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Thread: Favourite solos/moments from the band/orchestra repertoire?

  1. #1

    Favourite solos/moments from the band/orchestra repertoire?

    I've noticed in my reasonably short time on this forum that we spend a lot of time talking about equipment, but I thought it would be nice to have a talk about our favourite solos from the brass band, orchestral, and wind band repertoires. I'm hoping to find some new music, and hopefully we can all find some new things to practice!

    To start us off I will offer this solo that opens the sixth variation of Vinter's "Variations on a Ninth", which I think was composed to be the test piece for the 1964 Nationals:

    https://youtu.be/i_lMYefOBqw?t=468

    Here it is played by the winning band, the player is the great Trevor Groom on presumably some sort of Boosey Imperial. This came to mind as I just played through the part for the first time today. I've kind of slept on this piece, but when I was going through my Google Drive I found the part from an aborted lockdown band recording project, so thought I would give it a whirl. It's a really satisfying solo to play, although it is fraught with much danger (as the slow stuff often is!). I wonder what a modern band playing this piece on modern instruments might sound like? On this German Sovereign the solo worked perfectly fine, but how would it sound on something huge like the Miraphone 5050 or something really dark sounding like the 642 Neo? It's very different from the sort of big euphonium solo you get in contemporary brass band repertoire, which are often cadenzas relying on range, volume, and cramming as many notes in each beat as possible.

    Another solo of interest to me tonight is a rare orchestral solo from the opening of Mahler's 7th Symphony:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d6Y...l=BrianBindner

    Mahler actually wrote for "Tenorhorn", which would be a tenor saxhorn of the traditional Austro-German front-valved oval-shaped instrument, so perhaps a better analogue would be the baritone horn. It works perfectly well on euphonium though, especially when we consider that Mahler chose to write this solo for Tenorhorn rather than trombone or regular horn is to evoke the sound of a military band. To my ears at least, the modern euphonium is more removed from the orchestral sound than the baritone horn, which (especially when played by a doubling trombonist) can sound a bit like a limp hybrid of the two. Mahler 7 is a beautiful piece, so if anyone has a spare hour it's worth a listen in full!

    P.S. I wasn't sure if this was entirely the correct place to post this - as I'd like to gear the discussion towards the actual dots rather than the performances I thought it made most sense to go here!
    Adams E2 | K&G 4D+

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by CousinJack View Post
    I've noticed in my reasonably short time on this forum that we spend a lot of time talking about equipment, but I thought it would be nice to have a talk about our favourite solos from the brass band, orchestral, and wind band repertoires. I'm hoping to find some new music, and hopefully we can all find some new things to practice!

    To start us off I will offer this solo that opens the sixth variation of Vinter's "Variations on a Ninth", which I think was composed to be the test piece for the 1964 Nationals:

    https://youtu.be/i_lMYefOBqw?t=468

    Here it is played by the winning band, the player is the great Trevor Groom on presumably some sort of Boosey Imperial. This came to mind as I just played through the part for the first time today. I've kind of slept on this piece, but when I was going through my Google Drive I found the part from an aborted lockdown band recording project, so thought I would give it a whirl. It's a really satisfying solo to play, although it is fraught with much danger (as the slow stuff often is!). I wonder what a modern band playing this piece on modern instruments might sound like? On this German Sovereign the solo worked perfectly fine, but how would it sound on something huge like the Miraphone 5050 or something really dark sounding like the 642 Neo? It's very different from the sort of big euphonium solo you get in contemporary brass band repertoire, which are often cadenzas relying on range, volume, and cramming as many notes in each beat as possible.

    Another solo of interest to me tonight is a rare orchestral solo from the opening of Mahler's 7th Symphony:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d6Y...l=BrianBindner

    Mahler actually wrote for "Tenorhorn", which would be a tenor saxhorn of the traditional Austro-German front-valved oval-shaped instrument, so perhaps a better analogue would be the baritone horn. It works perfectly well on euphonium though, especially when we consider that Mahler chose to write this solo for Tenorhorn rather than trombone or regular horn is to evoke the sound of a military band. To my ears at least, the modern euphonium is more removed from the orchestral sound than the baritone horn, which (especially when played by a doubling trombonist) can sound a bit like a limp hybrid of the two. Mahler 7 is a beautiful piece, so if anyone has a spare hour it's worth a listen in full!

