[78-L] Brass Band keys

[David Lennick]

In fact these are all British bands, from Paxton 78s. Some of them were 
recorded by Levy's, which wasn't known for pitch accuracy, but the Dvorak is 
one of them so G Flat Minor is probably okay. However, Bugler's Holiday in B 
Flat means pulling the thing down 2.5%..not an outrageous amount to be off 
speed in these early days of tape-to-disc fluctuations.

Here's another one, not a transcription this time: Ord Hume's "B.B. & C.F." 
which at 78rpm plays a little below A Flat Minor. Not credited as a Levy's 
master, and getting it to A Flat Minor is a matter of raising the speed 1.4%. 
Assuming that the piece IS in A Flat Minor, this puts 2 out of 3 sampled discs 
in the "pitch 'em up about 1.1-1.5%" range which also works for the Buglers if 
that arrangement is in B Major.

More?

dl

Valerie Langfield wrote:
> David,
> 
> In the UK at least, and I can't see why it would be different your side, 
> brass band instruments play in flat keys - that is, they are all 
> transposing instruments and if they play a C it comes out as a B flat 
> (instruments in E flat play C and it comes out as E flat). Flat keys are 
> greatly favoured, or better still, keys without any accidentals at all! 
> As far as I can recall, and I'm not at band again till Tuesday week, 
> Bugler's holiday is scored in C which means it'll come out as B flat. 
> For it to sound as B means it would be written in D flat for the B flat 
> instruments, and A flat for the E flat instruments; most unlikely. Much 
> easier for the B flat instrs to play in C, and the E flat insts to play 
> in G.
> 
> The Dvorak is likely in concert G flat - not as horrific as it seems, 
> since the B flat insts will play in A flat, and the E flat ones in E 
> flat. That's OK to play.
> 
> Does my explanation make sense? Does it tie in with your findings?
> 
> (At the back of my mind is the idea that there was a slight pitch change 
> in brass band instruments, too, a few generations ago, but I can't 
> remember which way.)
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Valerie
> 
> 
>> Before I begin transferring some brass band records, a question about pitching
>> and keys. A disc labelled "Dvorak's Slavonic Dance #8 in g minor" plays 
>> closest
>> to F#. Anderson's "Bugler's Holiday" plays in B. Actually they're both 
>> slightly
>> off but these are the closest actual keys (no more than 1% off)..just want to
>> know if they're probably correct. The discs date from the mid fifties.
>