CONTENTS
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
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1. INTRODUCTION TO BRASS BANDS
Brass bands are a familiar sight – and sound – in the industrial areas of Britain. Many of them were formed as far back as the nineteenth century as works bands and were subsidised by mill, factory and mine owners as a means of advertising their companies. Others were founded as Temperance bands by the anti-drink movements of the day, and the Salvation Army also formed bands from the ranks of their own members. Since its beginnings in 1858 Ammanford Silver Band is typical of this evolution, starting as a works band but also performing at Temperance events before finally becoming fully independent.
The most famous bands, however, are found in the North of England and their names reveal their industrial origins – Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Black Dyke Mills Band, Fairey Aviation Band, CWS Manchester, Foden Motor Works. Even today the tradition is kept up as there is a British Nuclear Fuels band to promote the nuclear site at Sellafield (formerly Windscale) in Cumbria, though whether the musicians glow in the dark as they play isn't fully known.
Although most bands nowadays are no longer works bands in the old sense of being run and funded by employers, they still retain strong ties with industry through commercial sponsorship. This source of income, along with grants from local authorities, the Arts Council and other public bodies, is an essential part of the survival of any band these days. Sales from records, fees from concerts, prize money from competitions and local fund raising initiatives also provide a valuable source of income for the purchase of new instruments, the running of band halls and other expenses. They must all be doing something right though, as there are currently over 5,000 brass bands in Britain.
Back in the nineteenth century the large employers competed with each other for the prestige and status of being the best band in the countless competitions up and down the land. The British Open Brass Band Championships were started as far back as 1853 and The National Brass Band Championships were created in 1900 for British bands only. Both these championships are still going strong today and are the most prestigious of all the various competitions throughout the country. These competitions are even grouped into league tables, as if they were football teams, with promotion and relegation between the sections. And in Wales the annual National Eisteddfod provides another platform for competitive brass band playing.
In fact, the comparison with football teams is not as far-fetched as it may seem, as many of today's famous football team were also originally works teams as well, run and funded by employers just like the brass bands. The players of the early Arsenal teams in the nineteenth century were all employees at the Woolwich Arsenal armaments factory in south London. The players of Leyton Orient originally worked for the P&O shipping line in the east end of London, P&O standing for Peninsular and Orient.
The influence of employers was considerable and transfers (and even poaching) of band players took place, with players being given jobs at the place of employment, new instruments and even housing as the equivalent of transfer fees.
Brass bands were a familiar sight at Miners' Galas in the days when there were coal fields all over Britain, as most of the large mine owners had their own brass bands. This continued after nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947 with the local mine management and NUM branches subsidizing the bands. They still are a presence in the few coal fields left today – and even in the areas where all the coal mines are closed. Durham lost all its coal mines in the butchery of the industry that took place after the defeat of the 1984/85 Miners' strike but they still hold a Miners' Gala every July. This is now a trades union and family day out but the brass bands still march round Durham City accompanied by thousands of people from the former coal field.
Colliery Brass Bands remember pit explosion
Before the march round Durham City starts out, the brass bands and some members of the public first meet at the grave of Tommy Hepburn, the founder of the Durham Miners' Union in the nineteenth century. A memorial service takes place over the grave, at which a colliery band plays a hymn tune called "Gresford", composed as a memorial to the 266 miners killed at Gresford Colliery, near Wrexham, in North Wales in 1934. This was a horrific tragedy, even by the grim standards of coal mining explosions. The 266 men were entombed behind a wall of fire and for two days brave men fought to reach their entrapped colleagues – and then came the dreaded decision to withdraw the rescue team and seal the pit shaft with the men inside. And so the inevitable happened – the mine was sealed, and it stays so today, more than fifty years on, the roads and shafts burnt and collapsed, forever entombing the bodies of 266 men and boys. Only ten men emerged alive from the underground inferno.This tragedy, however, had an unexpected outcome, which was one of the very rare cases in history when employers were shamed into giving better pay to their workers. Jim Griffiths was an Ammanford miner who went on to become an MP, government minister and the first Secretary of State for Wales. At the time of the Gresford disaster he was President of the South Wales Miners' Federation. In his autobiography, 'Pages From Memory', published in 1969, he remembers that period:
"When I visited the colliery the day after the explosion an old miner told me that many of the miners had 'risen their pay' before they went down and he said, sadly and bitterly, "There will be a few pay packets down there with more than £2 in them". The revelation of the inquiry [into the Gresford disaster] had created the uneasy feeling that the poverty of the miners was driving them to neglect the safety rules for fear of losing their jobs. The public were responsive to any attempt to help the miners and our pay campaign met with support from every section of the community except the owners and the government. The owners were saying 'no' and the government passed by on the other side. Then a strange thing happened. Some of the industrialists who were large consumers of coal had been conscience stricken by our revelations of the low wages paid to the men who risked their lives to provide the fuel and energy for their industry. They made a public declaration that they would be prepared to pay more for the coal they bought provided that the increase was used entirely to improve the miners' wages. This shamed the owners, and even the government felt moved to act by persuading the owners to meet the union and to offer an increase". ('Pages From Memory', p 41. There are articles on Jim Griffiths and also his brother 'Amanwy' in the 'People' section of this web site).
