Klarinet Archive - Posting 000315.txt from 1994/11

From: Dick Williams <dwilliams@-----.EDU>
Subj: contemporary music
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 14:45:14 -0500

I'm gonna make trouble again. Unlike most of my stuf this is over half
serious.

Several people have pointed out the conservative influence on musical
programming in the U.S. (At least, I think the U.S. was intended --
I cannot speak from any knowledge of programming practices in other
countries.) Clarinetists are also pretty conservative (what is sacred
about 17 keys 6 rings and nevting all these pitches from the wrong places
with goofy sized vents?). But, I believe the conservatism runs deeper
than was stated. It is not just a reluctance to perform the works of
contemporary composers (based in part on economic considerations).

In the U.S., we train MANY more wind than string players. (And,
guitar is probably the most common string taught). More high schools
have band programs than orchestra programs (with or without pep bands).
It seems to me that this would make it more profitable for a composer
to write for wind band than string band.

I have no hard evidence, but my experience with community and college bands
and orchestras suggests that the contemporary music for band may be more
diverse. The band music seems to me no more or less musical. It is more
likely to be playful and to incorporate modern ideas. In short, it seems
like contemporary wind music is more representative of contemporary
society than contemporary orchestral music and is more diverse. I suppose
that this is all a result of composers finding profit in composition for
winds; the market includes so many schools and colleges. And, it doesn't
hurt that there are plenty of performers about. Of course, many bands
today use strings; cello and string bass are common (anyone have examples of
viola
or violin?). Synthesizer is not uncommon. Next week I am working with a
band with electric guitar and bass. Yes, the director does reorchestrate
the "old war horses" but uses a traditional clarinet choir.

I have heard bands playing transcriptions of orchestral music which I felt
were better than the orchestral version. Of course, I am strange; I like
the Mozart horn concerti on the modern horn better than the "traditional."
Have any compositions for wind bands (except marches) been transcribed for
orchestra? I would like to hear some.

By the way, I wonder if this is also related to an earlier question on
the network about employment opportunitites for clarinetists? It seems
to me that if we train more wind than string players the level of wind
performance should be at least that of the string performance. I think
maybe the level of musicianship in the major service bands is equal to
or exceeds that of the major orchestras.

What really confuses me here is: What happened to the concept of a
professional, community/municipal wind ensemble? I think maybe
we in the U.S. are ashamed of our heritage. We shouldn't be. we
are making efforts to preserve the symphony orchestra (as we should).

If cultural diversity is desirable, surely musical diversity is also.

Dick Williams, dwilliams@-----.edu