| Secondary Performers | Dr Robert Childs,
Dr Stephen Cobb,
Professor Rob Wiffin OBE - adjudicators |
| Orchestra or Band | Foden's (Russell Gray),
Black Dyke (Prof. Nicholas Childs),
Cory (Philip Harper),
Flowers (Paul Holland),
Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths),
Tredegar (Ian Porthouse),
Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts),
Oldham (Lees) (John Collins),
Desford Colliery (Michael Fowles),
Redbridge (Chris Bearman),
Whitburn (Garry Cutt),
Aldbourne (Erik Janssen),
Bon Accord Silver (Adam Cooke),
Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm),
Leyland (Thomas Wyss),
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Christopher Bond),
Ratby Co-operative (Mareika Gray),
Northop Silver (Daniel Brooks),
NASUWT Riverside (Dr. David Thornton),
Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain,
Fanfare Trumpeters of the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment |
| Set List | 10:00 Contest: Test Piece - 'Hyperlink', P Graham,
18:00 Judging,
19:30 Results Ceremony
Winner - Foden's
Best Instrumentalist - Richard Poole (Soprano Cornet), Foden's
INTERVAL
Gala Concert (National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain):
'Prelude to Act III' from Lohengrin, Wagner,
'Symphonic Poem - Resurgam', E Ball,
'Songs from the Auvergne', J Canteloube, arr. P McGhee (Alexandra Oomens),
'Padstow Lifeboat', M Arnold,
Fanfare - 'Festfanfare', P Graham (Fanfare Trumpeters of the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment) |
| Performance Notes | The annual Championship Section Final of the National Brass Band Championships return to the Royal Albert Hall, with the nations top 20 brass bands battling to win the Challenge Trophy. The Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain have been held at this iconic venue since 1945, making this event the most prestigious one in the Brass Band calendar.
'Hyperlink' by Peter Graham was commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in celebration of their 70th Anniversary in 2022. Since the anniversary coincided with other significant celebrations in 2022 (including the Royal Albert Hall / Ralph Vaughan Williams 150th and the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II) it was requested that these also be recognised in some way.
Where better to begin this challenging brief but with a computer search for the NYBBGB founder Dr Denis Wright (incidentally born in Kensington, home of the RAH). The subsequent rabbit warren of hyperlinks led me to structure the work through a series of associations:
Movement I The Voice of Jupiter
Alongside the discovery that Denis Wright had been a church organist was the realisation that while the RAH has hosted thousands of musical events the fabric of the building actually incorporates a musical instrument, the famous Henry Wills organ (aka The Voice of Jupiter).
Organ and J S Bach are synonymous (think Toccata in D min) and so both become fundamental to the content of the movement. An opening 7 note quote from the Toccata leads to a mammoth sound cluster, as if every note on the huge RAH organ is sustained. The material which follows is based upon the notes BACH (in German notation). The notes are manipulated in various ways in a 12-tone matrix; reversed, inverted and so on. Other techniques employed in the movement are ones of which Bach was master, including ground bass and fugue.
Movement II Remember Me
The centenary of the great band composer Ray Steadman-Allen provides the catalyst for this section (with a nod towards RVW with whom RSA had an interesting encounter). Like the previous movement a musical cryptogram is utilised, this time using chords based upon RSA: D (re in sol-fa), Eb (Es in German) and A.
Movement III Vivat
The finale takes the form of a short fantasy upon Hubert Parrys marvellous coronation anthem I Was Glad, truly a celebratory note with which to conclude Hyperlink. |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/2022/102) |