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Re: Percussion parts

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Percussion parts
From: "Stuart Jackson" <msrmw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 10:36:50 +0000 (GMT)
In-reply-to: <19991210074351.92723.qmail@hotmail.com>
Organization: University of Warwick
Priority: normal
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jocelyn wrote....

> There is a lot of music where this happens, I think it 
> would be so much easier to have, say a tuned part a timp part and then a 
> woodblock and tambourine or whatever, instead of mixing them all up so we 
> are running round like crazy trying to get to each different instrument, it 
> seems common sense to me !

I think that you would very much regret it if publishers went the way 
you have outlined. Since many pieces will use considerably more 
instruments than you have players, you end up with separate parts 
with each instrument and then have to decide who can play which at 
what time (a very boring and time consuming excercise). This then 
involves writing directions for where you should be and trying to 
remember how many bars rest you have when switching between parts.
It's much nicer to have all the instruments that you are expected to 
play written clearly on one part (not a shared reduced score which is 
also a pain). If instruments are to be shared, this should be 
considered when you are setting up.

I think that the brass band is "very lucky" in that it has its 
numbers well defined. This year I have been playing percussion for 
the University wind orchestra and the variety in expectations of 
numbers of percussionists is a real pain. Many of the modern pieces 
which we enjoy playing are written for a huge battery of percussion 
(one piece required at least 8 players this term). However,  the 
Boosey and Hawkes wind band festival has a set list from which you 
must choose one program item. Having already chosen our impressive 
stuff (featuring load of percussion), we then had to play Seranade 
requiring timps and Tambourine/maracas/triangle and the majority of 
the section sit twiddling their thumbs.

Stuart Jackson

Principal cornet, University of Warwick


--

References:
- Re: Percussion parts
  - From: Jocelyn Robinson

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