An introduction to: Wind bands | Making Music

A wind band is basically an orchestra with the strings removed and saxophones added – except that is a very simple way of looking at it and the ... Skiptomaincontent Searchform Search Afullconcertband—IndianaWindSymphonyinconcert,2014.©MarkKimpel-http://www.flickr.com/photos/markkimpel/5331258989/ Anintroductionto:Windbands FollowingourlookatBarbershop,we'removingontoWindBands.What'sincludedinthe'wind'bit?Whyhastherepertoiregrownsomuchinthelastcentury?Andwhatdotheyoffermusiciansthatorchestralmusicoftendoesn't? Whatisawindband? Awindbandiscomposedofinstrumentswherethesoundisproducedbymakingacolumnofairvibrateinsidetheinstrument–sothat’swindandbrassinstruments.Somepeoplethinkthattheword‘wind’meansjustwoodwindinstruments,butinthiscasetheword‘wind’referstothewaythesoundisproduced,ratherthanbeingashortversionoftheword‘woodwind’. Windband,concertband,windorchestra,symphonicwinds–what’sthedifference? Thedifferencesaremany:fromtheinstrumentsused,tothestyleofmusicperformed,tothewaythemusicistobeplayed. HoweverontheUKamateurmusicsceneitisquitecommonforallthedifferenttypesofgrouptoperformrepertoirefromalltheothergenresaswellastheir‘own’,andsotosomeextentthetermsarebecominginterchangeableandmanypeopledonotrecognisethatthereisadifference. Forthepurposeofkeepingthissimple,we’llusetheterm‘windband’asageneraldescriptionthatencompassesallofthesevariants. Whatinstrumentsareinawindband? Awindbandisbasicallyanorchestrawiththestringsremovedandsaxophonesadded–exceptthatisaverysimplewayoflookingatitandthetruthisofcoursealotmorecomplicated,asthereisnostandardisedlineupforwindbands,sopartsareoftenomittedand/orcuedintootherparts. Inthewoodwindsection,thewindbandusesextraclarinetpartstoreplacethemissingstrings,withmultipleplayersoneachpart,andEbandbassclarinetsareadded.Thereareflute,piccolo,oboeandbassoonparts,andtheadditionoffoursaxophonepartswhohelptofillinthemiddleregisterharmoniesthatcomebetweenthehighwoodwind/brassmelodyinstrumentsandtheverylowbassinstruments–effectivelytheyaretheviolasofthewindband. Inthebrasssectionyouwillfindthestandardorchestrallineupofhorns,trumpets,trombonesandtubas.Cornetsand/orextratrumpetsareusuallyrequired,andeuphoniumsareaddedtohelpthesaxophonescompletethosemiddleharmonies.Twotubas,oftendoublinginoctaves,createastrongbassline. Inadditiontowindinstruments,you’llalsofindapercussionsection.Typicallyawindbandpercussionsectionwillhavemoretodothaninasymphonyorchestra,andtheplayersarerequiredtoswitchbetweenseveralinstrumentsinthesamepiece.Somepieces(usuallythosewrittenforwindorchestra,seeabove)alsorequireastringbassandoccasionallyapiano,harporcellomayalsobeneeded. Howdidwindbandscomeabout? Windensembleshavealwaysexistedinsomeform–startingwithsmallgroupsofminstrelsinmediaevaltimes,movingthroughtochambergroupsofbrassandwoodwindmusiciansatthecourtsof18thcenturymonarchsandthedesireofsomecomposerssuchasRichardStraussandIgorStravinskytowriteworksexclusivelyfororchestralwinds.  