Brass Banders: Program?

[Mary Ann]

This was our Sunday's program that went quite well. Curious as to the "typicality" of this for a brass band concert.

Zacatecas - Mexican March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Genero Codina
arr. Ralph E. Pearce
Kismet - themes of A. Borodin . . . . . .Robert Wright & George Forrest
arr. Denis Wright
Idyll on a Irish Folk Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ralph E. Pearce
Blenheim Flourishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Curnow
Floral Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katie Moss
arr. Derek Broadbent
West Side Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leonard Bernstein
arr. Denis Wright
Barn Dance & Cowboy Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philip Sparke
Cripple Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Teague
Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joaquin Rodrigo
arr. Kevin Bolton
Four Spanish Impressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rodney Newton
Albion Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gavin Somerset
Clog Dance.......................................................................Marc Angelo
Arr. Bill Charleson

[2nd tenor]

I’m not sure that there is such a thing as a typical brass band program. Some things in that program I recognised and some I didn’t, but bands have such a mix of music that I could ‘dep’ for another band and see all new music on the day … sight reading is good for you and it certainly focuses the mind. On top of that we have the differences in what different bands are actually capable of playing.
Edit. Looking again there’s a lot of newer music in there that perhaps isn’t traditional to Brass Bands, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

At the end of the day only two things matter:
# Did the audience enjoy what they heard?
# Did the band enjoy the performance?

Theses days I don’t worry too much about the Conductor. It’s nice when the Conductor is happy and it’s nice when they’re making useful comment, but just getting yes for both of the above questions is good enough for me and if the audience is happy then the better Conductors usually are too.

[York-aholic]

Sounds like an enjoyable program.

We just played Zacatecas in the university band that lets me crash their party.

[2nd tenor]

Sounds like an enjoyable program.

We just played Zacatecas in the university band that lets me crash their party.

An interesting piece, which I don’t recall hearing before, and one which is quite relevant to the OP’s question - for me it puts the question in a different light.

I’d say that Zacatecas was written for a Military Wind Band and not for a Brass Band; that said if it can be successfully scored for a Brass Band, and if it hits the ‘two yes test’ explained in my earlier post, then why not use it? Brass Bands have long used whatever pieces they could adapt, Orange Juice or more correctly Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez being a prime and well liked example.

The Floral Dance is a typical Brass Band piece which I’ve played many times. The local Brass Band in Heston Cornwall, where the piece was originally heard and transcribed, play it as a traditional part of that Town’s annual Floral Day celebrations. Helston is a small and ancient Town which was once a sea port before the estuary was blocked by loe barr, well that’s what I was told five decades ago by folk who lived there.

Blenheim Flourishes? Well, it is played by more able Bands so I suppose it represents Brass Band playing but as far as I’m concerned it’s a pointless piece that’s next to tuneless and just showcases ‘clever dick’ playing … which to be fair isn’t that unusual in Brass Band playing. The piece fails my two yes test though.

Clog Dance is a good blow and one I’ve found challenging but it passes the two yes test, it’s also within the range that I’d describe as typical brass band music.

If it’s of any interest here’s the program we used at a fete last summer:
Barnard Castle
Beauty and Beast
Over the Rainbow
Bubbles
Sway
Quiet Number
Rule Brittania
I Will Follow Him
La Bamba

Floral Dance
The Shepherds Song
The Wellerman
Think of Me
I'm Still Standing
Can Can

Marching the Blues
Beyond the Sea
Clog Dance

Extras: Born Free, Slaidburn, El Mismo, Reet Petite, Volare

[MikeS]

The theme for our summer concerts this season is a salute to American music.

Raiders of the Lost Ark..............John Williams, arr. Sykes
Summertime (Eflat Cornet solo)............George Gershwin
West Side Story............Leonard Bernstein, (combining parts of the Wright and Mortimer arrangements)
Ghost Riders in the Sky............Stan Jones
Suite from Mary Poppins............Sherman and Sherman, arr. Duncan
Be a Clown............Cole Porter, arr. Alan Fernie
Casey at the Bat............Chris Hoch
Sounds Like Earth, Wind, and Fire
Music from The Greatest Showman............Debney/Trapanese/Pasek/Paul
Satin Doll............Ellington/Strayhorn/Mercer
God Bless the USA............Lee Greenwood
Stars and Stripes Forever............Sousa

The pieces that don’t list arrangers were arranged by various members of the band. Casey at the Bat is an original composition by our director, Dr. Chris Hoch, and is done with narration. Ghost Riders and God Bless the USA feature vocals by our flugelhorn player, who is also a professional singer.

