 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robin
Date: 2000-08-15 14:44
I don't want people to take this the wrong way, but being a non-American, I just do not understand why formation marching bands are so popular there. From what I have seen, the music seems largely unimportant, rather, with an emphasis on visual spectacular and volume.
Here in Australia in the opening ceremony of the Sydney olympics, they are including a marching band spectacular. There was quite a controversy a few months back because the organisers reaslised that they would need to import a large number of marchers. I have no problem with the importing factor, but I do not understand why they are doing the band in the first place - I have never seen marching bands in Aust before. It really seems out of place.
Can someone set me straight on this one, or are marching bands just another way in which music's artistic powers are reduced? The aim seems to be: fast, loud, well - known tunes, (plastic clarinets!!!!) Half of it is judjed on choreography, and costumes, isn't it?
Rob
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-08-15 15:12
Here in the USA, marching bands are very closely associated with football, a game unique to the USA & Canada. Football has a rest period for the players at the half-way point, the so called "half time." If you can imagine hundreds or thousands of people sitting in a stadium waiting for the game to resume, you can begin to understand why marching bands are popular. I should mention that virtually every high school and college/university has a football team and a marching band.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-08-15 15:13
Robin,
Marching bands are more akin to spectacle than music. However, they do get the blood flowing and they're enjoyable to watch.
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Author: Kim L.
Date: 2000-08-15 15:52
Marching bands and color guards bring music to life. The drills are fabulous to watch--even harder to work on. Marching bands are also very showy and raise spirit. You'll see at the Olympics!
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Author: Pam
Date: 2000-08-15 16:07
Marching Bands are fun! They are a big part of American culture, and probably not just about music but showing team spirit and supporting your school or team.
Music should not be all hard work -- maybe that's why its called "PLAYING".
By the way, marching does help you with rhythm!
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Author: Christine
Date: 2000-08-15 17:01
I've played in a marching band every year since I was 12. It's not the same kind of marching band that you see at football games but more of a military marching band. I've gone through phases of liking and not liking it, it's not as showy as other bands but some of the music that we play is wonderful. My favourite composer of marches is definitely Kenneth Alford, he writes interesting parts for almost all the instruments and some of his marches are quite challenging.
Some of the things I've not liked so much about marching band are that when people are marching down a street they tend to forget about things like intonation, blend, balance, phrasing, dynamics. Trombones especially like to play super loud. Depending on the level of the band of course. I've been in some really great marching bands where everyone was sensitive to the music (believe it or not!!) and I've also been in marching band with beginners and that was a nightmare.
Well, my two cents I guess.
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-08-15 17:05
Another important thought here - As I look back upon my treasured memories of music education, those memories include both concert series and marching band trips. Yes - they are FUN. They build a sense of belonging,fellowship, pride in belonging to an organization which is far healthier, IMHO, than membership in a frat or social organization. Band folks often hang together, and one of the reasons for that is the experiences that they share.
Marching band also avoids many of the darker sides of music as well. For one, there is very little "unhealthy" competition between players for a given "chair" or part. Egos are pretty much played down and you learn to consider the group over the individual. Many of the most interesting people in the marching band will never be professional musicians or music teachers. They will be doctors, lawyers, engineers, chemists, librarians, technicians . . . you name it. They are there because they share a love for music, music people, and music programs with all the other folks aspiring for a musical career.
So is marching band worthwhile . . . you bet! It probably doesn't help make great musicains, but it sure helps make great people and great friends.
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Author: Daniel
Date: 2000-08-15 19:42
To be honest... i don't know what the big deal is either. I went through high school being one of the few people in my school that detested marching band. And being in Texas, that's like being a Gay Athiest in a Southern Baptist church. As far as I can tell, marching band is just another excuse for schools to spend money and keep the kids occupied and get more trophies (if the band is good).
