INSTRUMENTS OF THE BAND

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 4 (Supplement)

INSTRUMENTS OF THE BAND

Who of those who are not intimately connected with bands could name without serious thought half a dozen or so of the instruments of a military or brass band? Yet bands

play a very important part in the musical life of our world to-day. It is not possible to liear an actual band playing every day in the week, but band music can be heard- every day or almost every day. Hundreds of records have been made of musical compositions played by them. Such

The clarinets form another class of wood-wind instruments. They are made in two keys—E flat and B flat. Of the E flat there are first and second clarinets and of the B flat there are first, second and third clarinets. More than one of each of these is employed and in a large band the number of clarinets may total 16. The clarinet is a difficult instrument to master as there is a great mass of technical difficulties to be faced.

When properly played they have great delicacy of tone which makes them able to do justice to such compositions as the waltzes of Strauss. There is a bass clarinet with rich, low tones that usually doubles the part of the bassoons. Many bands have two oboes. The oboe tends to stand alone and take no particular part in the choir of instruments. It is very effective for

records form part of the daily programmes of our radio stations. Sometimes they appear among a group of selected recordings and at others they provide special sections for the programmes. Though bands as we know them are quite modern, many of the instruments date back for centuries. Some had their origin in prehistoric times". One of these is the flute—a wood' wind instrument. Closely connected with it is the piccolo, the highestpitched instrument of the bond. They both have a system of keys manipulated by the fingers. The old style piccolo has six keys and is still occasionally used in military bands. A man named Bohm invented a new instrument with eight keys- This is now more popular as it has a greater range and is easier to play in combination with other instruments.

There are two flutes or a Ante and a piccolo playing in a band. They usually play the melody and are excellent for solo work or light trip* ping measures. • - ■ ~ *

playing rapid passages. Oboists are sometimes unpopular because they are inclined to overblow their parts. A somewhat similar instrument to the oboe is the saxophone. It is excellent for solo work on account of the richness and beauty of its tone.

Of the brass-wind instruments that with the highest pitch in the military band is the comet. There are usually first and second cornets and in a large band there are more than one of each. The cornet, too, is a pleasbnt instrument for solo work.

Trumpet* are not very popular in British bands. They are more used on the Continent, and France has bands composed almost entirely of trumpets. In a British military band their parts are often doubled by the cornets..

Horns find a place in British bands. Some bands possess an instrument There may be four French horns or called- a glockenspeil or chimes. It two French horns, and two E flat consists of a number of steel plates saxhorns. The French horns are arranged in a frame somewhat simisuperior to the saxhorns for tone. lar in appearance to the old Greek

An instrument whose chief work is lyre. Supported as are the regimento assist the horns is the baritone, tal colours by a belt, the frameIt is especially suited for playing work is held up and the steel plates subordinate melodies afid assisting are beaten with a "beater." The the basses in solo passages. The instrument is used for reproducing

euphonium ia an instrument used for bass solos. A big bass bombardon is an armful and cumbersome to carry. A much more manageable instrument is the circular bombardon. Trombones are used generally in British bands in place of trumpet* to give the thrilling and martial ehar-

acter to the music of military bands. There are first and second tenor and bass trombones. A greater range is to be had on slide trombones by the lengthening of the tube, but the tone is not so pure.

Percussion instruments have a very important part and those who play them must 'be skilful musicians. It takes a keen musical intelligence to produce music from an instrument that has but one soiind. There is an art in beating the drum and a drummer must i>e a good tunist.

Cymbals, too, take practice and experience. Very pretty effects can be had with triangles, but they are considered childish by many people. Certain extra instruments are sometimes introduced/ to give special effects—castanets/ tambourines, bells and whistles.

the sounds of belk, and very splendid effects can be got with it. Much may be made of the eide drum in a military band.* If really well played it is a very effective instrument. It is commonly employed for marking rhythms in rustic dances and in dance music generally where ita crkpness add* so much to the sprightliness or vivacity. It i» almost necessary that aide-

drummers commence the study of their instrument early and it take* years of practice to acquire that suppleness of wrist without which the side-drummer's labour is in vain.

Bands composed entirely of drummers used to be very commolPhi the cities of Germany. Such hands can produce very stirring music. Another type of band is that which accompanies so many of the Scottish regiments. Most of the members are pipers playing on the Scottish bagpipes.

The quality of a band depends a great deal upon its leader or conductor. He it is •who guides the band through a musical composition. He has much more to do than to «ee that the bandsmen keep in time. He watches all the players moulding every part into a harmonious whole. He leads them to a crashing fortissimo or lulls them to a gentle pianissimo. His baton beat* up the tempo for the rapid passages or soothes it down for slow measures. His it no easy task.