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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?).
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?).

Maybe you are thinking of the Piano Solo with brass band accompiament
that was written by Ray Steadman-Allen. Sorry the name escapes me right
now, and I can' t seem to locate my recording that I thought I had. It
is quite pleasant to listen to and I belive presents a challenge to both
the band and soloist.

Regards, 

Larry White
p.s. Are all your troubles over regarding the disqualification of your
band earlier this spring?

Like to hear from you.

Larry
> 
> 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
> 
> --
> unsubscribe or receive the list in digest form, mail a message of 'help' to
> listserver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> 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
> 
> --
> unsubscribe or receive the list in digest form, mail a message of 'help' to
> listserver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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