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Salvation Army music

To: Brass Band List <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Salvation Army music
From: "David W. Buckley" <davebuckley@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 15:06:59 -0700
Organization: Buckley Associates Management Inc.
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kept resisting replying to the snarky comments about SA music which have
recently appeared but finally could not resist.
The SA has a unique world wide music publishing empire that is
distinguished from most other music publishers by the volume of music
produced, the exceptionally high level of the arrangements on average,
the high quality of the publishing, that is few errors and the wide
range of skill levels catered to. Obviously the music serves the
religious purposes of the SA and many of the replies suggest to me that
there is some discomfort in the writers as to their spiritual health.
I have played SA music for most of my 66 years and over the last 15
years since retiring from SA banding -which is very demanding if you are
involved with one of the better bands- have had more exposure to both
the outside band repertoire and the concert band repertoire. The SA
stuff stands up very well on any criteria you wish to use.
Anyone studying the programs of bands all over the world cannot help but
note that since the SA began making their music more widely available,
it is appearing on almost every program.
The arrangements of hymn tunes in the SA book are so far ahead of most
brass books that it is not even funny. Since Ray Steadman-Allen has just
done a book for brass that should help but it has been lean pickings if
you could not beg, borrow or steal the SA books.
Personally, I happen to believe that all music is a gift from God sent
to comfort, inspire, challenge and in general help us through life. That
doesn't mean that I like it all. Just that it all has merit and it is
aggravating to see silly criticisms of one of the band world's
outstanding achievements, SA music.
There. I have got this off my chest and now have to go practice for a
concert in the park tonight with the Burlington Concert Band. No SA
music but lots of light and enjoyable stuff.
Dave Buckley.


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