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Re ISB Albert Hall

Dear Keith
thank you for the response to my posting, with great respect this is the
sort of response that I would of expect from a committed Salvantionist,
okay I will take off 10 minuets of the exaggerated time, but it was the way
and the approach and presentation that embarrassed some of the S/A and non
S/.A people in the audience that night.

1..  they ought to be questioning their Salvationism (please pass that
statement on to your 
Salvationist Friends Evan).

1a..      In our brass band movement there must be more ex Salvation
Bandsmen in our movement than committed Salvation Army bandsmen at the
present time
Bands up and down the country from Championship to 4th section  have
approx: half a dozen ex salvation brass musicians playing and quite a few
M.D's conducting in the outside band.
 It is not my job to question their Salvationism, they made the choice to
play come and join us, and I know many still go to the S/A on Sunday
mornings.
May I add many years ago S/A bandsmen who came over to the other side ,
many were ostracised by there corp for doing so and had a hard time, but I
am glad that attitudes is changing. in some area of the country it still
remains the same.

2....All SA music is about salvation of souls etc, what else could it be
about. Why do these organizers ask SA  composers to write test pieces ? if
they are not happy with the content why do it.

2a.....Most of the composers/ arrangers who are given the pleasure to write
Test Pieces for our movement are given a free hand and are judged after the
event, then the criticism and the feed back begins.
In the S/A the composers and arrangers have one hand tied behind there back
and have to submit there music to a panel before it can be played, there is
a supple difference.
Eric Ball . Edward Gregson. G.Brand. Wilfred Heaton.Philip Sparke. Ray
Steadman Allen all have composed or arranged Test Pieces for the national
they have all had Salvation Army influence, but they did have the respect
to write music or arrange music and steer away from religious, or
redemption themes for the Nationals.


3....Concerning the release of SA music to non army bands, nobody from the
SA is making bands buy this 'religious' music, so why are you buying it.
Just because I buy something from M&S doesn't mean they have to buy
something from me.

3a......I Think you lost the plot, Many years ago it was hard to get any
music from the Salvation Army, Eric Ball arranged 101 Hymn Tunes for
outside bands and many off us grew up with them.
With great surprise they made the Festival music available, why because the
S/A could see a market out there to sell there music also like I said there
is a lot of Ex Salvationist in outside bands have a opportunity to play the
music that they were brought up with, Mind You I know a lot of Salvationist
who buy from the Co-op because they like to collect the divvy. :) 

4......As with any organization, club or whatever there are rules to be
kept, and one of the SA rules on music is that SA bands cannot play music
which is not published by the SA without permission. How 
can you sensibly say that SA composers should move away from writing music
with a religious, soul saving theme, when the central core of the movement
is religion and soul saving. 

4a......As I have said with great respect there is a time and place, when
in Rome as they say:
I do not except the Salvation Army to change or move away from the writing
music with religious and soul saving themes, but I do object when it is
used to contest with, to find who are next National Champions are going to
be, there are other subject that they can find like the other former
Salvation Army composers / Arrangers have done in the past wrote peices for
the championship..

5.......I don't hear of many SA bandsman knocking the Dykes and Fodens of
this 
world so why is it that players from outside bands (mainly can I say from 
recent experience former SA bandsmen (ex is not the right word)) knock SA 
bands and their music? If you don't agree with it , don't buy the music,
don't attend any musical festivals where SA bands are performing - have the
courage of your convictions SA BANDS DO 


5a.......We do get knocked from S/A bandsmen about our famous bands, and
the question does come up time and time again saying that the ISB,
Regent.Chalk Farm.Enfield etc. are better bands than some of our top ten
bands and they would fair well if they would contest against the outside
bands.
I have always said horses for courses:,
 May I say former or ex S.A. bandsmen who I have spoken too and played with
have always have great admiration for the Salvation Army and there music.
The only criticism that I have with the Salvation Army is they make or
change there own rules to benefit there cause, regardless to others that it
may effect.
 We as outside bands have always excepted salvation army musicians with
open arms and will do so in the future .we on the outside do have the
courage of our convictions by keeping our gates open for musicians to come
into our fold whatever colour or religious beliefs or the reason they have
left the Salvation Army.  our convictions is to make music together and
have freedom of choice and to live in   harmony together whatever the
cause. one day I hope that the salvation army and outside bands will come
closer, but we must play on a level playing field, and then make a set of
rules that will benerficial and benevolence for the cause of  the love of
playing brass music.

Just a thought when we go to that great brass band in the sky, I wonder how
the great man will select his brass musician's, equal opportunity I hope.:)

Keep in touch Evan Howells


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