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Re: To BL or not to BL

David Williams wrote:

> It was August 1947 and some of us village kids (peasants)  had "joined the
> band for something to do" . .............."Les Preludes" for the National
> Eisteddfod.  It was thrilling to hear these men play with such skill and
> fervour and we listened open-mouthed in awe.
> We were hooked for life !

I can appreciate why!

>   Every week we would "have a go" at that music
> and eventually played it at a concert.  I wonder what we would have thought
> if those bands had been rehearsing the "avant garde" pieces of recent years.
> Probably, we might  have given up and never developed a life-time love of
> music,which has enriched our existences.

That's a very good point David and one which IMHO supports the argument of 'why
should we have to understand the music fully to enjoy it?' I can see that the
listeners would gain very little, if any inspiration at all from listening to
such pieces as we have recently been discussing. Quite the opposite in fact.
Simply, the kids liked Preludes because it's good to listen to. Yes - it has a
good chewn!

> Now to the present.   Am I alone in thinking that brass bands are somehow
> declining in popularity in the U.K...apart from the North of England. ?

Unfortunately, although I am probably not qualified to confirm, I think you are
correct in your assumption.

> The local North Wales
> Theatre at Llandudno did not have one band concert last year, and have just
> noticed from their latest programme there are none scheduled for this year.

That's a terrible shame. I remember doing Llandudno on several occasions with
Leyland and Fodens - it was always a good job.

> Every other conceivable type of musical taste is being catered for and I
> notice The Halle Orchestra is booked for later this month....playing
> Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Handel,Smetana,Strauss and Tchaikovsky !   Nothing
> Avant Garde..and I bet they fill the theatre.!

'Ere, 'ere. They are playing what the public want to listen to and will be
rewarded inevitably with a full house. I would also think that people will leave
the concert feeling very fulfilled and will be whistling some of the tunes.

As with many recent mails on this topic, not all on our side of the fence I
might add, this proved a most enjoyable read.

Monkey


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