Brass Band/Ensemble

Chuck Jackson · Post by **Chuck Jackson** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:37 pm

What is your instrumentation? If you have horn players that want to transpose, trombones (not Bass) who can read treble clef and tuba players that can read treble clef, and an Eb Cornet/Trumpet, you could take a stab at some Brass Band stuff. One of your tubas would have to play BBb unless they wanted to read treble clef and transpose down a step on CC. I suggest you go online to Robert King or Hickey's and check out their stuff. Most of it has instrumentation listed. If you want to do Brass Band stuff, call Dick Wupio in LA (I have his # somewhere). He is THE purveyor of BB music, gives great service, and is a super nice guy. Good Luck.

Chuck Jackson
MD-The Las Vegas Brass Band

Bill Troiano · Post by **Bill Troiano** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:59 pm

A favorite of mine for advanced brass ensembe, is Karel Husa's, Divertimento for Brass. You can probably order it from Robert King. It has a simple folk song tuba solo in the last movement. I also second what Chuck suggests regarding contacting Dick Wuopia. His Solid Brass Music Company stocks brass ensemble as well as brass band literature. Check out his web page here.
http://www.sldbrass.com/

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:53 pm

The philosophy behind a genuine brass band is quite different from a simple brass choir or ensemble. Instrumentation is fairly rigid--you're not going to get the right sound with trumpets and french horns and nothing but CC tubas. Everyone but the bass trombone will be required to read treble clef notation. In addition to a euphonium player, you'll need two genuine British-style baritone horns.

It's a lot of fun and the literature is varied and can be quite challenging, but it's a big job getting the group together.

http://www.bandsman.co.uk has some good information as does http://www.4barsrest.com.

If all you're after is a brass ensemble of varied composition, take a look at some of the "Just Brass" arrangements put together by members of the PJBE.

BVD Press · Post by **BVD Press** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:54 pm

I second Bill's suggestion of Solid Brass Music. Dick has one of the best selections around for large Brass Ensembles!

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:07 pm

Karl P wrote:Your posting says you are from Knoxville (I assume KY). If you are talking about the tradition British Brass Band or the similar American Brass Band, as mentioned by Bloke, there are some instrumentation concern and the brass music, except bass T-bone is in treble clef.

BLOKE?

Now I'm going to have nightmares about eating hog jowls and greens.....

GRANNY'S HOG JOWLS AND COLLARD GREENS IN SAUCE BLANC AVEC TRUFFLES ET BUERRE

1 lbs. hog jowls 2 cups collard greens 1 cup cream 1/2 cup chardonnay 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup truffles, finely chopped 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped taragon 1 tsp. salt

Chop up hog jowls and and collard greens and boil 'em until tender. In a separate pan you should have lightly browned the truffles. Mix them with the cream, flour, wine, parsley, taragon, salt, and heat until simmering. Pour over howl jowls and collard greens and serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a Chardonnay. Serves 4.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:56 pm

Friday's BBC "Listen to the Band" was a particularly good example of some top-notch brass band playing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/shows/rp ... enband.rpm

Note that the last piece, part of "The Firebird", came in third

Joe, we don't eat hog jowls up here; we bundle them up with all the other nasty bits and divide them into two big piles. One we send to the producers of "Fear Factor"; the other we send down South for general consumption.