Klarinet Archive - Posting 001168.txt from 1998/01

From: Jarle Brosveet <Jarle.Brosveet@-----.no>
Subj: Re: Grainger's band music
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 04:08:27 -0500

Roger Garrett wrote:
>I'm not sure I am understanding the point of determining which medium it
>was written for first. Could you explain it more clearly to me?

Versions conceived for band in the first place often sound better or are
more substantial than arrangements coming as a afterthought.

I cannot help feeing that the two Hill Songs, Over the Hills and Lincolnshire
Posy are Grainger's best works for band because they were written for band
in the first place. Reading the story behind these works it becomes clear
that Grainger invested much effort in exploiting the band medium to the
utmost. The other band works by Grainger are arrangements and were written,
as Dan has rightly pointed out, because Grainger felt that there was a
marketplace for them and because he was concerned with royalties.

Only if band music is your choice no matter what is being played I can
understand that it is unimportant to know about the medium for which it was
first written.

Jarle Brosveet