Posted by jlb on July 01, 2001 at 09:05:12:
In Reply to: Pops... posted by Charles D. Ortega on July 01, 2001 at 02:53:18:
Couldn't agree more. I play in a couple of local wind ensembles (amateur, free, no audition) and we ALWAYS have to think about programming 1) pieces we can play with the instrumentation available, 2) pieces the audience will enjoy, and 3) pieces that can be heard outdoors without a shell.
That means 'Pops', and at this time of year, patriotic pops. Sure, some of it's corny, but in many cases that's what the audience came for. Trying to feed them Barber's Adagio for Strings arranged for wind band doesn't work out in the breezes. Come to think of it, that one didn't even work in rehearsal.
It's good to feed the soul with something 'serious' from time to time, but free concerts have to be mostly 'accessable'.
My zwei pfennig
John (the town band brought me back to active playing after a 15 year layoff) Breyer