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British brass band

In Britain, a brass band (known regionally as a silver band or colliery band) is a musical ensemble comprising a standardized range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around communities and local industry, with colliery bands being particularly notable. The Stalybridge Old Band (still in existence) was formed in 1809 and was perhaps the first civilian brass band in the world.

Bands using the British instrumentation are the most common form of brass band in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and are also widespread in continental Europe, Japan and North America. The tradition for brass bands in the UK is continuing, and local communities and schools have brass bands. British band contests are highly competitive, with bands organized into five sections much like a football league. Competitions are held throughout the year at local, regional, and national levels, and at the end of each year there are promotions and relegations. The 2019 holder of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain was the Cory Band from South Wales.[1]

A selection of brass bands can be experienced at the annual Durham Miners' Gala. There are also hotly-contested annual events held on Whit Friday in the Saddleworth area of Greater Manchester in which hundreds of bands compete.[2]

Etymology Edit

The terms brass band and silver band are synonymous in that the vast majority of bands termed either brass or silver incorporate musicians playing a mix of lacquered brass and silver-plated instruments. However, in the days when plain or lacquered brass instruments were not as costly as silver-plated ones, the term silver band implied an ensemble that could afford the latter and were thus perceived to be more successful. With the cost of each type now being similar, the distinction between brass and silver bands is generally not made. There are, however, some brass bands which carried the name silver prize band as a result of their successes in contests and competitions. As time went on, some kept the name silver but not necessarily the instruments. Nowadays, the only real difference is that silver bands are located mainly in the south of England and brass bands in the north, although some silver bands do still exist in the North and many brass bands exist in the South.

Instrumentation Edit

British brass bands are limited to specific instruments, excluding, for instance, trumpets or French horns, which are found in orchestras and concert bands.

The standard instrumentation is as follows:[3]

The above totals 27–29 players, although in practice a band often has fewer than this. Spare seats may be filled for concerts and contests by players brought in from other bands, commonly known as deputising players or deps.

Notation Edit

With the exception of percussion, bass trombone and some older tenor trombone music, all parts are transposing and written in the treble clef with the instrument's lowest open note (B♭ or E♭) notated as middle C. This means that for every valved instrument, from the basses to the soprano cornet, a given note on the stave corresponds to the same valve fingering, enabling players to move more easily between parts. This system is unique to UK-style brass bands, though historically the North American drum and bugle corps activity followed the brass band convention of all-treble-clef writing.

Tenor trombone music is usually in treble clef like the other instruments in the band, though older scores or marches sometimes use tenor clef.

Bass trombone music is written at concert pitch in bass clef. This was historically due to this part being taken by a G bass trombone, rather than the modern B♭ bass trombone. As instrument technology modernized, the need for a bass trombone in G diminished, with the introduction of the B♭ bass trombone with F rotary valve. The larger bore and open wrap of the F valve gave the B♭ bass trombone a lower available playing register than the straight G bass trombone.

Tuned percussion is written in concert pitch (with the appropriate octave transpositions) with the appropriate clef for the instrument – e.g. bass clef for timpani, treble clef for glockenspiel (sounding two octaves higher). Unpitched percussion parts (including drum kit) are written in neutral clef on a 1- to 5-line stave using standard percussion notation, though some older scores may use bass and/or treble clefs.

United Kingdom Edit

History Edit

 
Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company Band, 1916. Collieries and factories often sponsored their own works bands, and many now-defunct companies survive only in the names of their former bands.

Most of the instruments used in British brass bands had been in use for some time in village, church and military bands, and in the 1840s and 1850s the brass band emerged from these as a popular pastime. Brass bands were a response to industrialisation, which produced a large working class population, technological advances in instrument design, and the mass production to manufacture and distribute the instruments. A major improvement to the old designs was the development of efficient piston valves, which were easier to play and produced a more accurate, consistent sound.[4] Arguably brass bands were an expression of the local solidarity and aspirations of newly formed or rapidly growing communities. This was seen, for instance, in the creation of brass band competitions by the late 1850s.[4] In 1853 John Jennison, owner of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester, agreed to stage the first British open brass band championships. The event was attended by a crowd of over 16,000 and continued annually until 1981.[5] Brass bands reached their peak in the 1890s, when there were around 5,000 brass bands in the country.[6] Today, there are 1,200 brass bands in Britain with around 30,000 players.

Many UK bands were originally either works bands or sponsored by various industrial concerns. This was particularly evident in coal mining areas, for example, bands such as the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band in Yorkshire. Bands sponsored by factories include The Black Dyke Mills Band, Yorkshire Imperial Band (originally the Yorkshire Copperworks Band), Foden's sponsored by the truck manufacturer, Fairey sponsored by the aircraft manufacturer, and Leyland Band sponsored by the vehicle manufacturer. One of the reasons for this was to keep the workers from organizing in radical groups.[7] With the decline of these industries several bands have dissolved and others now draw their membership from other industries and other parts of the community. The Brighouse and Rastrick Band, is unique in having operated continually at the highest level without sponsorship, drawing its income from regular concerts, public donations and sales of recordings and merchandise.

The leading bands in Wales include the Cory Band, Tredegar Town Band and Tongwynlais Temperance Band[8] The leading bands in Scotland are The Cooperation Band (formally Co-operative Funeralcare), Whitburn Band and the Kirkintilloch Band. All these bands compete at the highest level in the banding movement. In Northern Ireland the Brass Band League currently has 26 members.[9]

 
Brass banding across the generations

There are also many non-contesting or 'community' brass bands in the UK providing entertainment for audiences and enjoyment for musicians of all ages.

Contesting in the United Kingdom Edit

British banding is highly competitive, with bands organized into five sections much like a football league – Championship section, 1st section, 2nd section, 3rd section and 4th section. Competitions are held throughout the year at local, regional, and national levels, and at the end of each year there are promotions and relegations.

