The Brass Bandsman,

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XXVI, 27 June 1903, Page 1773

The Brass Bandsman,

written for “N.Z. Graphic” by Bandmaster Eugene Hulse, late Royal Marines, lion, secretary Auckland Society of Musicians.) INTRODUCTION. Music is the universal language of mankind.—Longfellow. It demands inueh time, much toil, and unfailing earnestness from those who would serve her. If a bandsman simply dabbles in music for the sake of .£ s. <l., and seeks not to improve so long as that proportion of his musical investment remains satisfactory, then the inevitable result is simply a smattering of musical knowledge, plus a superficial pleasure. Music, like other arts, is developed in a certain amount of obscurity during the earlier years of the Christian era; it suffered from the troubles that were necessarily brought about by a re-adjustment of morals and manners. In the compilation of these chapters j(and 1 am indebted to numerous authorities, both British and Continental), it is not intended to give what every bandsman knows, but what every bandsman should know, at the same time recognising the difficulties many bandsmen labour under in their desire for improvement and useful knowledge. ! THE BANDSMAN. For some years past I have noticed a growing desire on the part of the brass band student to improve himself, which is not a matter for surprise when we consider the rapid strides made by brass bands during the last quarter of a century. The modern style of music demands more capable performers than that which then existed, hence the thirst for- the requisite amount of musical knowledge, which animates the up-to-date bandsman, and I take it the chief aim is not to be found in personal gratification so much as a desire to assist the band to which he may belong in mastering the more difficult and classical style of music performed by bands who are eager to be accounted in the front rank. _ ___ _ ; THE STUDENT. The young beginner is apt to be too sanguine as well as easily discouraged, and this want of steadfast resolve is one of the most fatal stumbling blocks in careers that otherwise show’ every promise of a splendid fruition. Often a word of censure from a teacherdamps a too ardent disposition and brings about a distrust which should not exist. CHOICE OF AN INSTRUMENT. • In adopting a brass instrument the first consideration should be its suitability to the student. Once chosen it must be mastered not only in its technique and details, but in its relation and combination with other instru-

ments. Fully 90 per cent, of those who are eager to learn a brass instrument require cornets, but how many who are fortunate enough to have their wish gratified ever! become good players? Again, what a large number of students are quite content (after a few months’ labour on the eonrnet) to exchange that instrument for a larger one. However, these, by reason of their willingness to learn should be encouraged to persevere, when the exchange (no doubt) will be found satisfactory to teacher and student alike. It would be well if tile student, when desirous of purchasing and owning his instrument, placed himself entirely in the hands of a skilled professional teacher, as he would be better able to judge whether a small or large instrument were better suited for him. But, supposing the cornet has been chosen as the instrument best suited for him to learn, then the selection of the instrument itself is the next item to be considered. • —'

PRICE OF INSTRUMENT. In the matter of price, I would strongly urge the student to rely on the more mature judgment of his teacher. The reasons for so doing are obvious. The first and most important is the maker (of course there are plenty of makers to choose from), some of them turning out instruments which are dear at any price, others trading on a reputation gained on the contest field, and it is to the latter to whom we look for a firstclass instrument, yet there are one or two brands of instruments which are seldom heard of at contests, yet they can always be relied upon. I refer to the Courtois and the Thibouville-Lamy. We will, however, suppose that the teacher has decided on the maker. Then the second, and by no means unimportant consideration is the price to be paid. I eaii give but one advice in this respect, and that is, procure the best in the mar-

ket; if by paying cash, so much the better; if by time .ij'meut. no matter, so long as you have an instrument which is not only well in tune, but has some pretensions to easy blowing, and, lastly, one you are not ashamed to be seen with either in the practice room or on the march. In buying an instrument for life, if upwards of can be given, it is far belter to purchase an entirely new one of good make, of a model suited to the individual taste. Do not for one moment imagine that any eheap instrument is good enough to learn on, because it is not, as you require at the very beginning of your career to train your ears to perfect rather than imperfect or faulty intervals, which are generally to be found when cheap instruments are used. The Courtois cornets are amongst the most expensive in the market. They range from 9 to 70, 80, and even I<M» guineas in price, according to whether of brass or silver, and plain or chased. It has been suggested that if it were possible to assemble together all the brass solo instrumentalists in London, a large percentage of them would be found to play on instruments of the Courtois make. THE KEYED BUGLE. Before presenting to the student any matter connected with tne cornet, I shall

