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Yorkshire and Humberside Brass Band Association
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History
The
first contest held in 1881 was organised by a committee of "publicly
spirited people about Hawes". At that time the Scaur and much of the
surrounding land was owned by the Earl of Wharncliffe who was very supportive of
the contest. A contemporary writer describes the great rock indenture as
providing a ready-made battleground for bands, and an auditorium capable of
holding 30,000 people, producing sounds comparable with our greatest
cathedrals.
The
bands competed on a stand perched on stilts, no chairs provided. This bandstand
was washed away by a great flood on the 12th July 1899. Choirs also
competed, performing on the banks of the stream above the Fall. These were test
piece contests; in 1898 the band test piece was Donnizetti's "Overture to
Lucia di Lammermoor" and the male voice choirs were required to sing
Blumenthal's 'What Care I?”.
The
early contests were always held on the last Saturday in June and attended by
thousands of people many of whom made the weekend their annual holiday. They
would travel by train from Middlesborough to Hawes for a return fare of one
shilling and sixpence (about 8p in modern money but allowing for inflation,
equivalent to about £5.50). A contributor to the “Dalesman” in the 1950s
recalled his father saying "Now lads, bi sharp an git all done, weal go ti
Hardra efter dinna in t'hoss an t' shandra" and hearing Black Dyke, Besses
o' th' Bam and Whingate Temperance competing. Every railway siding from Leyburn
to Moorcock station was full of trains transporting crowds to the contest. The
women folk of Hawes would gather for a whole week before a contest in order to
make sufficient refreshments to feed the many thousands of visitors.
The
late eighteen-nineties saw a virtual whitewash by Besses o' th' Barn and they
are thought to have been barred from the contest in 1900. Nevertheless, only
three bands entered the 1900 contest, one reason given for this poor turn out
was that the Railway Companies had withdrawn the concessionary fares previously
given to competing bands. However, fifteen choirs turned up for the same event.
After playing their main test piece each band was required to play a quickstep
for which there were two prizes of £1 and 10s. Again in 1904 only four bands
competed, and this seems to have been the last contest to be held until 1920.
It
was in 1920 that Mr Edmund Blythe bought the Green Dragon Inn and grounds and
laboured with great enthusiasm to restore them, hoping to bring back the bands
and large audiences. One of his joys was to build a new bandstand the base of
which is still in use today. Alas,
Edmund's time, efforts and money to make the revival succeed came a
disappointing end; contests,
mainly of local bands, were held over the next
few years until 1927 when only two bands competed.
1976
saw a further revival of the Contest. The contests were run mainly for bands
located in the Dales by a group of Kirkby Lonsdale Band members. The last
Contest they organised in 1987 took place in the Hawes Auction Market,
apparently because of a difference of opinion with the landlady of the Green
Dragon at that time.
The
Contest was again revived in 1989 by the Yorkshire & Humberside Brass Band
Association under the guidance of their President, the late Fred Bradbury.
When D. Mark Thompson became the
Innkeeper of the Green Dragon Inn in 2002 he proved very much a 'hands
on' supporter of the contest and like Edmund Blythe in 1920 has spent much money
and time in restoring the Scar grounds to their former glory. During this series
of contests many more bands have competed each year than it would appear did in
those early days. Visitors no longer come in thousands, but there are many loyal
supporters who turn out come rain or shine. One of the highlights of this last
series of seventeen contests took place in 2000 when Besses o' th' Barn returned
to their old hunting ground, not to compete but to perform a concert on the
Saturday evening prior to the Sunday contest.
The
musical content of the contest in recent years has changed to meet the demands
of the bands and the audience alike. No longer do bands play set test pieces and
quick steps but are required to perform an own choice twenty minute concert
programme of generally popular music. However, the grand tradition of the massed
band finale has not changed. This takes place at the end of the contest whilst
the results are being evaluated and involves players from all competing bands
coming together to perform a mini concert of marches and hymn tunes. In 2005 a
further item was added to the concert programme in the form of a song entitled
"The Old Bandstand". Hand written on manuscript and found 'in a box in
an attic', its origin and age is a mystery.
In
Wensleydale for many years,
By Hardraw Falls I understand,
Brass music has set the Dale ablaze,
Like sunrise bursting through a haze.
Refrain
There
is no greater sound heard in the land
As what comes from that famous old
bandstand
In
Wensleydale, both rich and poor,
By Hardraw Falls I understand,
Do hear trombones and big tubas roar
And golden comets, horns galore.
In
Wensleydale as you pass by,
By Hardraw Falls I understand,
The comets play all their notes so high,
Like little larks up
in the sky.
This page was last updated 23/03/2008
