 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2006-05-21 03:15
Yesterday I attended the USNB performance in Northern Virginia. It featured a marimba soloist on a Saint-Saens piece, Toccata Marziale, Torch Dance (by John Barnes), a couple of marches, Zdechlik's Celebrations, Robert W. Smith's Songs of Sailor and Sea, and a few "fluff pieces."
When I was in high school I went to a lot, and I mean a LOT, of Navy Band, Army Band, Field Band, Air Force Band, etc. concerts as well as several local band concerts and I never thought anything of it. Concerts were nice, marches were peppy...it was a band concert and it was fun.
I went off to college two years ago and began playing in the wind ensemble there. We NEVER play marches and often only play one of two songs on the concert. The rest is chamber ("wind ensemble") music. For example, one concert was Holst's Second Suite, Messiaen's Oiseaux Exotiques, Hartley's Concerto for 23 Winds, and Wagner's Trauersinfonie.
Now, I realized last night that none of the songs the USNB was playing was any longer than 10 minutes. Then I realized that there was no intermission. Likewise, I began reminiscing about concerts at school at at the Pittsburgh Symphony where everyone was dressed in suits and dresses and intermission consisted of everyone touting their lovely clothes and buying a glass of wine discussing the latest in the news and how great the first half was.
The USNB didn't have that intermission in the hour and a half long concert. People were dressed in jeans and t-shirts or shorts. I thought, why the lack of respect or presentability?
Then I looked at the stage and the navy band was in their whites. They weren't in formal wear, but more lax clothing. So, inherently, my instincts blamed the performers. But then I, again, recalled concerts at school and realized that there weren't as many of them.
So, you see, the Navy Band performs concert after concert, as many as five to ten a week, playing the same short pieces over and over again. Orchestras only perform three big concerts per "set"...i.e. for a given concert, three performances are given; these change every week or two. I don't really know how to explain this, but you've all been to orchestra concerts and know what I'm talking about.
Another thing that came to my mind was the poor conducting abilities of Colonel Gambone. He knows his music, but his technique is absolutely horrific. Likewise, when he would cue a player to stand for a solo, that person would stand like it was routine and then sit down. Not crack a smile at all. So another observation I had was that orchestral players, from my experiences, are much more grateful for the praise of the audience. They don't play as often and are prone to being grateful for the praise, albeit they get a lot of it, that they receive from the audience.
So other than the historical uses of bands, I am chalking the difference in attitude towards bands versus orchestras up to the type of music (marches and short features versus half hour to hour long symphonies), the times of concerts (all days and times of the week versus Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday shows), and the demeanor of the performers.
This occurred to me last night at that concert. Strange what you think about at a fantastic concert.
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2006-05-21 12:58
The biggest differance between, orchestras and almost any concert by the major service bands is: The service bands program music that will be able to be enjoyed by the masses. Or as close as they can come with 30-60 wind instruments. When I was in the U.S. Army Field band, I can vividly remenber auditioning solos where the officers had stop watches in their hands. If it came in under 8min you had a much better shot at getting picked than if it ran8-10. For some reason they thought, maybe correctly that the average Joe, in the middle of Podunk, who's never heard live music might not be able to listen to anything that long.
That's the nature of military bands, all of them tour, all of them are trying to get a full house, non to my knowledge charge admission to the concerts, so you have an audience that's not really "invested" in the concert.
Here's the counter thought: I've been to various orchestra concerts all over the US, with some of the top 10 orchestras and on any given evening they play to 1/3-1/2 filled houses. Most of these Orchestras, pay substantial saleries to the players for almost 45-50 week seasons, and depend heavily on donations to exist. This begs two big questions. How long can an art form, that can't depend on it's "house" as primary funding, exist? And is there really a "music" profession any more?
Tom Puwalski, former soloist with the US Army Field Band, Clarinetist with Lox&Vodka, and Author of "The Clarinetist's Guide to Klezmer"and most recently by the order of the wizard of Oz, for supreme intelligence, a Masters in Clarinet performance
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-05-21 14:41
I share Tom Puwalski's concerns about the durability of performing art.
One thing that troubles me is that, unlike, Tom's bands most organizations seem to have absolutely no regard for the "tastes" and preference of their audience.
The American Conservatory Theater in San Fransisco used to close down plays that were wildly popular and still selling out --to open a turkey that drew few fans. Now, that had to be an expensive choice.
