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Re: Instrumental straightjackets

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?

Shostakovich with Joanna Macgregor. Didn't hear how it went or anything.
I was just really impressed that this really serious and long work was
being attempted by a brass band.

> 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').

I haven't heard Acid Brass. But club music developed from other styles
itself. If the music makers had been told - "oh, no you can't do that,
we only use real instruments, not electronics" it would have been a
great loss. 

I'm not suggesting that brass bands should be thinking of adding strings
and wind. That is an orchestra and is a lot different. The proposals
being bounced around here are for horns that are a little different in
sound, perhaps an extra trombone or cornets doubling on trumpets. A
slight shift in the tonal capacity of the brass band, but still possibly
a great brass band. New ideas that might breathe new life into banding.

> On the subject of contesting. Bandsmen play in contesting bands because
> they enjoy contesting.

Granted - it's fun and exciting. But does it do the brass band good
musically? Would a highest note competition? Would a loudest note
competition? They might be fun too. 

Take an example - the film industry decides to have a contest of who
makes the best films. All the entrants are given a certain Shakespeare
script, an exact budget, location, limit on staff/cast etc. and all the
entrants have to make the same film. Some directors will go for an
authentic version. Some will look for new twists. Some may try and
modernise the play. (Interestingly do bands try and play the piece
differently like this, or just in the 'standard' way?) 

But in the end, has the film industry benefitted? Surely we should let
the directors choose the script that they want to work with and give
them the tools they want. That has to the most creative way, with the
best films as a result.

Fresh musical ideas are the lifeblood of bands and these will most
freely be cultivated on the concert platform or recording. Or maybe we
should consider an Oscars type ceremony for banding?!!

Okay, so contests should be won by making music, and they generally are.
But should we not also be celebrating bands making their own music?

Dave

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


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