2015 Music Announced
Thoughts of summer are always welcome and these always accompany the announcement of the Test Pieces for the next years West of England Bandsmen’s Festival, which will be held at Bugle in Cornwall on Saturday 20th June 2015.
Once again the Music Committee have chosen a varied and attractive selection of music designed to appeal to both Bands and listeners alike, several of the pieces with connections to the Festival.
Two Eric Ball compositions have been chosen, Sinfonietta-The Wayfarer for the Championship Section and Devon Fantasy for the Fourth. Eric Ball adjudicated five times at Bugle, on two occasions judging test pieces commissioned from him by the Festival. He wrote in the programme in 1976 that,
“My personal links with Cornwall go back many years, and visits there have given me not only enjoyment, but also a sense of the Duchy’s unique atmosphere.”
The late Goff Richards was another composer closely connected with the Festival. Born just a few miles away in St Minver, he also adjudicated at Bugle and in 1984 wrote Oceans for the Diamond Jubilee Festival, which has been chosen to test the Second Section Bands next year. In addition his arrangement of Crimond is the choice of the hymn to test the Championship Bands.
Malcolm Arnold lived in North Cornwall in the 1960’s and his close involvement with Cornish brass bands during that time no doubt influenced him in the composition of his Fantasy for Brass Band in 1973, which will be testing the First Section, along with the Centaur March by Derek Broadbent, who will be making his third visit to the Festival as adjudicator.
Philip Sparke described his Saint-Saëns Variationsas a Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes from the Organ’ Symphony and these will be explored by the Third Section Bands, with the Youth and Training Bands choosing their own pieces to demonstrate their capabilities.
The full detailed list of Test pieces below.
For any further information contact the Publicity Officer, Phillip Hunt on 01752 843919.
West of England Bandsmen’s Festival, 20th June 2015
Test Pieces
Adjudicator Derek Broadbent
Championship Section
Sinfonietta – The Wayfarer – Eric Ball
Crimond – Jessie Irvine arr. Goff Richards
First Section
Fantasy for Brass Band – Malcolm Arnold
Centaur March – Derek Broadbent
Second Section
Oceans – Goff Richards
Cross of Honour March – William Rimmer
Third Section
Saint – Saens Variations – Philip Sparke
Fourth Section
Devon Fantasy – Eric Ball
Youth Section
Own Choice
Training Section
Own Choice