The hymn tune "Gresford" is known in the North East as the "Miners' hymn" even though it commemorates a pit explosion in Wales.
Brass bands – sometimes called Silver Bands – are common all over South Wales as well as the North of England. Brass or Silver bands should not, by the way, be confused with military bands; these differ in that they have some woodwind and reed instruments such as clarinets, flutes and saxophones in their instrumentation. Brass bands, as the name implies, have only brass instruments – cornets, flugelhorns, trombones, tubas, euphoniums (should that be euphonia?), tenor and baritone horns and the like. While the sound palette created by brass only instruments may seem somewhat limited to some ears, the warmth and glow of the sound is what gives a brass band its unique character.
The main instruments of the traditional Brass Band
The Amman Valley area is lucky in that it still has two brass bands in the community – the Ammanford Silver Band and the Gwaun Cae Gurwen Silver Band.
A brief history of the brass band movement in Britain will follow but for the moment we'll reproduce the history of the Ammanford Silver Band from their official web site.
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
2. AMMANFORD SILVER BAND HISTORY
The first band was formed in the 1850s at the Pontaman Chemical Works as a Drum and Fife Band, developing later in 1881 to the Betws Brass Band, becoming the Ammanford Urban District Silver Band on the grant of urban status in 1903. In the 1920s its title was again changed to Ammanford Silver Band. The band in its early days took an active part in temperance campaigns.
Its first Bandmaster was James Jones and during a visit of the Prime Minister, Mr W.E. Gladstone, to Swansea in 1887, the Band was invited to play at the saluting base. The cornet soloist at that event was Rhys Thomas, a young lad later to become the headmaster of Betws School and Bandmaster for a number of years.
David H. Thomas became the Bandmaster during the first World War and over a lengthy period his contribution to teaching and conducting was outstanding. Numerous successes followed. During the 1921 strike, he, a carpenter by trade, along with the players and supporters, voluntarily built the Band Room. Further contest successes followed at Cwmtwrch, Seven Sisters, Brynaman and Swansea respectively. In 1937 the famous band conductor Mr. Harry Mortimer, acting as guest conductor, tutored the band to win in Class A at the Machynlleth Welsh National Eisteddfod. The Cornet soloist was the Bandmaster's son, Desmond Thomas, who, on Mortimer's recommendation, joined the famous Fodens Band in Cheshire.
In 1942 a Junior Section was formed under the leadership of Hywel G. Evans. It gave a BBC broadcast in 1943 and in 1945 represented Wales at Belle Vue, Manchester, coming second by a mere one point to Besses o' the Barn, the winners of the Junior Championship of Great Britain. In 1946 Hywel Evans became Bandmaster of the Senior Band then in Class C and in 1947 raised its grade to Class B after winning Third Section contests from 1945 to 1946.
Captain D. Liddel from the Rhondda Valley took the band to a First Prize win in Class B at the Area Championships in 1948, and fourth prize in Britain. Succeeding this were bandmasters Vyrnwy Jones and George Betton. Emrys Henry then conducted the Band to win the Area Championship in 1963 in three competitions. The Band's status was once again raised.
