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Eric Walter John Ball
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(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,
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...
, the eldest of 16 children whose parents were active in the
Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its ...
. When he was a child, the family moved to Surrey,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, 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, 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. Ball resigned unexpectedly from the Salvation Army in 1944, after he started attending
spiritualist Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (when not lowercase) ...
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 Ransome & Marles Bearing Company Limited was the owner of a business making ball and roller bearings founded during the First World War to make bearings for aircraft and other engines. Before the war most bearings had been imported and most of tho ...
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 Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...
, 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. He died in
Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the English ...
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. Several of his arrangements have also been used. 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'' - biographyEric Ball: the man and his music
, Wiltshire Virtual Library


References


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. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Eric Walter John Brass band composers 1903 births 1989 deaths English conductors (music) British male conductors (music) 20th-century British conductors (music) 20th-century English composers 20th-century British male musicians