BigW Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The Repiano player is a british brass band's utility infielder. Their part reinforces whatever part in the cornet section the composer feels needs that extra person on. We kinda do the same thing in corps with split parts on upper brass, just with many people instead of one individual. Evidently the Repiano person has to be mentally agile and versatile. Not a part for an idiot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Aces Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 The Repiano player is a british brass band's utility infielder. Their part reinforces whatever part in the cornet section the composer feels needs that extra person on. We kinda do the same thing in corps with split parts on upper brass, just with many people instead of one individual. Evidently the Repiano person has to be mentally agile and versatile. Not a part for an idiot. Yes, all correct (this is the part that I play in my brass band). A single part that oftentimes doubles the flugel part, first cornet, or second cornet (or like BigW mentions, any other part the composer feels like needs some extra support). Also, oftentimes is a single part completely on it's own. You are constantly listening across the ensemble to see which (if any) line you are doubling. What's written for the part is usually pretty challenging as well - I refer to it as the "first-and-a-half" cornet part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Thanks guys - I've never really dug into the Brass Band voices because of lack of exposure. I didn't understand the complexities of the parts to the composition.. I mean heck.. I've been a 2nd Bari most of my career. Even in MBI's "alumni" group, Brio Brass, the voices used there are unlike anything else. 3 trumpet parts(or 4), 3 or 4 'bone parts, 2 bari parts, flugelhorn (sometimes split), mello AND french horn parts, and of course tuba. They also have an electric bass, and have a singular bari sax. (How that came in, I don't know) and 2 percussion folks (kit and "junk" percussion) Something I guess between Drum Corps and Symphonic Bands - with more jazz.. They're up to almost 50 members now. Just NO CORNETS or ALTOS. So you can understand my lack of experience with the classical brass band choir. My gratitude to your expertise. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 The Repiano player is a british brass band's utility infielder. Their part reinforces whatever part in the cornet section the composer feels needs that extra person on. We kinda do the same thing in corps with split parts on upper brass, just with many people instead of one individual. Evidently the Repiano person has to be mentally agile and versatile. Not a part for an idiot. Thanks!!! I played bass trombone and euphonium in a British Brass Band in college (NC State) and even wrote some arrangements, but I never actually knew what this was other than an extra cornet part. Makes sense to me now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Thanks!!! I played bass trombone and euphonium in a British Brass Band in college (NC State) and even wrote some arrangements, but I never actually knew what this was other than an extra cornet part. Makes sense to me now. Whoa, when did you play? Were you there with IIRC Perry ("Purdy") Watson as the director? I remember seeing them at Class A NABBA championships at WCU BITD, Nice run of "Blow away the Morning Dew" and I think "Sounds of Switzerland" was the test piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Oh, BTW, someone mentioned Black Dyke Mills, there's a fantastic 1977 recording of them doing "Connotations" by Gregson if you search a bit. Wow- what a band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) Whoa, when did you play? Were you there with IIRC Perry ("Purdy") Watson as the director? I remember seeing them at Class A NABBA championships at WCU BITD, Nice run of "Blow away the Morning Dew" and I think "Sounds of Switzerland" was the test piece. Yep. Messrs Watson, Adcock, Bliss, and Ostergren were there when I was. We only played concerts on campus as I recall. I left for the Military in 72. Edited March 15, 2014 by CrownBariDad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 If you go to the website that I do a lot of writing for, click on "News Archive" and type in any part of "Bone up on brass bands," you can read about the instrumentation and other facets of the activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Wow! The band was at West Chester around 1984. I dealt with Dr. Watson through "Purdy's Brass Connection" for some solo literature afterwards. In that era, if you wanted that kind of literature, Dr. Watson was pretty much THE conduit for the material in the US. Really encouraging to me as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornTeacher Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 A sincere "thank you" to all of you who have contributed to this topic. Being a brass player myself, I find it to be incredibly interesting. Unfortunately, the college which I attended (many moons ago) was negligent in this area of the musical arts (as well as others; thank goodness I had at least a cursory exposure to things like "jazz ensemble" and "marching band" in my small high school). All of you have opened up a new vista for me to explore and experience -- my gratitude is sincerely felt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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