Eric Ball (composer)

Eric Walter John Ball OBE (31 October 1903 – 1 October 1989) was a British composer, arranger and conductor of brass band music, described as "one of the most prolific writers and influential figures in the brass band and choral world".[1]

Biography

He was born in Kingswood, Gloucestershire, the eldest of 16 children whose parents were active in the Salvation Army. When he was a child, the family moved to Surrey, Kent, and London. He learned piano and organ, and in 1919 started work in the Salvation Army musical instrument department in central London, soon moving to the Musical Editorial Department as a composer.[2][3] He became an officer in the Salvation Army, and in 1928 re-established the Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (S. P. & S.) Band.[1] The 18-member band, led by Ball, was used extensively at Salvation Army meetings, and recorded. In 1935, Ball also became the conductor of the Salvation Army's National Orchestra, and also conducted and accompanied the Salvation Singers, and trained band members. In 1942, he became bandmaster of the International Staff Band (I.S.B.), the premier Salvation Army band, with the rank of major.[3]

Ball resigned unexpectedly from the Salvation Army in 1944, after he started attending spiritualist meetings following the death of his sister-in-law.[3] He soon became involved in judging brass band competitions, and in 1945 became conductor of the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, winning the national championships with them the following year.[2] He also became editor of The British Bandsman magazine. In 1948, as conductor of the CWS (Manchester) Band, he won the British Open brass band championship, and he also performed with other bands including the Ransome & Marles band and the City of Coventry Band.[1]

By the mid-1950s, he withdrew from conducting brass bands competitively, to concentrate on teaching and composing music. He became active in teaching brass band courses in Cornwall,[2] and wrote many test pieces for bands, including "Resurgam" (1950), "Tournament for Brass" (1954), "Main Street" (1961), "Journey Into Freedom" (1967), and "The Wayfarer" (1976). He also wrote cantatas for chorus and band.[1]

Ball was awarded the OBE in 1969.[4] He died in Bournemouth in 1989, aged 85.[1]

Selected compositions
  • The Triumph of Peace
  • The Kingdom Triumphant
  • The Eternal Presence
  • Journey Into Freedom
  • The King of Kings
  • The Old Wells
  • Resurgam
  • Song of Welcome
  • Songs in Exile
  • Star Lake
  • Torch of Freedom[5]
  • Tournament for Brass
  • Morning Rhapsody
  • Sunset Rhapsody
  • Festival Music
  • Indian Summer
  • Song of Courage
  • Glory to His Name
  • The Prospect Before Us
  • Main Street

National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain

A number of Ball's pieces have been selected as test pieces for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, both at the area contests and the national finals.[6]

YearPieceSectionContest
1946Thanksgiving3rdArea
1947AkhnatonChArea
1947Divertimento4thArea
1947Divertimento4thFinal
1948Four Preludes2ndArea
1948Three Songs without Words4thArea
1948Four Preludes2ndFinal
1948Three Songs without Words4thFinal
1949Morning RhapsodyChArea
1949Petite Suite de Ballet3rdArea
1949Petite Suite de Ballet3rdFinal
1950Indian Summer3rdArea
1950Indian Summer3rdFinal
1951The English Maiden2ndArea
1951The English Maiden2ndFinal
1952ResurgamChArea
1953A Holiday Suite3rdArea
1953A Holiday Suite3rdFinal
1954Call of the Sea2ndArea
1954Call of the Sea2ndFinal
1956Festival MusicChFinal
1956Three Songs without Words4thFinal
1957Four Preludes2ndFinal
1958Devon Fantasy3rdArea
1960The Princess and the Poet4thArea
1960Call of the Sea3rdFinal
1962Contest Day4thArea
1962Four Preludes3rdFinal
1963Everybody's Child4thFinal
1964Oasis2ndFinal
1964The English Maiden3rdFinal
1966The English Maiden3rdArea
1966Everybody's Child4thArea
1967Festival MusicChArea
1967Journey into FreedomChFinal
1968Fowey River Suite3rdArea
1968Third Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals2ndFinal
1968Homeward4thFinal
1969Petite Suite de Ballet4thArea
1969High PeakChFinal
1969American Sketches4thFinal
1970A Psalm for All Nations4thFinal
1971The Ancient Temple4thArea
1971Celebration2ndFinal
1972A Kensington ConcertoChFinal
1973St. Michael's Mount4thArea
1974Devon Fantasy3rdArea
1974Youth Salutes a Master4thFinal
1975Journey into FreedomChArea
1976Tournament for Brass2ndArea
1976Sinfonietta for Brass Band – The WayfarerChFinal
1976Third Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals3rdFinal
1977Morning Rhapsody2ndArea
1978Call of the Sea3rdArea
1980Main Street3rdArea
1981Contest Day4thFinal
1984Divertimento4thArea
1985Celebration2ndFinal
1987Scottish Festival Overture3rdArea
1988Sunrise2ndFinal
1991Journey into FreedomChArea
1992Celebration1stArea
1992Holiday Overture for Brass2ndFinal
1993Impromptu4thArea
1993Journey into Freedom1stFinal
1994St. Michael's Mount4thFinal
1999Main Street3rdArea
1999Indian Summer4thArea
2001The Undaunted1stArea
2003A Kensington Concerto1stFinal
2003Sunset Rhapsody2ndFinal
2003Four Preludes3rdFinal
2003Call of the Sea4thFinal
2007Sinfonietta for Brass Band – The Wayfarer1stArea
2008Festival MusicChArea
2011Resurgam2ndArea
2013Devon Fantasy4thArea
2017 Tournament for Brass 1st Final
2017 Petite Suite de Ballet 4th Final

Several of his arrangements have also been used.

YearPieceOriginal ComposerSectionContest
1946Eine Kleine NachtmusikWolfgang Amadeus Mozart2ndArea
1957Themes from Symphony No. 9Ludwig van BeethovenChArea
1960Themes from Symphony No. 5Ludwig van BeethovenChArea
1964A Rural SuiteCharles Woodhouse4thArea
1965Themes from the First SymphonyLudwig van BeethovenChArea
1967Eine Kleine NachtmusikWolfgang Amadeus Mozart3rdArea
1970Themes from Symphony No. 9Ludwig van Beethoven2ndFinal
1971Suite GothiqueLéon Boëllmann2ndArea
1978Four Dances from CheckmateArthur BlissChFinal
1981Froissart OvertureEdward Elgar2ndFinal
1983A French SuiteAlexandre Pierre François Boëly3rdFinal
1995Suite GothiqueLéon Boëllmann3rdFinal
2003Theme and Eight Variations from EnigmaEdward ElgarChFinal

In addition, several pieces were used as the youth section area contest test piece: The Young in Heart in 1965, Petite Suite de Ballet in 1975, and Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals in 1983.

Further reading
  • Cooke, Peter M. Eric Ball, the man and his music - biography[7]
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References
  1. Gammond, Peter (1991). The Oxford Companion to Popular Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 34. ISBN 0-19-311323-6.
  2. Hunt, Phillip (2004). "Eric Ball in Cornwall". Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  3. "Dennis Taylor, Eric Ball: His Life and Music, 1903-1989, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012, pp.1-18". Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  4. "Dennis Taylor, Eric Ball: His Life and Music, 1903-1989, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 12013, p.33". Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  5. "Sound of brass". BBC. 2003. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  6. "Eric Ball". Brass Band Results. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  7. Eric Ball: the man and his music Archived 20 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Wiltshire Virtual Library
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