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The Great Vibrato Debate

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Friends,

Sorry for the "> >" junk. I've had some problems posting this. Here are
my thoughts on the vibrato subject, courtesy of a couple of forwarded
messages from Nigel.

> > Happy New Year to one and all, and Greetings from Canada!
> >
> > I simply couldn't resist adding my 2 to this discussion.
> >
> > One of my very good friends (a fellow euphonium player) and I have
> > had this same discussion on the use and abuse of vibrato.
> >
> > My conviction is that there are several good reasons to use vibrato
> > in performing with brass bands. (One of my most traumatic
> > experiences as a child was having my fellow S.A. Junior bandsmen
> > mock my immature use of vibrato. I was scarred for life, learned to
> > use it properly and took on an active role in the promotion of this
> > useful and expressive instrumental tool.)
> >
> > On an instrument such as a euphonium, or most any wind or brass
> > instrument for that matter, in addition to helping to create a warm,
> > pleasant sound a sensible vibrato will help to centre the pitch of
> > the note played.
> >
> > Also, although I have no empirical data to support this, it is my
> > experience that using a proper vibrato (that is, one that is not
> > produced by controlling air with the throat) tends to increase
> > stamina. Anyone else have this experience?
> >
> > Further, one need only examine the realm of non-brass band musical
> > expression to find countless examples (good, bad and ugly!) of
> > vibrato. It seems that the only real exception to the 'rule' is
> > orchestral brass! Does anyone else see a pattern here? Even as
> > recently as last year, I heard rumours that Philip Smith himself has
> > suspiciously been an advocate of orchestral-brass vibrato in certain
> > instances!
> >
> > My friend believes that the use of 'excessive' vibrato in brass
> > bands is leaning towards poor taste. In his view, the likely
> > progression in banding will tend to favour less use of vibrato in
> > the future, although this impression is most probably based on the
> > facts that he listens most often to orchestral works, that he
> > doesn't listen to brass bands with any regularity and that when he
> > DOES listen to brass bands they are of the North American style.
> >
> > Nohstanding the above tirade, we must certainly acknowledge that
> > when the music dictates a particular style, we must consider that to
> > use vibrato or not may enhance the meaning and perception of the
> > music. My experience is that there are as many band members who
> > cannot use a good vibrato as there are who cannot "turn it off".
> > Flexibility is the key!
> >
> > Robert Miller
> > Euphonium, Intrada Brass
> > rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > rmiller@xxxxxxxx
> >
> > P.S. Does anyone else think that "The Great Vibrato" would make a
> > fine name for a magician as opposed to a musician?

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Return-Path: <rmiller_1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
	via sendmail with esmtp
	id <m0vjmbf-000A5DC@xxxxxxxx>
	for <rmiller@xxxxxxxx>; Mon, 13 Jan 1997 08:39:19 -0500 (EST)
	(Smail-3.2 1996-Jul-4 #1 built 1996-Jul-10)
Comments: Authenticated sender is <rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "Robert Miller" <rmiller_1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Organization: The Salvation Army
To: rmiller@xxxxxxxx
Date:Mon, 13 Jan 1997 08:38:37 -0500
Subject: (Fwd) The Great Vibrato Debate (fwd)
Priority: normal
Message-Id: <97Jan13.083722est.5888@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:	  Fri, 10 Jan 1997 16:57:52 -0500
From:	  njh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Nigel Horne)
Reply-to:      njh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To:	    rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:       The Great Vibrato Debate (fwd)

This item failed to be posted because you sent it as
rmiller_1@xxxxxxxxxxxx, whereas you subscribed as
rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I will leave it in my pending queue until I hear from you what you
want me to do with it. In the meantime here is the file including the
headers:



Forwarded message follows:

