1930
A timeline of news, stories and pictures from 1930.
If you have stories, memories or pictures of the band we'd love to hear from you.
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Success at Belle Vue
1930
1930 was, in my opinion, the highlight of the Band's career when the Band won 2nd prize at the May contest at Belle Vue, Manchester. We started off the year by retaining the association quartet championship playing 'Hymn to Music', as we had done at Bicester. The previous year (1929), we had played Hubert Bath's 'Sunshine and Shade', at the association contest. In April we also competed at Aynho in the quartet and again winning 1st prize playing 'Hymn to Music'. Then came that magnificent performance at Belle Vue where the Band played number seven out of twenty Bands. Blackhall Colliery from Durham who played last were the only Band to beat us that day. The test piece was 'Songs of Old England', and originally specially arranged for the Grand Shield section at Crystal Palace in 1922 by Hubert Bath (who also wrote the test piece 'Freedom', for the championship in 1922). This title might make it sound like an easy piece of music, but far from it! He had taken several old English songs, stripped them down to the bare melody, re-harmonised them and turned out a wonderful test piece. There were solos for soprano, solo cornet, solo horn, tenor trombone, bass trombone and euphonium. On top of all this the second and third cornets, trombones and basses were, at times, buzzing about like bees at a wedding. The last movement 'Here's a health unto his majesty', was a real cracker. The final chord FF diminuendo - crescendo FF and the solo cornets on a top 'C', what a finish! We played two sopranos that day, there being two soprano solos plus a cadenza and helping out the top cornets. There was a wonderful run down in fast quavers from the top of the Band right down to the basses leading into that last movement. The Band spent the weekend as guests of 'Denton Original Band', and gave two concerts in Denton Park on Sunday afternoon and evening. The secretary of Dent on Band was Ernest Clifton and brother of Charles Clifton, our secretary.JA
HEADINGTON BAND
Thursday 8 May 1930
For the first time an Oxfordshire band competed in the May Musical Festival at Belle Vue, Manchester, when the Headington Silver Band took past on Saturday last 3 May 1930 . In spite of the difficulties of the undertaking, out of 21 competitors Headington was placed second, the winning band being that from Blackhall Colliery.
The band is to be congratulated on its success, which would enable it to compete in the July contests among a higher grade of bands. The heavy cost of taking the band there, however, makes it doubtful if funds can be raised, and subscriptions would be welcomed.
Prizes have been won by the band at Bletchingdon, Swindon, Witney, Fairford (five years), Oxford (seven years), Silchester, London and elsewhere, and if the band can raise the necessary funds it should give a good account of itself in July.
OXFORD MAIL May 8 1930 p.4ODBBA Contest
Saturday 28 June 1930
The next contest was the association contest which was held on the University running ground. I am a bit hazy about this one as there were only three Bands in the top section which was won by Willesden Town from London. Morris. Motors were 2nd and we were 3rd. Now as the London Band were not members of the association (being outside the distance limit), they could not compete for the Frank Gray Shield which was for association members only, so Morris took this and we also had a shield. I believe what happened was that Willesden were the only entrants for the open section and ourselves and Morris the only entrants for the association, so it was decided to lump the three together to make a contest of it. The test piece that day was 'Coriolanus'. What happened about the lower section I do not know. There was usually a very good entry for that.JA... section 1 open...
"Oxford Mail and Oxford Times Cup", "Frank Gray Shield for Highest placed association band - 1. Morris Motors (S.V.Woods), 80 marks; 2. ("Edmondson" Cup), Willesdon Town Silver Prize Band (C.McManus), 75 marks; 3. ("Hawkes" Challenge Shield), Headington Silver Prize band (A.F. Brookes), 70 marks.
... Section 1 - Test Piece - "Coriolanus"
Headington: In several places you have the wrong balance of parts. Watch for the constantly recurring theme. Very dramatic, but in one or two places (especially softer passages) lacking in the necessary artistic presentation.
OXFORD TIMES July 4 1930 p.14
Bournemouth Contest
Saturday 5 July 1930
Next came the Bournemouth contest Saturday 5th July 1930. On this occasion we only came 2nd on the march which was won by Radstock who were a very good Band indeed. In the second section we were placed 2nd, the test piece being 'Souvenir of the Opera', this being held in the Winter Gardens. Then we played in the top section, the test piece for this being 'Rienzi', and upon which the Band gave a very good performance, as did Radstock. Then came the shambles! This was Yeovil Band who had won the previous year. They were quite good to start with but then came the movement with a cornet solo. About halfway through, the soloist completely broke down and the rest of the Band gradually came to a stop. After what seemed an eternity, the Band started up again and struggled through to the end. The outcome was that the adjudicator (Manuel Bilton), a well known Army Bandmaster, awarded them 1st prize and also the cornet medal. There was sheer pandemonium in the hall at this announcement. Not from us! I think, we were just too dumbstruck by this result to say or do anything. All that the adjudicator could say above the uproar was 'For all I know the man might have been ill'. I do know that the Band said that they would never patronise such a contest again as it was felt that we had a raw deal the year before, but I won't dwell on that.JA
1930 Annual Contest
Saturday 16 August 1930
The Headington Silver Prize band hosts its annual contest. Only Sections 2 and 3 were held, probably owing to a lack of entries. Wolvertown won both sections, 2: Recollections of Schubert, 3: A Summer Day (Greenwood).
Crystal Palace Contest
Saturday 27 September 1930
There were, of course, plenty of concerts, mostly council, and one or two engagements which took us up to September when it was decided to enter the Crystal Palace contest. We were put into section 4 which was one section higher than 1924 when we competed in section 5. The test piece was not a very good one, 'Concert Suite', and did not really suit the Band whom, by now, had developed quite a big tone. Moreover, there was, at this time, an undercurrent of unrest in the Band and it was being left to me more and more to take rehearsals besides my own Band, Kidlington, whom I had taken over twelve months earlier. I had stated my intention of leaving the Band after Crystal Palace so as to enable me to concentrate on Kidlington who, incidentally, were paying me well so had first call upon my services.
Well, Crystal Palace, unfortunately, was a disaster in as much that the Band drew number one and, although given extra time by the stewards, we went on the stands a few players short. Quite a few players decided to go by car instead of the coach and were late in arriving. Some dashed on to the stand after we started playing and a few did not make it at all, including the Bandmaster, Mr Uzzell. Had I been Mr Brooks, I don't think that I would have taken the Band under those conditions. Mr Uzzell resigned shortly after I left which was a very sad end to a brilliant year. JA