At a national level the main contest is the National Brass Band Championship,[10] and this determines a band's section. For this, the UK is split into 8 regions: London and Southern Counties, Midlands, North of England, North West, Scotland, Wales, West of England, and Yorkshire. Each year in Spring the bands compete in a regional contest for their section, and the top two or three in each section go on to the "National Finals" in Autumn. Recently (2011), the finals for Sections 1 to 4 have been held in Cheltenham, and the finals for the Championship Section at the Royal Albert Hall in London (as featured in the film Brassed Off).

The bands are awarded points for their result (1st gets 1 point, 9th gets 9 points), and this is added to the previous two years to give a three-year total. Two or three bands with the best total are promoted, and two or three bands are relegated.

There are also separate contests for university brass bands, including the annual UniBrass contest, founded at Lancaster University in 2010 and hosted in 2023 by the University of Warwick.[11] The Cambridge and Oxford University brass bands also compete against each other in annual 'varsity' contests.[12] The National Youth Band Brass Championships held annually has a Youth Champs’ non-competitive section offering the opportunity for young people new to brass to take part and contribute a performance without the pressure of competition. Bands of all standards play in the Debut Section and join in the fun.

The Salvation Army Edit

In the UK, the brass bands of The Salvation Army have run parallel to the main brass band movement since the 1870s. Bands of The Salvation Army range from small church bands to staff bands composed of the best bandsmen of The Salvation Army in the area. Their instrumentation is almost identical except for a minor difference in the cornet section whereby the repiano is dropped and the remainder of the row is made up of parts designated 1st and 2nd (two players each) rather than 2nd and 3rd; and that some major pieces have a split first trombone part, the lower part usually cued elsewhere in the band. Bands of The Salvation Army can be found in most countries around the world in which it operates.

Australia Edit

The Australian derivation of a brass band is the same as the UK brass band (i.e. standard instrumentation with no woodwind). Contesting bands in Australia are graded from A Grade to D Grade. National Contests[13] are held each year at Easter, with the location moving from state to state, and often including bands from New Zealand or other locations around the Asia Pacific region.

Each state also conducts their own championships. National and state contests are generally of the same format: a set test piece for each grade, a hymn, an own choice, a stage march (march or concert march performed on the stage without marching) and a light entertainment concert program. Smaller regional contests often replace the major works with an own choice concert program.

Among the country's most famous brass band identities have been conductor and composer Percy Code; and David King and Frank Wright who made their mark in Britain. Early Australian brass composers include Thomas Bulch, Alex Lithgow and Charles Trussell. In later years, leading composers have included Brenton Broadstock (Winds of Change, Rutherford Variations, Valiant Take All My Sins Away and many more), Barrie Gott (Mumbo Jumbo, Gospel Train, Glasshouse Sketches) and Joe Cook (Taskforce, Keighley Moor).

Europe Edit

Belgium Edit

In Belgium, there are about 30 brass bands. The best known is Brass Band Willebroek,[14] who were crowned European Brass Band Champions in 1993, 2006 and 2007. The average banding level is still rising, as the brass movement was only introduced in Belgium some 30 years ago.

The national brass band Championships are held annually at the Royal Music Conservatory in Brussels. The winner represents Belgium at the European Championships.

Participants are divided into four categories going from Championship section to third section. Currently there are seven bands competing in Championship section. These are: Brass Band Willebroek[14] Brass Band Buizingen,[15] Metropole Brass Band,[16] Festival Brass Band,[17] Kortrijk Brass Band,[18] Brass Band Heist,[19] and De Noord-Limburgse Brassband,[20]

Other Belgian bands include: Brassband Kempenzonen Tielen,[21] Brass Band Leieland,[22] Brass Band Zele,[23] Brass Band De Kempengalm, Brass Band de Thudinie and many more.

Some of the brass bands in Belgium are primarily based around recreational music, do not conform to British brass band instrumentation, and therefore do not compete.

Germany Edit

Brass bands in Germany are not as widespread as in other European countries like Switzerland or the Netherlands. There are just a few bands (about 40) playing in authentic British instrumentation.[24] This is primarily due to the popularity of wind bands, particularly in Southern Germany, and brass groups (composed of soprano to bass instruments) known as "Posaunenchöre" (trombone choirs) related to churches.

National Brass Band "competitions" took place as part of the German Festival of Wind Music in Würzburg 2007 and 2008, in Duisburg 2010, in Coesfeld 2012 and in Bad Kissingen 2014.

Ireland Edit

Brass bands in Ireland can primarily trace their origins to the past influence of British Army bands during the period between 1801 and 1922. As well as military bands however, community led groups were also in existence around this time.[25] While concert bands are more prevalent today, possibly due to the association of brass bands with British rule, brass bands are still popular, especially on the east coast. Dungarvan, Arklow and Drogheda are all examples of towns with brass bands of note. Dublin has 2 Brass Bands The oldest is St.Georges Brass Band Formed 1936 (in Dublin City Centre) and the Stedfast Brass Band (Blackrock) Brass competitions take place annually, both regionally and nationally.

Netherlands Edit

In the years 1870–1900 the Salvation Army spread out their missionary activities in the Netherlands, at first the main port city Amsterdam, and then to the then still important northern seaport of Harlingen, Friesland around the 1900.

Brass Band contesting began in Friesland after World War II. The Frisian conductor Sierd de Boer made a great effort to develop the British Brass Band standardisation, and the Frisians nowadays continue to set the standard of brass bands in the Netherlands. Brass Bands in Friesland include "De Wâldsang" Buitenpost, "Pro Rege" Heerenveen, "De Bazuin" Oenkerk and "De Spijkerpakkenband" Opsterland. Other well known brass bands across the country are Brassband Rijnmond (Rotterdam) and Brass Band Schoonhoven.