The Band was making rapid progress to reach high levels of musical achievement, this time under the baton of Haydn Morris, himself a brilliant cornet player in his day with Gwaun Cae Gurwen band,
The Band was nominated as "Champion Band of Wales" at the Municipal Hall, Pontypridd, on Saturday 22nd November 1969 and also won the T.J Powell Memorial Trophy and T.W.W. Cup. The Band repeated its success again winning the Area, playing the Test Piece "Choral and Variations" by Leighton Lucas, adjudicated by William Relton.
In August 1970, Ammanford Band won the class B title at the National Eisteddfod, Ammanford, playing "Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals" by Eric Ball.
A recent proud achievement was at the Welsh Area Contest at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea on 31st March 2001. The Band came second after beating off competition from many bands in the section. They were only beaten by the efforts of Royal Oakley Band, Ammanford Silver band scoring 185 points, which meant that they qualified for the finals at Preston on September 2001.
Then, at the British National finals in Preston later that year, they went one better and became holders of the 2nd Section National Brass Band of Great Britain Trophy after winning by two clear points at the championships. This was a particularly proud achievement in, that they were the only winning Welsh band that weekend. This victory won them promotion to the 1st Section, and in 2002 Ammanford Silver Band duly won the champion band of Wales title, 1st Section. Here is the adjudication for the 2001 contest:
National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain of 2001 held in Preston
Adjudicator: D. Broadbent.INTRO – Tempo well chosen. Semiquavers lack a little clarity. ????????????? tidy 24 and a shade insecure.
THEME – Nicely linked and the ensemble is well balanced and flows in good style. Tasteful add ensemble. Percussion enhance 64. Rich and Sonorous – a shade untidy before 74 but you settle – Close is pleasing.
Variation I – Neat and tidy – all links well done too. Could have been neater 116 – not quite as one. Some hurrying spoils 126 – redeems.
Variation II – In good style. I do hear the detail 153. Not always together. Generally the music links well 177. Watch the balance in the muted cornets 187. Full of vigour. Not too tidy in to 194. Close is good and links nicely into:
Variation III – Tasteful opening ensembles. Pleasing Solo Cornet – but just not always comfortable. Espressivo – Yes! Cornet insecure – but recovers to 226. Fine band sounds ensure this is nicely thought out. 238 – Well shaped. Most musical. Cadenza:- stylish indeed.
Variation IV – Good tempo. Good detail. Hangs nicely together to 272. Glock enhances 281. Grows in structure 289, lacked a little clarity in the lower lines. 295 – is well put together and the ensuing sections are all heard. Maestoso Not Overdone, so there is clarity in the music 343. A slight loss of acoustic detail, but only minute.
VIVO: Exciting stuff and you make an enjoyable close. Much to commend in this performance. So much music.
Thank you very much indeed.
World Rankings
In May 2005 Ammanford Silver Band were ranked 124th in the world by the 4barsrest.com website. The top 200 includes brass bands from as far afield as Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA, with most coming from the home countries of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. To see the top 200 ranked bands, click on www.4barsrest.com/rankings/list.asp. As there are literally thousands of brass bands across the world this is quite an achievement.
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
3. HISTORY OF THE BRASS BAND MOVEMENT IN BRITAIN
For those who'd like a more detailed history of brass bands and their social history an outstanding site on the web is:
Click on the "Reference" button for a whole range of history of brass bands. Click on the "Bands and People" button for a list of UK brass band web sites.
Here is a summary of some of the history that can be found on this site.
The First Brass Band?
For some time it was assumed that the New Mills Old Prize Band, said to have originated in 1812, was the oldest brass band in Britain. Nevertheless, the Coxlodge Institute Band of Durham was founded in 1802, and other claimants to the title include the Nottingham City Guild Brass Band – documentation showing it having played an anthem for Wolfe's victory at Quebec in 1759 – and Besses o' th' Barn Band, which first appeared as Cleggs' Reed Band in the 1790s
However, it is unlikely that any one of those bands was an all-brass ensemble at its inception. Several date from the early 19th century or before, but they originated as reed or mixed wind instrument groups. References have been made to the formation of an all-brass band in Blaina, Monmouthshire, in 1823, 1830 and 1832, and another band in York in 1831 and 1833. Although dates conflict, it would seem that the honour of being the first brass band established in Britain lies with the Blaina ensemble – so far, anyway.