But i guess the upside is that it keeps alot of players busy and they never develope their musical skills past marching band so it cuts down on alot of possible competition further down the line in college and beyond.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-08-15 20:17
No offense intended to people who enjoy marching band, but I was grateful my high school offered orchestra so that I could avoid the band. A large part of the varsity (concert) band's time every year went to marching drills instead of music. The music itself sounded horrible to me, grossly out of tune and lacking in dynamics or other musical values, which had to be subordinated to the precision marching, although my school's marching band was considered one of the better ones in the area and won some awards. I didn't want to have to spend months playing the same simple tunes over and over and over again. I also didn't like the director, a martinet, although he improved my playing when he took over the orchestra as well, during my senior year. I've heard from adults who used to play instruments that marching band drove them out of music for good. It was the only music class option their schools offered. They hated it, they quit band in high school and have never picked up their instruments again. I think it's sad that the music department can only exist because of the popularity of football in so many communities. Without the football tie-in, the school district won't pay for a music program. I think it would be better to value music on its own merits and offer marching band as *a worthwhile option*, not as the entire program.
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Author: Marco
Date: 2000-08-16 00:08
Personally I find that marching band is a highly productive and valuable part of my life, musically and otherwise. Marching bands can sound beautiful and, yes, in tune. You will certainly see that at the olympics, Robin. The band given that honor will undoubtably be a musical organization of the highest caliber. I am fortunate enough to go to a high school that recieved help from some very knowlegeable people from Florida A&M University that helped us with marching and music. We were so fortunate to have these wonderful people help us, because they know what marching band is all about. Its about moving and as one on the field, while paying close attention to the music, also. At FAMU they work hard on the music, as hard as they do on the complex movements that go with it. If you watch a great marching band like the Florida A&M Marching 100, you realize that the marching is an addition to, no an augmentation of the music (which is, admittedly, popular tunes, but that doesnt mean that they cannot be played less musically than concert music). The uniformity of dress and steadfast structure of the formations come together beautifully, like a flock of birds, but playing beautiful music. The other important thing about marching band is the inclusion, the famliliarity that the crowd feels with the band. This is accomplished by the popular tunes that the crowd knows well (we are playing a medley that includes "Say My Name" and "Thong Song") and sometimes by extra things such as dance routines. It's refreshing to see the stoic, almost distant marching dissolve into an all out booty dance (but still in formation). Off the field, the merits are significant, also. Playing on the stands is very fun and gives me a time to hang out with some of my best friends. I would not have had any connection with some of my closest friends if it wasnt for marching band. It brings people from all grades, and academic achievement together: at my school there is an almost Ivy League/ Harlem clash going on in that respect and many people in the "Ivy League" category that are not part of the band have little contact with the "Harlem" sector (there is a challenging academic program within a school in the middle of a poor, predominantly african american side of town). This is not accomplished by any sport at my school- they are all predominantly one race or academic group. Sure we all see each other at lunch but what good is this time if we cannot share something in common to talk about, to connect through? Marching band gives us this chance. Finally, as Pam said, a main purpose of marching band is to show your spirit for your school, represented through the football team. So Robin, Daniel, you question the importance of marching band. I hope I shed some light on the subject.
P.S. Fred is totally right about the supression of chair competition, Marching Band is about working together, not trying to show that you are better than everyone else!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-08-16 00:55
Well, whether marching band music qualifies as high art has been much debated over the years; I for one think that marching and playing high-quality music are two different ends of the same stick. It doesn't mean I don't enjoy the music & marching, just that the music has to be limited to be able to be heard outside.
Orchestras and concert bands playing outside have a related problem; outside acoustics are notoriously difficult, and the best semi-outside venues I know of (like Tanglewood) have sound reinforcement, something that's not available when you're marching.
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Author: Sara
Date: 2000-08-16 02:40
I think marching bands don't exist because everyone in there loves music. Most of the people in my HS marching band aren't great players and aren't there just for mucis, they're there for fun and friends and just the whole thing that you get out of it. I'm not going to name them all but you know life skills working with people, personal responiblility but at the same time relying on others as well.
Sara
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-08-16 02:46
here i go again --I love the music of John Philip Sousa. His music can bring a tear to your eyes and a tap to your foot. i even loved the movie with Clifton Webb.
Way to go Bilk
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-08-16 05:33
Yes I agree with you. I like Guarde Republicane rather than Sousa. It is lamentable that people let high school bands play for political conventions.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-08-16 12:28
Hiroshi wrote:
-------------------------------
Yes I agree with you. I like Guarde Republicane rather than Sousa. It is lamentable that people let high school bands play for political conventions.
