Eric Walter John Ball (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".

Biography He was born in Kingswood, South 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. He became an officer in the Salvation Army, and in 1928 re-established the Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (S. P. & S.) Band. 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, 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.

Ball resigned unexpectedly from the Salvation Army in 1944, after he started attending spiritualist meetings following the death of his sister-in-law. 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. 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.

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, 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.

Ball was awarded the OBE in 1969.

In 1972, Ball assembled the Virtuosi Brass Band of Great Britain, a recording ensemble of top players, including James Shepherd who occupied the principal cornet seat and helped Ball assemble the rest of the band. The ensemble which would go on to record nine LPs for RCA Records, with Ball serving as musical director for the first four.

He died in Bournemouth in 1989, aged 85.

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 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.

Year Piece Section Contest 1946 Thanksgiving 3rd Area 1947 Akhnaton Ch Area 1947 Divertimento 4th Area 1947 Divertimento 4th Final 1948 Four Preludes 2nd Area 1948 Three Songs without Words 4th Area 1948 Four Preludes 2nd Final 1948 Three Songs without Words 4th Final 1949 Morning Rhapsody Ch Area 1949 Petite Suite de Ballet 3rd Area 1949 Petite Suite de Ballet 3rd Final 1950 Indian Summer 3rd Area 1950 Indian Summer 3rd Final 1951 The English Maiden 2nd Area 1951 The English Maiden 2nd Final 1952 Resurgam Ch Area 1953 A Holiday Suite 3rd Area 1953 A Holiday Suite 3rd Final 1954 Call of the Sea 2nd Area 1954 Call of the Sea 2nd Final 1956 Festival Music Ch Final 1956 Three Songs without Words 4th Final 1957 Four Preludes 2nd Final 1958 Devon Fantasy 3rd Area 1960 The Princess and the Poet 4th Area 1960 Call of the Sea 3rd Final 1962 Contest Day 4th Area 1962 Four Preludes 3rd Final 1963 Everybody's Child 4th Final 1964 Oasis 2nd Final 1964 The English Maiden 3rd Final 1966 The English Maiden 3rd Area 1966 Everybody's Child 4th Area 1967 Festival Music Ch Area 1967 Journey into Freedom Ch Final 1968 Fowey River Suite 3rd Area 1968 Third Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals 2nd Final 1968 Homeward 4th Final 1969 Petite Suite de Ballet 4th Area 1969 High Peak Ch Final 1969 American Sketches 4th Final 1970 A Psalm for All Nations 4th Final 1971 The Ancient Temple 4th Area 1971 Celebration 2nd Final 1972 A Kensington Concerto Ch Final 1973 St. Michael's Mount 4th Area 1974 Devon Fantasy 3rd Area 1974 Youth Salutes a Master 4th Final 1975 Journey into Freedom Ch Area 1976 Tournament for Brass 2nd Area 1976 Sinfonietta for Brass Band – The Wayfarer Ch Final 1976 Third Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals 3rd Final 1977 Morning Rhapsody 2nd Area 1978 Call of the Sea 3rd Area 1980 Main Street 3rd Area 1981 Contest Day 4th Final 1984 Divertimento 4th Area 1985 Celebration 2nd Final 1987 Scottish Festival Overture 3rd Area 1988 Sunrise 2nd Final 1991 Journey into Freedom Ch Area 1992 Celebration 1st Area 1992 Holiday Overture for Brass 2nd Final 1993 Impromptu 4th Area 1993 Journey into Freedom 1st Final 1994 St. Michael's Mount 4th Final 1999 Main Street 3rd Area 1999 Indian Summer 4th Area 2001 The Undaunted 1st Area 2003 A Kensington Concerto 1st Final 2003 Sunset Rhapsody 2nd Final 2003 Four Preludes 3rd Final 2003 Call of the Sea 4th Final 2007 Sinfonietta for Brass Band – The Wayfarer 1st Area 2008 Festival Music Ch Area 2011 Resurgam 2nd Area 2013 Devon Fantasy 4th Area2017 Tournament for Brass 1st Final2017 Petite Suite de Ballet 4th Final2024 High Peak 1st Area2026Song of Courage2ndFinal

Several of his arrangements have also been used.

Year Piece Original Composer Section Contest 1946 Eine kleine Nachtmusik Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 2nd Area 1957 Themes from Symphony No. 9 Ludwig van Beethoven Ch Area 1960 Themes from Symphony No. 5 Ludwig van Beethoven Ch Area 1964 A Rural Suite Charles Woodhouse 4th Area 1965 Themes from Symphony No. 1 Ludwig van Beethoven Ch Area 1967 Eine kleine Nachtmusik Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 3rd Area 1970 Themes from Symphony No. 9 Ludwig van Beethoven 2nd Final 1971 Suite Gothique Léon Boëllmann 2nd Area 1978 Four Dances from Checkmate Arthur Bliss Ch Final 1981 Froissart Overture Edward Elgar 2nd Final 1983 A French Suite Alexandre Boëly 3rd Final 1995 Suite Gothique Léon Boëllmann 3rd Final 2003 Theme and Eight Variations from Enigma Edward Elgar Ch Final

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.

References

Further reading

External links The music of Eric Ball (1903–1989) a complete catalogue, with a commentary on his life and work, Masters thesis by Dennis John Taylor (1994), Durham University.