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Baritones!

Hi List!

It's not often I write to the list, but something has finally got to me.

After playing baritone for practically 16 years (apart from brief occasions
on tenor horn and euphonium), I am sick to death of people taking the p***.
Comments such as, "Oh you're only a baritone player" and "sometimes even
baritone players count as musicians" eventually grind on your nerves you
know.

I know most of the time people are only having a bit of fun, but it has
occurred to me that they are having this fun in just about every band I've
ever played in.

If you play First Baritone you usually escape too much banter.  I played 2nd
baritone for one Championship band and was constantly told by the Solo Euph
that I "didn't matter" as I was only the 2nd bari and not important.

I'm not really angry or upset about this.  I actually do find it quite
amusing myself, especially when the players who do 'matter' cock-up on the
contest stage, and your part goes in spot-on!  I have even, at the Area, had
occasion to take-over the 1st baritone part because the player has dried
up!!

OK so most of the time our part is 'um-chucks' and I'm the first person to
get fed-up with this (just ask John Davis of Riddings!), but we can actually
play tha' knows.

Just an added note.  Could composers/arrangers actually give us 2nd baritone
players a challenge now and again please.  Before there are hundreds of
e-mails telling me about wonderful pieces for 2nd baritone, I know there are
a lot of decent arrangements, but as new ones are written all the time it's
just a small request.  A nice "bit o' tune" now and again, just for the 2nd
baritone, would be gratefully received.

Here endeth the gospel according to Mand!

Cheers

Mand.


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