Brass Band Logo

NJH Music Logo

Some of the contents of the pages on this site are Copyright © 2016 NJH Music
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Part II of an American perspective - Whit Friday (very long)

This must have been lost in the list crash...
-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Ellen <mlathrop@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: Brass Band List <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Saturday, June 05, 1999 8:52 AM
Subject: Part II of an American perspective - Whit Friday (very long)


>After 4 days in Scotland, wonderful but not band related, we took a sleeper
>train (with a couple of connections) down to Huddersfield, arriving the
>morning of Whit Friday.  Most of the events have run together in my mind.
>It was a very busy night.  Please understand these are the impressions I am
>left with, and I may have some of the specific names and places confused.
>
>We spent Whit Friday as guests of Elland Silver Band, where we appreciated
>the sense of community.  Phil and I stayed at a local guest house, and the
>innkeeper offered to drive us to the practice hall, since his daughter had
>played in the band for several years.  When we arrived at the practice
hall,
>Graham Harisson Sr. (Sam's Dad), a band member husband (ie "utility man" -
a
>US baseball term - do you use this phrase in the UK?) showed us around with
>obvious pride, including the wall of tributes to those who had passed on.
>You don't see many groups in the states with that type of heritage, or the
>commitment to bother documenting it.  Our band has a whopping 23 month
>history, so I was pretty impressed by those who were 3rd and 4th generation
>in banding.
>
>The whole Harrison family is involved in the band to some extent.  We
>enjoyed the chance to meet each of them.  Young Graham, Sam's brother
>reminded us of our son Bob, who is always the one recruited to pass out
>programs, fetch and carry, and generally help out at band events....with
>only a little good natured complaining.
>
>We heard a bit about band history from the musical director, Douglas Thomas
>(I'm not sure if I got the last name correct).  He mentioned that most
bands
>had been started around the beginning of the industrial revolution, when
>people who had previously had to work 14+ hours a day farming, just to
>survive, suddenly found themselves with time on their hands in their new
>factory jobs.  He also said that nearly every town had a band, but it was
>harder to get people interested these days.  He reminded me of Danny in
>Brassed Off, very focussed on continuing the traditions.  He even sounded
>sad that after 4 generations in banding, he was the last in his family
>involved.  We learned that Elland band practices 2 nights a week, and they
>have a Friday night learners class, and a Saturday Youth Band rehearsal as
>well.
>
>There wasnt adequate time for us to work out playing with the band.  This
>was fine, because it gave us more time to see
>other bands.  Kath Harrison (Sams Mom) seems to have the same role in
>Ellands band that I have in our band...the person who keeps everyone
>organized...so it was nice to meet a kindred spirit right off the bat.  She
>kind of threw us on the bus with the rest of the supporters with
>instructions to always get on first and off last to keep the band on
>time...all the while making sure 35 bandsmen were there with everything
they
>needed in tow.  Every band needs someone who knows what's going on!
>
>The members we met seemed to be mostly senior players who had moved on
>from championship level bands to the less time-intensive local band, and
the
>young kids they were teaching.   Elland had 7 players along that night from
>their youth band, a couple to play just on the march literally marching
>down the street.  Most played in the adjudicated
>march as well, played standing.  It amazed us how well the kids blended in,
>and were so happily involved in an activity that was otherwise full of
>adults, which adds the responsibility of behaving like a member of the
human
>race instead of an adolescent.  This would be a stretch for our own
>children!  We especially enjoyed watching Emma, the young drummer who
>carried a snare drum that was twice her size, and an 11 year old cornet
>player (whose name I have forgotten) who asked his Mom for food every time
>we got back on the bus - its impossible to fill up any 11 year old boy.
>After one stop, the Mom got on with a huge sausage sandwhich, a drink and
>fries...OK, OK...CHIPS, and he looked up at her and said "I can still get
>fish and chips at Delph, can't I?  Young Graham Harrison could not
>play this year due to a temporary lack of front teeth, but he admirably
>carried the Elland Silver sign in front of the band at each venue.
>
>We went to eight venues, ending at Delph.  Since we were busy soaking up
>"atmosphere" I can't remember all the names, or which was which, but here
>are my impressions:
>
>Denshaw  -  Our first stop.  The venue was held in front of a pub on what
>must have been the main street of the town, with a very short march, about
>100 yards.  We arrived behind a crowd of busses and had to wait through
>about 4 performances.  The quality of those playing was quite mixed.  I
>started watching Tewit Youth Band, who were doing very well for the typical
