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Re: alternative instrument for a horn player

Changing the brass band instrumentation is really a silly issue.......It

will never change!!
Brass bands are perfectly balanced with the exception of the trombone
section. As an arranger, having four trombones would be a plus. All
sections of a brass band  are made up in "fours" except for the
trombones..... (4) tubas, (2) euphs& (2) Bar., flugel & (3) horns, (4)
solo cornets,
(4) back row cornets (2) 2nds & (2) 3rds.  The Sop and Rep are there for
range,
strength, support and colour.  So one more trombone would be ideal.  As
far as adding flugels, there is no reason why the back row cornets
couldn't
double on flugels which would enhance the tone colour of the brass band.

It would create a beautiful texture especially with 4 flugels in unison,
and 5... if you include the regular flugel. Brass bands still haven't
utilized mutes to their best advantage.  Many brass band players still
don't know how to blow through mutes.

There is no place for french horns... They don't blend with the flugel
as a section and can be over bearing.  I have written several things for
The River City Brass Band (all pros) and there is always a balance
problem.  If you want to
use trumpets and french horns then just start a brass ensemble. If you
want to add bass and guitar then start a big band.  Why tamper with an
already good (and established) sound.  And if you want to hear a
standard brass band play jazz at it's best, then listen to Brass Band of
Battle Creek....
Before you go changing things.... learn  how to produce the
sound and play the concept..... and learn to "swing".  Brass Band of
Battle Creek is the "proof of the pudding" that it can be done.
In the U.K., the only band I have heard that comes close to the proper
concept has been Grimethorpe.
And besides, publishers of brass band music will never ever change. No
money in it for them. I have never come out of a fantastic concert after
hearing Black Dyke or any other good band and said ... Gee... I wish
there were two flugels or 4 trombones.....
There is an expression in America... "If it aint broke, don't fix it"

Mark Freeh (New York City)
============================================================
Tony Lashmar wrote:

> Adrian Drover wrote:
>
> > On 19 Apr, Tony Lashmar <cornet@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > > > > And while I'm in my asbestos suit, why not dump 5 of the Bb
> cornets
> > > > > in favour of 4 trumpets and an extra flugelhorn.
> >
> > > Do we really have to answer this question????????
> >
> > > > However I was at a brass band concert recently where the soprano
> used a
> > > > trumpet. He blended well, had the right characteristic sound and
> was
> > > > much more comfortable on the trumpet than many sops are.
> >
> > > That's ok....Sop is in it's own world anyway!!!!!
> >
> > Hmm. So you are dead against swapping a few of the multitude of Bb
> cornets
> > for trumpets, but you don't mind losing the one and only soprano
> cornet? I
> > would have thought that the soprano was invaluable for the purpose
> of
> > helping out the Bbs on the high notes and doubling their line in the
>
> > octave above. I don't think this is a job for the trumpet. In my
> vision of
> > the band, the cornets would still reign supreme.
>
> Maybe I wasn't being clear....I meant that a sop player may choose to
> use an Eb
> Trumpet.  Considering that many sop players use shallow and C cup
> mouthmieces
> to help with the high ones, I don't think with many players It would
> maka that
> big a difference.  I must say though that there is no substitite for a
> GOOD
> soprano cornet palyer on a GOOD soprano cornet!!!!
>
> > > If you want....but Flugel is a HORN, not a cornet and definately
> not a
> > > trumpet and should be approached as a Horn or it sounds
> terrible!!!!!!
> >
> > No, wrong! The cornet is a horn. The flugel is a tuba (soprano
> tuba), just
> > as are the euphoniums (tenor tubas). It should be approached as a
> tuba, or
> > it sounds terrible.
>
> hmmmm.....I don't know about that one?!?!?!....more information
> please!!!!!
>
> > If there were 2 flugels in the band they could team up
> > with the 2 euphs to make another wonderful middle band section, in
> > contrast to the horns.
>
> Yes I agree..but you would also have to deal with the intonation
> problems that
> seem to hound the various color instruments in the band (sop, flg,
> Btrom).....multiplied by 2.
>
> > More's the pity that there are no Eb alto flugels
> > to fill the gap.
>
> hmmmm.......Eb mellophone maybe    (--:
>
> > > If you want to hear more than one flugel in a Brass band
> work......check>
> > out 'Dances and Arias' by Gregson.......TWO flugels are required
> for> that
> > work!!!!
>
> > Quite right too!
> >
> > > > > Then, why not employ a 4th player to complete the trombone
> team?
> >
> > > Many bands do!!!!!! (Just like a symphony orchestra would emplay a
>
> > > bumper 5th horn to strengthen a tiring first horn)
> >
> > I'm not talking about adding another trombone just for the purpose
> of
> > helping out the lead player. I had more in mind the possibility of
> writing
> > 4 part voicings with pure trombone tone.
> >
>
> I see what you mean..........and trom quatrtets do sound really
> good....but I
> am led to believe that the trombone section is the most connected to
> an
> orchestra section in the band.  This is because many (very) old parts
> were
> written in tenor clef for 1st & 2nd with the 3rd in bass
> clef...........quite
> similar to an orchestra!!!!!........and orcheatras genrally only have
> 3 bones
> too!!!
> (just a few thought on this one from a non-trombone player)
>
> Cheers
>
> Tony
>
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