Klarinet Archive - Posting 000763.txt from 1995/05

From: Lisa Clayton <clayton@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Vito clarinets: good or e...
Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 17:24:32 -0400

> By the way, I don't agree that you cannot hear the clarinets in
> a marching band. My daughter's high school band competes
> in marching band competitions during the fall and I have heard
> literally hundreds of High School bands play on football fields
> over the past few years. The woodwinds may be a bit more
> subtle than the brass, but they do contribute quite a bit to the
> overall sound. I guess it depends on the music. I remember
> when she was in middle school the band played Colonel Bogey's
> March from the Bridge Over the River Kwai (sp?) in the Memorial
> day parade. It was practically all flutes and clarinets.

I agree with you in regards to marching bands. A *GOOD* marching
band will pay enough attention to dynamics, intonation and ensemble
so that the woodwinds blend or play out when the music calls for it.
There are also marching configurations that will place the instruments
in files instead of ranks, with percussion in a "box" in the middle,
so that ensemble is much more balanced. Of course, you have to
arrange your ranks so that the trombonist is not goosing you whilst in
7th position. ;-)

In a "bad" marching band, the only time you'll hear woodwinds is if
they play high notes, or are so badly out of tune you can't *but*
hear them. This also happens to fairly decent marching bands full
of middle-aged adults who have marched about 5 miles on a steady
incline and are barely able to get air through their horns, never
mind intonation and don't worry about dynamics, it won't get
above mp anyway. Of course, ensemble isn't a problem except that
the Euphoniums and Tubas passed out about 5 blocks ago, so you
won't get a bass line. At that point, let the trumpets drown you
out. At least then they won't be insufferable on the bus ride back home.

Of course, THIS has NEVER happened to MY marching band.

But, back to serious mode, it certainly is possible to get a good, full
wind ensemble sound out of a marching band, and it is what separates
the good ones from the bad ones.

____ Lisa K. Clayton Geek |GS/M d-- H++ s:++ g+++ p3 !au a32 w+ C++++ P--
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"There is nothing more onanistic than playing the bass clarinet by yourself"
-Steve Trier

   
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