Brass banding is a truly British phenomena which is has its roots in the working class, something which most other forms of music lack. It is unique in its principally amateur status and remains a home for amateur music makers the length and breadth of the country.
The origins of brass bands, and their links with the working class
The brass band movement has its roots in the industrial revolution at the turn of the nineteenth century. Brass bands flourished in any town of city where there was organised industry, and not just in the North of England as is commonly believed. The bands usually formed away from the big conurbations at the heart of many industrial cities and tended towards the surrounding villages. In these villages there was less in the way of entertainment than in the cities and therefore a small, close-knit community of about a thousand could easily form a large band.
But firstly, why brass bands? The first bands came into existence around 1815, and were principally brass and wind bands, more akin to our modern-day military bands. The most important development for all brass bands was the invention of the valve for brass instruments in 1815. Once applied to the cornet, it enabled the brass to have what would become a leading melody instrument in the ensemble. Second in importance was the invention of the saxhorn family by the renowned instrument maker, Adolphe Sax, in the 1840s (not to be confused with the saxophone family which Adolphe Sax also invented, but which are reed instruments). The saxhorn family gave the brass a complete set of instruments from the highest treble to the deepest bass. An instrument that satisfyingly supplied the bass to the ensemble was always a problem; the ophicleide was too weak and hadn't the deep lower notes needed. The primitive tubas used in orchestras at the time were still too weak to support an ensemble. The answer came with the lowest member of the saxhorn family, the B flat bass, which is now so closely related to the tuba that had become synonymous with it. So with these two developments the brass had a choir which was homogenous in tone and so the wind section gradually fell out of use in the band.
The music they played was almost exclusively arrangements of classical works of the day, usually opera or symphony related, and published accordingly. The publishing companies themselves were very successful at the height of the brass banding's popularity, although original compositions for bands didn't come in vogue till early in the twentieth century.
Bands were usually formed as the result of a large group of people with common interests and needs coming together. The obvious place for this is the workplace. Bands were formed in two ways: either they were initiated by the workers themselves or were given help by their employers. Those that started off without any help were usually supported by the whole community through subscriptions from fellow work members and people from higher up the social ladder. The ones with company sponsorship, or rarely, private patronage, were usually the more successful due to the greater funding made available. The more money a band had, the more attractive it became to players, and in return bands could 'poach' players from rival bands by promises of new instruments and other incentives.
Bandsmen were often trained and conducted by someone with a 'proper' musical training. Many did it for a wage that could only be described as expenses, some for even less. The conductor and bandmaster were responsible for the organisation of the band as a musical force. Only later did subsidiary positions such as secretary, treasurer and the like come into force. These positions would normally be filled by band members.
The bands received some of their prestige from concerts and, more importantly, contests. The concerts were usually in public halls, played before local people. Only bands of some note or fame could fill concert venues in other towns. The contests though provided a great opportunity for players to compete against bands nationwide. Around the turn of the century contests would have audiences of seventy to eighty thousand people in venues such as Belle Vue, Manchester. The contest material would either be the band's own choice or a set piece. They would usually be selections from a composer's famous works, overtures, or opera compilations. In this way bands of all standards had something to aim for, whether to impress at local concert halls or at national contests in front of mass audiences.
What was the attraction of brass bands to the working class?
Organised music making of any kind may not be the most obvious activity for a group of workers, but it stems from the working classes at the time having very little distractions from their work. As whole communities would be employed and housed by the same employer there were no rich cultural diversifications in their societies. A whole street would consist of the same families with the men doing the same jobs in the same workplaces, so anything to take people's minds off work was a welcome diversion. Some workers had musical parents or relatives from the folk traditions of the eighteenth century, which gave brass bandsmen their ethos as well as their hereditary talent. A band gave its members a position of higher status in the community, more so if the band was a public subscription one. It also had obvious social consequences, so that the like-minded individuals at the band could socialise after rehearsals over a beverage at their favourite local public house. Some bands actually rehearsed in cellars or spare rooms of public bars with a unwritten agreement that the members would become patrons of the bar. Also, there is the factor that banding is thirsty work, something which many public houses capitalised on.
