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Brass Band HistoryThe Brass Band dates back to the early nineteenth century and England's Industrial Revolution. With increasing urbanization, employers began to finance work bands to decrease the political activity with which the working classes seemed preoccupied during their leisure time. Thus, the brass band tradition was founded. Taking advantage of improved mechanical skills and the rise of conservatories and music departments at universities, the standards of instrumental technology and performance quickly improved. By 1860 there were over 750 brass bands in England alone. Although these bands were not fully comprised of brass instruments until the second half of the nineteenth century, the tradition developed to the present day current instrumentation of cornets, flugelhorn, tenor horns, baritones, trombones, euphoniums, B flat and E flat basses and percussion. Contests are the lifeblood of the brass band world and rivalry has always been strong, cash prizes providing additional incentive. Nineteenth-century politicians hired bands to enliven campaigns and challenges often followed. By the 1840s, a thriving local contest circuit had grown. Brass bands in the UK presently number over five thousand with many of the bands having origins prior to 1900. Originally the bands were funded by coal mines, mills, and many today retain corporate sponsorship. English brass bands are also popular in Japan, Australia and New Zealand; and in recent years a large number of brass bands have started in several European countries. What makes the brass band unique? All the brass music (with the exception of the bass trombone) is scored in treble clef, a characteristic that over the years has allowed for remarkable freedom among certain bands, making the transition from one instrument to another somewhat easier. The number of members (instrumentation) is rigid, usually limited to between twenty-eight and thirty players, but the repertoire is unusually flexible, with concert programs consisting of anything from original works, orchestral transcriptions and featured soloists to novelty items, marches, medleys, and hymn tune arrangements. With the exception of the trombones, all instruments are conical in design, producing a more mellow, richer sound, yet one that has wide dynamic and coloristic variety. The term "brass band" is not entirely accurate, since brass bands also normally include up to three percussion players who are called upon to play as many as twenty different instruments depending on the demands of the music. Standard acceptance of more than one percussionist in the brass band is really a phenomenon of the last forty years, but one that has added immense challenge, interest and variety to the sound. Brass Bands are one of the world's most wide spread forms of amateur music performance. Although brass bands were an important part of life in nineteenth-century America, they were superseded by larger concert and marching bands. However, many fine historic brass bands are still actively performing there today. During the course of this century the Salvation Army were predominantly responsible for maintaining the brass band tradition in America through their music ministry. Only in the last fifteen years has a brass band resurgence begun in North America. The formation of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) has been crucial and influential in the renaissance. There are presently several hundred brass bands in North America, many affiliated with NABBA, and it is not only exciting to see the tradition making a return, but also such a valuable and unique contribution to the rich musical heritage of the USA. The instrumentation of the brass band begins with one E flat Soprano Cornet which serves as the piccolo voice. It requires a delicate touch and is used frequently as a soloist or to add brightness to the cornet tutti sound. Four B flat Solo Cornets, or "Front Row", are the lead voices in the ensemble. The use of four cornets permits players to switch off on parts that are frequently continuous throughout the entire piece. Divisi parts are also frequent. The four solo players should ideally match each other in sound. Two B flat Second Cornets and two B flat Third Cornets, or "Back Row", fill out the cornet section. One B flat Repiano Cornet is the "go between" of the section. Often used as a solo voice, or doubling the Soprano Cornet in unison or at the octave, the Repiano is also used to add weight to the other Cornet parts. One B flat Flugelhorn serves as a bridge to the tenor horns. It is a frequent solo voice, and is often used as the top voice in the horn family. Three E flat Tenor Horns (Solo, First and Second) often perform as a section with flugelhorns and baritones. The solo horn is a frequent solo voice. Also commonly referred to as the alto horn in the United States, it is an upright three valve instrument with a lighter sound than the French Horn. Two B flat baritones are often doubled with euphoniums but work best as lower extensions of the horn section. As separate voices, their ability to blend and add a middle-low voice without heaviness is a unique feature of the brass band. Two B flat euphoniums are the predominant solo tenor voices and also function as tutti enforcers with the basses. Two B flat tenor trombones provide punch and drive because of their cylindrical construction. One bass trombone is both a low support for the trombone section and adds additional weight to the bass. As the only brass instrument to be reading in concert pitch (i.e.. bass clef), I am not sure what the early designers of brass bands were trying to say! Two E flat basses and two B flat basses give composers an extraordinary flexibility in dictating the sound of the bass part. The lighter quality of the E flats can have all the lyricism of the euphoniums while the fatter B flat bass sound adds weight. In octaves or fifths, the section can give the brass band an incredible richness of tone and depth. Three Percussionists will cover the entire spectrum of percussion instruments. Timpani, full drum kit and tuned percussion are standard for almost all compositions. Thanks to Marcus N. Gibbons for providing this account.
NABBA has its roots right here in Raleigh, North Carolina, formed in 1983 by brass enthusiasts, including Perry Watson. Perry Watson was on the music faculty at NC State University and founded the NC State British Brass Band in 1965. Perry Watson was also an important contributor in the establishment of the Triangle Brass Band. The very first NABBA Competition was held at NC State University in 1983, and then again in 1994. NCSU British Brass Band and Triangle Brass Band have been very successful at the competitions in the past, winning their divisions on numerous occasions. The Triangle Youth Brass Band has made a recent showing at the NABBA competitions, and hopes to push forward the forming of youth bands all over the country. Thanks to Connie Varner for some local history.
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Current NewsNext Concert: Join the TBB for a FREE Patriotic Concert Saturday June 27th, 7:00 PM at Bond Park (Sertoma Amphitheater) in Cary, NC. WRAL's Greg Fishel will help the band perform a tribute to JFK. TBB Euphonium player John Jones will serve as soloist. Join the TBB for a FREE Concert Saturday July 18th, 7:00 PM at Bond Park (Sertoma Amphitheater) in Cary, NC. Overtures and Others will feature music by Wagner and von Suppe, and TBB Euphonium plyer Buddy West willserve as soloist.
Becoming a friend of the band just got easier!
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