Question for former band members

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Katharine
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Question for former band members

Post by Katharine »

I had an email from a friend in the States, in it she said her grandson was learning to play the baritone and hoping to join the local band soon.

I know I could look it up, but is this term used here for a brass instrument? Did you have them in the band?
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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Spoonbill
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Spoonbill »

It's like a tenor horn, but with a deeper voice.

As for the CH band, try this, pasted from https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJn ... _band.html

Christ's Hospital Band Formation Format

Drum Majors (who do not conduct the band but are there purely to direct marching, to place halts and for show)
Marching percussion
Snare drummers
Bass and tenor drummers
Cymbals
Trombones (1st, 2nd, and bass)
Tubas and Euphoniums
1st and 2nd Trumpets
French and tenor horns
Alto saxophones (1st and 2nd)
Tenor saxophones
Oboes
Bassoons
Flutes (1st, 2nd and 3rd)
Piccolos
Clarinets (1st, 2nd and 3rd)

Although not a military marching band attached to a regiment in the British Army, Christ's Hospital band is the foremost school-based Military Marching Band in the UK. All instrumentalists are between the ages of 11 and 18, at least ABRSM grade 6 (or equivalent) and are currently students at the school. The band is run by Terry Whittingham LTCL, a former Band Master for the Queen's Royal Highlanders, and is always led by the Senior Drum Major who, along with the pupil Band Captain, receives ceremonial buttons after being appointed. While the appointment of a Band Captain is always a pupil in their final year, the Senior Drum Major can be of any age if there are not enough skilled applicants on a more senior year. The band primarily plays for the daily lunch parade, weather permitting, at the school where the whole school assembles by the Quadrangle at lunchtime and march into Dining Hall to the sound of the band. Externally, the band performs annually at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, and also in the Lord Mayor's Show as well as in a St. Matthews day parade through the City of London. The band has also played at The White House, Twickenham Stadium, and many other world famous areas. The band also performs a Beating the Retreat ceremony at the end of each academic year, and the school's concert band, professional Big Band, and many other musical ensembles perform in many concerts at the school in West Sussex.

The formation above is not quite similar to the Royal Marines and the line infantry regiments of the British Army, while the drum stick drill is on the basis of the RM ones.
Last edited by Spoonbill on Sat Jul 27, 2019 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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J.R.
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by J.R. »

Katherine.
Possibly a baritone saxophone.
There are several pitches.
No saxophone in my day.
With 'Bill' Bailey being band master, EVERYTHING was RM standard.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Spoonbill »

In the UK, baritones are more the preserve of brass bands rather than military bands and are played alongside tenor horns. In the US, they're definitely used in marching bands, along with almost every other instrument known to mankind except (possibly) harps. US marching bands tend to be everything but the kitchen sink operations and of course they feature sousaphones which British military bands wouldn't be caught dead playing.

Baritones look exactly like tenor horns but are slightly larger. Broadly speaking, British military bands tend to favour French horns instead of tenor horns, for a variety of reasons; one reason is that French horns are easier to play whilst marching (and easier to clip sheet music to in that context). Another reason is that the sound from a French horn comes out sideways rather than upwards, which makes them more audible amongst massed instruments and drums than a tenor horn would be. As for baritones, I'd be surprised if the CH band had ever included them, but you never know. If they've currently got oboes and bassoons in the line-up, anything's possible. And if a student at CH insisted on learning the baritone, I find it hard to imagine the bandmaster refusing to allow them and their instrument in the band.
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Katharine »

Many thanks, kind sirs. I only knew the word as a male singing voice, not as an instrument., but I knew somebody here would know!
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Elvie »

Euphonium?
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by A Dirty Old Jack »

Watch your language, you.
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Spoonbill »

It's probably worth mentioning that there's also a so-called 'marching' version of the baritone horn, which tends to be seen in the US rather than in the UK. It's horizontal like a cornet, rather than vertical like a tuba, tenor horn or euphonium. It's highly likely that that's what Katherine's friend's grandson is parping in the US of A if it's a marching band he's signed up for. All rather un-British.
Katharine
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by Katharine »

Again many thanks, Spoonbill. I’ll have to wait till I’m sent the inevitable photo!
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by J.R. »

Katharine wrote: Sun Jul 28, 2019 12:17 pm Again many thanks, Spoonbill. I’ll have to wait till I’m sent the inevitable photo!
We all await the revelation !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: Question for former band members

Post by rockfreak »

I've often wondered what Spoony's specialism was. Other than bouncing bombs.
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