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Re: NABBA Instant Band

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: NABBA Instant Band
From: J.Alexander@xxxxxxxxxxx (Jack Alexander)
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 13:23:24 +1100
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kris Richardson (and I hope there will be others) argues against my
contention that there should be French horns in brass bands.   I should
have made my point  clearer.  Of course if you substitute  a French horn
for a tenor horn (or trumpet for cornet) in a standard brass orchestration
there is a problem with balance, but it would be a different matter if the
music were written specifically for these instruments.

I suppose what I am saying is that  brass bands must be prepared to evolve
from something which was created in the social-economic-cultural
environment of one hundred years ago, into something which reflects today's
environment.   If they don't, the brass band movement will either become
extinct or become a fringe specialist musical activity playing for its own
enjoyment and wondering why no one else cares.

Kris also said:

>	Also brass band players are really more like virtuoso players.
>You'll never hear a French horn play Flight of the Bumble Bee or Carnival
>of Venice.  They are stuck on the Mozart, Strauss, and Weber concertos
>

I agree that brass bands reqyuire more virtuoso playing, even from the
rank-and-file, than most other large ensembles.   But really, after the
first "Gee whiz!", how often can you listen to Carnival of Venice?    I am
reminded of the "music vs sport" argument which upset a lot of people here
some time ago, but being a fine Saturday afternoon and the surf is up, I'll
leave it at that.


Jack Alexander
Waverley Bondi Beach Band
Sydney NSW    Australia

Telephone: (61) (2) 9385 5290	 Fax: (61) (2) 313 8604
E-mail: J.Alexander@xxxxxxxxxxx


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