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Re: Instrumental straightjackets (was alternative instrument for cornet players

Cameron Mabon wrote:
> 
> 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?).

Edward Gregson
> 
> 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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