Bands often had a nucleus of one or two families in their ranks, something which has helped banding survive for so long. Children of band members and band enthusiasts would have a cornet or horn placed in their hands at the same time as a pencil or book. The child would often be encouraged by their parents or other relatives to practice for long stretches . Harry Mortimer, recognised as one of the finest cornet players and musicians of his day, is quoted as saying:
"I don't think I was even asked if I wanted to learn – it was as much a matter of course as cleaning my teeth or polishing my boots."
Many "banders", as they call themselves, who are products themselves of a brass-banding family, will know how Harry Mortimer felt. As soon as the young fledgling bandsman could hold a cornet or horn and knew his fingerings he was invited to the band, usually on third cornet or second horn. The bands were structured so that players could see the seats they would occupy when they improved. The usual method for a cornet or horn player to progress was by working up the ranks. If a player failed on these two instruments then he was usually introduced to the lower members of the band until their ideal instrument was found. Some bands had junior or 'B' bands which help to maintain the flow of talent into their ranks when players departed.
Another plus in favour of the creation of brass bands, and any music groups for that matter, was that in small villages the nearest theatre, saloon or music halls may be a lengthy walk away. Instead they could go to a band, make music for two hours and then share a drink with their fellow musicians afterwards. Not only better for the soul, but better for their wallets too, one would imagine. One other point of note is that the membership of brass bands was made up almost entirely of men. Getting away from home of an evening could have been more an inspiration for some than playing the greatest works of Rossini.
How did the bands survive?
Bands had two sources of income: the first was from performances and contests; the second from sponsorship and subscriptions. The money from performances naturally depended on the quality of the band and its prestige. The more prestigious bands could fill local halls and theatres for whatever fee they asked. A good secretary could get reasonable work for any band, especially engagements where the band is asked to provide background music for fairs and carnivals. As no member of the band got paid, and only the conductor and guest players received payment, the expenses of the band could be capped easily.
Money and instruments could also be gained from contests. Apart from the considerable prestige associated with a band playing at big contests in front of large audiences, prize money was quite considerable. The main prizes for winners of the top section competitions were between seventy-five and a hundred pounds, a good pay out at the turn of the century. Apart from the main prizes there were subsidiary awards made to best soloists and best sections, which might be cash, but could also be instruments donated by an instrument manufacturer supporting the event. In any case, a good contesting band found a rich harvest at contest time.
When a band was sponsored by its work place, as with the colliery bands and the mill bands, they would adopt the name of the company sponsoring it. Some employers realised that it would be a good thing if some of its members were involved in such an activity after work. They realised that if they were playing with the band then they wouldn't be in the public bars drinking and rendering themselves ineffective for work the next day. Nearly all of the employers treated the bands well, supplying instruments, music, conductors, trainers, and a decent bank balance. They also took pride in mentioning their musical activities when discussing business with fellow entrepreneurs. A lot can be read into a band's history from its name: the bands which lost their backing from sponsorship or subscription usually adopted the term 'prize band' or 'silver band', the reasons for using these particular terms being unknown.
What and when did the band play?
Performances came in various forms. The first were those where the band was engaged to provide background music and be a secondary attraction at high profile events such as local fairs and garden parties. These jobs would pay quite well, payment usually coming from whoever was running the event. The event would always try to get a local band to performt: this was strictly adhered to if the patron of the event was also a financial supporter of the band. The second type of engagements were the park jobs. The bands would play in bandstands at local parks where the public could listen at their leisure. They would gain payment either from the park owner employing them for a number of public performances for a set fee over a season, or from collections from members of the public present at the venue itself. These two traditions still exist today, despite the inclement weather so typical of a British summer. The third type of performance was the concert where people would pay an entrance fee hear the bands play at a music hall or theatre. The programmes would invariably consist of music from popular light classical works taken from the symphonic and operatic repertoire. A concert by the Black Dyke Mills Band on 26 June, 1911, shows the typical material performed:
- ....Open with National Anthem: God Save the King
- ....March Pomp and Circumstance: Elgar
- ....Largo New World Symphony: Dvorak
- ....Overture Magic Flute: Mozart
- ....Fugue in G minor: J.S. Bach
- ....Tone Poem Finlandia: Sibelius
- ....Selection L'Africaine: Meyerbeer
- ....Scotch Patrol: Jamie Dacre
- ....Fantasia: Rossini's Works
As the standards of brass bands improved and their numbers inceased, they needed music to perform. Often, the bandmaster would arrange specific pieces suggested by the conductor, but most pieces were bought from specialist publishers such as Wright & Round. These publishing companies would have arrangers on their payroll, ready to arrange any popular classical works that came into the orchestral repertoire. At the height of the brass bands' popularity at the turn of the century the publishing companies involved with brass bands were large and profitable firms. Not only did the arrangers produce single works for tender, but they also produced whole volumes of works, usually specific genres such as marches or waltzes, or whole concert programmes selected by the publishers. These books were affectionately known as 'Band Books'. These were attractive to the bandsmen of the time because of the cost of single pieces was so high.
