Dave Payn
Active Member
I can see you feel very strongly about this James! However
(a) If we take you at your word when you say Scottish banding isn't up to the English standard, wouldn't something like Vizcaya kick start an improvement amongst the lower sections up there? It was (I believe) once said of Life Divine when that was used as the Nationals test piece that it improved the best bands by 50% and the worst by 100%. I don't know about quite that much with Vizcaya, but when it was used as the national 4th section finals piece in 1995.... well, I've certainly never heard a 4th section play to that standard since.
In any case, whatever the pereceived standard of Scottish bands in general, there are also perceived standards of London bands in general too...my band (Croydon - 3rd section) are in a rebuilding phase at the moment but when we do get enough bums on seats, I can't wait to get my teeth into Vizcaya! As for an uproar, I heard more of one when Denis Wright's Tintagel was chosen as the 3rd section area piece a few years back!
Finally, how many bands up and down the UK, when attending own choice contests, have picked a piece which would generally be considered too difficult for the band, but justify their choice because they wish to 'stretch themselves?' I wonder if any of those are complaining now when a 'stretching' piece is chosen for them instead.....
Regards
(a) If we take you at your word when you say Scottish banding isn't up to the English standard, wouldn't something like Vizcaya kick start an improvement amongst the lower sections up there? It was (I believe) once said of Life Divine when that was used as the Nationals test piece that it improved the best bands by 50% and the worst by 100%. I don't know about quite that much with Vizcaya, but when it was used as the national 4th section finals piece in 1995.... well, I've certainly never heard a 4th section play to that standard since.
In any case, whatever the pereceived standard of Scottish bands in general, there are also perceived standards of London bands in general too...my band (Croydon - 3rd section) are in a rebuilding phase at the moment but when we do get enough bums on seats, I can't wait to get my teeth into Vizcaya! As for an uproar, I heard more of one when Denis Wright's Tintagel was chosen as the 3rd section area piece a few years back!
Finally, how many bands up and down the UK, when attending own choice contests, have picked a piece which would generally be considered too difficult for the band, but justify their choice because they wish to 'stretch themselves?' I wonder if any of those are complaining now when a 'stretching' piece is chosen for them instead.....
Regards