Brass Band Logo

NJH Music Logo

Some of the contents of the pages on this site are Copyright © 2016 NJH Music
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Concert Bands

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C725BB.B15F66C0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"

Richard, here is a paper I supplied on student request, I hope it helps.

British Military Band


I think that it was in 1924 that the home of military music, Kneller =
Hall, put together a standard instrumentation for the British Miltary =
Band.


1 Flute (doubling piccolo)

1 Oboe

1 Eb Clarinet

2 Solo Bb Clarinets

1 Repiano/1st Bb Clarinet

2 2nd Bb Clarinets

2 3rd Bb Clarinets

1 Bassoon

1 Eb Alto Sax

1 Bb Tenor Sax

2 Horns in F

2 Solo/1st Bb Cornets

1 2nd Bb Cornet

1st & 2nd Tenor Trombone

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

1 Eb Bass

1 Bb Bass

1 Drums & percussion


This was known as the 25 piece military band, and everything was written =
so that it could be played by this combination. From the beginning, =
score and parts always included optional parts for 2 Bb Trumpets, and =
usually String Bass. Bigger bands were also able to accomodate extra =
parts, which were later added, like 2nd bassoon, 3rd & 4th Horns in F =
etc.


Concert Band


This name was later adopted by some civilian bands. Also, bands of the =
armed forces sometimes used the term concert band or marching band.


Wind Band


This is a term that was used later, and had a lot to do with the =
influence of the larger American High School Symphonic Wind Bands. A =
typical instrumentation for a symphonic band is as followes.


1st & 2nd Flute - sometimes Piccolo as well

1st & 2nd Oboe - one doubling Cor Anglais

Eb Clarinet

1st, 2nd & 3rd Bb Clarinets - usually 3 on a part

Eb Alto Clarinet

Bb Bass Clarinet

1st & 2nd Bassoon

1st & 2nd Eb Alto Sax

Bb Tenor Sax

Eb Baritone Sax

4 Horns in F

1st, 2nd & 3rd Bb Trumpet/Cornet - usually 2 on a part

1st & 2nd Tenor Trombones

Bass Trombone

Euphonium or Baritone - (Baritone being the American name for the =
Euphonium)

Tubas

String Bass

Timpani

Drums & Percusiion - usually 2 parts


Wind Ensemble


This name usually applies to an attempt to get back to the smaller =
combination, including using the original instrumentation of earlier =
pieces. Frederick Fennel was a champion of this in the USA with the =
Eastman Wind Ensemble, with the reputaion of only 1 instrument per part. =


On the subject of original instrumentation, much early British military =
band music was scored for the "25 piece", but later editions added extra =
parts, such as Alto and Bass Clarinet, Baritone Sax etc.

It is interesting to note that the pre 1st world war band did not have =
saxes, they had alto and bass clarinet. I believe it was the band of the =
Royal Artillery in Woolwich who first replaced the Eb Alto Clar and Bb =
Bass Clar with Eb Alto Sax and Bb Tenor Sax, as they could be heard =
better, especially out of doors. I think this was in 1906.


Wind Orchestra


A renaming of the ensemble to get away from the idea of military or =
school bands, and to credit it as a serious musical ensemble. Also to =
dispel the myth that an orchestra contains stringed instruments.




Here are a few interesting notes about Holst and Vaughan Williams wind =
music.


Gustav Holst had a soft spot for the military band, as he played =
trombone for a season or two with the professional civilian band on the =
North Pier in Blackpool. In 1909, he wrote the Suite in Eb for a =
composing competition being run by the Worshipful Company of Musicaians =
for an original composition for military band. Suite in Eb came 3rd!!! =
Spirit of Pageantry by Percy Fletcher came 2nd, a fine piece but not =
heard much now. A piece by Walton O'Donnel came 1st, I don't think it =
was played much, and it is certainly forgotten now, (Walton O'Donnel was =
the conductor of the BBC Wireless Military Band based in Manchester, =
made up of players from the Halle Orchestra and the Liverpool =
Philharmonic). Of course, the Holst piece which won third prize is still =
being played, and was even transcribed for symphony orchestra by Gordon =
Jacob.

One final note, Suite in Eb contains 2 Eb Clarinet parts.


As far as I remember, Ralph Vaughan Williams was commisioned in 1925 by =
the Royal Military School of Music (Kneller Hall) to compose a piece for =
the now firmly established British Military Band. Army music was =
attempting to be recognised as something more than just marching bands =
on the parade ground. This is how we got English Folk Song Suite


Finally, besides the Suite in Eb and Suite in F by Holst, there is a =
beautiful, more contemporary piece he wrote whilst teaching at St Pauls =
in London, the prelude "Hammersmith". It is not heard much, but was =
recorded by Frederick Fennel and the Eastman Wind Ensemble.


I hope this information helps in your studies. Obviously, you need to =
check up on some of the facts I have given, especially dates, but =
overall, I think it is pretty accurate.


Tim Paton



--
-
-
NJH Sheet Music, bandsman.co.uk/music.htm,
id xpress, www.idxpress.co.uk, brass band insignia and uniform products,
Just Brass, the on-line resource for the world of brass
music www.justbrass.co.uk,
Prima Arts, quality music for quality bands, www.prima-arts.co.uk,
wax-recording.com, simply the best, most cost-effective and least
stressful route to recording an album and
eBay, the world's largest on-line market place, www.ebay.co.uk
Free e-mail address with spam and virus removal, bandsman.co.uk/mail.htm

[Services] [Contact Us] [Advertise with us] [About] [Tell a friend about us] [Copyright © 2016 NJH Music]