The main change to the banding repertoire came in 1913. A young composer, Percy Fletcher, was commissioned to write a piece for the forthcoming Crystal Palace contest. That piece, 'Labour and Love' broke the mould of brass band compositions as it was the first that the composer intended to be seen as a serious art work. The piece was such an outstanding work that it reshaped the repertoire of the brass band canon. This encouraged the performance and writing of more original pieces to increase the brass band's musical and artistic standing. Various other composers have made a good living and achieved artistic recognition as brass band composers, Eric Ball being arguably the most famous with his genre-defining 'Resurgam' tone poem for brass band. Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst have also written pieces specifically for bands.
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
4. HISTORY OF BRASS BAND COMPETITIONS
As we've seen, the brass band dates back to the early nineteenth century and Britain's Industrial Revolution. With increasing urbanisation employers began to finance work bands to divert their workers from the political activity that preoccupied many of them during their leisure time. Thus the brass band tradition was founded. Lively discussion has always accompanied conjecture about the first brass band but certainly the two bands with the longest traditions are the Bessies O' The Barn Brass Band and the Black Dyke Mills Brass Band.
Taking advantage of improved mechanical skills and the rise of conservatories and music departments at universities, the standards of instrumental technology and performance quickly improved. By 1860 there were over 750 brass bands in England alone. Although these bands were not entirely comprised of brass instruments until the second half of the nineteenth century, the tradition soon evolved into the present-day instrumentation of cornets, flugelhorn, tenor horns, baritones, trombones, euphoniums, B flat and E flat basses and percussion.
Contests are the lifeblood of the brass band world and rivalry has always been strong, cash prizes providing additional incentive. Nineteenth-century politicians hired bands to enliven campaigns and challenges often followed. By the 1840s, a thriving local contest circuit had grown.
Today two major championships are held each year in England: the National Championship and the British Open Championship. The National Championship is only open to bands from England, Scotland and Wales. This competition ran sporadically in the nineteenth century from 1856, but was firmly established by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1900. The Open Championship invites bands from all countries and has been in existence since 1853, the first winners being the Mossley Temperance Saxhorn Band. Both major championships are held in the Autumn each year; they are fiercely competitive, and it is a great honour to win either of them. The time commitment is great with the top bands rehearsing at least three nights a week prior to the championships, and often every night the week before the competition itself. Youth brass band competitions are similarly well established, providing quality players for the adult bands as the young members mature, thereby continuing the tradition.
The National Brass Band Championship Finals are held each year in the autumn. In recent years the lower section finals have been held at different venues around the country in September, with the Championship section final in the Royal Albert Hall in London in October. In 2000 all the sections competed together on the weekend of 20-22 October in the Royal Albert Hall. The competing bands have all, with the exception of the previous year's Champion Band of Great Britain, won their place in the finals by gaining first or second place in one of the eight Regional Championships held in the spring each year.
The First Section was created in 1992 to extend the range of sections and establish a less crowded "premier" Championship section.
Brass bands in the UK presently number over five thousand with many of them having their origins beffore 1900. Originally the bands were funded by coal mines, mills anf actories, and many today retain corporate sponsorship. English brass bands are also popular in Japan, Australia and New Zealand; and in recent years a large number of brass bands have started in several European countries.
