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Re: Two Euphs too many?

Dave,

As a player, isn't that a matter of knowing your role (as in any group) and
having the right player in the right chair? I totally agree with you about
orchestral tuba players... but here again,  they don't know their role in a
brass band.

By the way Dave, that brass ensemble instrumentation is very close to that
of The Manhattan Brass Choir.... of course adding bass (string) and drums.

Mark Freeh  (NYC)

----------
> From: David W. Buckley <davebuckley@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Two Euphs too many?
> Date: Monday, May 11, 1998 12:55 PM
> 
> Adrian Drover wrote:
> > 
> > I recently read on this list, a suggestion that one of the euphs should
be
> > dumped due to its overwhelming quality of sound in relation to the rest
of
> > the band. It is true that the euph has a very powerful sound in
relation
> > to the majority of the instrumentation. This is due to the size of its
> > bore. In fact one solo euph can easily be heard against the full
ensemble.
> > But it is no more powerful than the tubas or the flugelhorn, which are
> > built the same way.
> > 
> > The euph will stick out like a sore thumb if it is scored incorrectly.
> > Melody lines, bass lines and counterpoints are fine for the euph, but
if
> > you put two of them on the same harmony line, you have problems. When I
> > score for these instruments in a harmony role, I always have them
divisied
> > and combined with the flugel and/or the basses which are of the same
> > family of instruments. This creates a balance of heavy tone, which can
> > easily be combined with the rest of the instrumentation.
> > 
> > There are 4 tubas in the band. That is 3 more than are normally used in
> > the symphony orchestra, but this does not create an imbalance
> 
> In fact, 4 tuba players without brass band experience do create a
> balance problem. Brass band tubas must approach their playing in a much
> gentler fashion than orchestral tubas. This gives the distinctive
> organ-like foundation to the brass band. Hannaford Street Silver Band in
> toronto consistently has tuba and trombone balance problems in live
> performances because with their very limited rehearsal time, the players
> do not change their normal approach; that is gentler for tubas, more
> intense for trombones. Ask Bbob Childs and James Watson about the
> solution that Watson found for the tubas in January. Absolutely the best
> balanced tuba sound I have heard from Hannaford. Those of you who have
> only heard them on recordings will not notice this because the balancing
> is done in the control room.
> On Saturday, I conducted a symphonic brass choir of professionals, 3 or
> 4 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 or 4 trombones, 1 eupnonium, 1 tuba and
> percussion. What a pleasure to conduct a fundamentally balanced group
> and not have to compensate for the balance problems inherent in the
> brass band, regardless of who does the arrangements. Many players in
> bands are not really aware of or will deny this underlying challenge
> because the problem has been resolved over many years of playing
> together but it sure is obvious from the podium or the audience.
> Regards, Dave.
> 
> because
> > they are usually all scored on the bass line, which apart from the
melody,
> > is the strongest line of the voicing. Using the basses on a harmony
line
> > could cause problems, but have you considered writing 4 part harmony
for 2
> > euphs and 2 Eb basses (or one Eb and one Bb). This should give as good
a
> > balance as 2 tenor horns and 2 baritones (or 3 and 1). In fact there is
no
> > reason why you should not be able to use more than two euphs. Think of
the
> > wonderful sound you could get from 4 flugels, 3 or 4 euphs and 1 or 2
> > bass tubas scored in 8 to 10 parts.
> > 
> > Just a thought for Sunday morning, and I haven't even mentioned french
> > horns or trumpets.
> > 
> > BTW, my spell checker doesn't suggest "oafs" for "euphs", but it does
> > recommend "hoofs".
> > 
> > Adrian :-)
> > 
> > --
> >   ____    _ _
> >  /    \ _| (_)___   _____ ADRIAN DROVER
> > |  ()  / _ | / _ \_( ___/ INNOVATIVE ORCHESTRAL SERVICES
> > |__/\__\___|_\___/____)   http://www.gemscore.demon.co.uk/
> > Business:  adios@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Personal: adrian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  (Glasgow, Scotland)
> > 
> > --
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> 
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