At the end of last week's show I promoted this week's show as being all about the music of compose George Lloyd.
Whilst Lloyd was better known for his orchestral and choral works he did write 4 relatively well known major works for brass bands. I was hoping to play all four pieces for you on this week's show. Unfortunately in my research during the week I was unable to find a recording of King's Messenger. Then I found a recording that is being released next week. I have therefore decided to postpone by program of George Lloyd music until a later date.
Instead I will be representing a show I produced earlier this year looking at the music chosen as test pieces for the 2013 Victorian State Championships to be held in Ballarat next weekend (17th and 18th August).
You can find the full list of test pieces on the VBL website.
Please note I have not found recordings of all the test pieces for brass band on the show. In order to mix things up a bit I have included some non-brass band pieces. I'll explain more, later:
1. Nott'num Town (Allan Street)
This is one of the test pieces chosen for D Grade.
I have only managed to find one recording of this piece, and that is by a Concert Band. Here it is performed by The Band of the 9th & 12th Royal Lancers from their 2011 album, In Concert.
I have then found a brass band recording of one of the movements, Goose Fair. Here it is performed by Black Dyke Mills Band from their 1981 album Concert Sound, with Major Peter Parkes as conductor.
2. A Salford Sinfonietta (Darrol Barry)
I believe that this has been selected as a test pieces previously, for the B Grade section. This year it is one of the choices for C Grade.
Here it is being played by BNFL Band on their 1993 album Partita.
3. First Suite in Eb (Gustav Holst)
This is another selection for C grade, and here is another piece where I was unsuccessful in finding a recording of the brass band arrangement. Here it is, for concert, military band, with The Central Band of the Royal Air Force and Wing Commander Eric Banks as conductor, from their 2010 album British Music for Concert Music.
4. The Flying Dutchman: Overture (Richard Wagner)
The first of the selections for B Grade, and yet another piece where I couldn't find the brass band recording. Here is the original orchestral recording, performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Vernon Handley
as conductor, from the 2003 album Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries, Overtures.
5. Royal Parks (George Lloyd)
The second of the selections for B Grade, this was one of 4 test pieces written by George Lloyd for brass bands. Apparently the story goes that people though this test pieces a bit too easy when it was presented by Lloyd. He made sure his next piece was much harder (more about that in our later show on George Lloyd).
This recording is from Black Dyke Mills Band with Major Peter Parkes as conductor from their 1986 album The Complete Champions.
6. Partita for Band - Postcards from Home (Philip Wilby)
This was also an option for B grade bands. Here it is performed by Grimethorpe Colliery Band from their 1993 album Wilby.
7. Rienzi: Overture (Richard Wagner)
This piece was provided as an option for A Grade Bands, but once again I couldn't find a recording of the brass band arrangement. Once again I have turned to an orchestral recording, from the same CD as before (See The Flying Dutchman, above).
8. The Legend of King Arthur (Peter Meechan)
The last recording chosen for tonight's show is also the newest. This piece was only composed in the last couple of years with this recording, from Foden's Band only released last year, on the album with the same name.
I'll be away at the State Championships next Sunday so there won't be a show next week.
The following week we'll have the results of the State Championships as part of our show featuring the music of George Lloyd.
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