Australianmilitaryband-WW1: ©Aussie~mobs.Licensedforreuseunderthis CreativeCommonsLicence. Alongsidethiswasthedevelopmentofthemilitaryband–startingwithdrumandtrumpetcallsonthefieldofbattle,leadingtothedevelopmentofthemilitarymarchtohelpthetroopstomarchintime(whichcalledforagreatervarietyofinstrumentstobeaddedtotheensemble).Asinstrumentsweredevelopedsothattheircapabilitiesgrew,bothgenresofmusicexpandedandbegantoborrowfromeachotherinattemptstoadddepthandcolourtotheirsound. Oftenregardedasthefirsttruewindbandpiece,GustavHolst’sFirstSuiteinE-flatformilitarybandwaswrittenin1909andtothisdayisaclassicstapleofthewindbandrepertoire.Itwastheseminalworkthatshowedothercomposersthatseriouspiecesformilitarybandcouldbecomposedanditopenedthefloodgates,allowingthewindbandtobecomeaseriouscontenderfortheconcertplatform.RalphVaughanWilliams,GordonJacobandPercyGraingerwereamongthosetocomposeoriginalworksforthecombinationofwind,brassandpercussioninstrumentsthatmakeupthewindbandtoday. What’ssospecialaboutwindbands? Forplayersofwoodwind,brassandpercussioninstruments,windbandsofferanopportunitytoplaymusicthatismoreinvolvingthanorchestralmusic.Inanorchestratheseplayersoftencountmanybarsrestbeforeplaying,ormayevenbeleftoutaltogether.Inawindbandthereismoreforeveryonetodo,andnoplayerisunoccupiedforlong.Foramateurmusicians,theyoffergreateropportunitiesforplayinginagroupthanlocalsymphonyorchestras,wherethewindandbrasssectionsareoftenfull. Additionally,windbandscommissionalotofnewmusicastherepertoireisstillgrowing,themajorityofithavingbeenwritteninthelast100years.Theyprovidegreatopportunitiesforcomposerstogettheirworkperformed,andforperformerstoworkwithcomposersandexperiencenewmusic. ThebandstandonthePantiles,TunbridgeWells:TheSevenoaksandTonbridgeConcertBandplayingduringthe2014seasonofPromsonthePantile. ©MarathonandlicensedforreuseunderthisCreativeCommonsLicence. Finally,windbandsaregreatforoutdoorperformances,becausetheirsoundcarrieseasilywithoutadditionalamplification.Popdowntoyourlocalbandstandthissummerandyou’llalmostcertainlyfindawindbandperformingthere. Otherstaplesofthewindbandrepertoire Howdoyougetinvolved? Ifyouwantto joinawindband,havealookatour Findagroup tool.To attendaperformance,check oureventscalendar,whichregularlyincludesconcertsfromsomeofour150+windbandmembergroups.FormoreinformationanddevelopmenteventsyoucancheckouttheBritishAssociationofSymphonicWindBandsandWindEnsembles(BASBWE)website. WehopeyoufindthisMakingMusicresourceuseful.Ifyouhaveanycommentsorsuggestionsabouttheguidancepleasecontactus.Whilsteveryeffortismadetoensurethatthecontentofthisguidanceisaccurateanduptodate,MakingMusicdonotwarrant,noracceptanyliabilityorresponsibilityforthecompletenessoraccuracyofthecontent,orforanylosswhichmayarisefromrelianceontheinformationcontainedinit. Postedon13Feb2017 Printthispage FindoutmoreaboutwindbandsfromtheBASBWEwebsite. Visitthewebsite Advertisement anintroductiontoguidemusicgenreswindwindbandsOpenresourceLearningmusic MostrecentinResources WhattodoifthereisaCovidcasereportedatyourrehearsals RiskassessmentforCOVIDsecurerehearsals RiskassessmentforCOVIDsecureperformances Covid-19:Canmygroupgetbacktoin-personactivities? Webinarrecording:livestreamingusingOpenBroadcasterSoftware(OBS) Relatedcontent MakingMusic News WelcometonewPremiumCorporateMember,... TheteambehindMoistureGuardintroducetheirnewrangeofproductstohelpwindandbrassplayerssafelyreturntorehearsingand... 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