Definition of a Brass Band
The strict definition of a British-style brass band requires that only brass and percussion instruments are used, no strings or reeds. Intruments include:
- Cornet
- Flügelhorn
- Tenor Horn (Alto Horn)
- Baritone Horn
- Trombone
- Euphonium
- Bass (Tuba)
- Percussion
In a contest band, the number of players on each instrument and part is fixed by rule. Salvation Army bands have no set size or instrumentation, although various series of publications have consistent parts. Music for Salvation Army bands is published for ensembles with as few as four players. A typical lineup for a “full-size” Salvation Army band would be similar to:
- 1 E♭ soprano cornet
- 8 – 10 B𝄬 cornets
- 1 B𝄬 flügelhorn
- 4 – 6 E𝄬 tenor horns
- 2 – 4 B𝄬 baritone horns
- 2 – 4 tenor trombones
- 1 bass trombone
- 2 euphoniums
- 2 E𝄬 basses
- 2 B𝄬 basses
- 2 – 4 percussionists
The most basic arrangements for a band consist of four parts, corresponding to the four basic voice parts in a choir—soprano, alto, tenor, bass. A normal distribution would look something like this:
| Instruments | Voice Parts |
|---|---|
| Cornet, Flügelhorn | Soprano, Alto |
| Horn | Alto, Tenor |
| Baritone | Tenor |
| Trombone | Tenor, Bass |
| Euphonium | Tenor, Bass |
| Bass (Tuba) | Bass |
Composers frequently combine the instruments in different ways to achieve the musical effect that they desire. Different combinations can make the sound remarkably different even if all of the notes are exactly the same.
Color
In a musical context, the term color refers to a quality of sound. This can be described in terms of light: “bright” sounds or “dark” sounds. A bright sound is clear and ringing. A dark sound is mellow and complex. In general, brass instruments are bright when compared with other orchestral instruments. One of the limitations of an all-brass instrumentation is that the range of color is relatively small.
Within the family of brass instruments, there are shades of color. An instrument with a mostly cylindrical bore, such as the trombone, are the brightest. Mellow instruments, such as the euphonium and flügelhorn, have a conical bore. In the typical brass band, the cornets and trombones are the bright instruments, the flügelhorn and euponium are the mellow instruments, and the others are somewhere in the middle, although tending more to the mellow end of the spectrum.
Composer employ several different methods of extending the color range of the brass band. Mutes of various type have the most pronounced effect. More subtle differences can be introduced by the use of different keys and pitch registers. Well-trained players have some control over the brightness of the sound.