Our local community orchestra draws pretty well, but usually "forces the good stuff" on the audiences. We usually impose the choir on the crowds --liturgical music that, to my ill-formed tastes sounds like caterwalliing. We often squeeze in snooze-inducing, snooze-busting stuff that curls the toes of those of us with less than a master's degree in musicology. UGHH.
We'll see what happens early next month when we "play" Mozart's Jubilate Deo, his 40th Symphony, Strauss' Tales From the Vienna Woods, and premiere the director's formal mass. Hey, at least there is some textural variety in the 40th, and the trumpets in the Deo are just bitchin'. The Strauss sounds like a Bavarian band arrangement in some sections.
We give two performances at medium sized churches --although we filled the 500-seat theater last year.
Bob Phillips
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-05-21 16:14
This occurred to me last night at that concert. Strange what you think about at a fantastic concert.
You just demonstrated what's happened to the average attention-span. Our minds drift away. (Happens every time the weather's on TV).
Besides - not everyone has a daytime job that allows him/her to concentrate on a hour-long performance in the evening, or not everyone is inclined to "endure" (for lack of a better word) it. "Manageable chunks" often is the keyword...
However, that Puccini tonight sounds awfully tempting...drats. Sold out. ![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif)
--
Ben
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Author: Cuisleannach
Date: 2006-05-23 17:58
I've had the privilege to play under Commander Gambone many times, and he's actually a brilliant director. Most of the work goes on before the concert, where his incredible ear really makes a difference. He is also a superb administrator....this is a rare combination in the service band officer corps.
It is true that service bands will often play the same songs again and again throughout the tour, but you have to remember that in addition to public concerts the service bands have a very tight ceremonial schedule which limits rehearsal time. The reason nobody cracks a smile is because you're not supposed to. I remember the chewing out I got the first time I took a band out and smiled during our first tune (Army of the Nile by Alford....the true march king) .... I couldn't help it because I was so happy to be where I was.
Concert band concerts aren't orchestra concerts, and they are meant to have a broad appeal. The big advantage is that you'll never pay to hear a service band play, and when you're talking about the premiere bands you're getting to see some of the best musicians in the country for free.
-Randy
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Author: Cuisleannach
Date: 2006-05-23 17:59
P.S. Ralph Gambone is also quite a good clarinettist, if I remember correctly.
-R
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2006-05-23 18:59
Well that would make sense about Com. Gambone. I tried not to give the impression that I thought he wasn't a musically gifted person, obviously he is or he wouldn't be where he is! And your observations certainly help put his demeanor into perspective.
That is good to know about smiling. That really had an affect on me, as when I used to play in my orchestra we were told to smile and look grateful (I am a naturally "smiley" person so this never came as a challenge!).
Interesting comments, Randy. Thanks for the "inside" scoop!
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Author: BTBob
Date: 2006-05-31 01:15
I've heard the Navy Band several times and it is an impressive organization indeed. PS: Gambone is a captain now, 4 stripes! I think that's the highest rank ever given a musician...I read once about the consternation in the USMC when the Bandmaster was made a full colonel...
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Author: ken
Date: 2006-05-31 02:55
I worked under two active duty Air Force Band officers that attained flag officer status, both making one-star Brigadier Generals; however, they each did so by having to cross-train into other career fields. One I recall worked his way up to Wing Commander and Officer-in-Charge of all AWACS assigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Full Colonel is generally as high a rank a military musician can promote in the regular U.S. Armed Forces Service Bands. Colonel (0-6) unit Commander slots are standard billets for the Premiere Bands. As of 2002 when I retired, the only way a regular Band Officer could make stars and remotely retain their affiliation/identity as musician or conductor was laterally shift into the Public Affairs career field.
Some of the European bands, now that's a different story. For instance, the Russian Red Army Band has/had a 2-Star General as Commander/Conductor. The U.S. Air Force Germnay Band used to joint-tour with them and man this ruskie was treated like god on earth. Private cars, dressing rooms, lavish spreads of food and endless ice buckets of champagne and cases of beer, wine and booze. He even had 2 of the lowest ranking privates in the band assigned to him as personal valets. One was solely responsible for cleaning, pressing and decorating his full dress uniforms. Mercifully at the time, there weren't any females in the band so that potential nightmare wasn't an issue. v/r Ken
Post Edited (2006-05-31 03:30)
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Author: Cuisleannach
Date: 2006-05-31 05:11
I didn't know it was Capt. Gambone. I believe there was another captain....I don't think it was Paston but maybe the one before him whose name escapes me at this time. It's really tough to get that high as an LDO.
-Randy
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