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Re: What's the British opinion of American bands?

To: <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: What's the British opinion of American bands?
From: "Graham Young" <gyoung@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 18:37:29 -0500
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----------
> Just out of curiosity, what is the opinion of the British (and
Australian,
> New Zealander, etc...) bandsmen on the sound of the USA's top bands? 
> 
> I know many over here hold bands like Dyke, Grimethorpe, et.al in a sort
of
> reverance. As for American bands, I feel the Chicago Staff Band, Brass
Band
> of Columbus, Brass Band of Battle Creek, Illinois Brass Band, and, of
> course, Pershing's Own US Army Brass Band (possibly the best band this
> side of the Atlantic) are of comparable quality of musicianship to some
of
> Britain's top amatuer bands.
> 


> Regards,
> Matt LaFontaine
> 
> The All Star Brass and Percussion Solo Euphonium
> NABBA Honors Section
> 
If you have never heard one of these bands live you just 
can not know that they have a sound that North American 
bands just haven't got near as yet. It is not recordable
with the impact that a live band has. I have a Cd of a live performance by
Desford and it pales in comparison to what you hear in the hall.

The top bands in Britain are at a standard that places them
as world class ensembles. What we call amateur and what they 
call amateur is something different.

Check out Doug Yeo's homepage where he states that
the BDM ( and other top bands) plays at a level that North American pro's
seldom 
attain. When James Watson brought Desford to Toronto
a few years ago what I heard confirmed his statement
"Our amateurs are better than your professionals"

The Brass band of Battle Creek is a first class ensemble
but they have to import Steven Mead for Euph. Like most bands 
over here you can readily tell that the cornets are converted 
trumpeters.

Keep in that there are hundreds of bands in Britain
and and competition that is very intense compared to the
easy going NABBA affairs. 
Where the top bands here
would take months to prepare a test piece. In Britain
they do it in less than two weeks. James Watson told me
that BDM can learn a piece like Essence of Time in two 
rehearsals if necessary and not spend all the rehearsal
time on that piece. 

Actually the best band in North America is probably
the Canadian Staff Band. 


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