The Saga of Haakon the Good 2007
The Saga of Haakon the Good was commissioned by Frei Hornmusikk, from Norway, to celebrate the joining of the two neighbouring Kommuner of Frei and Kristiansund, which took place on 1st January 2008. The band used it as their test piece in the Norwegian National Brass Band Championships the following February.
The piece traces key events in the life of Haakon the Good (c. 920–961), later to become King Haakon 1 - THE FUTURE KING - who had been fostered by King Athelstan of England as part of a peace agreement made by his father. The English king brought him up in the Christian religion, and, on the news of his father’s death, provided him with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been proclaimed king of Norway. On his arrival he travelled north - THE JOURNEY TO TRONDHEIM - where he began to gain the support of the landowners by promising to give up the rights of taxation his father had previously claimed.
Eirik’s sons allied themselves with the Danes, but were invariably defeated by Haakon, who was successful in everything he undertook except in his attempt to introduce Christianity to the country - THE MISSIONARY KING - which aroused an opposition he did not feel strong enough to face.
One of his most famous victories was THE BATTLE OF RASTARKALV (near to Frei) in 955. By placing ten standards far apart along a low ridge (to give the impression his army was bigger than it actually was) he managed to fool Eirik’s sons that they were out-numbered. The Danes fled and were slaughtered by Haakon’s army. These ten standards are represented by ten loud chords starting in bar 420
Composer: | Philip Sparke |
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Type: | Test Piece |
Date | Contest | Band | Position |
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17 Nov 2024 | Wessex BBA Contest | Downton | 9 |
16 Nov 2024 | Scottish Challenge Shield | North Lakes Brass | 14 |
05 Oct 2024 | Queensland State Brass Band Championship (B Grade) | Sunnybank Brass | 1 |
05 Oct 2024 | Queensland State Brass Band Championship (B Grade) | Surfers Paradise Brass | 3 |
08 Jun 2024 | Dutch Open (Second Division) | De Lofklank | 2 |
06 Apr 2024 | ConsTest: Birmingham | Seindorf Beaumaris | 3 |
08 Jul 2023 | New Zealand National Championships (C Grade) | Rolleston Brass | 5 |
08 Jul 2023 | New Zealand National Championships (C Grade) | Upper Hutt Brass | 7 |
10 Jun 2023 | Berner Oberländische Musiktage (Second Section) | Brass Band Harmonie Saanen | 1 |
21 May 2023 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Hazel Grove | 1 |
21 May 2023 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Whitworth Vale and Healey | 4 |
06 May 2023 | Giron de Musique de la Glâne, FR | Fanfare paroissiale l'Echo des Roches de Châtonnaye | |
09 Apr 2023 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | Surfers Paradise Brass | 12 |
11 Feb 2023 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 3) | Stangaland Brass | 2 |
26 Nov 2022 | Wessex BBA Contest | Horsham Borough | 6 |
06 Nov 2022 | Durham League Contest (Section A) | Durham Miners Association | 4 |
24 Sep 2022 | Queensland State Brass Band Championship (B Grade) | Windsor Brass | 3 |
16 Jul 2022 | New Zealand National Championships (B Grade) | Trust Porirua City Brass | 5 |
15 Jul 2022 | New Zealand National Championships (C Grade) | Howick Brass | 4 |
10 Apr 2022 | Flemish Open Brass Band Championship (D-Section) | Brassband de Thudinie | 4 |
28 Nov 2021 | Scottish Challenge Shield | Coalburn Silver | 3 |
07 Feb 2020 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 3) | Haukås Musikklag | 6 |
24 Nov 2019 | Leicestershire BBA (Leicester) Contest (Second Section) | Ireland Colliery Chesterfield | 10 |
16 Nov 2019 | North Wales Rally (Open Section) | Ifton Colliery Band | 5 |
08 Jun 2019 | Kantonal Musikfest Valais/Wallis (Second Section) | La Dixence Hérémence | 11 |
08 Jun 2019 | Kantonal Musikfest Valais/Wallis (Second Section) | L'Agaunoise St-Maurice | 16 |
21 Apr 2019 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | City of Greater Dandenong (Vic) | 7 |
06 Apr 2019 | North American Championships (Third Section) | Old Crown | 1 |
06 Apr 2019 | North American Championships (First Section) | Central Ohio | 3 |
