National Concert Band Festival 1997-98

Regional Festival 30-11-97

John Adams / Lawrence Odom - Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Robert W. Smith - Twelve Seconds to the Moon

It is really good to see that Manchester University has a Wind Orchestra. Welcome.

1. You make a good sound, rich and clear, but make more of the accents if you can: the percussion could help here with more incisive notes. I think you would do well to aim for a greater variety of contrasts; in the context of softer passages, the climaxes would be even more stunning. Excellent ending at the end of a most exciting performance.

2. This is a testing opening and congratulations are due to the horn player. Are the woodwind players really allowing the horn to be heard? - perhaps you could reduce the numbers for this passage. Good attack from brass in next section. Keyboards perhaps a little loud? Timps could be louder at 64 to balance the tutti either side. Drop down at 94 (Keyboards intrusive). Make more of decresc. at 123. Beautiful sax playing in slower section, but perhaps the rest of the instruments are overplaying - it is meant to be mf. Having said that, the timp is too quiet at the end. In the next section control the dynamics, otherwise everything is just too loud. Take offs at end of phrases is always effective.

Well done with a stirring and fresh performance; well balanced ensemble and good intonation. However I do think that you should consider much greater contrasts of dynamics and avoid an assault on the ears. Try something quiet and simple so that you can develop individual contribution, phrasing, control etc.

Thank you.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE GOLD AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE D

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT B

Carol Condliffe

TONE QUALITY Beauty of tone, breath control, individuals and sections

There was little in the programme which enabled you to show "beauty" - for it was aggressive throughout. Where we could identify individuals then the played well.

INTONATION Chordal and melodic intonation of brass, woodwinds and percussion

Intonation was good - but how good are you in mf and below?

TECHNIQUE Articulation, facility, attacks, releases, accuracy of phrasing

Terrific upper woodwind. Articulation is very bold - but your programme gave little opportunity for anything else.

BALANCE & BLEND Sonority, voicings of ensembles and sections

Balance needs attention. Keyboards must be used judiciously for too often they dominated the texture.

INTERPRETATION Expression, dynamic artistry

Dynamics could be considerably improved - even in repertoire which was for the most part ff! Therefore little artistry.

STAGE PRESENCE Professionalism, does the group communicate with the audience?

You certainly knocked them out! The programme would have been unknown to most and rather than communicate you assaulted.

OVERALL SUMMARY

Much of the above may seem harsh - but this is a terrific achievement. I just wish you could have shown us more musicality. Apply for a BASBWE training masterclass!

Richard Jones

Michael Ball - Omaggio

1. Excellent first movement; terrific starting motif; be certain that the volume does not obscure the important musical lines.

2. p and pp throughout must be much softer; also the ff must be balanced so the right lines are heard; not every note in a ff passage is as important as the next.

3. Trumpet figures inaccurate 3-4; I rarely hear the precision of moving woodwind inner voices - I hear the rhythmic pulse but not accuracy; much of this seems to be cacophony coming into 22; what is important here? All dynamics are relative to the acoustical environment, the players, the music, style, etc. - I get little sense of contrast; yes - there must be contrast even in a ff passage; the brilliance of this composition is the tuned down virtuosic inner voices and rhythmic complexities that are layered in by the composer; one must sort these out lost in the density of the score.

This is an excellent band, many fine players who perform with confidence. However I feel that I am constantly barraged with volume at the expense of clarity and forced tone earlier. I would like to be excited by well played pieces and clear demarcation of all the parts.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE SILVER AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE A

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT A

Martin Ellerby - Paris Sketches

1. Good sound from a band of good musicians. Don’t let the tempo get away at the start. Balance good and intonation very secure. Low brass watch chording doesn’t cloud the texture. Glock and Flute not together on rising / falling quavers. Keep listening. I think you could be more brave with the pp ending.

2. Tenor drum a little heavy. The hall is very ‘live’ and doesn’t help you. However, you respond well with good ensemble playing throughout the band. Try to grade dynamics more to the extremes pp - ff and more if you can. You are more than capable. I don’t hear a real pp. Brass watch fpp cresc. You all need to do it the same. A cracking ending.

3. Well managed opening, beautiful alto tone and oboe. Clarinet good but pp cresc. Please. You all can make room here. Beautiful at E. Still too loud for mp at F. This gives you less scope for expression on cresc. / dim. Without going too loud. The odd slip doesn’t spoil a generally well-shaped movement. Make more of the climaxes. Excellent piccolo at J - Brass (trumpet) not so sensitive and intonation suffers with mutes in. Support the air flutes on dim. ppp at the end - go for it!

4. Horns and trumpets got lost in the background but otherwise a good opening. Very secure at B but watch balance. We lose flute / piccolo at C but improved at D. Good oboe solo at E. You keep the excitement going. Good chording at H. Watch rall. At I; you must all get there together. Good sound throughout. Keep it relaxed at J. Again the horns / trumpets scrappy - I know it’s difficult but you are good players. Glorious at M and a very good ending.

You need to get to the depths of this work. You are a fine band and perform well together.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE GOLD AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE B

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT A

G. L. Frith

Leonard Bernstein - Overture to ‘Candide’

Geoffrey Poole - Sailing with Archangels

‘Candide’ had much verve and energy in the rhythmic and more fully scored sections - some of the exposed passages with individual solos were less secure. Extreme high notes in high winds need to observe intonation. Beware of making every last climax over-epic. This was a powerful performance that maintained this quality throughout, thus denying many subtle possibilities in contrasting dynamic ranges. For example the crescendo passages could have been more poco a poco. However firery and dynamic!

