After the recently concluded IPC, there was a heated debate between the supporters of Trinidad All Stars and Phase Two on Boogsie’s tune of choice ‘Woman on the Bass” and the band’s placement in the competition. All Stars won the competition. The central argument being Phase II performance fell below expectations and Boogsie’s attempt to challenge Smoothe’s panorama classic and scared arrangement.

In 1974 Trinidad All Stars first public performance of this classic under their Musical Director and Conductor, the late Jerry Jemmott, 16:13 minutes long.

In 1982 Steelband Music Festival Casablanca won the overall competition under their Musical Director and Conductor, the late Anthony Prospect, 16:00 minutes

Using these same arguments how do we judge these performances by these two cultural GIANTS of classical steelband music? I’m interested in hearing the opinions and back stories on these performances. YOU BE THE JUDGE...credit Glenroy Joseph.

TRINIDAD ALL STARS - Tchaikovsky's "1812 overture"

Replies

Joel Augustin August 24, 2015 at 3:32pm

Hi Whasi Choo Quan

Pan Am tune of choice in the 1966 festival was not Poets & Peasants but "Intermezzo In 'E' Flat" that was composed by Anthony Prospect. The bands were judged by their interpretation on the test piece Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusic" plus that of their tune of choice. In other words the judging was on 2 tunes.
- BEDE LOPEZ > Joel Augustin August 24, 2015 at 3:57pm
  
  Hi Joel Augustin, that year of 1966 Festival, the bands had 2 Test Pieces, Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" plus Anthony Prospect ."Intermezzo In 'E' Flat". Pan am Choice of tune was "Poet and Peasants" likewise City Syncopators.
odw August 24, 2015 at 7:10am

Trinidad All Stars under the musical direction Jerry Jemmott set the bar in terms our appreciation of classical PAN. We all know All Stars under Neville Jules was known for their discipline and up to today is considered a Steelband institution. Anthony Prospect I saw as a renegade musical director he was pushing PAN to new levels…like Sparrow’s Governor’s Ball describes....
- odw > odw August 24, 2015 at 7:12am
Ian Franklin August 23, 2015 at 8:48pm

Thanks ODW for the post. Big up to both All Stars and Casablanca. However, Casablanca's performance is one of the best performed pieces at Pan is Beautiful.

Glenroy, Please post the 1988 Pan Is Beautiful album and feature All Stars' "Capriccio Italien" (lol)
- odw > Ian Franklin August 23, 2015 at 11:18pm
  
  From the album notes…”1812 in 82” To the 6,000 patrons at the Port of Spain on the night of July 21, 1982, and many more than a million in live television and radio audiences in Trinidad and Tobago, and elsewhere in the Caribbean, Casablanca’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was the climax of all steelband performances to date.
  
  The thunderous ovation erupting prior to, and sustained long after the completion of this piece, might well exceed in fervour, intensity and duration, the acclamation accorded any other orchestra – steelband or major symphony- rendering the “Overture Solennille 1812.”
BEDE LOPEZ August 23, 2015 at 5:33pm

Also, you cant compare Panorama music to Music Festival Music/ Classical music, these are 2 different types of music, (Classical Music is my favorite tho).
whasi choo quan August 23, 2015 at 4:40pm

Classical music ,you play to composer score sheet,pan you judge on arranger's musical genius. It's as simple as that!yea right .(a good example panam north stars 1966 tune of choice,poet and peasant .they had a wealth of classical peoplej ,sealy,Curtis Pierre,pat bishop and others, they even went to listen to synco in practice but could not get that interpretation of the piece as synco (judge remarks if he had to take a band home to England synco would be his choice)results panam won overall,synco best tune of choice ,(same judge,same festival ,same tune of choice,
- odw > whasi choo quan August 23, 2015 at 10:27pm
  
  Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Music Festival Vol. III "Finals" (1966)
  
  City Syncopators was an unsponsored band in 1966 and surprised many with a superb performance, that earned them second place in the Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Music Festival of 1966.
  
  Their performance of the Poet and Peasant Overture, arranged by Anthony Lynch, is considered to be one of the best ever of this classical piece by a steelband, to this day.
  
  Here, Live from the 1966 Trinidad and Tobago Steelband Music Festival, is City Syncopators Steel Orchestra and The Poet and Peasant Overture. (Franz Von Suppe') credit G. Joseph.
  - BEDE LOPEZ > odw August 23, 2015 at 10:59pm
    
    That Poet and Peasant was really better that Pan-am because they played that tune with more feelings and gracefulness, and the reason why they lost the Festival, because of Anthony Williams great arrangement of Pan-amTest piece, it was like Gary Sobers hitting sixes for so in Queens Hall.