[Oedipoes]

We typically do a 'classic' test piece from one of the last 30-ish years of brassband championship.
Then some more popular music.
Probably also a solo piece.
Ending with some 'pops' classic like Joy peace and happiness ...

[andycat]

Foden's programmes this weekend (Coronation weekend over here) and one from last weekend.

Sandbach Sports stadium fireworks concert Saturday night:

1. In the Stone – EWF arr Barber
2. Nessun Dorma – Puccini arr Snell
3. Ice Castles – Hamlisch & Bayer-Sager
4. California Dreamin’ – Philips & Philips arr Taylor
5. Stardust – Charmichael arr Geldard
6. The World’s Greatest Storyteller – Harper

INTERVAL

1. Men of Harlech – Trad. Arr Langford
2. Ye Banks and Braes – Trad. Arr Collinson
3. Molly on the Shore – Grainger arr Snell
4. Gaelforce - Graham
5. Fantasia on British Sea Songs – Wood arr Wright
6. Jerusalem – Parry
7. Pomp & Circumstance March No.1 – Elgar arr Wright



St Peter's Hall, Norwich, Sunday afternoon:

1. Fanfare and National Anthem - Jacob
2. The King’s Herald – Howells arr Littlemore
3. Overture to the Royal Fireworks – Handel arr Blakeson
4. Vivat Regina – Mathias
5. I Vow to Thee My Country – Holst/Knorr arr Littlemore
6. Vivat! – Davoren
7. Crown Imperial – Walton arr Wright

INTERVAL

The Adventures of Robin Hood
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Kamen arr McKnight
The Merry Men – Streitenfeld arr Barber
(Everything I Do) I Do it for You – Adams, Lange & Kamen arr Barber / McKnight
Duet: Mark Wilkinson & Melanie Whyle
Cruel Summer – Fahey, Woodward, Jolley, Dallin & Swain arr McKnight
Soloist : Gary Curtin
Escapade – Bates
Duet: Richard Poole & Jonathan Bates
Return of the Lionheart – Barber

Last Night of the Proms - Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Jerusalem, Pomp & Circumstance March No.1

Last weekend in Wales was:

1. Ruslan and Ludmilla – Glinka arr Hargreaves
2. Theme from Ice Castles – Hamlisch & Bayer-Sager arr Barber
Soloist : Richard Poole
3. Stardust – Charmichael arr Geldard
Soloist : John Barber
4. Hora Staccato – Dinicu arr Wainwright
Soloist : Jonathan Bates
5. Only in Sleep – Esenvalds arr Littlemore
6. Kingdom Triumphant – Ball

INTERVAL

1. Spirit of Praise - Marshall
2. Kitten on the Keys – Confrey arr Snell
Percussion Feature – Mark Landon, Sam Iles
The Adventures of Robin Hood
3. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Kamen arr McKnight
4. The Merry Men – Streitenfeld arr Barber
5. (Everything I Do) I Do it for You – Adams, Lange & Kamen arr Barber / McKnight
Duet: Mark Wilkinson & Melanie Whyle
6. Cruel Summer – Fahey, Woodward, Jolley, Dallin & Swain arr McKnight
Soloist : Gary Curtin
7. Escapade – Bates
Duet: Richard Poole & Jonathan Bates
8. Return of the Lionheart – Barber

[2nd tenor]

For those that don’t realise, the band that Andycat plays in (Fodens) is very long established and plays (contests) at the very highest level in UK banding. So there you have it, the range of pieces played across the brass band spectrum is very wide and so in many directions. I see that at least one piece that Fodens plays is also played by my band too, their rendition will be perfect and ours, well maybe less so . Whatever, we entertain and enjoy what we do :-) .

[GC]

These are some long and tiring programs. More power to these bands.