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Re: What are we going to play?

Addressing to

>Jack Alexander
>First Baritone Horn
>Waverley  Bondi Beach Band
>Sydney   AUSTRALIA

>J.Alexander@xxxxxxxxxxx

I do not want to appear that I am flaming this mail item, but I am
appalled that this type of attitude could manifest itself from within
the brass band movement. It is my opinion, that it is purely the test
pieces that we play that maintain the brass band as the highest standard
non-professional music group in the world today.

If we get rid of test pieces, we may as well go and play a few popular
arrangements of pop tunes, play in band stands all day and totally kill
the movement. Would the recent gains that the British brass banding
movement have been achieved if there wasn't the great number of modern
composers writing for a medium that they thought was exciting and
worthwhile?

>     (d) Must show how up to date I am.  A few whole-tone scales, like that
>really modern composer Debussy.  Maybe a tone-row like that other modern
>composer, Schoenberg.  Polytonality - that's good, just like Percy Grainger
>(was he really an Australian?).

I therefore assume that you do not like the works of any of these
composers, and it is not worthwhile copying any of their techniques
(like every mainstream classical composer has done since the dawn of
history).

>     (c) Let's give  'em an impossible balance problem.   Every section
>playing at once, but in different rhythms and different tunes, and all ff,
>with a crescendo to fff over the last ten bars.

I think that this is what a musician would call a challenge to
presenting the music. I am reminded of the works of Stravinsky and
Shostakovich which have some similar ideas (boy weren't they boring
pieces!).

>If we must have contests, maybe there should be one
>for composers as well, or maybe test pieces should just be chosen from the
>standard repertoire.

Does the word "Stagnation" have any meaning to you?

>I don't know of any other musical competition which has its own test
>pieces.  Oh well, maybe brass bands aren't musical anyway.

This is the reason that (certainly locally) the brass band has a much
higher performance calibre than amateur orchestras. Perhaps they should
take a leaf out of our book? Anyway in the US I am sure that there are
orchestral competitions and in Britain, there are large Choral
competitions of the same type.

As for your last comment, I suggest you go and listen to hip-hop or
grunge or what ever else non musical people listen to. I am ashamed to
play the same instrument.

I admit that this has appeared to form a flame, but I really feel that
there is no need for this kind of attitude on this mailing list. It is
hard enough to get recognition and sponsorship from the rest of the
community, without people trying to sabotage it from within.

Rolf Miezitis
First Baritone
Glenorchy City Concert Brass
(Current B-Grade Champions - Australia)


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