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Brass Band Disasters

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Brass Band Disasters
From: "John Nolan" <J.Nolan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 10:37:30 +0000
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An event which amused me in retrospect if not at the time.

Some 25 years ago in the days when Brass Bands bore a rather more
militaristic mean than they do now and at a time when the Band
(Oxford Concert Brass) was attempting (successfully in the end) to
gain the respect of the 'serious music' fraternity in Oxford
(England) the following problem and 'solution' occurred.

Problem

Three of our players, one EFlat Bass and two Troms. had somehow
manages to break or injure their legs and were in full plaster casts
and in one case an impressive black-eye and the odd band-aid as well.

Plan A was for the Band to march on to the stage smartly and with
military precision from both sides of the stage and to stand and sit
in the usual choreographed manner. This to happen when the stage
curtains were opened.

The solution.

It was decided that the smart entry would be made but that the
'cripples' would be wheeled onto the stage before the curtains were
drawn.

The audience seated were first treated to an introductory adulation of
the band:-
"Ladies and Gentlemen. The Oxford Concert Brass".
The curtains were opened to reveal a stage empty except for three obvious casualties propped up in playing position. Somebody
got the giggles at this bizarre spectacle and the audience descended
into helpless mirth for several minutes during the entry of the rest
of the band.

Happily order was eventually restored and the concert was well
received and rave- reviewed in the local paper.

John Nolan

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