[78-L] Brass Band keys

[David Lennick]

Okay (he said, avoiding the phrase "playing devil's advocate here")..since this 
recording was made by an all-star brass band, conducted by Harry Mortimer, what 
if it WAS arranged and played in B so they could show off? From the same 
sessions, Sleigh Ride and Bolero Brillante (Henry Geehl) also play in B unless 
I slow the discs down more than 3 percent, and Welsh Fantasy (Maldwyn Price) 
plays in C# (or D Flat..I told you I don't know anything about brass instruments).

dl

Jeff Sultanof wrote:
>>From an arranger's standpoint, what you say is correct, Valerie. Brass
> instruments are generally pitched in Bb, so flat keys are far more common
> for concert and brass band repertoire.
> 
> Which is why such a big deal was made about Fletcher Henderson writing in
> sharp keys - musicians playing sax, trumpet and trombone were not as versed
> in such keys, and they used to have to woodshed these arrangements to make
> them sound properly.
> 
> Jeff Sultanof
> 
> On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 10:32 PM, Steven C. Barr <stevenc at interlinks.net>wrote:
> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Valerie Langfield" <rcq at minuet.demon.co.uk>
>>> 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?
>>>
>> Not totally...but then again, I am a singer/harmonicist in my own blues
>> band, and often work (or used to?!) with a saxophonist...who called
>> our keys by HIS id's! Since harmonicas come from the factory bearing
>> their keys (which are the same as guitarists use!)...I would have to
>> explain the relevant key to my saxophonist; IIRC, I memorized several
>> "sax keys" relative to my "harp keys"...but NOT all of them!
>>
>> As far as I knew, my C harp played blues ("second position") in G;
>> trying to remember which key (of his) my saxophonist should be in
>> demanded more than my aging memory could recall!!
>>
>> ...stevenc
>> _______________________________________