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Re: Narnia

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Narnia
From: "David ROBERTS" <d.roberts@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 14:49:03 GMT
In-reply-to: <E11gaW1-0003TF-00@sand4.global.net.uk>
Organization: Royal Academy of Music
Priority: normal
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> As for balancing - forget the score, I guarantee you 9 out of 10
> bands will re-arrange parts all over the place (like the baritone parts in
> the 12/8 movement) because it's so badly scored originally - I don't think
> that should be necessary in a test piece and it leaves conductors like me
> with a dilemma (so far I've been a purist where contest scores are concerned
> - and two of our results have undoubtedly suffered because of it).
> 

I agree that it'll probably need rearranging to some extent - but 
then I've often had to rearrange test pieces in order for all parts 
to be played by a band member that can actually play it!! Main Street 
was practically rewritten last year!! Ideally it ought to be played 
as written, but I invariably find that it needs some tweeking due to 
players not being able to play on the day or whatever. 


> Er - I wouldn't ever want a technical exercise - I just think if you're
> going to test a band then you should test the whole band - not the
> conductor, or an individual section.  The band that wins should have the
> best possible balance between musicianship and technical proficiency, and
> this will not be the case with this piece, because it will all come down to
> who sounds the sweetest, which I don't think is enough.

Although the most technically demanding parts are definitely for the 
cornet section, I think it will challenge my band because they are 
going to have to listen to each other and try to play it musically, 
which although they are more than capable of doing usually proves 
more tricky than I anticipate! I have a number of people who either 
believe that big is beautiful and just overblow the whole time, or 
just try to play it without any musical shape whatsoever!

I ran the piece through with the band last night and although there 
were some murmerings such as "Are you sure this the 3rd section test 
piece?" or "My part's boring" before we started, most of them soon 
realised that it wasn't going to be such a piece of cake after all! 


> 
> Anyway - I suppose we all know what's required - good luck to us all...

Indeed - hope to see you at the finals!!!

Dave

> 
> Cheers,
> Mac
> 
> --
> Director and motivational strategist, Warwick Uni Brass Band,
> http://www.warwickbrass.co.uk
> 
> 
> --
> 
> 

*******************************************
David Roberts
Musical Director, Pangbourne and District Silver Band
http://maxpages.com/droberts/Pangbourne_and_District_Silver
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder"


--

References:
- Re: Narnia
  - From: Mac

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