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Re: Instrumental straightjackets (was alternative instrument for cornet players

Richard Cookson wrote:
> I think that Britten wrote 'Music for a Russian Funeral' for band.

In fact, he wrote Russian Funeral for 10-piece brass (in 1936). It is a
veritable hit in my book when played in that ensemble. I would be warey
about how it would work for full band. For me much of the music comes
from the intensity of the sound. Eerie plain chant from the trombones
leading to harshness from the trumpets and horns bring grief and anger.
The texture seems critical, and for me, that would take some arranging
for the mellowness of the band, so I can understand if you were not
overjoyed by it in the form you played.

> I really don't think that this argument holds any weight, if composers
> wanted different instrumentation I'm quite sure that they would call for
> it.
...
> If composer 'A'
> decided to use 3 french horns instead of Eb horns, but composer 'B' decided
> to use 10 trumpets instead of cornets, how many bands have the resources to
> purchase all the alternative instrumentation permutations possible in order
> to play these pieces?

So composers should be free to call for odd instrumentation, but can't.

Philip Jones formed the original 10 piece brass ensemble in the 70s for
many many groups to copy in the following years. They started with 8
players originally, then adding an extra trombone to make the
arrangements easier. Then an extra trumpet was added to help the lips of
the other three and the 10-piece was born. This was a musically
comfortable ensemble, allowing music and arrangements with tonal
character and balance. 

But who's to say that the music composed in the next twenty years will
be suited to such a brass ensemble? Music is life, and life changes, so
please don't discount change. And if things change a lot, then a brass
band movement that doesn't will die, like Welsh coal. If the composers
of the day, people like Adrian Drover for example, are calling out for
different instrumentation then we should let them be creative and
possibly take banding forward.

> It's alright banding about the names of famous orchestral
> composers who haven't written much for brass band but I think it's a sort
> of snobbery.

The well-known composers wrote for orchestras, chamber ensembles, wind
quintets, solo instruments, choirs, masses, string quartets etc.etc.
They used instruments as they felt necessary. If Mahler didn't want any
trombones in his fourth symphony, then why should he feel compelled to
put them in just for the sake of tradition? The composers even invented
instruments to play the music in their heads. Now we should ask
ourselves have these versatile and visionary composers neglected the
brass band? Even when there have been good bands all over the country
for 100 years? If true, then surely we have missed out. 

These composers are not snobs, they write music which we all appreciate
in arrangement form all the time. Original music for brass band can only
be better.

> There are many fine composers in the brass band medium

Granted. There is a place for the brass band as it stands, but my view
is that contesting chokes change. Full marks to Marple for trying a
piano concerto. Great stuff to Dyke trying out bass trombone as soloist.
Well done Fairey's for trying some dance music. It may not all work
every time, but you have to keep change an option. Why does a band's
musical success always have to boil down to 15 minutes performance using
exactly 28 players?

Brass band in a film? Outrageous idea!

Regards,
Dave

-- 
David Read			     Queens' College
dtr20@xxxxxxxxx		      Cambridge CB3 9ET


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