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EDUCATION

The Princeton Brass Band recognizes the need for education.

There are many future plans regarding the role of the band in educating the community at every level in regards to the culture, sound and repertoire of the band. This is an essential part of raising up a new generation of bandsman to whom the tradition is entirely familiar and also in building up an audience base that can fully appreciate the brass band art. In our first year a direct connection was made with students at Rider University who studied the brass band as a component of the course ‘The Arts in Contemporary Civilization’. They were introduced to the history of the brass band, the social culture of its origins (including the film Brassed Off) and its repertoire, with a specific focus on analyzing Eric Ball’s Resurgam. Here is a typical sampling of some of the final project work. It is hoped that these beginnings will point to a prosperous future in our handling of the important aspect of educating America in the great brass band tradition: [The excerpts are presented with minimal editing, to preserve the authentic voice, and the students were told to be frank with their true opinions, and that they would not be given extra credit for only being ‘positive’. They were simply encouraged to justify their criticisms, whether negative or positive. These samples are typical of the class as a whole, and ‘serious’ pieces, e.g. Gustav Holst’s Moorside Suite of 1927, were disliked as much by some as Billy Strayhorn’s Chelsea Bridge – a jazz number written for the Duke Ellington Band – were disliked by others – perhaps surprisingly!]

1st Excerpt

‘Overall, I loved the entire concert. I was most surprised by the fact that I didn’t miss the other instruments at all. The bands sound was so rich and so full, I could appreciate it for what is was and not get distracted by my thoughts on what it could be … My favorite piece of all had to be the Moorside Suite. There was something calming and very inspiring about the piece that just made me very happy, and I hope to get my hands on a copy of it in the future.

I think the biggest surprise for me was the wide array of brass instruments that actually exist. When I think of brass I think of trumpets, trombones, and tubas, but before this I had never heard of a euphonium or a flugel [horn], and I certainly didn’t know that you could have a tenor horn and I had never seen a cornet. The basses were huge, and I never knew instruments came that large. I can’t imagine carrying something like that to rehearsal without giving you back problems.

Perhaps I have seen many good brass players, but I was always under the impression that brass was loud and awe inspiring, but this concert showed me that they can pull off a large dynamic range … I think brass bands have a lot of relevance for today and I think their popularity is on the rise. I think their time has come. It would be great to have more brass band competitions here in the US… Resurgam really touched me in a way I didn’t expect it to … I really did like the cornet solo, it was peaceful, and although we were informed that the [hidden verbal] phrase that accompanies it [‘Death took my love away….’] is one of death and mourning, it isn’t the way I perceived it.

Overall I liked the piece just the way it sounds and not for what it implies … I’d like to find a recording of it, sit down, and listen again to try and get a better scope on the piece, and I would like to look up more of [Eric Ball’s] music.’
ML.

2nd Excerpt

‘I thought the brass band concert by PBB was amazing. I want to watch (go to) more of these concerts. I could not believe how well and amazingly these people played. I took consideration of the fact that these people had other jobs that playing in the band. No one has enough time to do something they enjoy, today, and I give great credit to all these band members … I think it was awesome hearing such a wide range of music. Not everyone likes the same kind of music; therefore such a range will give most of the audience something they enjoyed. If I were still into playing an instrument I would have loved to play in a brass band. Brass bands are very different from school or marching bands. I think this band is great and if they go into competition, I have a feeling they would do great!’
DC

3rd Excerpt

‘I thought the concert was amazing. I was very impressed at how well PBB performed in front of this large audience. I thought Dr. Allen spoke well and with humor, describing the pieces in a helpful way before they were performed. The music was performed extremely well. All of the music was completely different, having different rhythms and tonal styles. The band played well together, and it was a pleasure to finally hear something different. I’m used to listening more to hip-hop and pop. I loved hearing music in completely different styles … The biggest surprise for me was how well the band played in general. The band has been playing for less than a year, but to me it sounded like they were playing together for years. I also find it amazing how the members in the band, who I’m sure have family and jobs to pursue, how they manage all their time while also putting a lot of time into the band. I find it great that the members brought their own instruments and all seemed extremely pleased with the work they accomplished. I believe this band has great potential, especially as they have only been together for such a short period of time … I do believe that this kind of group has relevance today. I believe that everyone has different tastes and likes. Although this type of music is usually considered ‘older generation’, I do believe if students actually took the time and heard a band play live, more and more people would like this music. I know I never thought I would like a brass band, but after hearing the Princeton Brass Band play, I liked it a lot.’
MB

4th Excerpt

‘The biggest surprise for me within the concert would have to be the diversity of the band itself. Before I went to the concert, I thought that the entire band would be composed of older adults. I was surprised, therefore, to see all of the different age groups ranging all the way from what appeared to be my generation … I feel that this kind of group does have some form of relevance today.