place before him some useful information relating to an instrument which ths cornet has superseded. The key bugle is said to have been invented by an Irishman named Halliday, in the year 1810, and by him named the Kent bugle, in honour of his patron, the Duke of Kent. It was on an instrument of this class that Kendal won his great reputation as a performer. It has since been relegated to oblivion by the development of piston valves, introduced somewhere about the year 183-1. The manipulation of the key bugle was easy, but the intonation was coarse, and in some parts very bad. The sound-tube of the key bugle, like that of the bugle from which it was developed, and that of its present descendants, bugles, saxhorns and tubas, is conical, and widens out, indeed, from the beginning inueh more rapidly than does the horn. The key bugle proper was an instrument of the same compass as the small B flat trumpet. and, noted similarly, that is, in cornet notation. By inserting a crook in the B flat k,y bugle, another in A could lie made. Five, keys opened the sound holes, and so shortened the sound-tube; a sixth closed the hist, generally open, near the bril. The compass was therefore-from B natural below the stuff to C above. Besides the key bugle in B flat, another was in general use, being much smaller and pitched a fourth higher in E flat, ami bad easier command of the upper notes. Keyed chromatic instruments made their way rapidly, and were thus the means of reforming military music, and especially that of brass bands. Until recent years key bugles were used by some of the military bands of Austria and Italy. '‘‘J THE CORNET. f Assuming the teacher Ims decided to purchase a Thibouville-Lamy cornet, and has explained to the student, that iiis reasons for so doing arc: (1) Its Cheapness (£5 HU), (-) its quality of

tone, (3) being easy to blow, (4) well in tune, (5) perfect valve action, (fl) being well stayed, thereby contributing to its strength and durability, (7) its general appearance, with quality and cheapness combined. Then the first step towards mastering the difficulties which must be surmounted in the initial stage of the student’s instruction would Ih- holding the instrument. Take the instrument in the left hand, ami with the head well raised, the chest expanded, and the shoulders thrown back, hold the instrument horizontally, with the centre of the bell in a line a little higher than the mouth. When blowing a cornet the edge of the lip acts as a reed. The lips are forced apart by the breath stream: and,, after condensation of the air within the instrument, closed again by the equipoise of the two portions of air: they are, however, continually reopened by the breath, as the air column has, through the bell, equalised itself with the outer air. A good method of learning to blow a cornet is to begin with long holding notes, and this should form the first and principal consideration at all times. The student should avoid puffing out his cheeks, and over-blowing, as it is a well-known fact that nothing destroys an instrument sooner than over-blow-ing. If -this is not al once corrected, the

student will never become a player, even in the most distant sense of the term. No matter how perfect an instrument may be made and ‘ tuned,” if it is not blown with judgment, the correstness of the intervals will very soon sutler, ami in time will become what is best understood by the phrase “all out of tune.” It is not so much the quantiy of air that is required as the correct management of it. To make music, the student should blow with just sufficient force to cause the note to speak. lie should hold it out a good length, and endeavour to preserve -the intonation from the beginning to the end. Now, as nothing can give this power but careful and persevering practice, in the way indicated, it follows that where this is neglected no one cnn ever become a- real good player. The player who tries to blow the loudest in a band is decidedly showing the worst possible musical taste. Mind the pianos, and the fortes will take eave of themselves. Place the mouthpiece about twothirds on the upper lip, ami exactly in the centre of the mouth, the lips must bo closed together as if in the act of smiling, i lie tongue put between the lips and quickly drawn backwards, thus peimitting the air to pass into the. instrument. By making a larger opening with the lips, a lower sound will be produced, mid by closing them a higher sound will be produced. When bringing the fingers into action, the student should be careful to work them with vigour, or thej may not place the valves down quick enough for a proper emission of the various notes. It has been strongly recommended by old and experienced teachers that to facilitate the formation of the embouchre, long notes should be used, the longer the better, great attention being given to the placing of the mouthpiece in the right position (centre of the mouth}, and on no account whatever should the student deviate from this course.