23 Mar 2019 | Dublin Festival of Brass | Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band | 7 |
17 Mar 2019 | Rogalandsmesterskapet (Division 1) | Tasta Skolekorps | 1 |
09 Feb 2019 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 4) | Grenland Brass | 8 |
09 Feb 2019 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 4) | Randaberg Musikkorps | 12 |
03 Feb 2019 | Durham League Contest (Section A) | North Skelton | 1 |
18 Nov 2018 | Leicestershire BBA (Leicester) Contest (Second Section) | Milton Keynes Brass | 2 |
04 Nov 2018 | Yorkshire & Humberside BBA Contest (Section A) | North Skelton | 3 |
03 Nov 2018 | North Wales Rally (Open Section) | Ifton Colliery | 2 |
21 Oct 2018 | Rochdale Contest (Second Section) | Ifton Colliery | 2 |
30 Sep 2018 | SCABA Autumn Contest (A Section) | Soham Comrades | 6 |
16 Jun 2018 | Berner Oberländische Musiktage (Second Section) | Brass Band Frutigen | 4 |
29 Apr 2018 | Holme Valley Brass Band Contest (Section B) | Slaithwaite | 1 |
07 Apr 2018 | North American Championships (Youth First Section) | Watson Brass Band | 2 |
01 Apr 2018 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | Geelong West Brass (Vic) | 3 |
04 Nov 2017 | SWBBA Contest (Open Section) | Sidmouth Town | 3 |
24 Sep 2017 | SCABA Autumn Contest (First Section) | BAE Systems | 3 |
10 Sep 2017 | Tasmanian Band Championships (B Grade Brass) | City of Launceston RSL | 1 |
08 Jul 2017 | World Music Contest (WMC) (3rd division) | Greidebrass | 4 |
08 Jul 2017 | World Music Contest (WMC) (2nd division) | Badische Brass Band | 6 |
27 May 2017 | Giron de Musique Broyardes, FR/VD | La Lyre de Vuisternens-devant-Romont | |
07 May 2017 | Giron de Musique de la Glâne, FR | Société de Musique La Lyre Vuisternens | |
07 May 2017 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Pemberton Old Wigan DW 'B' | 1 |
07 May 2017 | Buxton Festival (Championship/First Section) | Haslingden & Helmshore | 1 |
16 Apr 2017 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | City of Launceston R S L Brass (Tas) | 9 |
03 Feb 2017 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 5) | Rosendal Musikklag | 5 |
26 Nov 2016 | Wessex BBA Contest | Otterbourne Brass | 2 |
19 Nov 2016 | Scottish Challenge Shield | Dalkeith & Monktonhall Band | 8 |
25 Sep 2016 | SCABA Autumn Contest (First Section) | Otterbourne | 1 |
24 Sep 2016 | Fife Charities Band Association Contest | Emley Brass | 6 |
18 Jun 2016 | Eidgenössisches Musikfest (First Section) | Fanfare de Crissier | 15 |
11 Jun 2016 | Eidgenössisches Musikfest (Second Section) | Musikverein Buckten | 15 |
11 Jun 2016 | Eidgenössisches Musikfest (Second Section) | Echo du Prabé Savièse | 10 |
08 May 2016 | Buxton Festival (Third Section) | Ifton Colliery | 1 |
08 May 2016 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Durham Miners | 2 |
02 Apr 2016 | North American Championships (Second Section) | Capital City Brass Band | 1 |
07 Feb 2016 | Durham League Contest (Section B) | Durham Miners Association | 1 |
21 Nov 2015 | SEWBBA (Merthyr Tydfil) Contest (First Section) | Ammanford | 4 |
21 Nov 2015 | North Wales Rally (Second Section) | Royal Buckley Town Band | 1 |
07 Nov 2015 | SWBBA Contest (Open Section) | Sidmouth Town | 7 |
07 Nov 2015 | Danish National Championship (Second Division) | FDF Aarhus Musikkreds | 4 |
25 Oct 2015 | Rochdale Contest (Second Section) | Royal Buckley Town | 2 |
25 Oct 2015 | Rochdale Contest (Second Section) | Delph | 4 |
25 Oct 2015 | Rochdale Contest (Fourth Section) | Blackley | 4 |
13 Sep 2015 | SCABA Autumn Contest (Second Section) | Brass Band Atout Vent | 1 |
06 Jun 2015 | Seeländische Musiktage, BE (Kategorie A) | Brass Band Rapperswil-Wierezwil | 4 |
30 May 2015 | Oberwalliser Musikfest (Second Section) | MG Lauduna Lalden | 1 |
12 Apr 2015 | IABCB National Band Championships (Section 1 Brass) | Drogheda Brass | 3 |
05 Apr 2015 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | Sunnybank & District Brass (Qld) | 4 |
14 Mar 2015 | North American Championships (Second Section) | Massanutten BB | 4 |
14 Mar 2015 | North American Championships (First Section) | Weston Silver Band | 1 |
07 Feb 2015 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 4) | Borge Brass Band | 2 |
