Klarinet Archive - Posting 000067.txt from 1998/10

From: "Craig Earl Countryman" <cegc@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Enough with the Marching Bands, already
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 22:18:19 -0400

-----Original Message-----
From: George Landis <George@-----.org>
Subject: [kl] Re: [[kl] Enough with the Marching Bands, already]

>B) You're wrong. Marching bands are worthless as a musical endeavor.
Period.

Well, I probably should bother to respond to this because I have nothing
THAT new to add, but I will say a little on the subject. I respect your
opinion George, but I think you are totally off-base! Notwithstanding, if
you are going to make a statement of that magnitude and that certainty
please back it up with something. It would lend much more credibility to
your point. I am not a big fan of marching band, but that is my opinion and
I would never attempt to project that on to anyone else without giving a
reason.

Let me say why I think it is beneficial -- I'd be interested to hear your
response and more about why you disagree with me.

1. It gets kids involved musically -- not all high school players are
virtuosos, and many are just in band for the social aspect. I don't
necessarily support that, but at my school those type of people are the glue
that hold the band together as a unit and a team. Sometimes the best
musicians aren't the best leaders.

2. It gets people that would not normally be exposed to music get involved
and support the band. How many football fans do you see at a Mozart
recital? At least if groups are playing the Planets and songs of that
caliber, people are exposed to some of what classical music has to offer.

3. It causes an over-emphasis on dynamics. This one may sound weird, but
think about it. For a band to show any dynamic contrast from the football
field it has to make a BIG change. Experience in making those kind of
changes is helpful and applicable to a concert band setting. Not all bands
do this, but the good ones do. I've not noticed too many bands, in my
experience, that have been awful on the football field and brilliant in the
concert hall. Many skills carry over.

I could go on, but I won't make this longer then it needs to be. I would
just reiterate that if you make a statement like that, you need to back it
up -- please. I'm not criticizing, but I just think that discussion is more
beneficial to everyone involved when points are well brought out.

One more thing -- for those of you still reading :) -- please don't do the
"CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS????" messages. They are never
effective, and just get us off on more tangents like this.

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Craig Earl Countryman
cegc@-----.net
http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/YPP/Craig.html
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1711/
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