    P.S. I wasn't sure if this was entirely the correct place to post this - as I'd like to gear the discussion towards the actual dots rather than the performances I thought it made most sense to go here!
    Fodens recorded Variations On A Ninth with Bram Tovey (Glyn Williams on euph), and Stanshawe with Walter Hargreaves (Lyndon Baglin on euph). By all useful metrics the Fodens version is the cleaner recording, but the Stanshawe one is simply better, especially Baglin's playing which is monumental. He would have been playing on the round stamp I have previously owned. Glyn Williams does not have the tonal consistency that Baglin had (who does, to be honest?) and whilst he is a truly great player, just doesn't have the sound that Baglin did. Look for the Spectrum album by Stanshawe which also has a brilliant performance of Gilbert Vinter's piece, again ably demonstrating just how much noise Mr Baglin could make.

    Worth a listen, and both pieces are great fun to play.
    Nowt

    Retired

  3. #3
    In response some of my favourite brass band repertoire moments include:

    Eric Ball's Resurgam
    Philip Wilby's Paganini Variations
    Peter Graham's Essence Of Time
    The last two minutes of George Lloyd's Diversions On A Bass Theme.
    Edward Gregson's Variations On Laudate Dominum

    It's an endless list....
    Nowt

    Retired

  4. #4
    Since you mentioned favourite moments from band repertoire, I'm going to go with a favourite passage that I experienced!

    It's the duet with horn in the 2nd movement of Peter Graham's Windows Of the World, Rainforest

    https://youtu.be/ZkR0m6V7ttg?t=181

    Had the privilege of playing this in our community band concert some years ago and it really stuck with me. Harmonizing with the horn player was just so fun and beautiful.
    "Never over complicate things. Accept "bad" days. Always enjoy yourself when playing, love the sound we can make on our instruments (because that's why we all started playing the Euph)"

    Euph: Yamaha 642II Neo - 千歌音
    Mouthpiece: K&G 4D, Denis Wick 5AL

    https://soundcloud.com/ashsparkle_chika
    https://www.youtube.com/user/AshTSparkle/

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Magikarp View Post
    In response some of my favourite brass band repertoire moments include:

    Eric Ball's Resurgam
    Philip Wilby's Paganini Variations
    Peter Graham's Essence Of Time
    The last two minutes of George Lloyd's Diversions On A Bass Theme.
    Edward Gregson's Variations On Laudate Dominum

    It's an endless list....
    Are these really moments if you've just listed whole pieces Resurgam does have some lovely euphonium moments, a nice short cadenza but I think the real challenge is the short slow melody that comes after it!


    odens recorded Variations On A Ninth with Bram Tovey (Glyn Williams on euph), and Stanshawe with Walter Hargreaves (Lyndon Baglin on euph). By all useful metrics the Fodens version is the cleaner recording, but the Stanshawe one is simply better, especially Baglin's playing which is monumental. He would have been playing on the round stamp I have previously owned. Glyn Williams does not have the tonal consistency that Baglin had (who does, to be honest?) and whilst he is a truly great player, just doesn't have the sound that Baglin did. Look for the Spectrum album by Stanshawe which also has a brilliant performance of Gilbert Vinter's piece, again ably demonstrating just how much noise Mr Baglin could make.

    Worth a listen, and both pieces are great fun to play.
    I think I listened to that Foden's recording today at work, on the Rococo Variations album? I was impressed by the full band playing, but the solo stuff like this euphonium moment and the following cornet duet didn't just quite do it for me - not sure modern playing and instruments quite manage the light sound Vinter was after there. Speaking of Spectrum, I got to tick it off my contest bucket list at the areas last year, was pleased to be playing 2nd though so I didn't have to worry about this nasty solo: https://youtu.be/1uVw4S_uwLc?t=266


    Since you mentioned favourite moments from band repertoire, I'm going to go with a favourite passage that I experienced!