>age of the musicians.  I turned to my husband and said "I think I've been
>talking to someone on the list from this band".  A man standing next to us
>turned to us quite surprised and said "I think its me!"  I was standing
>right beside Steve Heninghem.  Elland played Ravenswood, as did one of the
>other bands we saw there.  I think we heard 3 other bands perform it as
well
>throughout the night.
>
>Uppermill - This was one of the busiest venues we went to.  They had a long
>march of several blocks, with mounted policemen leading each band (watch
>your step!) and the busses following (gotta love those diesel fumes!).  The
>march ended at a park that actually had decent accoustics for an outside
>venue, since it was set low amidst trees and a hillside which acted like
>walls to keep the sound in.  We stood on the hillside where we had a chance
>to watch 3 bands, including Marsden who performed quite well.
>
>Roaches Lock - definately the smallest venue we visited, the march lasted
>about 30 yards down the side of the property adjoining a pub and an old
>lock.  They played on a dusty field facing a trailer that served as a
judges
>stand.  Most of the crowd stayed out of the dust, up on the road - so it
>looked really funny to see the band standing alone playing to a trailer.
>
>????  - I can't remember the name of it, but we went to one venue in a
>football stadium, which is more what I'm used to when I think of a marching
>competition.  Of course, it wasn't what I think of as a football stadium:)
>
>BroadOak - when we arrived there was noone in line, so the band stepped out
>of the busses, scrambled to line up and headed down the street.   The band
>did not put their horns in cases between stops, to save time.  We felt
sorry
>for the tuba players who ended up cradling their horns all night.  Broadoak
>had a bandstand set up outside a pub, just a little thing with a tent-like
>roof and backdrop, but it really improved the quality of sound projection
>compared to most of the venues.  I think this was one of Elland's better
>performances.
>
>???? - another venue I can't place was behind a building, probably a pub or
>inn, which had a really nice kid's playground behind it.  Though a small
>venue, it was definately the place to watch if you had young kids, because
>they could play safely while you enjoyed the bands.  While the band got
>ready I assisted young Graham in procuring some chips from a booth that was
>set up by a local group for fundraising.  The woman who sold them to us was
>loudly berating the man who was running the grill, "he was too slow", "the
>food was burnt or underdone". "customers were waiting".....I take it they
>were married:)
>
>Delph - The band finished at Delph.  They had taken advantage of call ahead
>reservations to get a place in line.  We arrived about 10:30 but they
didn't
>play till about 12:30.  Delph was one enormous street party.  It was too
>crowded to follow the bands as they went by, and very difficult to get a
>place close enough to the standing venue to hear.  In spite of the crowds,
>and the obvious alcohol consumption going on, things were very orderly,
very
>much a family crowd.  We saw several good bands go by, without the chance
to
>hear them play much simply because we couldn't get there.  The Norwegian
>band, Eikanger Bjorsvik seemed to be the only group which paid any
attention
>to how well they marched down the street.  They sounded and looked like a
>true marching band (I'm from Ohio - we know marching bands!).  Elland
>probably had their best performance there, I guess that's everyone's big
>finish.  We ate fish and chips at midnight, and finished the night in the
>Delph band club for a pint.
>
>The Delph Band actually runs their own bar as a fundraiser!  Can any of you
>US band members imagine doing that???  I'll have to ask our band president
>and musical director what they think of the idea:)
>
>Because we are Americans, everyone we met seemed  happy to talk to us about
>their band experiences.  I must have heard the phrase "the euphonium is
>God's instrument" about 3 different times, which is part of our musical
>director's standard concert banter between numbers.  What's up with this?
>Is this some type of secret password for a Euphonium cult?
>
>Several people also talked to us about how important it is that the band
>movement remain a hobby.  There seemed to be a resentment towards anyone
who
>had gone to a more monied band, because it took away from bands as a local
>community fixture.  I got the impression that most people thought that the
>British Brass Band is still much loved, but it is evolving away from the
>local community, which is sad.
>
>We finished the night back at Elland about 1:30am.  It was a blast.  Anyone
>who has a chance to go should do it.  Thanks to everyone in the Elland
>Silver Band, who took in 2 virtual strangers for the evening, and had us
>saying things like "When are WE playing?" by the third venue.  A special
>thanks to Sam Harrison who set this all up, even though she was busy with
>British Telecom getting ready for the Masters!
>
>Mary Ellen Lathrop
>2nd horn
>Cuyahoga Valley Brass Band
>
>
>
>
>


--

[Services] [Contact Us] [Advertise with us] [About] [Tell a friend about us] [Copyright © 2016 NJH Music]