Klarinet Archive - Posting 000068.txt from 1998/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Marching band
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 22:18:20 -0400

At 07:51 AM 10/1/98 PDT, Jennifer McKenna wrote:
>>And for top level marching bands and drum corps, the shows they can
>produce
>>are not only musical, but they are often as moving and emotional as any
>>symphony orchestra can be, and often moreso because it's on a larger
>scale.
>>(I've never heard one orchestra that had a range of dynamics as large
>as a
>>better marching band or drum corps, and I'm talking about both ends of
>the
>>spectrum.)
>
>SCREECHING HALT!!!!!!!!!
>HOLD ON. I hope you realize that drum corps have NO WOODWINDS, OR
>STRINGS. The depth of a orchastra CAN NOT be compared to a marching
>band. The depth of Vivaldi can not be compared to Fleetwood mac
>transposed for marching band. I am offended.
>
Drum corps have no woodwinds and no strings. Really? And this relates to
the discussion how? The original poster did not use the word "depth"
either, or attempt to compare Vivaldi to (*gasp*) Fleetwood Mac, as funny
as it might have been if he had. He merely referred to the fact that he
has heard marching organizations capable of playing a very great dynamic
range, i.e., the difference between soft and loud. I, for one, believe
him. A couple of hundred brass players can play MUCH louder than an
orchestra, and, by reducing the number playing, can get quite soft.
Quality was not an issue, only range. But, yes, a marching performance CAN
be very moving, too, but usually not in exactly the same way as "deeper"
music. (duh!)

>You can get the same learning experience, playing chess, soccer, or
>building a card house with a group of people. I am not cutting it short,
>marching band is a part of music education, I've known that. I don't
>think they should abolish that, it is a good thing. But lets not try to
>put 'marching band' above tranditional concert bands or orchestras.
>THERE IS NO COMPARISON. besides the fact that they use instruments, and
>involve rhythm.
>
I must respectfully disagree with your first statement here. But beyond
that, of course marching band does not rank "above" concert bands or
orchestra MUSICALLY. It's the extra-musical parts that give it the most value.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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