Norway Edit

The Norwegian Band Federation is the largest voluntary music organisation in Norway. Through their membership, the 1712 member bands with their 70,318 players (official figures as of 9/1/04) are offered good conditions for their hobby. A network rich in tradition also gives them a strong and influential position in the cultural life of Norway. Many primary schools have their own bands.

Crown Prince Haakon is the patron of the Norwegian Band Federation. The Federation is granted an annual audience with the Crown Prince in order to report to him and receive advice for the future. The King has awarded a royal trophy to the championships for adult bands.

North and South America Edit

Canada Edit

Brass bands in the British tradition, sometimes sponsored by employers, existed in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The geography of Canada (e.g. large distances between communities, making regular contests and migration of players difficult) was a key factor among many challenges that led to the demise of most such bands.

Today, excepting the Salvation Army bands, there are few British-style brass bands in Canada. Most operate as recreational, amateur, "community" bands such as the Oshawa Civic Band, King Street Brass from Kitchener, and the Whitby Brass Band, who celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2013. There are some semi-professional groups, like the Intrada Brass[26] of Oakville, Ontario and the Weston Silver Band of Toronto. One of the most successful brass bands in Canada is the Hannaford Street Silver Band.[27]

There are hopes for growth in the education field of brass bands in Canada, and in particular southern Ontario. In 1999, the professional Hannaford Street Silver Band launched the Hannaford Street Youth Band, which is internationally recognized for its success. In 2005, another youth band was created for beginning brass players known as the Hannaford Junior Band. Beginning in September 2006, the Hannaford organization plans to launch a third, intermediate, band known as the Hannaford Community Youth Band. These three ensembles target a wide range of youth from ages 11 to people well into their twenties.

Latin America Edit

Brass bands long enjoyed popularity in many parts of Latin America as well.

Mexican banda music has similar origins to the British brass band tradition and was influenced by it in its early days. In 19th century Mexico very large bands were formed, such as that of composer Juventino Rosas and in parts of Mexico brass band concerts remain a popular entertainment.

United States Edit

 
Nebraska Brass Band 2018

Brass bands in the British tradition are becoming more popular through the efforts of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA), which organizes an annual brass band convention and set piece style contest. The US Open Brass Band Championships are held in early November and serves as the countries leading entertainment competition.[citation needed] Brass Band Festivals such as The Great American Brass Festival, Ohio Brass Arts Festival, Gettysburg Brass Band Festival, Dublin Festival of Brass and the Mid-Atlantic Brass Festival occur throughout the year.[citation needed]

Brass bands were very popular throughout the United States in the late 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century. Well known bands of virtuoso musicians toured widely, and most towns had their own bands that put on weekend music concerts. One notable example of this was The Ohio State University Marching Band which formed in 1879 and still performs with only brass and percussion instruments. Other groups, ranging from benevolent societies to large factories, would often have a band. The brass band movement has undergone a resurgence in the late twentieth century, led by the North American Brass Band Association. The United States boasts a number of professional brass bands, including the Brass Band of Battle Creek, the River City Brass Band, and the Orchid City Brass Band (West Palm Beach, FL); community brass bands such as the Central Ohio Brass Band, Dublin Silver Band, Motor City Brass Band, Atlantic Brass Band, Nebraska Brass Band, Imperial Brass, Brass of the Potomac, Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band (Delaware), Five Lakes Silver Band, Allegheny Brass Band, The Brass Band of Central Florida, the Sheldon Theatre Brass Band (Red Wing, MN), the Lake Wobegon Brass Band (Anoka, MN), the Twin Cities Brass Band (Bloomington, MN), the Fountain City Brass Band, the Triangle Brass Band, the Smoky Mountain Brass Band the River Brass, and the Mission Peak Brass Band (Fremont, CA); several collegiate brass bands, including the James Madison University Brass Band, the Mansfield University Brass Band, the Slippery Rock University Brass Ensemble, the Pennwest-Clarion University Brass Ensemble, and the University of Georgia British Brass Band; and various youth brass bands, including the Triangle Youth Brass Band and the Fountain City Youth Brass Bands also exist.

Repertoire Edit

There are several notable composers in the brass band world. The current favourite is possibly Philip Sparke, who has written many pieces, including Music of the Spheres. A noted Welsh Composer was T. J. (Tom) Powell, born in Tredegar in 1897, also known as "The Welsh Sousa".[citation needed] Powell composed over 500 pieces for brass bands, including marches (such as "The Castle Marches"), tone poems and suites.

Other notable composers include:

Several classical composers have written music specifically for brass band. These include:

Outdoor banding Edit

 
Jedforest Instrumental Bandstand, built in 2006, stands in the shadow of Jedburgh Abbey Scottish Borders

An advantage of the brass band is that it is mobile and capable of playing at any time and anywhere, even on the march. Marching and outdoor functions have been the preserve of the brass band for well over a century. Many UK brass bands are closely woven into the local community, performing outdoor civic duties throughout the year.

The bandstand became popular in the Victorian era, typically associated with the British brass band or military band. It is a simple construction which not only creates an ornamental focal point, but also serves acoustic requirements whilst providing shelter from the changeable British weather.