> From rmiller_1@xxxxxxxxxxxx Mon Jan 06 23:19:56 1997
> Received: from relay-5.mail.demon.net by smsltd.demon.co.uk with
> SMTP id AA3493 ; Mon, 06 Jan 97 23:19:54 GMT Received: from
> relay-6.mail.demon.net by mailstore
>	   for brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx id 852565234:6:03716:5;
>	   Mon, 06 Jan 97 15:40:34 GMT
> Received: from NS.SALLYNET.ORG ([199.85.29.7]) by
> relay-5.mail.demon.net
>	    id aa522955; 6 Jan 97 15:40 GMT
> Received: by moses.sallynet.org id <5890>; Mon, 6 Jan 1997 10:38:26
> -0500 Comments: Authenticated sender is
> <rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> From: "Robert Miller"
> <rmiller_1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Organization: The Salvation Army To:
> brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date:Mon, 6 Jan 1997 10:40:13 -0500
> Subject: The Great Vibrato Debate Priority: normal X-mailer: Pegasus
> Mail for Win32 (v2.42) Message-Id:
> <97Jan6.103826est.5890@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Status: R
> 
> Happy New Year to one and all, and Greetings from Canada!
> 
> I simply couldn't resist adding my 2c to this discussion.
> 
> One of my very good friends (a fellow euphonium player) and I have
> had this same discussion on the use and abuse of vibrato.
> 
> My conviction is that there are several good reasons to use vibrato
> in performing with brass bands. (One of my most traumatic
> experiences as a child was having my fellow S.A. Junior bandsmen
> mock my immature use of vibrato. I was scarred for life, learned to
> use it properly and took on an active role in the promotion of this
> useful and expressive instrumental tool.)
> 
> On an instrument such as a euphonium, or most any wind or brass
> instrument for that matter, in addition to helping to create a warm,
> pleasant sound a sensible vibrato will help to centre the pitch of
> the note played.
> 
> Also, although I have no empirical data to support this, it is my
> experience that using a proper vibrato (that is, one that is not
> produced by controlling air with the throat) tends to increase
> stamina. Anyone else have this experience?
> 
> Further, one need only examine the realm of non-brass band musical
> expression to find countless examples (good, bad and ugly!) of
> vibrato. It seems that the only real exception to the 'rule' is
> orchestral brass! Does anyone else see a pattern here? Even as
> recently as last year, I heard rumours that Philip Smith himself has
> suspiciously been an advocate of orchestral-brass vibrato in certain
> instances!
> 
> My friend believes that the use of 'excessive' vibrato in brass
> bands is leaning towards poor taste. In his view, the likely
> progression in banding will tend to favour less use of vibrato in
> the future, although this impression is most probably based on the
> facts that he listens most often to orchestral works, that he
> doesn't listen to brass bands with any regularity and that when he
> DOES listen to brass bands they are of the North American style.
> 
> Nohstanding the above tirade, we must certainly acknowledge that
> when the music dictates a particular style, we must consider that to
> use vibrato or not may enhance the meaning and perception of the
> music. My experience is that there are as many band members who
> cannot use a good vibrato as there are who cannot "turn it off".
> Flexibility is the key!
> 
> Robert Miller
> Euphonium, Intrada Brass
> rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> rmiller@xxxxxxxx
> 
> P.S. Does anyone else think that "The Great Vibrato" would make a
> fine name for a magician as opposed to a musician?
> 
> 

-- 
Nigel Horne, Wharfedale Computers Ltd. Internet:
njh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fidonet: Nigel Horne @ 2:253/417.49; Packet:
G0LOV@GB7SYP.#19.GBR.EDU; http://www.smsltd.demon.co.uk. Phone:
+44-1226-283021.

Robert Miller
rmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx
T H E  S A L V A T I O N  A R M Y
Computer Services Department
(416) 422-6162


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Content-Description: Address Book Card for Robert Miller

BEGIN:VCARD
FN:Robert Miller
N:Miller;Robert
ADR:;;128-400 Mississauga Valley Blvd.;Mississauga;Ontario;L5A 3N6
EMAIL;INTERNET:rmiller@xxxxxxxx
TEL;WORK:(416) 422-6162
TEL;FAX:(416) 422-6160
TEL;HOME:(905) 275-3680
END:VCARD


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