Posted by Tom Railsback on May 04, 2001 at 22:05:38:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Contra-Octave in band playing posted by Sean Chisham on May 04, 2001 at 21:46:49:
Sean, your comment has a good bit of validity. However, like my good friend Steve Bloom
points out, the greatest band composer of the 1st half of the 20th century was not averse
to deviation from the printed score if he even used one. He seldom played one of his
marches the same way twice in a row. If Paul Bierly happens to read this, I'm sure he can corroborate what Steve and I say. I admit one has to be a pretty good musician to
get away with some of these things. Generally, I like to play the upper octave when the
part is written in octaves. However, we just played the Holst F Major Suite in our local
band and in the first movement there is that wonderful section written below the staff.
Despite what Steve and I just discussed by phone, I felt that the section from G to H
should all be played as low as possible. My conductor didn't mind; in fact he actually
asked that I play the lower octave wherever possible. I know it's a matter of taste.