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Re: Instrumental straightjackets (was alternative instrument for cornet players

On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, David Read wrote:

> 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?

Which concerto did Marple do? I have heard of an arrangement of the 18th 
Variation from Rachmaninoff's Pagannini Variations, and I think there is 
an arrangement for band of the famous Grieg Concerto in A minor. I once 
heard a rumour that a brass band composer had written a concerto 
specifically for piano and brass band (I can't remember who - probably 
someone like Denis Wright or Roy Newsome maybe?).

As for Fairey's dance exploits, they're good at 4am after a few pints and 
equally good for impressing Joe Public that brass bands play more than 
"Oom-pah!" music. However, having heard the Acid Brass CD, I'm not 100% 
convinced that I could listen to it as music (as opposed to 'effect 
writing').

On the subject of contesting. Bandsmen play in contesting bands because 
they enjoy contesting. There have to be rules regarding the number of 
players in each band and the nature of the pieces they play so that bands 
can be judged on an equal platform. A contest between a band of forty 
players playing "The Essence of Time" against one with 20 members playing 
"Mexican Fiesta"(?) would not be a fair one (an extreme example, 
admittedly!). 

At the end of the day, contesting is a popular pursuit*. As you point out, 
it may be harsh that a band's musical success should be judged on a 15 
minute performance. However, similar constrictions apply to other spheres 
of life. Consider the plight of the 100m sprinter, whose merit is 
determined by a race lasting less than 10 seconds. Or the ice skater, who 
must present a 'test-programme' over a period of not more than ten minutes.


*although I am aware of the trend observed by Ron Massey in the British 
Bandsman last week of a general decline in entries for the areas 
(particularly the fourth section). I don't know if the drop in entries is 
a statistically significant one (spoken like the true scientist I almost 
am!) but I would imagine that the decline can be put down (at least 
partly) to the 
choice of test-pieces this year - but that is another topic altogether...

Regards,

Cameron

-- 
  Cameron Mabon (International Idiot)	   cmabon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Piano, cornet and duck-call
  Fundamental Brass	       http://users.ox.ac.uk/~newc0349/fun
  City of Oxford Band     http://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/~cmabon/COSB.html


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