What makes the brass band unique? All the brass music (with the exception of the bass trombone) is scored in treble clef, a characteristic that over the years has allowed for remarkable freedom among certain bands, making the transition from one instrument to another somewhat easier. The number of members (instrumentation) is rigid, usually limited to between twenty-eight and thirty players, but the repertoire is unusually flexible, with concert programs consisting of anything from original works, orchestral transcriptions and featured soloists, to novelty items, marches, medleys, and hymn tune arrangements. With the exception of the trombones, all instruments are conical in design, producing a more mellow, richer sound, yet one that has wide dynamic and colouristic variety. The term "brass band" is not entirely accurate, since brass bands also normally include up to three percussion players who are called upon to play as many as twenty different instruments depending on the demands of the music. The current acceptance of more than one percussionist in the brass band is really a phenomenon of the last forty years, but one that has added immense challenge, interest and variety to the sound.
Although brass bands were an important part of life in nineteenth-century America, they were superseded by larger concert and marching bands. However, many fine historic brass bands are still actively performing there today. During the course of this century the Salvation Army were predominantly responsible for maintaining the brass band tradition in America through their music ministry. Only in the last fifteen years has a brass band resurgence begun in North America. The formation of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) has been crucial and influential in the renaissance.
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources5. SALVATION ARMY BANDS
The early Salvationists, as today, took their Gospel message to the people in their own environments, largely in the streets and markets of the towns. In 1878 Charles Fry and his three sons formed a brass quartet which played during outdoor meetings in Salisbury and immediately proved to be a success in not only calming the rowdy and sometimes hostile crowds, but helping to promote the Salvationist's message. The Army's founder, William Booth, came to hear of them, and started to use them in his own campaign, recognising the power of music – even of a secular nature. Indeed, he is said to have remarked, "Why should the Devil have all the good tunes?" Over time the Fry ensemble was augmented with other instruments, not exclusively brass, and became famous under several names such as "The Hallelujah Minstrels", "The Salisbury Brass Band", and "The Happy Band". The Fry family themselves very soon gave up their family business and joined the Salvation Army full time.
Other bands appeared across the country to help the promotion of the Salvation Army's work. Two of the earliest were in Consett, County Durham, and Northwich in Cheshire. which were formed in 1879 and 1880 respectively. These were the first Corps bands. It was not long before the Army fully adopted the use of music in its work by instructing its officers to obtain and learn any instruments that would "make a pleasing sound". The Salvation Army Headquarters eventually established the International Staff Band, its flagship ensemble, in 1891.
Gradually the bands developed into the same basic format as the traditional amateur brass band and a rich repertoire of music was adapted, arranged and composed for the Salvation Army to use in its work and praise of the Lord. Many of the leading brass band composers and players of the 20th century had roots in or close links with the Salvation Army – perhaps the most famous being the composer Eric Ball.
The Salvation Army kept itself apart from the secular brass band world. They did not enter contests or play music other than their own – which had been specifically written or arranged for them. Secular tunes were used, but arranged to reflect the spiritual work they supported. Many of the bands developed into highly competent ensembles equal to or exceeding the proficiency of their secular counterparts, being respected and even envied by those that heard them.
Around the same time that the Salvation Army bands were forming, the Temperance movement was also using brass bands to promote its message. These, however, were integrated with the other amateur brass bands, and the vestiges of their influence can still be seen in the names of some of the bands today.
Happily the Salvationist movement in recent years has opened up its doors to its colleagues in the secular brass band world. A rich resource of music has been been made available for other bands to play and new relationships between the Salvation Army Band movement and their counterparts in ordinary life are being made.
1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
6. LINKS AND SOURCES
Links – Ammanford Silver band's web site is on: http://www.ammanfordband.co.uk
(Website currently unavailable)– Gwaun Cae Gurwen Brass Band (founded in 1892) is another of the Amman Valley's brass enembles. It has a website on: http://www.gwauncaegurwenband.org.uk/ Two very good brass band websites are: – http://www.ibew.htm – http://www.4barsrest.com Sources – Ammanford Silver Band Official Web Site: http://www.ammanfordband.co.uk
(Website currently unavailable)– Brass Band Resources Web Site: http://www.ibew.htm – 'Pages From Memory': Autobiography of Jim Griffiths MP (J M Dent, 1969) 1. Introduction to Brass Bands
2. Ammanford Silver Band History
3. History of the Brass band Movement in Britain
4. History of Brass Band Competitions
5. Salvation Army Bands
6. Links and Sources
Date this page last updated: August 29, 2010