Band associations Edit

Notable brass bands Edit

Europe Edit

Great Britain Edit

Scotland Edit
  • The Cooperation Band (formerly Co-operative Funeralcare), 34 times Scottish champions and twice British champions
Northern England Edit
The Midlands Edit
  • The GUS Band, championship section band from Kettering.[29]
Southern England Edit
Wales Edit
  • Tredegar Town Band, a Welsh brass band
  • Cory Band, formed in the Rhondda Valley in 1884, they have been the number one ranked brass band in the world for over 10 years.[32] In 2016, they won all four major contests in an unprecedented "Grand Slam", an accolade they achieved again in 2019. [33]

North America Edit

Ohio Edit

Midwest Edit

Oceania Edit

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ "Report & Results: 2019 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain". 4barsrest. 12 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Whit Friday Marches". 22 April 2017.
  3. ^ Bandsman.co.uk, Writing for Brass Bands
  4. ^ a b T. Herbert, The British Brass Band: a Musical and Social History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), pp. 4–5.
  5. ^ , British Open Brass Band Championships, archived from the original on 13 August 2010, retrieved 21 July 2010
  6. ^ Holman, Gavin (March 2018). "How Many Brass Bands?".
  7. ^ "The History of Brass Bands", hatii.arts.gla.ac.uk 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Welcome". Tongwynlaisband.com. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Brass Band League – Representing Northern Ireland Brass Bands". Brassbandleague.org. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Home | National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain". Kapitol.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  11. ^ "The Contest". UniBrass. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  12. ^ "About us". Cambridge University Brass Band. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  13. ^ "National Band Council of Australia - National Band Council of Australia". Nbca.asn.au. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Brassband Willebroek". Brassbandwillebroek. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Home - Brassband Buizingen". Brassbandbuizingen.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  16. ^ Metropolebrass.be 3 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Festival Brass Band". Festivalbrassband.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Under construction". Kortrijkbrassband.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Top Brassband uit Heist-op-den-Berg die uitkomt in kampioenen afdeling". Brassbandheist.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  20. ^ Fransen, Steven. "Home". Nlbb.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Koninklijke Fanfare de Kempenzonen Tielen – Toonaangevend in de wereld van de amateurmuziek". Kempenzonen.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Brass Band Leieland". Brassbandleieland.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Brassband Zele". Brassbandzele.be. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  24. ^ . www.brassband-deutschland.de/. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  25. ^ . Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  26. ^ "Intrada Brass – Oakville's Premiere Brass Ensemble". Intradabrass.ca. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Hannaford Street Silver Band – Toronto's award-winning professional brass band". Hssb.ca. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  28. ^ "Home | Yorkshire Imperial Band". Yorkshireimps.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  29. ^ "GUS Band". Thegusband.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  30. ^ "London & Southern Counties (Championship Section)". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  31. ^ "History". LGB Brass. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  32. ^ "World Rankings". 4barsrest.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  33. ^ "Award Winners". Coryband.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  34. ^ . Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  35. ^ "River Brass". Bendinriverbrass.webs.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.

External links Edit

  • 4barsrest.com
  • British Bandsman magazine
  • Bandsman – brass band portal
  • The Internet Bandsman's Everything Within
  • TheMouthpiece.com: Internet Brass Band Discussion Forum and Resource
  • BrassBand.co.uk Brass Band Sheet Music Search Engine
  • BBE.org.uk |Brass Bands England Membership organisation promoting, representing and supporting the brass banding sector across England

Further reading Edit

  • Epstein, Joel (2022). "Brass Bands of Britain". Music for the Love of It: Episodes in Amateur Music-Making. Juwal Publications. ISBN 978-9659278237.

