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Suggestions for expanding the brass band.

To: "'brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Suggestions for expanding the brass band.
From: "HARRIS, Colin" <Colin.HARRIS@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 14:58:08 -0000
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This subject has been discussed before, and will probably be discussed
again, but here goes.

My suggestion is to expand the standard instrumentation of the brass band by
adding an Alto Trombone in Eb and a Bb Piccolo Trumpet to the ensemble.

This will give the brass band a wider palette of tone colours and address
one or two problems which crop up.  The Eb Trombone could help support the
horns, usually the weak tonal link in fortes, whilst adding support to the
upper register of the tenor trombones.  

The piccolo trumpet could be used to help add an extra tool in orchestral
transcriptions, as well as another treble voice to score for.  Textures
would also be brightened.

The main advantage of this idea is that the instruments in question are
inexpensive when comparing their price to the lower valved instruments,
coupled with the plus points of timbre and orchestration possibilities
already mentioned.

The main downside is that 2 more players would be required and trained,
instruments purchased, and those players would be redundant in pieces with
'traditional' brass band scoring.  Then the question of mass re-arranging of
standard band music crops up.

I feel that if the brass band movement is to continue, it has to grow, and
in order to do so, the new instruments now at the disposal to brass players
could be incorporated into the band.  In this case, one could also make a
point for adding a contrabass trombone, bass trumpet, ophicliede and slide
trumpet, but I will leave other combinations to your imagination.

Once again, it is only the top section bands that could promote such an
idea.


Colin Harris
Eb Bass
Backworth Colliery Band
http://www.backworth.org.uk
See "A Day in the Life of Backworth Colliery Band" at
http://www.backworth.org.uk/life.htm


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- Re: Suggestions for expanding the brass band.
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