More attention to the variations
I’m having one of those I wonder if I ever moments. As in, I wonder if I ever played that particular piece. In brass band. I happened upon the enigma variations by Elgar and thanks to YouTube there are many performances available. They are beyond my ability now but I could have handled percussion parts back in the day. And maybe the tuba. I guess we will never know. Great stuff. Something to share with my sons in case they ever decide to go classical. There was a time over a century ago when a brass band was a real thing. Not just something brought out for a parade. Why, even I had my chance half century ago to play in a community brass band. Complete with uniforms. I was the percussionists so I got to take things easy at practice. No sessionals if you know what I mean. Do I miss the discipline? Of course it was a part of my life and my own favorite time. Includes people like Elgar and Holst and a few others. The songs of the British brass band. And yes, I said brass. This was not subtle music. This was meant to rouse the spirit and get you out marching in case the soldiers needed you. Now my own time in a brass band was more in concert mode but we knew. If there was ever another World War we would have our part to play. I kid you not. I wonder if I can afford to buy a used euphonium? No I will not but there is a trombone knocking around here somewheres. That might be enough to remind me just how much work it really was.
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