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Re: Baritones!

Mand (and list)

I actually saw a terrific rendition of the Laurel & Hardy duet "On the
trail of the Lonesome Pine" last weekend - 1st & Second Barra - and
the lower part needed a 4 valve Baritone.  Dont see many of those tha
knows.  (The upper part appeared to need a sop at the end but thats
another story...)

And scary, it was John Davis' Riddings Band doing it.  Not an um-chuck
to be seen either!

I once dep'ed 2nd Barra for Forresters and didnt see any reason for
ridicule in the part.  Bolero was one of the pieces as a Barra solo
and 2nd was not just um-chucking.  Sounds like the Euph player you
knew was just intent on getting us other Euph players a bad name.  And
anyway, in my band we get what I call "the ritual humiliation of the
Euphoniums" so I guess its just a form of bullying.  With you its 2nd
barra.  With me its Euph.  We must just be natural "victims" <grin>.

Steve Larwood, Euphonium
Melbourne Town Band http://www.mtb-brassband.com


Amanda Edson wrote:
> 
> 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.
> 
> --
> 
>	 unsub brass-band
>	 end


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