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Re: Area Pieces (a reply)

Hi there John,
D4VIS@xxxxxxx wrote:

> hi colin and all that have taken this topic   up for debate
>
> firstly thanks for the compliment  I too am an admirer of your band who with
> have riddings have always enjoyed the fellowship of at the contests we have
> played in together.

I'm so glad that you expressed these sentiments in your opening paragraph, after
recent events in our movement, particularly with regard to the unfortunate three
bands who have been expelled from the Nationals, I was beginning to think that
certain elements and individuals were taking delight in this regrettable episode
- brass bands should be heard in concert and contest rooms - not the courtrooms,
(sorry folks......sermon over).  It's good to see that differences of opinion can
be expressed by way of this excellent forum, and yet that essential 'fellowship'
can still remain.

> you mention the excellent gilbert vinter in your reply and i feel that this
> just goes to prove my point.  What am I going to get nostalgic about if we
> don't commission new works.   yes i conceded that not everything written will
> be good, or even used again, but isn't this the case throughout the history
> of original brass band music.   for every gem there must be a lot of
> mediocrity just look at a contest programme from the 60's and see how many
> pieces you have heard of.
>

I can't argue with your reasoning here, however, most of the test pieces from
this era, from my memory and experience were usually orchestral arrangements -
Force Of Destiny for instance.

> To possibly reopen a contentious topic though, good music doesn't have to
> contain something you can hum along to.  if the music contains atmosphere
> generated by the use of tone colours and harmony or rhythmic effects is this
> bad music?
>

Certainly not.  I guess what I was trying to say is that the modern trend is to
compose test pieces that are made artificially difficult because of what I term
musical gymnastics/pyrotechnics - loads of key changes - time changes -  unusual
dynamic requirements etc. all in rapid succession.  I remember years ago a Finals
Championship test piece ( It may have been A Joyful Noise), that opened up with a
short solo euphonium passage that was fairly simple to look at and ended up with
a pause on A  ( first ledger line above stave).  As seemed to be the custom in
those days, when an extremely famous band took the stage, the Albert Hall seemed
to fill up in anticipation of another stunning performance, and their extremely
famous euphonium player began to play the opening bars when he went for the note
and unfortunately split it, to the very audible gasp from the capacity audience.
They came second - the judges remarks - which were printed in the BB the
following week were: ".......nice opening, apart from 'that note'....".  I would
never criticise any player for splitting a note you understand, particularly at
the RAH, there but for the grace of God and all that, but this is the type of
test that I would prefer to see return to to new compositions.  (I remember
having to play Resurgam at a coal board qualifier with Desford under Howard
Snell, and I can tell you he gave us some real grief with that bottom C first
note at pp - but that's another story - although we did win).

I would also like to add that the piece for 'The Open' that we are practising at
the moment .....Dove Decending by Phillip Wilby contains great chunks of the
aforementioned musical pyrotecnics/gymnastics - but - in Part two and Nativity he
has created a masterpiece of an extended slow movement in 5 flats that features
numerous cadenza type passages, (alla Vinter), but features mainly solo
euphonium, standing, that if I didn't know better, could well have been
co-written by our illustrious fellow list member Robert Childs.  This section is
truly inspirational - believe me folks - this is Joyfull Noise all over again, a
real 'bottle' job.  If you get chance list members - get to Symphony Hall next
Saturday and be inspired.

> as we all know beauty is in the "ears" of the beholder when it comes to music
> and long may this continue.

Hear hear.  Personally I love Prometheus Unbound but my band gave me grief when I
made 'em play it.

>
>
> and finally to close wasn't gilbert vinter's music considered modern and way
> out in the 60's and 70's when it was written, considered too avant garde by
> the bandsmen of today, and now this excellent music is generating nostalgia
>

I don't know about 'way-out', or avant garde.  I remember playing Variations On A
Ninth when it was subsequently used at area level when I was a Tenor Horn
Player.  It was modern I suppose because it was contemporary, there was certainly
nothing like it at the time - not with those multiple cadenzas - in its day it
was regarded as almost unplayable, real cutting edge stuff, but most of all each
variation had something memorable in it that stuck in the mind for ever.  Now
second section bands are making a good job of it - and why not!

> so what am i going to get nostalgic about if no new music is written :-)))
>

All the contest's that you have won or will win!!!!

> regards to all
>
> John Davis
>
> PS if you are coming to the finals at Nottingham say hello and put some faces
> to the names
>

I aim to be there - and you can introduce me to your first trombone player!!

Good luck to you and your band and all participants at The Finals,

Colin Randle.  http://www.BrassBand.cwc.net


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