    It's the duet with horn in the 2nd movement of Peter Graham's Windows Of the World, Rainforest

    https://youtu.be/ZkR0m6V7ttg?t=181

    Had the privilege of playing this in our community band concert some years ago and it really stuck with me. Harmonizing with the horn player was just so fun and beautiful.
    Often I find duet playing more satisfying than solo playing, especially if you have good chemistry with the other player! Some solo stuff is so exposed or tricky you can't really enjoy playing and are relieved to have it over, duets you can enjoy a bit more though knowing you're sharing the load with someone else
    Adams E2 | K&G 4D+

  6. #6
    Well if weÂ’re being particular

    The last minute and a half of Resurgam, especially the glorious climax. (Obviously the beginning and the cadenza and solo go without saying)
    The solo and cadenza of Paganini
    The recapitulation of the love theme at the end of Essence of time, but most crucially the ff top B natural on euph and then the trombone chords. Wonderful.
    The euphonium solo in Laudate Dominum and then the last Variation starting with the euph / tuba duet, and then the most joyous three minutes of brass band music that has probably ever been written.

    Better?!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by CousinJack View Post
    Often I find duet playing more satisfying than solo playing, especially if you have good chemistry with the other player! Some solo stuff is so exposed or tricky you can't really enjoy playing and are relieved to have it over, duets you can enjoy a bit more though knowing you're sharing the load with someone else
    Big agree! For example, the first part of Hymn of the Highlands where the baritone and flugelhorn have a duet together (in the fanfare orchestra arrangement anyway) was brilliant because the principal flugel player and I really clicked together. So much so that the conductor just let us play without his involvement.
    Euphoniums
    2008 Willson 2960TA Celebration
    1979 Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign (Round Stamp)
    Mouthpiece: Denis Wick SM4
    Baritone
    1975 Besson New Standard
    Mouthpiece: Courtois 10

  8. #8
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    I really like William Schuman's "When Jesus Wept". It's a bit tricky due to its slow tempo and 3/2 time. It's a beautiful duet with trumpet. Link below is of the Marine Band with Mark Jenkins playing the euphonium part.

    When Jesus Wept - Schuman:

    In the brass band world just about anything played by Morgan Griffiths is just wonderful. Still one of my favorite CDs is "Cry of the Celts" (Yorkshire Bldg Society Band). I think he's playing these on his Besson 966 but not positive.

    "Lament" - Morgan Griffiths and Stuart Derrick duet (#16 in link below):
    "Macushla" - Morgan Griffiths (#10 in link below):

    Yorkshire Building Society Band:

    ....scroll down to see tracks

    I should add Astor Piazzolla's "Café 1930" played by Anthony Caillet. Not only is Anthony's playing beautifully phrased and expressive but the pianist is superb!

    "Café 1930" - Piazzolla
    ...
    Last edited by RickF; 01-11-2023 at 01:47 PM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by RickF View Post
    I really like William Schuman's "When Jesus Wept". It's a bit tricky due to its slow tempo and 3/2 time. It's a beautiful duet with trumpet. Link below is of the Marine Band with Mark Jenkins playing the euphonium part.

    When Jesus Wept - Schuman:

    In the brass band world just about anything played by Morgan Griffiths is just wonderful. Still one of my favorite CDs is "Cry of the Celts" (Yorkshire Bldg Society Band). I think he's playing these on his Besson 966 but not positive.

    "Lament" - Morgan Griffiths and Stuart Derrick duet (#16 in link below):
    "Macushla" - Morgan Griffiths (#10 in link below):

    Yorkshire Building Society Band:

    ....scroll down to see tracks

    I should add Astor Piazzolla's "Café 1930" played by Anthony Caillet. Not only is Anthony's playing beautifully phrased and expressive but the pianist is superb!

    "Café 1930" - Piazzolla
    ...
    That Schubert is lovely, wish more bands played more classical/early romantic stuff! Morgan Griffiths almost certainly would have been on his 966 Sovereign on those YBS recordings.

    ___

    How about this quartet? https://youtu.be/Q5byIQXPln0?t=385

    I'm not the biggest fan of Peter Graham's generally, but this quartet with the two euphs and principal and rep cornets is really nice (with classy players of course here!)
    Adams E2 | K&G 4D+

  10. Almost every piece of brass band literature above is on my favorites list. As well I have a few Concert Band favorites:

    1. "Pictures at an Exhibition" - 1950s Eric Leidzen arrangement (out of print)
    2. Holst Suite in Eb and Suite in F - Original Holst versions with baritone parts separate from euphonium
    3. Persechetti Symphony for Band
    4, March from Symphonic Metamorphosis - Hindemith
    5. Lincolnshire Posy - Granger (again with euph and baritone parts)
    6. Canzone - Menin

    And just about any of the "Cornerstone Works" in this list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...and_literature

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

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