The Severn Suite for brass band (Elgar)

Performers: Sun Life Stanshawe Band of Bristol, England
Band FB page: / 59708200728
Band historical website: stanshawe-band....
From an era when the greatest English composers wrote for one of the most British of musical mediums. Born of the mill and coal-mine brass bands are part of our hertiage. No longer plodding along, but an international and exceptional talent show that should be appreciated by all lovers of fine music. Music of the highest order played by exceptional amateur musicians. Recorded 1993 in Bristol, England. Conductor: Dr Roy Newsome.
Stanshawe, Stanshawe (Bristol), Sun Life Stanshawe, and Sun Life Band are the same band but at different times of their history.
The band was formed in 1968 and disbanded in 1997.
So, "The light that burns the brightness burns the shortest."
#brassband #elgar #englishmusic

[@elkartian]

A stunning recording, absolutely world class, thanks for sharing this magnificent recording

[@crossleydd42]

This is almost the last piece he ever wrote, being written in 1930 (he wrote little after his wife died in 1920 and died in 1934). It was written for a National Brass Band Championship, after a request was made to Elgar to write something suitable. It is certainly lively and challenging for its time.

[@Finistereny]

Thanks for posting this recording. Elgar's version for band is superior to the one he made for full orchestra.

[@stevewelsh294]

Yes - I have heard the orchestral version and I totally agree

[@Utoobtime27]

@@stevewelsh294 agreed - it is the brass band version that is his true third symphony - not orchestra - as Robert Kay told me if Elgar had called it SINFONIETTA the issue would have been done and dusted from the start!

[@blackpoolram]

A great shame Elgar did not write more for brass bands.

[@phillipecook3227]

Presumably the Sun Life Stanshaw Band were playing without a conductor because none is credited here.

[@jimstokes6742]

Gppd!

[@stevewelsh294]

Fine music, though I would hesitate to call Brass Band Chamber music, I wonder who it was that helped Elgar with this fine composition. I am quite sure that he would not have known many of the instruments of the brass band and their limitations and ranges. A fine recording nonetheless - thank you.

[@Finistereny]

From the Elgar Society website:
Elgar was born on 2nd June 1857 at Broadheath, a village some three miles from the small city of Worcester in the English West Midlands. His father had a music shop in Worcester and tuned pianos.
The young Elgar, therefore, had the great advantage of growing up in a thoroughly practical musical atmosphere. He studied the music available in his father's shop and taught himself to play a wide variety of instruments. It is a remarkable fact that Elgar was very largely self-taught as a composer - evidence of the strong determination behind his original and unique genius.

[@paulkiernan4994]

Henry Gheel helped Elgar score this piece and advised him on a number of different aspects of brass playing.

[@stevewelsh294]

Paul Kiernan Thanks for that information, Paul

[@Utoobtime27]

The work was completely written and orchestrated by Elgar - who learned the scoring himself.

[@Utoobtime27]

...all Geehl did was advise and prepare from Elgar's fully scored final version - rediscovered in 1995 - one for publication (including transpositions etc.) Geehl and Elgar did not get along well together. You can see from Elgar's MS that he decided to go ahead and score the whole thing himself when he got to the beginning of the Toccata. He went back and scored the Intro also.

[@cliffordbrown1135]

It would be nice to know the band and conductor of this performance, can any one help?

[@Geoff_Tuba_UK]

All in video text field expand to see

[@cliffordbrown1135]

blottit how does one expand text field?

[@philipdevine3827]

Roy Newsome