Posted by Klaus on December 31, 2000 at 15:38:51:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: rose parade posted by Buddy on December 31, 2000 at 13:17:37:
A very interesting approach to forming the marching band. That would need a 6 to 4 ratio between brass and woodwinds.
Do you have a scheme to "convince" student to play the instrumentsm, that are mostly needed by the band programming?
We do not have bands of that magnitude over here. I have played in a 60+ piece band with 22 or 24 clarinets of 4 sizez (Eb, Bb, alto, and bass; contrabasses hardly ever are seen here), 7 flutes with piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, and 4 saxes. That band did not march.
The royal guard has
piccolo
flute
oboe, Glockenspiel on marching
bassoon
10 clarinets covering Eb, Bb, and bass
4 horns
2 cornets
3 trumpets
3 trombones
2 tenorhorns, what you might call British style baritones
1 euph playing a 4 valve comp Hirbrunner at concerts, and a 3 valve Hirsbrunner with a 3th valve trigger when marching.
3 tubas in F, C, and BBb
4 percussions, one of them being the "tambourmajor" (drum major) on marches.
That is a quite brass heavy set up, which the band itself complains. But no one dares to ask for reforms as 2 of the remaining all brass military band have been killed within the last few years.
Politicians and the press had found out, that the musicians had negotiated some terms of working conditions for themselves, that hardly could be defended publicly. Abandoning the bands was the sad solution.
Aside from the royal guard only 2 all brass military bands are left. And they are planned to merger within a few years.
Klaus