Very effective choice of second piece, the contrasting sound world being particularly persuasive. Here the opening was refined with the whole band ‘on the ball’ and into the idiom at once. Thereafter a reasonable and musical use of dynamic range - the first ‘shanty’ very evocative and so obviously ‘at sea’ - the first main slow section equally evocative but in a much quieter and controlled manner: climax into sax solo nicely paced (the solo itself very assured). Ensuing rhythmic episode had good sense of ensemble - percussion well handled (very loud fog horn!) and the constant surprises of timbre in the piece conveyed with confidence. Next build-up of tension well controlled (so if you can do it in a piece of this complexity you can do it in Candide!). The ethereal section (with much percussion effects) was persuasive; nice legato solos with discreet percussion backing. Even in the pyramid-style build-up chords there was still a clarity to the texture (nice to hear the harp coming through!). When the huge climax finally appeared it was strong and musical (and therefore persuasive withinits outer moods). Following muted tubas and dark reed solo very evocative. Close just a little under-controlled.

Overall a very well directed performance of a difficult and complex structure: much of great musicality to congratulate here. The more problematic areas seem a little distant in such a persuasive performance. Well chosen and well done.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE SILVER AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT

Martin Ellerby

TONE QUALITY Beauty of tone, breath control, individuals and sections

Good, on occasions in the Sailing with Archangels very good.

INTONATION Chordal and melodic intonation of brass, woodwinds and percussion

Overall good but a few moments were less impressive.

TECHNIQUE Articulation, facility, attacks, releases, accuracy of phrasing

Fine techniques shown from all areas of the band especially in the Geoffrey Poole.

BALANCE & BLEND Sonority, voicings of ensembles and sections

Not always good - making it difficult for exposed solo lines to be heard.

INTERPRETATION Expression, dynamic artistry

Candide was a little ‘heavy’ but fine interpretation in your second piece.

STAGE PRESENCE Professionalism, does the group communicate with the audience?

Very good.

OVERALL SUMMARY

A commendable performance and a brave choice of programme.

John Greaves

Nigel Hess - Global Variations

Philip Wilby - Catcher of Shadows

1. Controlled opening - dynamic contrast would aid the music early on. Ensemble not always balanced in support of soloists. Good horn sound in sectional work. Oboe is having to play louder to be heard. Harp gives pleasant contrast. Dynamics are not always exploited to the full. Clarinets are at times over-balanced in 12/8. Dynamics are not well graded - f/ff etc. should contrast more. Last pause is very short. However, an enjoyable (but different) first piece.

2. Opening controlled - don’t get too load too soon. Woodwind tone is clear with good detail. Oboe solo before 5 carries well. 6 is prepared well. Tuba plays well. The detail here is good. Trumpets into 8 play well. Ad libitum a bit too ‘organised’. Trombone before 11 good solo. 13 and 14 has good sounds and textures - trombone again - well played. Brass at 16 clear. Fanfare trumpets - could be stronger (but well played). This is well played and atmospheric. Much detail has been achieved in this most difficult work.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE GOLD AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE B

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT B

TONE QUALITY Beauty of tone, breath control, individuals and sections

Great trombone solo in ‘Catcher’ - well done tuba on your own. Oboe has fine tone and clarinets work well as a section. Flutes are a little under-powered for this size of ensemble. Rarely this problem in Hess. ?

INTONATION Chordal and melodic intonation of brass, woodwinds and percussion

Good!

TECHNIQUE Articulation, facility, attacks, releases, accuracy of phrasing

Very clean for the most part. Releases are good - you didn’t have many opportunities in this piece to show p legato style.

BALANCE & BLEND Sonority, voicings of ensembles and sections

Balance is mostly good - make sure we can hear high woodwind passage-work, this often gets lost.

INTERPRETATION Expression, dynamic artistry

Here is your big problem - forte is overblown, not leaving enough room for ff and fff. p is not quiet enough!

STAGE PRESENCE Professionalism, does the group communicate with the audience?

Very good professional cut look.

OVERALL SUMMARY

An ensemble to be congratulated on this ambitious programming - and to being a university group - bravo. Work on balancing and dynamics!

Richard Jones

Nigel Hess - ‘The Catskills’ from East Coast Pictures

James MacMillan - Sowetan Spring

1. Like many ‘slow movements’ which look deceptively straight forward on the page, The Catskills is not easy to bring off - full of exposed woodwind and brass solos, tricky balance problems. Many of these were solved - some needed more care and confidence. Perhaps a more user-friendly (faster, louder sort of piece) would have been a wiser opener. The coda was impressive. Well done.

2. James MacMillan’s 1991 major contribution to the growing number of exciting contemporary Wind Band works began with great attack - it sounded like a totally different ensemble from the one that played The Catskills. An excellent and very brave choice for your programme. Well played, confidently directed, with a good group of essentials necessary for playing this repertoire.

A great deal of work, love and dedication must have gone into preparing this performance, and it showed.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE SILVER AWARD

PROGRAMME BALANCE & CHOICE B

PRESENTATION & DEPORTMENT A

Guy Woolfenden