------
Why lamentable? Some are rather good.
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Author: Contragirl
Date: 2000-08-16 19:25
Well... not to put a downer on Marching bands, cuz I love them, but I have noticed that Drum and Bugle corps are a little more entertaining to watch. Maybe it's the fact that I just got out of high school and seeing the DCI world championships last Saturday made me wanna drool on myself, but everything was great. Except, I think they need some clarinets. hehehe... That is why I want to start a Bell and Woodwind corp. :P
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-08-16 21:11
Drew's answer was good and succinct. But I'll add my viewpoint anyway.
From the audience view, in college our football team wasn't that great and I will always contend that they were there to keep our audience occupied between the band's pregame and halftime shows.
From the performer's view, I can understand why some musicians dislike marching band. I didn't care for smashing my reeds against my teeth or trying to play with fingers that couldn't move because they were nearly frozen. But, I did enjoy the opportunities to (1) meet and have fun with students from all over the university (including some cute girls), (2) perform before audiences in the thousands, (3) perform (in our case, rarely) for national television audiences, and (4) play in a university-level musical group even though I wouldn't have qualified for the wind ensemble. And, for those of us who don't care too much for American football, the band members entertained ourselves, musically and otherwise, during the game.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-08-17 05:10
I am an OLD marching band guy from the 1960s who like many "boomers" (1946-1964 birth dates) is now re-living the experience through my son. Unlike in the 60s here in N.J. most schools now participate in competitive marching band, our local HS is part of "Tournament of Bands" (Eastern USA) (See www.tob.org) The music (much more than POP stuff) is memorized and matched to the drill routine. The entire (10 min) show is memorized. Perhaps, best for me, is that my son who has NO interest in sports is able to experience teamwork etc in a way that no other arts activity offers.
Almost all in his marching band also play in concert band, many are in the choir, and some play for the school musical and jazz band and orchestra. Each year five or six (out of 55) make the regional honor band or orchestra. Seven or eight of the recent marching band grads are studying music in college including one each at Eastman and Temple U.
My wife who was never near a marching band til she met me is sewing flags for the band front this year and watched the DCI on PBS the other night just to see the flags. She then asked me how she as a pianist could ever have gotten caught up in this? I guess for some its contageous.
We are convinced that the experience has been excellent for our son (he is a junior this year) and will serve him well in college.
The comments about school bands and politics is interesting. The last marching band gig I played in High School (a Catholic School by the way) was a parade for Hubert Humphrey on the Atlantic City Boardwalk as he was addressing the AFL-CIO convention while seeking the nomination. A number of us protested and said we would have prefered playing for Robert Kennedy the day before. (We weren't asked to play for RFK, and protests didn't go far in Catholic School in the 1960s.) Ironically, and sadly, RFK was dead two weeks later, and HHH lost to Nixon that fall. We played something called "The Rouser" which was a fight song from his college, our director refused a request to play "Hail to the Chief!"
Jim
P.S. I just can't get into drum corps... I always feel something is missing... Guess that comes from being a reed player!
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Author: Brad
Date: 2000-08-19 06:19
Some people don't like it because they look at marching bands the wrong way. I liked what my band director said, about thinking of your band as a band that marches, not as a marching band. I mean, if you want the music to be good, your band has to be a concert band that just happens to march. Well, sometimes the music isn't that great (we're playing an all 60's drug theme show this year), but there are a lot of bands that do march to really good pieces.
Brad
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-08-21 17:29
Regarding Jim's playing for Hubert Humphrey, in 1972 our high school band and two others were asked to play for a Richard Nixon rally at the local airport. The few band members who objected - it seems that they were the ones with long hair - did not have to participate. Nixon walked by us as we were playing and some of the flutists who were standing in front stopped playing long enough to shake his hand.
This experience made up for my disappointment from four years earlier when Nixon campaigned in the gymnasium of my future high school. I noticed that the high school band got to play for him and figured that they got to do something that I would never be able to. But it turns out that they were playing for a Presidential candidate and I got to play for a sitting President.
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