Should we still play the National Anthem at contests?

[Pythagoras]

Should we still play the National Anthem at contests? I am not trying to offend anybody here, but I have 3 objections to this:

1. Image: I don't think it does the Brass band world's image any good to play the national anthem, we're already seen as fuddy-duddy enough as it is. They stopped playing the anthem after films and plays years ago.

2. Political: Playing the national anthem is an imposition of a certain political view on the players playing it in a way that not playing it would not be. I played it at a contest once and felt a complete hypocrite as I do not agree with the monarchy.

3. Musical: It's a rubbish piece of music. I have no objection to playing a piece expressing national pride at the beginning of a contest, but there are much better pieces than God save the Queen.

In the spirit of democracy I think a ballot paper should be sent to everybody who is registered with a contesting band asking whether they want to carry on playing the national anthem at contests. If the result came back yes, I would be quite happy playing it, as then I would be playing it as an expression of brass band unity rather than as a political gesture.

 

[super_sop]

YES (and i seem to be the only one so far :evil: )

1: image... if its good enough for football, why is on not good enough for us.

2: political. i dont see it as imposing any political view. we are English/British and we have no other anthem to play.

3: musical... ok so there are better 'tunes' that we could play, land of hope and glory, jerusalem etc.... but at the moment God save the Queen IS our national anthem. in fact there are better arrangements of the national anthem availiable with a fanfare written in Jacobs i think(forgive me if im wrong).

This is of course my opinion on the matter, I am a patriotic person.

 

[Libby]

Must admit don't really see the point in playing it, although it doesn't bother me overly! Just seems to give band playing first the advantage of warming up at Contests!!

Sorry - I know that will probably upset alot of people :roll:

 

[TheMusicMan]

Totally agree....!!

Welsh National Anthem every time for me!!!!

 

[Straightmute]

As something of a republican this is a touchy subject. (Personally, I'd line them up all against the wall...)

HM gets her picture in the programme for the Open each year but as a family they've done very little for music and the arts but plenty for horse racing and fox hunting. But don't get me onto that one!

D

 

[super_sop]

As something of a republican this is a touchy subject. (Personally, I'd line them up all against the wall...)

HM gets her picture in the programme for the Open each year but as a family they've done very little for music and the arts but plenty for horse racing and fox hunting. But don't get me onto that one!

D

so thats a no then? :wink:

 

[TheMusicMan]

HM gets her picture in the programme for the Open each year but as a family they've done very little for music and the arts but plenty for horse racing and fox hunting. But don't get me onto that one!D

Why not straightmute.... you're absolutely right. I'm not opposed to the royalty, but I do feel that perhaps not enough is done by them for music - especially for what we all stand for, and our movement in particular... surely they could do more :?:

My comments could though, open a can of worms... but what the heck, this IS what tMP is all about yeah

 

[Keppler]

mmmmmm worms.....

Just as a matter of interest, the National Anthem is not played at contests here. Not sure why..

 

[Pythagoras]

YES (and i seem to be the only one so far :evil: )


This is of course my opinion on the matter, I am a patriotic person.

Fair enough, but I don't see how playing or singing a song about 1 english/british person, who is surely no better or worse than the other 60 million of us is a reflection of this.

I don't like it much at the football either. If England are the team playing, it is surely a good idea to sing a song about England (or 1 that at least mentions the name of the country) rather than about an individual person who has never shown much interest in football.

If the Queen had given loads of her money to music over the years then it would be fair enough to show appreciation, but things like putting her photo in the program at the open just come across as sycophantic.

As Super Sop said, this is just a personal opinion.

 

[Cantonian]

Totally agree....!!

Welsh National Anthem every time for me!!!!

Hear hear!

 

[super_sop]

Fair enough, but I don't see how playing or singing a song about 1 english/british person, who is surely no better or worse than the other 60 million of us is a reflection of this.

I quite agree, i would much prefer to be singing/playing, jerusalem at football matches, or any other national event but at the moment god save the queen is our national anthem, and untill it changes i shall be standing singing it at the top of my voice proudly.

perhaps we should be trying to change the national anthem rather than trying to get rid of it all together.

 

[Straightmute]

perhaps we should be trying to change the national anthem rather than trying to get rid of it all together.

...or perhaps we should be working to rid ourselves of the cause of our problem rather than the symptom...

While we have a monarchy we'll always have a class riddled and divided society.

D

 

[Fishsta]

That wouldn't change without a monarchy.

 

[Mike Saville]

I think not - but am definately not anit queen or England. I think everything that can be done to promote Englishness is a good thing.

(I am firmly English and if this upsets the PC brigade - then tough!)

 

[Cornishwomble]

I have no problems playing the national anthem. I think that it's a traditional thing, i'm not a royalist but im proud to be English. We all have no problems belting it out when England play football

I know the anthem is about him up there saving her on the throne, but it's still part of what it is to be British.

On the other hand, it's only a piece of music that doesn't do anybody any harm, and keeps the traditionalists happy.

 

[IckleSop]

Well i think its about time that england had an update,
we need an update modern national anthem, i mean iknow it off by heart and all the words and even the second verse!!! so maybe we need a change.

 

[andy;-)]

Just as a matter of interest, the National Anthem is not played at contests here. Not sure why..

Strange comment - having been over to Ireland on many occasions over the last few years (girlfriend comes from green isle) I have had to stand up straight and look patriotic (or be the only one sitting down!) while the Irish National Anthem is played at the end of the night at clubs / live gigs from bands / weddings do's etc. How come you are not so patriotic in the brass world over there?

PS the Irish National Anthem could be one of the few Anthems that sounds better played by a rock band live........

 

[Pythagoras]

That wouldn't change without a monarchy.

Agreed. But it would be an important symbolic step if the role of head of state was open to all whatever background they came from and was democratically acountable rather than just being handed down the line in one rich family.

 

[Keppler]

How come you are not so patriotic in the brass world over there?
PS the Irish National Anthem could be one of the few Anthems that sounds better played by a rock band live........

Well I'm not so sure about us being unpatriotic in the brass world. Just back from a contest today, and again, no national anthem.. mildly curious.

Not sure I agree with you about the sounding better via a rock band though. The anthem sounds well under a variety of media, being a lusty war song, and not a hymn like many other countries. I reckon it's a pretty good anthem, as anthems go, although perhaps in need of a really good brass band arrangement.

Incidentally, played at the special olympics torch run a few weeks back, and the Bahamas also have a great anthem - was great to hear all the atheletes singing away mad while we belted it out on a summer morning.

 

[Straightmute]

That wouldn't change without a monarchy.

Agreed. But it would be an important symbolic step if the role of head of state was open to all whatever background they came from and was democratically acountable rather than just being handed down the line in one rich family.

Couldn't have put it better. While we have a monarch our divisive class system is perpetuated as part of the nation's constitution.

'Long to reign over us'? No thanks.

D