TRACK OF THE WEEK
Every week Frank selects his own favourite track of the week from our weekly Music Podcast, and it's completely free here on Frank Renton on Brass.
"In 1992 the European Championship were held in Cardiff and representing England were the Britannia Building Society Band, Fodens by any other name, conducted by Howard Snell, who knows a thing or three about winning brass band competitions.
The Championship is in two parts. First all the bands play the set test piece, in this case original music by the Welsh composer Gareth Wood who was also one of the judges, and everyone knew that Fodens had played well.
For their own choice Howard chose music written for the Cory Band, one of their finest bands but not representing Wales at this competition. The music had been written eight years previously by Philip Sparke for the Centenary of Cory and was really identified with them so it was a bold choice by Howard.
I was in the audience that day and they were electric, the first movement fizzed along, played by a band in great form, the middle movement dominated by the long trombone solo was magnificent and Nicholas Hudson was the personification of calm perfection and so to the finale and a positive whirlwind of sound as Howard and the band dashed headlong through this virtuoso piece.
When it was over the audience erupted, they knew who the winning band was even if the judges might have to think about it. Howard often referred to the music as his dragon, well he certainly made it his own that day.
My Track of the Week on Frank Renton on Brass, is The Britannia Building Society Band, Fodens if you like, playing the finale of Philip Sparke’s Year of the Dragon."
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