The infamous concert .....AS A PLAYER!
As someone who was there playing on the stage in the concert I would like just to air a few of my observations on the evening:-
1) Audience walking out:- It is totally rude to walk out of a performance of any kind. I have sat through a few Hudds Contemporary Music Festival concets which have given me migranes, but I've sat there till the end of the piece or half time before making an exit. The section or 3 rows of people who stood up on mass obviously have no respect for the formal behaviour expected at a classical music concert, whether that involves the Floral Dance or Masquarade. I would think that had this been an orchestral or operatic evening none of those would have left hall. Again, it shows disrespect.
2) The constant mumbling and talking through the whole performance:-
Granted, this music is probably not the music that people expected from the name of the B+R band, but surely the moral of this tale is, if the programme is on the posters then I think you should take notice. It may well be that the concert might also have been explained a bnit better in the advert, especially that in the Gala Theatre brouchure, however a concert associated with a contemporary music festival surely would not have the traditional format used in concerts or pieces such as the afforementioned Floral Dance.
3) What was said at the end of the concert:- I had the pleasure of hearing both camps of audience at the end of the concert. There were those who absolutely enjoyed the choice of programme and also those who distinctly did not enjoy the concert :shock: . I sat with one old man (sorry if he's a member on here, didnt catch ur name!) and he didn't like any of the pieces...didn't go in for the second half and sat there looking like he'd been cattle pronged! To be fair, I can sympathise that the musical language of the pieces didn't really communicate with him (although I'm not stating that age has anything to do with the situation!). He explained that he remembered B+R playing "Oliver Cromwell" in 1946 and it was a magical performance and a tune you could hum on the way out of the hall. He continued and said that all the pieces for the National contest over the last 8 years have been disappointing and that it seems banding has lost its musical soul. Hmm....maybe....but I tried to explain to him that should bands always play the same type of music all the time and how healthy would the movement be if we still played music by Henry Geehl in the 21st century, his response to that was, "you'd probably get a full house!". If my next statement is wrong then correct me. I have heard that a concert of music by Elgar Howarth and Grimey has been cancelled in Hudds Town Hall because a lack of public interest. This maybe a demonstration of what the public want i.e Orange Juice, a few Waltzes, and 1812 to finish in every concert. Well we'll have to see!
4) Mr Ray Farr:- I have respect for putting on a programme like that and then facing a rather disrespectful audience getting up in the middle of pieces and muttering etc. He has a vision of introducing original band music to an audience who shouldn't just turn up to hear jingles played for three hours, which may well be played in the next concert by another band. We will never get any serious exposure to any other audience except fellow former or current banders if we play arrangements of pop songs and normal dross in ever concert. This was to be fair probably THE hardest programme of music we have played in a concert and I admit that some of the band were not particular fans of the music we did perform them to a professional standard and expected the audience perhaps to at least appreciate this! Elgar Howarth is an inspiration to everyone who wants to develop brass band music, not all pieces are going to be liked but they all broaden the banding repertoire and if programmes of music, like that of Mr Ray Farr are not played then all people will ever want is jingles and stereotyped music which could be played by any band in any concert!
I do sympathise with those expecting a traditional concert and perhaps further exposure of the programme may have alerted people to the reason behind the concert. As a person who champions contemporary music not only in banding but in other musics I do like old style music and appreciate its value but its a shame people cannot give up a small amount of their time to appreciate music that isnt all harmonically nice and has a big tune that runs through it and doesnt invole playing "Cheese" for 3 hours. Perhaps if this concert was not a part of a contemporary music festival then a more balanced programme like a test piece and then lighter stuff would be a better approach but as someone said on here the concert did "what it said on the tin!". If a tune (like a hymn tune) is split between ten instruments playing one crotchet immediately after each other is that not still a tune ? If the same happens with rhythm in the accompaniment, is that still not an accompaniment ?
It doesn't ask for much for a person to sit down and open their mind to a new style of music for three hours is it ? You may hate the music, but you've heard it and you can definitely say that you've experienced a concert of this "modern discordant rubbish". Sometimes I get the feeling that what audiences really want is music they don't have to think about, tunes that make them whistle along, but you can do that in 99% of our concerts and I'm sure many other bands concerts throughout the year.
To appreciate music is not to close you're ears to new music but to embrace it and appreciate it even if its not you're particular favourite music. I don't like Hip Hop music but I'll put up with it when I'm out. Imagine if I would only confine my evenings out to a jazz cafe because thats the only music I like (which isn't true!)
Again, you pay that amount of money and I suppose you'd want something that you like but on the other hand if you paid that much you might as well wait till the finish and get you're monies worth! People after the concert mentioned that this would put a black mark against the band for playing hard test pieces etc so be it. I suppose the band in the past has perpetuated a stereotypical image of traditionalism in its programming and its a shock for those who have been to B+R concerts before to hear that kind of music. I think that it shows that we can play a diverse repertoire of music and that such repertoires exist and don't stop with the stylistic niceties of the 1812 overture! I would dearly hope that those who stayed to the end enjoyed in some way the performance of the band, the music and the message that was trying to be conveyed.
I felt sorry for Mr Farr most of all, for having the courage and conviction to organise a concert such as this and hope this does not stop him from promoting original music in many different ways, both academically and through concert performance.
As a performer, ignoring the ignorance of some of the public, I enjoyed the experience of playing music that rarely appears outside of the contest arena. It challanges the players, not only technically, but also musically. Musicality is not just about being able to play a tune, but to understand the many variations of style related to performance. Although a concert is orientated at entertaining the audience on the whole, it does have to entertain those who play the music, after all we are amateurs who decide to play in a band for enjoyment and not for a full time job.
Many thanx....
P.S Don't build up the percussion section too much you'll get Mr Wagstaff all high and mighty!
! It is such a waste for 30 top class musicians wasting their time playing discordant rubbish in which no-one was listening to :? ! Also the night resulted in more and more people leaving the gala theature in durham with only about 40% left at the end ! :!: !
