Hey guys, I'm want to say how much or how little brass bands have been masculine or feminine throughout the times for a presentation. I intend on looking at the brass band repertoire with focus on marches, fanfares and test pieces. I will also look at areas such as band uniforms and the miners colliery. I want to aviod any talk of the lack of females in brass bands/all male bands, as this seems to be a topic which has already been discussed many times. Does anyone have any ideas of ways in which brass bands may be percieved as masculine or femine (I know they can be both), in past or present? Or can anyone give me some useful information or interesting points on the matter? Please avoid any gender discrimination! Thanks
There has been a lack of Female composers in the SA being published, compared to male; yet Female songwriters are much more common and some very prolific (The highly regarded Major Joy Webb for example). Although many of the male composers have 'arranged' Joys music. So does this make that music masculine or Feminine? I would say the latter.
How about something like female composers - relatively few of them out there writing for brass bands, but one that springs to mind is Judith Bingham who wrote Prague which was used as the Championship areas test piece in 2003...
Well 1alexm You have 25 raised bell-ends led by someone waving their baton at them. And tympanists (usually) have four skins! How's that for starters? Bob
@1alexm Perhaps it would help if you gave us the definition of masculine and feminine you are using for this presentation?
Excellent Topic ! :clap: Only in the Brass Band world eh ! What brass bands were and what we are turning into 'should' be irrelevant to the MUSIC itself. This question been asked on a brass band forum will more than likely result in some disagreement but also confusion about the question itself no doubt. I have no doubt whatsoever though in a majority answer had the question been posed on a forum outside brass banding.
We all have a good laugh at our band but I would in no way say that the atmosphere could ever be described as feminine. Lots of banter, **** taking and rude jokes, generally seems to suit males better but then we have plenty of females in our band. Maybe it's all up to the individual.
Bob Sherunkle - Haha, will make a good opener! DublinBass - Masculinity is a set of characteristics often ascribed to men, these characteristics include strength, power, dominence, competitive, aggressive, non-emotional, loud. Femininity is a set of characteristics often ascribed to women, these characteristics include emotional, sensitive, soft, flirtatious, innocent, quiet. More often than not, things can be of characteristics for both catergories, however, the characteristics can be used as a guide to how much or little it is one or the other. its_jon - surely the development of the brass band and our social cultures will be relevant to the music? For example, pieces composed for entertainment contests or music composed for the loss of a loved one. We are normally influenced in general by life expierences.
I often refer to the two main brass instrument groups within a band as masculine or femenine. e.g. Cornets / Trombones (Trumpet Family) Masculine. Flugel / Horns / Baritones / Euphs / Tubas (Saxhorn Family) Feminine.