America is such a diverse selection of people and there are obviously a number of people interested in this kind of musical performance as evidenced by the high attendance at this concert.’
KW

5th Excerpt

‘I am sure it takes enormous amounts of time and money to put together a brass band like PBB. I’m sure it would take months to find people who play the right instruments. Then there is rehearsal time. As far as expense is concerned, I know how much music and musical instruments cost, not to mention the copyright fees that need to be paid in order to be able to perform the music … I do think that competitions are good. They allow people to work out their competitive spirit – like in a sporting event. There is precious little money involved in the prizes and the band mainly have to fund their participation themselves, but they are doing it for fun and fun is an essential part of life … I really enjoyed listening to the Princeton Brass Band (in fact I brought family members with me this time). It has a very pleasant, warm sound. I had never heard of brass band before last Fall, so it is a totally new experience for me.

Out of both concerts I attended this semester [only one was required!] I think that my favorite piece was Riverdance. I loved the intense sound and atmosphere the band created. I could physically feel the music – it vibrated straight up through the floor.

The biggest surprise for me was that I didn’t miss the presence of a string or wind section. I was very curious to see how a band consisting only of brass and percussion would sound. The depth and warmth I heard in the music was incredible. I can easily see how brass band music would become and important tradition in any society.

I think the percussion section accented the rest of the instruments perfectly. I think percussion is an important element in any band. It does more than keep the beat of the music. It adds a unique color.

I thought the range of music played was great. The shows’ had a really nice variety to them. They really showed off the versatility of the band. Where else would you hear a piece as upbeat as I Will Follow Him and as mellow as Chelsea Bridge? … I do think brass bands are relevant to today’s society, even if their context has had to change. People will forever love competition and music, and as long as they do there will be a special place for brass bands … I think Resurgam is a beautiful piece of music. It really conveys the intensity of Ball’s emotions. I think it works very well as a piece of program music – he wrote it in memory of Elsa, his dead Sister-in-Law, and his grief over that even really comes through. I was particularly moved by the cornet solo [by Dr. Gary Fienberg] to the ‘hidden words’ “Death took my love away”. I would be interested to hear more music by Ball to see if it has the same intense expression as Resurgam.’
LM

6th Excerpt

‘I love the concert. In all of my years playing in many different types of bands, I’ve never heard brass instruments sounding so beautiful and dramatic. Hearing Dr. Allen play the euphonium was actually the first time I’ve ever heard one played. The flugel horn is another that I’ve never experienced before. I did have a favorite piece. Although I enjoyed Resurgam (I Shall Rise Again) a lot, my favorite piece was The Corsair [Hector Berlioz, arranged Geoffrey Brand] … I actually didn’t miss the strings even though this was originally written for orchestra.

There were so many different sections in Berlioz’s music and the sections and transitions were so interesting and enjoyable. The trombones at the end sounded so regal. It was magnificent … The biggest surprise to me was that the band has only been together for 11 months but they played like they have been together for years. I couldn’t believe the differences in how one instrument could be played.

One minute an instrument could be playing a tune that’s melodic and serene and the next minute they could be booming and imperial. For example, look at the trombone. I’m used to that instrument being more supportive and instead the trombones had every range there could be, from support to melody, from serene to imperial. It was quite amazing. I enjoyed the percussion because there were many different types of percussion instrument used in the show. Playing such a broad range of pieces was a great idea. It really showcased what brass bands can do. It taught the audience that a brass section does not simply support or color … I really liked the piece Resurgam (I Shall Rise Again). I appreciated it more knowing the story behind it, but I would have enjoyed it even if I hadn’t known. I do feel that Resurgam works as program music because you can feel that the music is telling some kind of story, whether you know the specifics or not. I really enjoyed listening to the story unfold as the band played. It doesn’t have to have religious undertones to work as ‘pure music’. If you didn’t know the story I would still find it to be a beautiful piece of music. I feel that Ball pulled off setting unheard words to music wonderfully. When I listened to the motto [a recurring, peaceful theme that opens the work, set to the unheard words “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God”] I could hear the text being sung by the instruments. I enjoyed hearing the contrast between the calm [motto] and the chaos [Dies Irae – Day of Judgment], but I enjoyed and responded most to the cornet solo [“Death took my love away”]. It was beautiful and so full of emotion. I felt like the notes were crying … I feel the piece works as an overall structure – it would loose its impact without any of the sections …I found the “judgment, crucifixion, death, resurrection” sequence after the cornet solo very convincing. The different sections of music are contrasted so effectively that it draws you into the piece and the emotions of each section. I loved how the ensemble played the resurrection section so majestically and beautifully. I enjoyed Resurgam so much that I would love to hear more pieces by Ball.’
DS

