incredibly exciting the next. Miles ahead for me that day.

Eikanger at the 2006 European on Riffs and Interludes. It came nowhere but remember an interview with Roger Webster saying he gave his first standing ovation ever for it. Stunning!

I was at that csb concert too. The trombone soloist was another wow for me. If I recall correctly he played flight of the bumble bee. Ive never heard an SA trombonist play anything like that before then.

 

[johnflugel]

Clarence White. That trombone section was amazing - 5 strong with Kevin Hayward on bottom 2nd!!! I vaguely remember Deryck Diffey doing Songs in the Heart, Ivor Snell doing Euphony (?), Salvation's Song, He can Break every Fetter, A Pastoral Symphony, Lightwalk, Three Kings Swing.