Last weekend Caleb & Emily were a part of the New Zealand Brass Band Championships, which were held in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
They only started playing with the Rangiora RSA Club Brass Band in about April of this year and have slotted in really well.
The Rangiora RSA Club Brass Band is a modern versatile C Grade Band, performing a wide variety of repertoire including classical, light classical, traditional swing, contemporary and sacred music.
The band had been promoted to C grade for this years National Championships and were up against 11 other bands from all over the country.
On the Friday they had to play two pieces – For their Scared item they played Goff Richards’ arrangement of Crimond, which is a traditional hymn also known as The Lord’s My Shepherd. It is a lovely Scottish hymn that was named after the Crimond Church in the Aberdeenshire town of Crimond.
There is a bit of a controversy around who original composed the tune – but there is no denying on what it is based upon, Psalm 23:1-3 (King James Version).
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
For the test piece they had to play “The Lost Village of Imber”. It was commissioned by the Bratton Silver Band in 2019 in celebration of the bands 160th anniversary.
The village of Imber on Salisbury Plain had been inhabited for over one thousand years when it was evacuated in 1943 to make way for military training in the Second World War. (You can read more about it here).
At the time, with preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe underway, most villagers put up no resistance, despite being upset, with the belief that they’d return once the war had concluded.
To this day, Imber and its surrounding land remain a military training ground. The villagers never returned, and just the shell of what was once a community remains.
Structured in three movements, the piece is based around the series of events of 1943 in chronological order.
The first movement, On Imber Downe, portrays a sense of jollity and cohesiveness – a community of individuals living and working together before news of the evacuation had broken. Sounds of the village are heard throughout, not least in a series of percussive effects – the anvil of the blacksmith; the cowbell of the cattle and the bells of the church.
The second movement, The Church of St. Giles, begins mysteriously and this sonorous, atmospheric opening depicts Imber in its desolate state and the apprehension of residents as they learn they have to leave their homes. Amidst this is the Church, a symbol of hope for villagers who one day wish to return, portrayed with a sweeping melodic passage before the music returns to the apprehension of villagers facing eviction around their sadness at losing their rural way of life.
In complete contrast, the third movement, Imemerie Aeternum, portrays the arrival of the military, complete with the sounds of the ammunition, firing and tanks – sounds which were all too familiar to those living in the surrounding areas.
To close, the Church of St. Giles theme returns in a triumphant style, representing the idea that the church has always been, even to this day, a beacon of hope for the villagers and local community – both the centrepiece and pinnacle of a very real story.
On the Saturday evening the Rangiora RSA Club Brass Band played their Own choice piece, which was “The Saga of Haakon the Good”, composed by Philip Sparke.
This piece traces key events in the life of Haakon the Good (c. 920–961), later to become King Haakon 1 – THE FUTURE KING – who had been fostered by King Athelstan of England as part of a peace agreement made by his father. The English king brought him up in the Christian religion, and, on the news of his father’s death, provided him with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been proclaimed king of Norway.
On his arrival he travelled north – THE JOURNEY TO TRONDHEIM – where he began to gain the support of the landowners by promising to give up the rights of taxation his father had previously claimed.
Eirik’s sons allied themselves with the Danes, but were invariably defeated by Haakon, who was successful in everything he undertook except in his attempt to introduce Christianity to the country – THE MISSIONARY KING – which aroused an opposition he did not feel strong enough to face.
One of his most famous victories was THE BATTLE OF RASTARKALV (near to Frei) in 955. By placing ten standards far apart along a low ridge (to give the impression his army was bigger than it actually was) he managed to fool Eirik’s sons that they were out-numbered. The Danes fled and were slaughtered by Haakon’s army.
For their Sacred item they achieved first place, for the Test piece they got third, and for their own choice they got second. Their overall aggregate points saw them achieve third place in C grade. They also achieved fifth place in the street march.
Many thanks to Tim and the team at Brassbanned for recording and live streaming the event.
Blessings ’til next time 🙂
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