british, brass, band, silver, band, redirects, here, australian, waterfall, silverband, falls, american, rock, band, silver, band, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sou. Silver band redirects here For the Australian waterfall see Silverband Falls For the American rock band see Silver band This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources British brass band news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message In Britain a brass band known regionally as a silver band or colliery band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardized range of brass and percussion instruments The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century with a vibrant tradition of competition based around communities and local industry with colliery bands being particularly notable The Stalybridge Old Band still in existence was formed in 1809 and was perhaps the first civilian brass band in the world Bands using the British instrumentation are the most common form of brass band in the United Kingdom Australia and New Zealand and are also widespread in continental Europe Japan and North America The tradition for brass bands in the UK is continuing and local communities and schools have brass bands British band contests are highly competitive with bands organized into five sections much like a football league Competitions are held throughout the year at local regional and national levels and at the end of each year there are promotions and relegations The 2019 holder of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain was the Cory Band from South Wales 1 A selection of brass bands can be experienced at the annual Durham Miners Gala There are also hotly contested annual events held on Whit Friday in the Saddleworth area of Greater Manchester in which hundreds of bands compete 2 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Instrumentation 2 1 Notation 3 United Kingdom 3 1 History 3 2 Contesting in the United Kingdom 4 The Salvation Army 5 Australia 6 Europe 6 1 Belgium 6 2 Germany 6 3 Ireland 6 4 Netherlands 6 5 Norway 7 North and South America 7 1 Canada 7 2 Latin America 7 3 United States 8 Repertoire 9 Outdoor banding 10 Band associations 11 Notable brass bands 11 1 Europe 11 1 1 Great Britain 11 1 1 1 Scotland 11 1 1 2 Northern England 11 1 1 3 The Midlands 11 1 1 4 Southern England 11 1 1 5 Wales 11 2 North America 11 2 1 Ohio 11 2 2 Midwest 11 3 Oceania 12 See also 13 References 14 External links 15 Further readingEtymology EditThe terms brass band and silver band are synonymous in that the vast majority of bands termed either brass or silver incorporate musicians playing a mix of lacquered brass and silver plated instruments However in the days when plain or lacquered brass instruments were not as costly as silver plated ones the term silver band implied an ensemble that could afford the latter and were thus perceived to be more successful With the cost of each type now being similar the distinction between brass and silver bands is generally not made There are however some brass bands which carried the name silver prize band as a result of their successes in contests and competitions As time went on some kept the name silver but not necessarily the instruments Nowadays the only real difference is that silver bands are located mainly in the south of England and brass bands in the north although some silver bands do still exist in the North and many brass bands exist in the South Instrumentation EditBritish brass bands are limited to specific instruments excluding for instance trumpets or French horns which are found in orchestras and concert bands The standard instrumentation is as follows 3 1 soprano cornet E 9 cornets B Front row one principal cornet three solo cornets Back row one repiano cornet two 2nd cornets two 3rd cornets 1 flugelhorn B 3 tenor horns E called alto horn in many countries solo 1st 2nd 2 baritone horns B 1st 2nd 2 tenor trombones B 1st 2nd 1 bass trombone B 2 euphoniums B 2 EE basses also known as E tubas 2 BBB basses also known as B tubas 2 to 4 percussionThe above totals 27 29 players although in practice a band often has fewer than this Spare seats may be filled for concerts and contests by players brought in from other bands commonly known as deputising players or deps nbsp Soprano cornet nbsp Cornet nbsp Flugelhorn nbsp Tenor Horn nbsp Baritone horn nbsp Tenor trombone nbsp Bass trombone nbsp Euphonium nbsp E and B TubasNotation Edit With the exception of percussion bass trombone and some older tenor trombone music all parts are transposing and written in the treble clef with the instrument s lowest open note B or E notated as middle C This means that for every valved instrument from the basses to the soprano cornet a given note on the stave corresponds to the same valve fingering enabling players to move more easily between parts This system is unique to UK style brass bands though historically the North American drum and bugle corps activity followed the brass band convention of all treble clef writing Tenor trombone music is usually in treble clef like the other instruments in the band though older scores or marches sometimes use tenor clef Bass trombone music is written at concert pitch in bass clef This was historically due to this part being taken by a G bass trombone rather than the modern B bass trombone As instrument technology modernized the need for a bass trombone in G diminished with the introduction of the B bass trombone with F rotary valve The larger bore and open wrap of the F valve gave the B bass trombone a lower available playing register than the straight G bass trombone Tuned percussion is written in concert pitch with the appropriate octave transpositions with the appropriate clef for the instrument e g bass clef for timpani treble clef for glockenspiel sounding two octaves higher Unpitched percussion parts including drum kit are written in neutral clef on a 1 to 5 line stave using standard percussion notation though some older scores may use bass and or treble clefs United Kingdom EditHistory Edit nbsp Gloucester Railway Carriage amp Wagon Company Band 1916 Collieries and factories often sponsored their own works bands and many now defunct companies survive only in the names of their former bands Most of the instruments used in British brass bands had been in use for some time in village church and military bands and in the 1840s and 1850s the brass band emerged from these as a popular pastime Brass bands were a response to industrialisation which produced a large working class population technological advances in instrument design and the mass production to manufacture and distribute the instruments A major improvement to the old designs was the development of efficient piston valves which were easier to play and produced a more accurate consistent sound 4 Arguably brass bands were an expression of the local solidarity and aspirations of newly formed or rapidly growing communities This was seen for instance in the creation of brass band competitions by the late 1850s 4 In 1853 John Jennison owner of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester agreed to stage the first British open brass band championships The event was attended by a crowd of over 16 000 and continued annually until 1981 5 Brass bands reached their peak in the 1890s when there were around 5 000 brass bands in the country 6 Today there are 1 200 brass bands in Britain with around 30 000 players Many UK bands were originally either works bands or sponsored by various industrial concerns This was particularly evident in coal mining areas for example bands such as the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band in Yorkshire Bands sponsored by