07 Feb 2015 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 4) | Frei Hornmusikk | 5 |
08 Nov 2014 | Danish National Championship (Second Division) | Sejs blæserne | 6 |
26 Oct 2014 | Rochdale Contest (Second Section) | Hazel Grove | 1 |
30 Aug 2014 | NSW State Championships (B Grade) | Cairns Brass No. 1 (Qld) | 1 |
07 Jun 2014 | Kantonal Musikfest Valais/Wallis (First Section) | L'Echo d'Orny Orsières | 4 |
31 May 2014 | Giron de Musique Broyardes, FR/VD | Fanfare Paroissiale l'Union de Cugy-Vesin | |
27 Apr 2014 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Hazel Grove | 1 |
07 Feb 2014 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 3) | Tysnes Musikklag | 3 |
23 Nov 2013 | SEWBBA (Blaenavon) Contest (Second Section) | Ammanford | 5 |
17 Nov 2013 | Northern Open (Second Section) | Hazel Grove | 1 |
08 Jun 2013 | Euro Brass (B-Group) | De Bazuin B | 3 |
01 Jun 2013 | Kantonal Musikfest Neuchâtel/Neuenburg (First Section) | Brass Band L'Avenir Lignieres | 1 |
25 Nov 2012 | Leicestershire BBA (Leicester) Contest (First Section) | Raunds Temperance | 9 |
03 Nov 2012 | SWBBA Contest (Open Section) | St. Keverne | 3 |
07 Oct 2012 | Fleetwood Contest (Second Section) | Eccleston Brass | 5 |
29 Sep 2012 | Cornish Brass Band Championships | St. Keverne | 2 |
02 Jun 2012 | Berner Oberländische Musiktage (Second Section) | MG Därstetten | |
26 May 2012 | Giron de Musique de la Sarine, FR | La Cigonia Prez-vers-Noréaz | |
29 Apr 2012 | Buxton Festival (Second Section) | Haslingden and Helmshore | 2 |
31 Mar 2012 | North American Championships (First Section) | Cincinnati Brass Band | 8 |
25 Mar 2012 | Tameside Open Championships (Second Section) | Haslingden and Helmshore | 3 |
03 Dec 2011 | Scottish Challenge Shield | Irvine & Dreghorn | 7 |
20 Nov 2011 | Northern Open (Second Section) | Haslingden and Helmshore | 3 |
20 Nov 2011 | GBBA Own Choice (Section B) | Forest of Dean Brass | 1 |
19 Nov 2011 | Blue Lake Brass Band Contest (C Grade) | Marion City Band | 1 |
08 Oct 2011 | SCABA Autumn Contest (First Section) | Colchester | 5 |
08 Oct 2011 | SCABA Autumn Contest (First Section) | Northfleet Brass | 8 |
25 Jun 2011 | Eidgenössisches Musikfest (First Section) | MV Künten | 13 |
13 Jun 2011 | Queensland State Brass Band Championship (B Grade) | Windsor Brass | 1 |
23 Apr 2011 | Australian Championships (Junior A Grade) | Gunnedah Shire Juniors (NSW) | 1 |
11 Feb 2011 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 3) | Grenland Brass | 3 |
11 Feb 2011 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 2) | Stangaland Brass | 13 |
30 Oct 2010 | Danish National Championship (Second Division) | Skanderborg Brass Band | 3 |
26 Sep 2010 | NSW State Championships (B Grade) | Toronto Brass | 4 |
26 Sep 2010 | NSW State Championships (B Grade) | Gunnedah Shire No2 | 1 |
10 Jul 2010 | New Zealand National Championships (B Grade) | Addington Brass | 3 |
16 May 2010 | Weinländer Musiktag, ZH (Wettspiel) | Musikverein Brass Band Henggart | 1 |
18 Apr 2010 | Flemish Open Brass Band Championship (D-Section) | Brassband de Kempengalm Vlimmeren | 2 |
18 Apr 2010 | Flemish Open Brass Band Championship (C-Section) | Smeermaas | 3 |
03 Apr 2010 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | Townsville Brass (Qld) | 2 |
03 Apr 2010 | Australian Championships (B Grade) | Toronto Brass (NSW) | 9 |
05 Feb 2010 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 2) | Sagvåg Musikklag | 10 |
29 Nov 2009 | Belgian Nationals (Third Division) | Brassband De Grensbewoners Smeermaas | 2 |
29 Nov 2009 | Belgian Nationals (Second Division) | Brassband Scaldis | 2 |
28 Nov 2009 | Wessex Brass Band Association (First Section) | Michelmersh Silver Band | 1 |
15 Nov 2009 | Northern Open (Third Section) | Blackley | 8 |
11 Jul 2009 | World Music Contest (WMC) (2nd division) | Brassband Schoonhoven B | 2 |
06 Feb 2009 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 2) | Alexander Brass Band | 2 |
16 Nov 2008 | Leicestershire BBA (Leicester) Contest (First Section) | Hathern | 7 |
04 Oct 2008 | Fife Charities Band Association Contest | Clackmannan District | 3 |
09 Feb 2008 | Norwegian National Championships (Division 4) | Frei Hornmusikk | 4 |