7th Excerpt

‘I really enjoyed the film Brassed Off a lot. It was very interesting to see that these types of competitions exist: I really had no idea. I found it particularly interesting since I will be traveling to London this summer. I really love films that capture the heart and culture of places, and I believe this film did exactly that. The film was also very moving; you really got inside the hearts of the band members. It really showed how intense the emotions get in a community during hard times, and the love the band members have for each other and the music … I really loved the music [Percy Grainger’s arrangement of Danny Boy] the band played outside the hospital on the lawn, it was really powerful … I think the movie really portrayed the connection between society and the music, how into the music the town got, and it became almost like a sport to them. It was almost like the reason why the town came together was for the sole purpose of the music, whether it was to enjoy the music or support the band, it was the one form of unity for the town. I think these contests are a great idea, to get the spirit of music going strong again, and have it find its way back into peoples lives and that of the community. It is definitely something I think should be brought here in the United States; I think it would really catch on.

The Princeton Brass Band concert on Sunday was truly amazing. I was not expecting such a professional looking band and sound, I was taken aback.

It was really a great experience, because, aside from my middle and high school bands, I had never seen a band live, and then not like this! I really liked the march The Champions by Major George H. Willcox [former conductor of the legendary Black Dyke Mills Band from Yorkshire, UK] … I think the main surprise was that I was not expecting the band to be such a large group of people – amazing to see. Also, not only did they look professional, the sound that came from them blew me away – no pun intended! – I was not expecting that at all. It was interesting how little explanations were given before each piece. It seemed to be very helpful for people who had never been to a concert like this before … I think bands like this today are completely relevant. I believe music like this is timeless, and it will always be popular. I think if younger kids could get into it at a much earlier age, and grow up with it, it would really catch on.’
KF

8th Excerpt

‘The Princeton Brass Band concert was an enjoyable event. It was a new experience for me. I brought along my 6 year old son, Raymond. He has expressed an interest in music and I try to let him hear and see different types of music. After the performance he told me that he liked it too. He enjoyed listening to Dr. Allen talk in between pieces and has tried to imitate his accent ever since … On our way home from the concert we talked about how much time the band has to put into practicing to get ready for the performance. He has heard the middle school band perform at his school and he now has an idea that it does not take a long time to sound really good. I do not want to discourage him at all, but I do want him to understand that it will not happen overnight. From talking to him I think he expects to instantly be a good musician. I want him to accept the process of learning; after all he is only six years old.

I do understand that it must take a great deal of commitment to participate in the band. The fact that the band has not been together for a long time but sounds as great as it does is because the members are all good musicians to start with. They did not start at the beginning but took various people and began working together. I thought this was good for me, as a parent, to witness people using their musical abilities beyond the school environment. The fact that everyone commits time, effort and money for the enjoyment alone is a positive message.’
JA

9th Excerpt

‘I arrived early and a few of the band members were warming up. Just listening to them warm up made me excited to be there. Dr. Allen greeted the audience members with excitement and enthusiasm. It was a pleasure just to watch him get more excited as the auditorium began to fill.

During the sound check the audience roared. Dr. Allen seemed to enjoy the response and told us that they were only checking the sound with the technical guy. It did not matter, because even those load chords sounded good. The band appears to have about 30 musicians and 3 percussionists [sic!].

My overall impression of the concert was sheer pleasure. At first, I was not sure if I was going to like music played only with brass instruments. I thought it was going to be like marching band type of music. Marching band music is fine, however, I like it in parades not just to relax and listen to in a concert setting. My first introduction to brass band music was the wonderful movie Brassed Off. I came to the concert ready to open my heart and mind to a wonderful experience. I was not disappointed. The music was PHENOMENAL. I wrote in my notes that it touched the innermost part of soul … The entire concert was exceptional and I love the diversity in the band members. There was a nice mixture of older folks, younger folks, women, and members from different ethnicity. To me that was a beautiful display in itself. I also enjoyed meeting “grumpy Elliott”, especially after hearing the amazing story about how Brian got him that new tenor horn. I also enjoyed the young lady [Flora Newberry] that played the E flat soprano cornet. I think she did a wonderful job. Excellent!!! Excellent!!! Excellent!!! …

One final thought: I liked the logo the Princeton Brass Band used with the word ‘Resurgam’ on it [designed by Laurel Daunis-Allen]. ‘Resurgam’ means to RISE AGAIN. Thank you for introducing me to what Americans will see in their future as the NEW WAVE. I will never forget the lessons learned during this section of the class. Brass Bands will rise again.’
FB