 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2023-02-06 01:29
I'm asking this question from a composer's POV and for those of us that play upper woodwinds.
I've noticed that in many of the symphonic band/wind ensemble composers that all the wonderful stuff for us is over powered by the brass. Why work all of this up correctly an the brass over powers us.
Please let me know your feelings/thoughts about this.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2023-02-06 01:54
EbClarinet wrote:
> I've noticed that in many of the symphonic band/wind ensemble
> composers that all the wonderful stuff for us is over powered
> by the brass. Why work all of this up correctly an the brass
> over powers us.
>
I don't think the brass necessarily overpowers woodwind obbligato passages. It depends on what register the woodwinds are in, what register the brass are in and how skilled the conductor is at diagnosing and solving balance problems.
The composer needs to understand the instruments he writes for and use textures that show each appropriately.
Karl
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-02-06 04:31
It is up to the competence of the conductor to make the difference. Of course I always wondered about the slight imbalance of the parts in Beethoven. It took some years for me to hear a small "period instrument" group to allow it to make sense since the writing was done for a smaller, and much less powerful string section.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2023-02-06 07:00
In bands much of the brass (trumpets in particular) face the audience with all of the sound shooting out of their bells. Woodwinds have holes to cover-- the sound doesn't shoot out the bell unless all are covered. And, clarinets, flutes & saxes generally face sideways regarding the audience.
When we feature a dixieland (sub-band) group with band acc., I will play half of my part an octave up so the brass won't overshadow me. Another angle is to use a microphone and watch you don't overpower THEM. But, none of this helps if you're playing Holst's First Suite. That's where the conductor comes in.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2023-02-06 19:37
Thanks 4 these insights! I'm gong 2 print out all of this from my MacBook and save it for ages to come.
I've noticed that like in the Dallas Wind Symphony, this isn't a problem when they record.
Another thing that comes 2 mind is that how many players r on 1st and 2nd parts n the upper woodwinds.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: kilo
Date: 2023-02-06 21:47
The sound we hear when we are seated in a concert band isn't the same sound the audience hears. The mix sounds different in the hall and sections which might seem overpowered by the brass on the stage may sound balanced to the seated audience.
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Author: LostConn
Date: 2023-02-06 23:44
1. It's ultimately up to the conductor to keep the band's dynamics under control. But sometimes this can be a frustrating and/or losing battle, depending on the professionalism of the musicians. Brass players in particular have a tendency to measure forte and fortissimo by *what their instruments are capable of*, rather than by what makes sense relative to the piece being played.
2. Sometimes the woodwind sections are too small, in my opinion. All things being equal in terms of skill level, a large concert band will sound better than a medium-size or small band. This mostly means increasing the numbers of clarinet, flute, double reed, and saxophone players.
3. I think there are genuinely different paradigms for the basic sound of a concert band among composers, conductors, and musicians. My impression is that some people believe a concert band should emulate the forceful, homogenous sound of a brass band, just with some extra sparkly bits provided by the woodwinds. Personally, I believe a concert band -- also known as a symphonic band, of course -- should strive for a rich, deep, colorful sound akin to that of a symphony orchestra, with the woodwind sections providing both the "sparkly bits" AND the grounding sonority of the strings. This requires a strong clarinet presence.
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Author: gwie
Date: 2023-02-07 00:17
I've heard some concert band performances recently that seem like their goal is to transplant a marching band into a seated, indoor, format. It's all heavy brass, tons of percussion, and woodwinds looking like they're playing but only aurally present ~1% of the time. It's almost like a game of seeing how many flutes one can pack onto the stage but still not hear them because the balance is nonexistent. In one of them, the conductor bragged about how many time signature changes the piece had--and that was probably the only positive characteristic.
Very frustrating.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2023-02-07 02:35
I watch parades on TV and in person and marvel at all those woodwinds who just seem to be carrying instruments....
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2023-02-14 01:52
edit
- Matthew Simington
Post Edited (2023-02-14 05:57)
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