factories include The Black Dyke Mills Band Yorkshire Imperial Band originally the Yorkshire Copperworks Band Foden s sponsored by the truck manufacturer Fairey sponsored by the aircraft manufacturer and Leyland Band sponsored by the vehicle manufacturer One of the reasons for this was to keep the workers from organizing in radical groups 7 With the decline of these industries several bands have dissolved and others now draw their membership from other industries and other parts of the community The Brighouse and Rastrick Band is unique in having operated continually at the highest level without sponsorship drawing its income from regular concerts public donations and sales of recordings and merchandise The leading bands in Wales include the Cory Band Tredegar Town Band and Tongwynlais Temperance Band 8 The leading bands in Scotland are The Cooperation Band formally Co operative Funeralcare Whitburn Band and the Kirkintilloch Band All these bands compete at the highest level in the banding movement In Northern Ireland the Brass Band League currently has 26 members 9 nbsp Brass banding across the generationsThere are also many non contesting or community brass bands in the UK providing entertainment for audiences and enjoyment for musicians of all ages Contesting in the United Kingdom Edit Main article Brass band sections in the United Kingdom British banding is highly competitive with bands organized into five sections much like a football league Championship section 1st section 2nd section 3rd section and 4th section Competitions are held throughout the year at local regional and national levels and at the end of each year there are promotions and relegations At a national level the main contest is the National Brass Band Championship 10 and this determines a band s section For this the UK is split into 8 regions London and Southern Counties Midlands North of England North West Scotland Wales West of England and Yorkshire Each year in Spring the bands compete in a regional contest for their section and the top two or three in each section go on to the National Finals in Autumn Recently 2011 the finals for Sections 1 to 4 have been held in Cheltenham and the finals for the Championship Section at the Royal Albert Hall in London as featured in the film Brassed Off The bands are awarded points for their result 1st gets 1 point 9th gets 9 points and this is added to the previous two years to give a three year total Two or three bands with the best total are promoted and two or three bands are relegated There are also separate contests for university brass bands including the annual UniBrass contest founded at Lancaster University in 2010 and hosted in 2023 by the University of Warwick 11 The Cambridge and Oxford University brass bands also compete against each other in annual varsity contests 12 The National Youth Band Brass Championships held annually has a Youth Champs non competitive section offering the opportunity for young people new to brass to take part and contribute a performance without the pressure of competition Bands of all standards play in the Debut Section and join in the fun The Salvation Army EditMain article Salvation Army brass band In the UK the brass bands of The Salvation Army have run parallel to the main brass band movement since the 1870s Bands of The Salvation Army range from small church bands to staff bands composed of the best bandsmen of The Salvation Army in the area Their instrumentation is almost identical except for a minor difference in the cornet section whereby the repiano is dropped and the remainder of the row is made up of parts designated 1st and 2nd two players each rather than 2nd and 3rd and that some major pieces have a split first trombone part the lower part usually cued elsewhere in the band Bands of The Salvation Army can be found in most countries around the world in which it operates Australia EditThe Australian derivation of a brass band is the same as the UK brass band i e standard instrumentation with no woodwind Contesting bands in Australia are graded from A Grade to D Grade National Contests 13 are held each year at Easter with the location moving from state to state and often including bands from New Zealand or other locations around the Asia Pacific region Each state also conducts their own championships National and state contests are generally of the same format a set test piece for each grade a hymn an own choice a stage march march or concert march performed on the stage without marching and a light entertainment concert program Smaller regional contests often replace the major works with an own choice concert program Among the country s most famous brass band identities have been conductor and composer Percy Code and David King and Frank Wright who made their mark in Britain Early Australian brass composers include Thomas Bulch Alex Lithgow and Charles Trussell In later years leading composers have included Brenton Broadstock Winds of Change Rutherford Variations Valiant Take All My Sins Away and many more Barrie Gott Mumbo Jumbo Gospel Train Glasshouse Sketches and Joe Cook Taskforce Keighley Moor Europe EditBelgium Edit In Belgium there are about 30 brass bands The best known is Brass Band Willebroek 14 who were crowned European Brass Band Champions in 1993 2006 and 2007 The average banding level is still rising as the brass movement was only introduced in Belgium some 30 years ago The national brass band Championships are held annually at the Royal Music Conservatory in Brussels The winner represents Belgium at the European Championships Participants are divided into four categories going from Championship section to third section Currently there are seven bands competing in Championship section These are Brass Band Willebroek 14 Brass Band Buizingen 15 Metropole Brass Band 16 Festival Brass Band 17 Kortrijk Brass Band 18 Brass Band Heist 19 and De Noord Limburgse Brassband 20 Other Belgian bands include Brassband Kempenzonen Tielen 21 Brass Band Leieland 22 Brass Band Zele 23 Brass Band De Kempengalm Brass Band de Thudinie and many more Some of the brass bands in Belgium are primarily based around recreational music do not conform to British brass band instrumentation and therefore do not compete Germany Edit Brass bands in Germany are not as widespread as in other European countries like Switzerland or the Netherlands There are just a few bands about 40 playing in authentic British instrumentation 24 This is primarily due to the popularity of wind bands particularly in Southern Germany and brass groups composed of soprano to bass instruments known as Posaunenchore trombone choirs related to churches National Brass Band competitions took place as part of the German Festival of Wind Music in Wurzburg 2007 and 2008 in Duisburg 2010 in Coesfeld 2012 and in Bad Kissingen 2014 Ireland Edit Brass bands in Ireland can primarily trace their origins to the past influence of British Army bands during the period between 1801 and 1922 As well as military bands however community led groups were also in existence around this time 25 While concert bands are more prevalent today possibly due to the association of brass bands with British rule brass bands are still popular especially on the east coast Dungarvan Arklow and Drogheda are all examples of towns with brass bands of note Dublin has 2 Brass Bands The oldest is St Georges Brass Band Formed 1936 in Dublin City Centre and the Stedfast Brass Band Blackrock Brass competitions take place annually both regionally and nationally Netherlands Edit In the years 1870 1900 the Salvation Army spread out their missionary activities in the Netherlands at first the main port city Amsterdam and then to the then still important northern seaport of