Grand Sheild Poser?

[drunkandy]

How can we go from Tallis Variations last year to Les Preludes.. it beggars belief. I think it is so technically difficult for all the exposed players, and my good luck to you all I think it is harder than Jazz and that was probably the hardest piece I've ever played.... Anybody with any views?

 

[Thirteen Ball]

Hardest thing I've ever laid eyes on.

Wasn't it the british open test piece a while back?

 

[missflugel]

It was the Open piece in 2001 i think.

The back row cornet part isnt that hard (personally speaking) but I know Sop and Flugel have a lot of work to do

Jo x

 

[ukdrummerboy]

Well, i dont like Les Preludes at all (strictly from a percussionists view!) In Tallis Variations we had loads to do, keeping us "amused" and bits were challenging...but in Les Preludes, 2 of us dont even play a note until after bar 344!!! :!: When you take the championship area test piece (Tristian Encounters)....which was mad for percussion....its from one extreme to the other. I'm sure many bands struggled to get percussionists for Tristian Encounters, and now they have them...they are faced with 344 bars rest. Its from one end of the scale to the other!

(sorry, rant over with....just pees me off a little :roll: )

 

[missflugel]

Its because the piece was taken from the orchestral version and perhaps there wasnt much percussion in that. The original didnt have much for percussion either. Anyway i though perc might have wanted a break after Tristan :wink: , perhaps not until the last page of the piece though!

Jo x

 

[ukdrummerboy]

Oh i know it was an orchestral piece (and percussion wasnt really on top of lizst music)....i just think the choice is a let down after Tristian. I have to admit....i enjoyed every min of Tristian, was nice to have something to do that actually "meant" something in the piece, and wasnt just random tapping in the background that adjudicators never pick up on (played right or wrong :wink: )

 

[Thirteen Ball]

...random tapping in the background that adjudicators never pick up on (played right or wrong :wink: )

Amen to that. Our percussion section worked really hard to get their parts bang on for coventry variations at the areas, then percussion didn't get any more than a cursory mention in the adjudicator's comments for any band, right or wrong.

Bit of a thankless task being a drummer, by the look. (Not that I'd know being a bass player.)

 

[neiltwist]

Les Preludes is a briliant piece, although there's nothing much for ftrombones either.

Saying that, I played at the aforementioned open, and a few bands fell foul, especially sop players unfortunately. Flugels too have a hard part.

what will be interesting is how many bands change formation? The most common change was putting sop on the front row at the open, but we'll see eh?

Good luck to all those sop and flugels who have to play it!

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

A little challenge is LP! Apart from perc, but hey- this is liszt we're talking about!

;-)

 

[bassinthebathroom]

How can we go from Tallis Variations last year to Les Preludes.. it beggars belief.

Perhaps the test piece selection commitee were doing the arranger a financial favour? I mean, it's almost as if there's a connection between the British Open Championships test piece commitee and this arrangement of Les Preludes.... hang on a minute!.... there is? :x So thats another 18 copies of it sold (assuming 4 bands have it from the open of 2001) at roughly £60 a set? You do the maths (plus the 20 copies from the Open 2001) - it's a nice little earner for one man isn't it? Best part of £700-750 I'd say... but then who are we to question the powers that be?
Seriously though, a great composition, but (in my lowly opinion) poorly arranged and impractical at times, with more mistakes and errors than I'd care to list. AND it's the 2nd version too!!! Unbelievable!! Assumedly it's been proof read twice?!? WHO BY?!?! I'd like to meet him. End of rant - see those who're going at the Grand Shield weekend.

 

[flashbarry]

Perhaps the test piece selection commitee were doing the arranger a financial favour? I mean, it's almost as if there's a connection between the British Open Championships test piece commitee and this arrangement of Les Preludes.... hang on a minute!.... there is? So thats another 18 copies of it sold (assuming 4 bands have it from the open of 2001) at roughly £60 a set? You do the maths (plus the 20 copies from the Open 2001) - it's a nice little earner for one man isn't it? Best part of £700-750 I'd say... but then who are we to question the powers that be?

We wish!!!

I really don't think bands realise how little the composer/arranger's get from sales, it can vary between 10 and 15% depending on the publisher.
I didn't come to work in Oman just for the sunshine (as nice as it is)!
:lol:

 

[Well Worth It]

When you mentioned the Grand Shield Poser, I thought you meant when Heppy puts his F1 cap and shades on.

Thing that bugs me - apart from coming to rehearsals to read my book, when I could do it in the comfort of my own sofa - is the fact that you need FOUR percs(p) for only p^3.5 bars!!
THIS REALLY ISN'T VERY TIME EFFICIENT.
Neither is it cost effective for the bands that are having to buy players in.

'ERE selector guys!! 'Ave a thought between you next time, yeah?

 

[johnflugel]

I think it's good news that 'Les Preludes' is the test work. After all, the bands that qualify for the Open have to be able to play works as and if not more demanding in the Open.

Think the contest will be a cracker and the piece will encourgae higher standards from every band in attendance.

 

[Dave Euph]

Having played the euphonium part, I can safetly say it's quite a monster! Most of the piece is pretty much OK, but there are some very tricky technical parts and some incredibly exposed parts ...

 

[Aidan]

Well, i dont like Les Preludes at all (strictly from a percussionists view!) In Tallis Variations we had loads to do, keeping us "amused" and bits were challenging...but in Les Preludes, 2 of us dont even play a note until after bar 344!!! :!:

its to balance out the europeans test piece

 

[Darth_Tuba]

Les Preludes is hard, but if a band can't get near it then they won't hold their own in the Open. I can see half the bands being ruled out of the running after the first eight bars or so, and half the rest on the performance of the sop players! :shock:

 

[Well Worth It]

But why should perx have it so easy?
You very rarely get a piece that is SIMPLE for the brass players in the band.
I was under the (seemingly foolish) impression that the works were selected to be Test Pieces?

 

[MoominDave]

You very rarely get a piece that is SIMPLE for the brass players in the band.

Unless they play Bass Trom!

 

[Darth_Tuba]

Well, I don't think the trombone parts are too taxing either! Unfortunately this was not "written to be a test piece". It was transcribed from the orchestral original. Unfortunately this means perc. don't get much. I'd complain to Liszt if I were you, but I think he's dead at present :wink:

 

[bassinthebathroom]

Perhaps the test piece selection commitee were doing the arranger a financial favour? I mean, it's almost as if there's a connection between the British Open Championships test piece commitee and this arrangement of Les Preludes.... hang on a minute!.... there is? So thats another 18 copies of it sold (assuming 4 bands have it from the open of 2001) at roughly £60 a set? You do the maths (plus the 20 copies from the Open 2001) - it's a nice little earner for one man isn't it? Best part of £700-750 I'd say... but then who are we to question the powers that be?

We wish!!!

I really don't think bands realise how little the composer/arranger's get from sales, it can vary between 10 and 15% depending on the publisher.
I didn't come to work in Oman just for the sunshine (as nice as it is)!
:lol:

Of course. Do pardon my maths - it was late at night! It still smells to me of back scratching and pocket lining though.