Military band v brass band

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  • LMcD
    Full Member
    • Sep 2017
    • 8409

    Military band v brass band

    Vaughan Williams's English Folk Song Suite was composed for military band. Gordon Jacob later produced a version for brass band. What differences would one expect to hear? (Presumably there might have been a drum or two in the first but not the second).
  • burning dog
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 1509

    #2
    Not sure how the original was arranged but military bands usually have woodwind instruments.

    Comment

    • BBMmk2
      Late Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 20908

      #3
      Quite honestly the original is by far the better than Jacob’s orchestration. It just doesn’t have the je ne sais pas. Like others. It’s like others, for instance in John Ireland’s works, A Downland Suite, and his London Overture(A Comedy Overture,in its original brass band format), all do not he the raison dêtre. Strangely enough, there’s a a few classical music composers that do not sound great on a brass band do in military/wind/concert bands.
      Don’t cry for me
      I go where music was born

      J S Bach 1685-1750

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      • Eine Alpensinfonie
        Host
        • Nov 2010
        • 20570

        #4
        Personally I'm not too keen on military bands. The squealing woodwinds can become tiresome. I just don't think it's a particularly good combination of sounds, whereas a brass band sounds blended and beautiful.

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        • BBMmk2
          Late Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 20908

          #5
          Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
          Personally I'm not too keen on military bands. The squealing woodwinds can become tiresome. I just don't think it's a particularly good combination of sounds, whereas a brass band sounds blended and beautiful.
          If you heard HM Royal Marines, they’re a different kettle of fish. Or the RAF guys.
          Don’t cry for me
          I go where music was born

          J S Bach 1685-1750

          Comment

          • Old Grumpy
            Full Member
            • Jan 2011
            • 3596

            #6
            Originally posted by BBMmk2 View Post
            If you heard HM Royal Marines, they’re a different kettle of fish. Or the RAF guys.
            Crack units, crack musicians, perhaps?

            OG

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            • Padraig
              Full Member
              • Feb 2013
              • 4226

              #7
              I'm a big fan of military bands when they play Sousa marches. Not so keen otherwise.


              "The President's Own" United States Marine Band recorded John Philip Sousa's march "Semper Fidelis" on March, 3, 2009, in the John Philip Sousa Band Hall at ...

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              • rauschwerk
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 1480

                #8
                Frederick Fennell has done wonderful work in the military band medium. His Mercury recordings sound a bit dated now (though Imogen Holst loved his recording of Holst's strange piece Hammersmith), but the three Telarc LPs he made in the late 1970s with the Cleveland Symphonic Winds (terrific digital sound when all the pundits said it would never be any good) are classics. I have also been enjoying the works for wind orchestra in Volume 4 of Chandos's Grainger series, especially The Lads of Wamphray. The players there are RNCM students.

                The Gordon Jacob arrangement of the RVW Folksong suite is for full orchestra. I certainly prefer the original. The brass band arrangement is by Frank Wright.

                Comment

                • Serial_Apologist
                  Full Member
                  • Dec 2010
                  • 37595

                  #9
                  Originally posted by BBMmk2 View Post
                  Quite honestly the original is by far the better than Jacob’s orchestration. It just doesn’t have the je ne sais pas. Like others. It’s like others, for instance in John Ireland’s works, A Downland Suite, and his London Overture(A Comedy Overture,in its original brass band format), all do not he the raison dêtre. Strangely enough, there’s a a few classical music composers that do not sound great on a brass band do in military/wind/concert bands.
                  To me the brass band setting of Holst's wonderful "Hammersmith" is more vivid than the orchestral, however.

                  Comment

                  • BBMmk2
                    Late Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 20908

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                    To me the brass band setting of Holst's wonderful "Hammersmith" is more vivid than the orchestral, however.
                    Quite true! There are exceptions!
                    Don’t cry for me
                    I go where music was born

                    J S Bach 1685-1750

                    Comment

                    • BBMmk2
                      Late Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 20908

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Old Grumpy View Post
                      Crack units, crack musicians, perhaps?

                      OG
                      The best!
                      Don’t cry for me
                      I go where music was born

                      J S Bach 1685-1750

                      Comment

                      • Old Grumpy
                        Full Member
                        • Jan 2011
                        • 3596

                        #12
                        Originally posted by BBMmk2 View Post
                        The best!
                        If you say so, maestro

                        We have seen (and heard) the RAF guys a couple of times at Sage Gateshead and they were superb!

                        OG

                        Comment

                        • LMcD
                          Full Member
                          • Sep 2017
                          • 8409

                          #13
                          Originally posted by rauschwerk View Post
                          Frederick Fennell has done wonderful work in the military band medium. His Mercury recordings sound a bit dated now (though Imogen Holst loved his recording of Holst's strange piece Hammersmith), but the three Telarc LPs he made in the late 1970s with the Cleveland Symphonic Winds (terrific digital sound when all the pundits said it would never be any good) are classics. I have also been enjoying the works for wind orchestra in Volume 4 of Chandos's Grainger series, especially The Lads of Wamphray. The players there are RNCM students.

                          The Gordon Jacob arrangement of the RVW Folksong suite is for full orchestra. I certainly prefer the original. The brass band arrangement is by Frank Wright.




                          In that case, perhaps I should have to have a word with George Hall, the author of the liner notes accompanying my 2-CD Decca set (460 357-2).

                          Comment

                          • Pulcinella
                            Host
                            • Feb 2014
                            • 10890

                            #14
                            Originally posted by LMcD View Post
                            In that case, perhaps I should have to have a word with George Hall, the author of the liner notes accompanying my 2-CD Decca set (460 357-2).
                            Michael Kennedy (The works of RVW) says: Transcribed by Gordon Jacob in 1924 for brass band (pub 1956) and for full orchestra (pub 1942). Arranged for piano by M Mullinar, 1949.

                            Comment

                            • BBMmk2
                              Late Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 20908

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Old Grumpy View Post
                              If you say so, maestro

                              We have seen (and heard) the RAF guys a couple of times at Sage Gateshead and they were superb!

                              OG
                              Yes, those too!
                              Don’t cry for me
                              I go where music was born

                              J S Bach 1685-1750

                              Comment

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