Harlingen Friesland around the 1900 Brass Band contesting began in Friesland after World War II The Frisian conductor Sierd de Boer made a great effort to develop the British Brass Band standardisation and the Frisians nowadays continue to set the standard of brass bands in the Netherlands Brass Bands in Friesland include De Waldsang Buitenpost Pro Rege Heerenveen De Bazuin Oenkerk and De Spijkerpakkenband Opsterland Other well known brass bands across the country are Brassband Rijnmond Rotterdam and Brass Band Schoonhoven Norway Edit The Norwegian Band Federation is the largest voluntary music organisation in Norway Through their membership the 1712 member bands with their 70 318 players official figures as of 9 1 04 are offered good conditions for their hobby A network rich in tradition also gives them a strong and influential position in the cultural life of Norway Many primary schools have their own bands Crown Prince Haakon is the patron of the Norwegian Band Federation The Federation is granted an annual audience with the Crown Prince in order to report to him and receive advice for the future The King has awarded a royal trophy to the championships for adult bands North and South America EditCanada Edit Brass bands in the British tradition sometimes sponsored by employers existed in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries The geography of Canada e g large distances between communities making regular contests and migration of players difficult was a key factor among many challenges that led to the demise of most such bands Today excepting the Salvation Army bands there are few British style brass bands in Canada Most operate as recreational amateur community bands such as the Oshawa Civic Band King Street Brass from Kitchener and the Whitby Brass Band who celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2013 There are some semi professional groups like the Intrada Brass 26 of Oakville Ontario and the Weston Silver Band of Toronto One of the most successful brass bands in Canada is the Hannaford Street Silver Band 27 There are hopes for growth in the education field of brass bands in Canada and in particular southern Ontario In 1999 the professional Hannaford Street Silver Band launched the Hannaford Street Youth Band which is internationally recognized for its success In 2005 another youth band was created for beginning brass players known as the Hannaford Junior Band Beginning in September 2006 the Hannaford organization plans to launch a third intermediate band known as the Hannaford Community Youth Band These three ensembles target a wide range of youth from ages 11 to people well into their twenties Latin America Edit Brass bands long enjoyed popularity in many parts of Latin America as well Mexican banda music has similar origins to the British brass band tradition and was influenced by it in its early days In 19th century Mexico very large bands were formed such as that of composer Juventino Rosas and in parts of Mexico brass band concerts remain a popular entertainment United States Edit nbsp Nebraska Brass Band 2018Brass bands in the British tradition are becoming more popular through the efforts of the North American Brass Band Association NABBA which organizes an annual brass band convention and set piece style contest The US Open Brass Band Championships are held in early November and serves as the countries leading entertainment competition citation needed Brass Band Festivals such as The Great American Brass Festival Ohio Brass Arts Festival Gettysburg Brass Band Festival Dublin Festival of Brass and the Mid Atlantic Brass Festival occur throughout the year citation needed Brass bands were very popular throughout the United States in the late 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century Well known bands of virtuoso musicians toured widely and most towns had their own bands that put on weekend music concerts One notable example of this was The Ohio State University Marching Band which formed in 1879 and still performs with only brass and percussion instruments Other groups ranging from benevolent societies to large factories would often have a band The brass band movement has undergone a resurgence in the late twentieth century led by the North American Brass Band Association The United States boasts a number of professional brass bands including the Brass Band of Battle Creek the River City Brass Band and the Orchid City Brass Band West Palm Beach FL community brass bands such as the Central Ohio Brass Band Dublin Silver Band Motor City Brass Band Atlantic Brass Band Nebraska Brass Band Imperial Brass Brass of the Potomac Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band Delaware Five Lakes Silver Band Allegheny Brass Band The Brass Band of Central Florida the Sheldon Theatre Brass Band Red Wing MN the Lake Wobegon Brass Band Anoka MN the Twin Cities Brass Band Bloomington MN the Fountain City Brass Band the Triangle Brass Band the Smoky Mountain Brass Band the River Brass and the Mission Peak Brass Band Fremont CA several collegiate brass bands including the James Madison University Brass Band the Mansfield University Brass Band the Slippery Rock University Brass Ensemble the Pennwest Clarion University Brass Ensemble and the University of Georgia British Brass Band and various youth brass bands including the Triangle Youth Brass Band and the Fountain City Youth Brass Bands also exist Repertoire EditThere are several notable composers in the brass band world The current favourite is possibly Philip Sparke who has written many pieces including Music of the Spheres A noted Welsh Composer was T J Tom Powell born in Tredegar in 1897 also known as The Welsh Sousa citation needed Powell composed over 500 pieces for brass bands including marches such as The Castle Marches tone poems and suites Other notable composers include Torstein Aagaard Nilsen Eric Ball Brenton Broadstock Kenneth Downie Martin Ellerby Percy Fletcher Goff Richards Dean Goffin Peter Graham Elgar Howarth Gordon Jacob Gordon Langford Henry James Metcalfe William Rimmer Philip Sparke Ray Steadman Allen Gilbert Vinter Paul Lovatt CooperSeveral classical composers have written music specifically for brass band These include Malcolm Arnold Little Suite for Brass Granville Bantock Prometheus Unbound Judith Bingham Prague Harrison Birtwistle Grimethorpe Aria Arthur Bliss Kenilworth Derek Bourgeois Blitz Concertos Nos 1 amp 2 for Brass Band Concerto Grosso amp Apocalypse Arthur Butterworth Three Impressions for Brass Odin Simon Dobson The Drop Lydian Pictures amp Penlee Edward Elgar The Severn Suite Edward Gregson Of Men and Mountains Connotations amp Variations on Laudate Dominum Hans Werner Henze Ragtimes and Habaneras Joseph Holbrooke Clive of India Gustav Holst A Moorside Suite Joseph Horovitz Ballet for Band amp Sinfonietta Herbert Howells Three Figures Suite John Ireland A Comedy Overture amp A Downland Suite George Lloyd Diversions on a Bass Theme amp English Heritage Frederik Magle The Hope for brass band choir organ and percussion William Mathias Vivat Regina John McCabe Cloudcatcher Fells Salamander amp The Maunsell Forts John Pickard Gaia Symphony amp Eden Edmund Rubbra Variations on The Shining River Robert Simpson Energy amp Volcano Phyllis Tate Illustrations Bramwell Tovey Coventry Variations Pictures in the Smoke amp The Night To Sing Ralph Vaughan Williams Overture Henry the Fifth Prelude on Three Welsh Hymn Tunes amp Variations for Brass Band Philip Wilby Paganini Variations A Breathless Alleluia Dove Descending Vienna Nights Revelation Masquerade Northern Lights New Jerusalem amp Red Priest Thomas Wilson Processional Sinfonietta Refrains and Cadenzas Cartoon for cornet and brass band Cartoon for solo