A friend of mine, a former US Marine (WWII) sent me this e-mail today of the Royal Norwegian Guard Drill Team and Band. The Tuba section was all upright axes with left hand fourth or fifth valve.
I hope the below attached will allow interested parties to view.
These players are drafted for one year only (there is some option of applying to be drafted for the band). A new band is assembled every fall, trains repertory and drill patterns over the winter, does national services plus national and international shows over the summer, and is discharged in early fall.
The tubas are, or at least used to be, three Besson 982 Eb’s plus three 992/994 BBb’s marching second row after the 6 trombones. The old Norwegian inner cities have narrow streets, so the 6 man abreast formation marches with shoulders very close to the next player. Hence the tubas are held in a vertical position that I would find uncomfortable.
I have seen several vintages of this band live and on TV and I have always been impressed even if sources from the inside have reported on at least one lesser vintage. I like the youthful energy and sharp moves. Last week I saw a TV feature of the 2008 Edinburgh Tattoo. The elderly ladies from the Singapore Police pipe band doing spins or pirouettes looked silly. I never thought the same about the young Norwegians.
acjcf2 wrote:A friend of mine, a former US Marine (WWII) sent me this e-mail today of the Royal Norwegian Guard Drill Team and Band. The Tuba section was all upright axes with left hand fourth or fifth valve.
I ment to ask what kind of tubas are used so thanks to Kluas and all for commenting. To amass that kind of skill and precision in such a short time is simply astounding.
Jim
"Keep Calm and Play Tuba."
Dillon 12915 5/4 BBb
Dillon Olka CB2
Conn Helleberg 120S
Jupiter 378L, used, beat, and leaky but still plays in tune.
Of course it takes quite some playing skills to be allowed into the band. As hinted by John Lingesjö Norway has an efficient band education system giving a very good foundation for the picking the members for the guard band. There are future professionals among the guard members, but as I understand it they are not even close to form a majority among the members.
There is a very good reason the Swedish almost-equivalent guard band does not travel very much. It is a mounted band made up of drafted players. Only this band has six core professional players, which also do service at court parties, where the play in the old Swedish brass 6-tet format.
Klaus
Last edited by imperialbari on Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Their traditions and music education system may have something to do with it...