cornet and brass band Cartoon for brass ensemble and optional percussion Cartoon for cornet and pianoOutdoor banding Edit nbsp Jedforest Instrumental Bandstand built in 2006 stands in the shadow of Jedburgh Abbey Scottish BordersAn advantage of the brass band is that it is mobile and capable of playing at any time and anywhere even on the march Marching and outdoor functions have been the preserve of the brass band for well over a century Many UK brass bands are closely woven into the local community performing outdoor civic duties throughout the year The bandstand became popular in the Victorian era typically associated with the British brass band or military band It is a simple construction which not only creates an ornamental focal point but also serves acoustic requirements whilst providing shelter from the changeable British weather Band associations EditBrass Bands England Swiss Brass Band Association Brass Bands Association of New Zealand European Brass Band Association National Association of Brass Band Conductors National Band Council of Australia North American Brass Band Association Scottish Brass Band Association Southern Counties Amateur Bands AssociationNotable brass bands EditEurope Edit Brass Band Buizingen brass band from Belgium Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag a Norwegian brass band Manger Musikklag a Norwegian brass band European champion in 2011 Great Britain Edit Scotland Edit The Cooperation Band formerly Co operative Funeralcare 34 times Scottish champions and twice British championsNorthern England Edit Reg Vardy Band 33 times North of England champions and 2011 Grand Shield champions Fairey Band brass bands and the current 2011 English Champions Black Dyke Band Reigning National Champions of Great Britain 2017 British Open Champions and English National Champions in 2014 the most successful contesting band in the world Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band current Yorkshire Area Champions Based in South Elmsall West Yorkshire Rothwell Temperance Band 2009 Yorkshire region champions based in Rothwell West Yorkshire Foden s Band brass band based in Cheshire Rode Hall Silver Band third section band based in Cheshire Grimethorpe Colliery Band one of the most successful and successful brass bands in England and one of the few to be widely known outside brass banding circles due to their role in the film Brassed Off The Harrogate Band brass band based in North Yorkshire Hammonds Saltaire Band formerly also known as YBS Band Yorkshire Building Society Band or Hammonds Sauce Works Band A brass band based in Huddersfield West Yorkshire Yorkshire Imperial Band 28 National Winners 1978 British Open Winners on three occasionsThe Midlands Edit The GUS Band championship section band from Kettering 29 Southern England Edit Callender s Cableworks Band active 1898 1961 prolific BBC Radio broadcasters in 1920s and 1930s City of Oxford Silver Band founded in 1887 Friary Brass Band based in Guildford London amp Southern Counties champions in five consecutive years 2015 2019 30 Helston Town Band a renowned Cornish band which plays the famous Floral Dance Lewes Glynde amp Beddingham Brass Band brass band originally from the village of Glynde in East Sussex now based in the neighbouring town of Lewes 31 Wales Edit Tredegar Town Band a Welsh brass band Cory Band formed in the Rhondda Valley in 1884 they have been the number one ranked brass band in the world for over 10 years 32 In 2016 they won all four major contests in an unprecedented Grand Slam an accolade they achieved again in 2019 33 North America Edit Ohio Edit Dublin Silver Band 34 Midwest Edit Eastern Iowa Brass Band founded in 1985 a traditional British styled brass band Bend in the River Brass Band 35 a British style brass band in Evansville Indiana Oceania Edit Wellington Brass Band current national champions of New Zealand and Australia Dalewool Auckland Brass New Zealand Band of the Year 2011 See also EditBrass bandReferences Edit Report amp Results 2019 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 4barsrest 12 October 2019 Whit Friday Marches 22 April 2017 Bandsman co uk Writing for Brass Bands a b T Herbert The British Brass Band a Musical and Social History Oxford Oxford University Press 2000 pp 4 5 British Open Brass Band Championships British Open Brass Band Championships archived from the original on 13 August 2010 retrieved 21 July 2010 Holman Gavin March 2018 How Many Brass Bands The History of Brass Bands hatii arts gla ac uk Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Welcome Tongwynlaisband com 14 July 2011 Retrieved 5 January 2021 Brass Band League Representing Northern Ireland Brass Bands Brassbandleague org Retrieved 5 January 2021 Home National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain Kapitol co uk Retrieved 5 January 2021 The Contest UniBrass Retrieved 13 January 2023 About us Cambridge University Brass Band Retrieved 2 July 2021 National Band Council of Australia National Band Council of Australia Nbca asn au Retrieved 5 January 2021 a b Brassband Willebroek Brassbandwillebroek Retrieved 5 January 2021 Home Brassband Buizingen Brassbandbuizingen be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Metropolebrass be Archived 3 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Festival Brass Band Festivalbrassband be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Under construction Kortrijkbrassband be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Top Brassband uit Heist op den Berg die uitkomt in kampioenen afdeling Brassbandheist be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Fransen Steven Home Nlbb be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Koninklijke Fanfare de Kempenzonen Tielen Toonaangevend in de wereld van de amateurmuziek Kempenzonen be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Brass Band Leieland Brassbandleieland be Retrieved 5 January 2021 Brassband Zele Brassbandzele be Retrieved 5 January 2021 BrassBandSzene Deutschland www brassband deutschland de Archived from the original on 19 December 2014 Retrieved 19 April 2014 Blanchardstownbrassband com Archived from the original on 8 July 2011 Retrieved 5 January 2021 Intrada Brass Oakville s Premiere Brass Ensemble Intradabrass ca Retrieved 5 January 2021 Hannaford Street Silver Band Toronto s award winning professional brass band Hssb ca Retrieved 5 January 2021 Home Yorkshire Imperial Band Yorkshireimps co uk Retrieved 5 January 2021 GUS Band Thegusband com Retrieved 5 January 2021 London amp Southern Counties Championship Section brassbandresults co uk Retrieved 2 July 2021 History LGB Brass Retrieved 21 January 2021 World Rankings 4barsrest com Retrieved 5 January 2021 Award Winners Coryband com Retrieved 5 January 2021 Dublin Silver Band Dublin Community Bands Archived from the original on 23 November 2016 Retrieved 23 November 2016 River Brass Bendinriverbrass webs com Retrieved 5 January 2021 External links Edit4barsrest com British Bandsman magazine Bandsman brass band portal Brasscast Listen to a weekly Brass Band program The Internet Bandsman s Everything Within TheMouthpiece com Internet Brass Band Discussion Forum and Resource BrassBand co uk Brass Band Sheet Music Search Engine BBE org uk Brass Bands England Membership organisation promoting representing and supporting the brass banding sector across EnglandFurther reading EditEpstein Joel 2022 Brass Bands of Britain Music for the Love of It Episodes in Amateur Music Making Juwal Publications ISBN 978 9659278237 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title British brass band amp oldid 1175901448, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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